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The Other Half
In the internationally bestselling author Sarah Rayner's The Other Half, Chloe, bright, hip and single, is a feature writer with ambitions to launch a magazine of her own. When she meets James, her potential new boss, she knows she shouldn't mix business with pleasure, but finds it impossible to resist...
Maggie appears to have it all. She's beautiful, a talented writer, and has a gorgeous husband. But something's not quite right: his job as a magazine publisher is keeping him in the city until late most evenings, and some nights he doesn't come home at all...
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair is a sharp, seductive take on modern love.
Who, if anyone, comes out unscathed?
In writing that is lively, sexy and sharp, the international bestselling author Sarah Rayner explores modern-day relationships and age-old moral dilemmas.
Maggie appears to have it all. She's beautiful, a talented writer, and has a gorgeous husband. But something's not quite right: his job as a magazine publisher is keeping him in the city until late most evenings, and some nights he doesn't come home at all...
Told in the alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair is a sharp, seductive take on modern love.
Who, if anyone, comes out unscathed?
In writing that is lively, sexy and sharp, the international bestselling author Sarah Rayner explores modern-day relationships and age-old moral dilemmas.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2001
49 people are currently reading
2746 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Rayner
24 books278 followers"Reading a Sarah Rayner book is like having a no-holds-barred chat with a close friend..."
Sarah Rayner writes both fiction and non-fiction and has sold over 750,000 books worldwide. She is the author of six novels - including 'Searching for Mr. Yesterday', published in February 2023. Her novel, the international bestseller, 'One Moment, One Morning' has two follow-ups, 'The Two Week Wait' and 'Another Night, Another Day', which feature the same Brighton-based characters.
She is also the author/publisher of the 'Making Friends' series of non-fiction self-help books. 'Making Friends with Anxiety: a warm, supportive little book to help ease worry and panic', 'Making Friends with the Menopause' and 'Making Peace with Depression' were published in 2022 by Thread, the non-fiction imprint of Bookouture. They were fully revised and edited for republication.
In 2021, Sarah published 'No More Tigers', her mother's childhood memoir, through her independent imprint, Creative Pumpkin Publishing. Mary Rayner grew up in Burma and when she was eight years old, in 1942, Mary and her family fled from Burma to India on foot to escape the invading Japanese. Mary Rayner is now 89, and is the author/illustrator of the 'Pig Books'. Sarah has written both a Foreword and Afterword for the memoir which is available on Amazon.
To find out more about Sarah or get in touch, please visit her website, www.sarah-rayner.com - it always makes her day to hear to hear from her readers. She is also on Facebook, Instagram and TicToc (search for Creative Pumpkin) and regularly posts about her life in Brighton, England, where she lives with her husband, Tom.
Sarah Rayner writes both fiction and non-fiction and has sold over 750,000 books worldwide. She is the author of six novels - including 'Searching for Mr. Yesterday', published in February 2023. Her novel, the international bestseller, 'One Moment, One Morning' has two follow-ups, 'The Two Week Wait' and 'Another Night, Another Day', which feature the same Brighton-based characters.
She is also the author/publisher of the 'Making Friends' series of non-fiction self-help books. 'Making Friends with Anxiety: a warm, supportive little book to help ease worry and panic', 'Making Friends with the Menopause' and 'Making Peace with Depression' were published in 2022 by Thread, the non-fiction imprint of Bookouture. They were fully revised and edited for republication.
In 2021, Sarah published 'No More Tigers', her mother's childhood memoir, through her independent imprint, Creative Pumpkin Publishing. Mary Rayner grew up in Burma and when she was eight years old, in 1942, Mary and her family fled from Burma to India on foot to escape the invading Japanese. Mary Rayner is now 89, and is the author/illustrator of the 'Pig Books'. Sarah has written both a Foreword and Afterword for the memoir which is available on Amazon.
To find out more about Sarah or get in touch, please visit her website, www.sarah-rayner.com - it always makes her day to hear to hear from her readers. She is also on Facebook, Instagram and TicToc (search for Creative Pumpkin) and regularly posts about her life in Brighton, England, where she lives with her husband, Tom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
April 28, 2017
Yup, I have an ex-husband- A cheating ex-husband...I call him "Those We Don't Speak Of"...but sometimes I slip and speak of him just to poke fun- because I find it therapeutic and it amuses me. Although it was looong go, and I am indifferent to him personally- the betrayal left behind some big trust issues that never go away. Cheaters leave a trail of carnage in their wake- humiliated and hurt wives or husbands, children left to pick sides, mutual friends in awkward positions. It isn't pretty-and it never ends well...
Usually when I pick up a novel about a cheating husband- I am soooo ready to hate the mistress and nothing is going to change my mind...but in this case no matter how much I tried to hate her. I couldn't- in fact I really liked her DAMMIT- and to me that is a feat in itself.
Jamie and Maggie Slater have been married for seven years. Jamie- is a handsome magazine publisher. Maggie- a beautiful talented writer, and stay at home mom. They have a six-year old little boy and a lovely house in the quaint little village of Shere.
Lately their happy marriage has been a little strained- Maggie wants another child- Jamie is not keen on the idea.
Chloe is young vivacious and single. She works as a feature writer in London for the magazine Babe- but feels that there is a gap in the market and has an idea for a hip and trendy new magazine that would appeal to women just like her. When she pitches the concept to her potential new boss- Jamie - she feels an instant attraction and thinks the feelings may be mutual.
After a lunch meeting- between the two- turns into a dinner meeting...and then drinks- the pair soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure on a weekly basis.
THE OTHER HALF - alternates POV between Chloe and Maggie- mistress and wife- Both wanting the same man. One finally ready to settle down- one trying to keep her family intact. Which will Jamie choose...or will the choice stay in his hands?
Chick-lit is not something I read very often, so I was very surprised by how much I liked THE OTHER HALF (and how much it didn't piss me off). Now that doesn't mean I have changed my views on infidelity...so I will leave you with a few words of wisdom. DON'T cheat! It ISN'T nice!....but this book was kind of fun. :)
* I received an advanced copy of this book from a first-reads giveaway.
Usually when I pick up a novel about a cheating husband- I am soooo ready to hate the mistress and nothing is going to change my mind...but in this case no matter how much I tried to hate her. I couldn't- in fact I really liked her DAMMIT- and to me that is a feat in itself.
Jamie and Maggie Slater have been married for seven years. Jamie- is a handsome magazine publisher. Maggie- a beautiful talented writer, and stay at home mom. They have a six-year old little boy and a lovely house in the quaint little village of Shere.
Lately their happy marriage has been a little strained- Maggie wants another child- Jamie is not keen on the idea.
Chloe is young vivacious and single. She works as a feature writer in London for the magazine Babe- but feels that there is a gap in the market and has an idea for a hip and trendy new magazine that would appeal to women just like her. When she pitches the concept to her potential new boss- Jamie - she feels an instant attraction and thinks the feelings may be mutual.
After a lunch meeting- between the two- turns into a dinner meeting...and then drinks- the pair soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure on a weekly basis.
THE OTHER HALF - alternates POV between Chloe and Maggie- mistress and wife- Both wanting the same man. One finally ready to settle down- one trying to keep her family intact. Which will Jamie choose...or will the choice stay in his hands?
Chick-lit is not something I read very often, so I was very surprised by how much I liked THE OTHER HALF (and how much it didn't piss me off). Now that doesn't mean I have changed my views on infidelity...so I will leave you with a few words of wisdom. DON'T cheat! It ISN'T nice!....but this book was kind of fun. :)
* I received an advanced copy of this book from a first-reads giveaway.
February 16, 2018
cheater scumbag + moron + doesn't know what he wants + whore at the Office +wife with young son
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“Tell me, Jamie, did you finish it?” She paused. “Or did she?”
Jamie looked down at his shoes. “I suppose … she did.” He must know this wasn’t the right thing to say; that it meant he would lose her, yet perhaps at last he was sick of lying.
Maggie tucked her hair behind her ears so she could see him properly. “That’s it, Jamie, don’t you see? It was all I ever asked of you, for you to decide for yourself. And you never could. That was all I wanted—for you to come back, to try to make a go of things, of your own accord. But you couldn’t do that, and even now that it’s over with Chloë, you weren’t the one to decide. The ceaseless fluctuating … Never knowing what you wanted … Always reacting to me or her, never taking the initiative. You must see that I can’t take you back. Not on those terms, not now.”
October 10, 2016
Spoilers ahead: I found the opinions of other reviewers somewhat mystifying. Many readers seem to think the ow was actually nice and even a victim. I didn't see this at all. The gimmick of having 2 alternate pov (in this case wife and ow) is getting so stale. Lazy authors seem to resort to it as a way to make the ow more human, as if telling her side of the story is going to make her crime any less despicable. But I guess some readers are falling for it judging by the reviews here. Reasons why ow is not redeemed:
1. went into affair fully knowing, from day one, and not caring, that man was married and had a kid
2. sex right from first date so nothing more than dirty lust which could have been nipped in the bud if she had been halfway decent
3. never talked to hero about how he felt about his wife and kid, kept avoiding hard talk
4. refused to give wife the job because she was her lover's wife, how unprofessional, yet we are told she is this super employee.
Also, huge inconsistency in before and after feelings: ow was supposedly attracted to hero because he was confident and assertive, yet towards the end, the author has painted him as this wimpy, dithering invertebrate who needs to be told to get in out of the rain. Nobody can change so radically in the space of six months, it's not even as if the affair was so emotional and meaningful that it played havoc with the hero's mind and caused him to lose it altogether; the affair did not come off as anything other than a physical one, the author does not ever mention that the hero was actually attracted to the ow's qualities and traits (not that she had any attractive ones), so absolutely no emotional connection at all, therefore not believable.
Saving grace: Does have HEA. Wife finds herself and goes on to live happily sans hero. Yay!
1. went into affair fully knowing, from day one, and not caring, that man was married and had a kid
2. sex right from first date so nothing more than dirty lust which could have been nipped in the bud if she had been halfway decent
3. never talked to hero about how he felt about his wife and kid, kept avoiding hard talk
4. refused to give wife the job because she was her lover's wife, how unprofessional, yet we are told she is this super employee.
Also, huge inconsistency in before and after feelings: ow was supposedly attracted to hero because he was confident and assertive, yet towards the end, the author has painted him as this wimpy, dithering invertebrate who needs to be told to get in out of the rain. Nobody can change so radically in the space of six months, it's not even as if the affair was so emotional and meaningful that it played havoc with the hero's mind and caused him to lose it altogether; the affair did not come off as anything other than a physical one, the author does not ever mention that the hero was actually attracted to the ow's qualities and traits (not that she had any attractive ones), so absolutely no emotional connection at all, therefore not believable.
Saving grace: Does have HEA. Wife finds herself and goes on to live happily sans hero. Yay!
August 14, 2014
Ugh, this book. I decided to give it a try because I thought the premise might be interesting - as despicable as adultery is, I thought "huh, a book that explores both sides might be decent". Well, no. No, it wasn't.
Chloe is a magazine publisher in her 20s (or early 30s? I already forgot) who is brunette and curvy and wild and disorganized. Maggie, the wife, is tall and blonde and slender and super organized. Maggie is married to Jamie, and they have a child together. Jamie is Chloe's boss. When she wants to pitch her idea for a new magazine, she pitches it to Jamie. And so the affair begins.
One of the worst things about this book is how easily and carelessly Chloe and Jamie decide to have an affair. There's no drawn out tension or chemistry; Jamie isn't having problems at home. Maggie and Jamie appear to have a good relationship. They have sex right before he decides to start screwing Chloe even. And Chloe knows that he's a married father. They go out to one business dinner, he tells her all about his wife and son - making sure to accuse the wife of trapping him into a marriage with a pregnancy - and they sleep together. It's fairly sickening, actually, because we are clearly supposed to root for Chloe as the plucky little underdog, or something. What she actually is, is a selfish spoiled little brat who willfully wrecks a marriage and breaks up a family. And when she is called out on that, she's like so upset, because why would someone be so mean to HER?? When it's pointed out to Chloe that the affair has put Maggie through hell, her response is to think that she's been through hell too. Excuse me?! SHE is the one who knowingly had an affair with a married man, a man who constantly spoke of his wife and son to her, bought gifts for them in front of her, and hid the affair with him. She's hardly some sympathetic victim here, yet evidently, that's how we are supposed to see her. Because, you know, the act of breaking up a marriage is really hard on her too, you guys. She just LOVES Jamie, so much. Meanwhile, because she's all wild and carefree (as opposed to boring, responsible Maggie who wants to have another baby) she drinks and does cocaine with Jamie because... well, I don't know why. It serves no purpose in the plot, anyway. But the drug use is portrayed as a positive thing, like ordering a margarita to have with dinner.
This book mostly made me increasingly angry - not because it dealt with the topic of infidelity, or because we are meant to sympathize with someone who had an affair. I honestly believe that a better writer could probably take on that complex subject and do it justice. But this? This was just horrific, a horrible book filled with characters who evidently have no morals whatsoever, aside from Maggie - the one character who isn't a completely self-centered, self-absorbed, narcissistic little twit.
Let me just put it this way: the ONLY reason I even finished this book was so I could review it here and post how bad it was. If you want to read a book about a piece of shit excuse for a man who cheats on his wife with a selfish little brat who can only constantly whine about how her married boyfriend hasn't left his wife already, then knock yourself out: this book is for you! If you find that kind of behavior and attitude to be abhorrent, like most decent people do, then do yourself a favor and skip this monstrosity.
Chloe is a magazine publisher in her 20s (or early 30s? I already forgot) who is brunette and curvy and wild and disorganized. Maggie, the wife, is tall and blonde and slender and super organized. Maggie is married to Jamie, and they have a child together. Jamie is Chloe's boss. When she wants to pitch her idea for a new magazine, she pitches it to Jamie. And so the affair begins.
One of the worst things about this book is how easily and carelessly Chloe and Jamie decide to have an affair. There's no drawn out tension or chemistry; Jamie isn't having problems at home. Maggie and Jamie appear to have a good relationship. They have sex right before he decides to start screwing Chloe even. And Chloe knows that he's a married father. They go out to one business dinner, he tells her all about his wife and son - making sure to accuse the wife of trapping him into a marriage with a pregnancy - and they sleep together. It's fairly sickening, actually, because we are clearly supposed to root for Chloe as the plucky little underdog, or something. What she actually is, is a selfish spoiled little brat who willfully wrecks a marriage and breaks up a family. And when she is called out on that, she's like so upset, because why would someone be so mean to HER?? When it's pointed out to Chloe that the affair has put Maggie through hell, her response is to think that she's been through hell too. Excuse me?! SHE is the one who knowingly had an affair with a married man, a man who constantly spoke of his wife and son to her, bought gifts for them in front of her, and hid the affair with him. She's hardly some sympathetic victim here, yet evidently, that's how we are supposed to see her. Because, you know, the act of breaking up a marriage is really hard on her too, you guys. She just LOVES Jamie, so much. Meanwhile, because she's all wild and carefree (as opposed to boring, responsible Maggie who wants to have another baby) she drinks and does cocaine with Jamie because... well, I don't know why. It serves no purpose in the plot, anyway. But the drug use is portrayed as a positive thing, like ordering a margarita to have with dinner.
This book mostly made me increasingly angry - not because it dealt with the topic of infidelity, or because we are meant to sympathize with someone who had an affair. I honestly believe that a better writer could probably take on that complex subject and do it justice. But this? This was just horrific, a horrible book filled with characters who evidently have no morals whatsoever, aside from Maggie - the one character who isn't a completely self-centered, self-absorbed, narcissistic little twit.
Let me just put it this way: the ONLY reason I even finished this book was so I could review it here and post how bad it was. If you want to read a book about a piece of shit excuse for a man who cheats on his wife with a selfish little brat who can only constantly whine about how her married boyfriend hasn't left his wife already, then knock yourself out: this book is for you! If you find that kind of behavior and attitude to be abhorrent, like most decent people do, then do yourself a favor and skip this monstrosity.
March 8, 2017
I do not like the portrayal of Chloe. She was just as responsible for breaking up a family (not just a marriage, kids were involved) as the dirty rat bast@rd of a husband.
August 6, 2016
This was a tough read. Chloe is an ambitious, curvy feature writer, who shares a London flat with Rob, her gay best friend, and wants to launch her own magazine. Maggie is a married mother who wants to expand her one-child family and her own feature writing career.
I received a free copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the IDEA of this novel, with alternating chapters between the mistress and wife in a love triangle. I thought Maggie's voice and character was especially compelling.
However, I struggled to like Chloe. We're told that as a child, she was emotionally damaged by her father's philandering and her parents subsequent divorce, so, if anything, she should have been hypersensitive to becoming "the other woman." Additionally, James is not only married, but her BOSS; he could ruin her career with a snap of his fingers. This makes her falling into bed with him after only a few shared drinks simply inexplicable, no matter how strong the chemistry between them was. No mention of condoms or birth control, either, another point against it.
This book would have worked for me if I'd seen Chloe struggle more at the beginning to resist James, or if she'd been periodically racked with guilt or trying to break it off. There's some drug/alcohol binges in this novel which might be triggering or distasteful to some. And Rob, the gay best friend, was something of a caricature - on hand when needed, absent when not, eternally supportive no matter what Chloe did... Likewise the child, Nathan, does not get sick or otherwise present unforeseen complications (unlike a real child).
There were sections that were vastly entertaining, and some almost-got-caught parts that I enjoyed. I also liked how it ended - I won't spoil it here with who "wins" James - or herself, in the end, but in a way, the ending was almost too magically neat.
I received a free copy of this novel via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the IDEA of this novel, with alternating chapters between the mistress and wife in a love triangle. I thought Maggie's voice and character was especially compelling.
However, I struggled to like Chloe. We're told that as a child, she was emotionally damaged by her father's philandering and her parents subsequent divorce, so, if anything, she should have been hypersensitive to becoming "the other woman." Additionally, James is not only married, but her BOSS; he could ruin her career with a snap of his fingers. This makes her falling into bed with him after only a few shared drinks simply inexplicable, no matter how strong the chemistry between them was. No mention of condoms or birth control, either, another point against it.
This book would have worked for me if I'd seen Chloe struggle more at the beginning to resist James, or if she'd been periodically racked with guilt or trying to break it off. There's some drug/alcohol binges in this novel which might be triggering or distasteful to some. And Rob, the gay best friend, was something of a caricature - on hand when needed, absent when not, eternally supportive no matter what Chloe did... Likewise the child, Nathan, does not get sick or otherwise present unforeseen complications (unlike a real child).
There were sections that were vastly entertaining, and some almost-got-caught parts that I enjoyed. I also liked how it ended - I won't spoil it here with who "wins" James - or herself, in the end, but in a way, the ending was almost too magically neat.
June 18, 2014
Chloe is a features editor on a magazine. She has what she thinks is a good idea for a new type of magazine for thirty something women and she pitches the idea to James, a publisher. In the course of their meetings she falls for him and the feeling is mutual. Their affair leads to consequences neither of them could have foreseen when they first met.
Unfortunately I didn't like Chloe as a character. She seemed shallow and self centred - not to say hypocritical. She condemned others for having affairs and breaking up marriages but her own affair was of course completely different. I didn't like James either because he seemed unable to make his own decisions but simply reacted to what everyone else did - as his wife points out to him.
This is a fairly typical chick lit story and while the writing is reasonable it sometimes read to me as though I was reading a magazine article about how a group of people had messed up their lives.
I didn't like the characters in the main and some of the minor ones appeared at the beginning and seemed interesting only to disappear never to be seen again. Other people may enjoy this book - perhaps I was in the wrong mood for it. I received a free copy of the book for review purposes from NetGalley.
Unfortunately I didn't like Chloe as a character. She seemed shallow and self centred - not to say hypocritical. She condemned others for having affairs and breaking up marriages but her own affair was of course completely different. I didn't like James either because he seemed unable to make his own decisions but simply reacted to what everyone else did - as his wife points out to him.
This is a fairly typical chick lit story and while the writing is reasonable it sometimes read to me as though I was reading a magazine article about how a group of people had messed up their lives.
I didn't like the characters in the main and some of the minor ones appeared at the beginning and seemed interesting only to disappear never to be seen again. Other people may enjoy this book - perhaps I was in the wrong mood for it. I received a free copy of the book for review purposes from NetGalley.
March 10, 2017
A perfect beach read for my Jersey vacation. A smart take on wives, mistresses and cheating husbands. Chloe (the mistress) and John (the cheater) think they're being oh-so-discrete, but the reader is privy to all the stupid 'mistakes' they make and how their smoothness is anything but smooth. You also get to watch as Maggie (the wife) ever-so-slowly comes to the (rather obvious) realization that her husband is a weak, immoral man. Then she deals with things in her own way. Even though this is a classic story of infidelity and its consequences, and even though the reader knows exactly where things are headed, it's a fun read that keeps you turning the pages. It's a clever book, well written, and very British. I recommend taking a copy along on your next trip to the Jersey Shore!
More fun to be had on the subject right here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
More fun to be had on the subject right here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 5, 2020
Three and a half stars 🌟
This was a fun read that was read in 3 days while camping and enjoying the July 4th holiday (Independence Day FYI). Jamie and Maggie are happily married with a six year old son. As Maggie’s biological clock is counting down and she yearns for another child, Jamie isn’t so sure another dependent is in his future. Along come opportunity in the form of a vibrant women working in Jamie’s industry and things get complicated.
This would be a fun read for the beach or a vacation!
This was a fun read that was read in 3 days while camping and enjoying the July 4th holiday (Independence Day FYI). Jamie and Maggie are happily married with a six year old son. As Maggie’s biological clock is counting down and she yearns for another child, Jamie isn’t so sure another dependent is in his future. Along come opportunity in the form of a vibrant women working in Jamie’s industry and things get complicated.
This would be a fun read for the beach or a vacation!
March 16, 2014
Sarah Rayner’s book starts by describing good time Chloe, an up and coming star in the world of women’s magazines who goes for a drink with her boss, James and ends up taking him to bed with her. Chloe is trying to pitch an idea for a new magazine which is different (a concept that is long overdue in my opinion) and his contacts could be the break she needs.
Later on we get to know Maggie, the perfect wife, a well-known food writer who is well groomed and more sensible than Chloe. James and Maggie have a six year old son Nathan and as readers we witness her humiliation at a dinner party they are hosting. You see, although this reads far more like chick-lit than her previous novels, there is a depth to the writing that I enjoy in Sarah Rayner’s books.
From these alternating views of their lives I found I was sympathetic to both women, they are different and both want more from James which to my mind perfectly replicates every affair that I have ever heard about. Sarah Rayner has been clever allowing her readers to see James up close and personal from the beginning and not by painting him as an awful man, but depicting a situation which to my mind is realistic. While Chloe is extolling his good points we have an insight into a different side to James, a man who, like most of us, doesn’t have all the answers to explain his behaviour.
This is one of those books that I fairly rattled through, as a light read with a more solid centre this was a familiar tale, not told so much with a twist, but maybe with a level of understanding of all the protagonists in what is not an unfamiliar tale. I don’t want to spoil the plot in any way but the ending was fitting, as it had to be, bearing in mind the subject matter!
I was grateful to receive a free copy of this book from St Martin’s Press ahead of the publication date of 25 March 2014 in return for my written opinion.
Later on we get to know Maggie, the perfect wife, a well-known food writer who is well groomed and more sensible than Chloe. James and Maggie have a six year old son Nathan and as readers we witness her humiliation at a dinner party they are hosting. You see, although this reads far more like chick-lit than her previous novels, there is a depth to the writing that I enjoy in Sarah Rayner’s books.
From these alternating views of their lives I found I was sympathetic to both women, they are different and both want more from James which to my mind perfectly replicates every affair that I have ever heard about. Sarah Rayner has been clever allowing her readers to see James up close and personal from the beginning and not by painting him as an awful man, but depicting a situation which to my mind is realistic. While Chloe is extolling his good points we have an insight into a different side to James, a man who, like most of us, doesn’t have all the answers to explain his behaviour.
This is one of those books that I fairly rattled through, as a light read with a more solid centre this was a familiar tale, not told so much with a twist, but maybe with a level of understanding of all the protagonists in what is not an unfamiliar tale. I don’t want to spoil the plot in any way but the ending was fitting, as it had to be, bearing in mind the subject matter!
I was grateful to receive a free copy of this book from St Martin’s Press ahead of the publication date of 25 March 2014 in return for my written opinion.
March 4, 2014
This was my first book by Sarah Rayner, and so look forward to reading more of her work!
“The Other Half” grabs you from the first page, to the last with such intensity, emotion, and seduction as this complicated sexy love triangle faces life, temptation, and desire in the sexy and hip UK and US glamorous magazine world. Set between modern London and lively New York, the suspense will keep you on edge until the wee hours of the morning.
This book was so much more than the “other woman/mistress” typical scenario. This love story had depth and meaning-- told from the man, mistress, and wife (mother)’s point of view, as well as a few of the secondary characters, making you sympathetic to each of them at times.
Sarah did an outstanding job of transitioning between Maggie, Chloe, and James (Jamie), each facing powerful raw emotions and difficult moral dilemmas. The book depicts an emotional journey with exploration of feelings and erotic content. Friendship was also a big component, as quite adored the relationship between Chloe and Rob.
A novel of strong tenacious women, ambition, lust, seduction, and relationships; lessons learned, being true to yourself, taking control of your life, and finding your way when obstacles get in the way.
After reading “Tempting Fate” by Jane Green and “The Other Half” back to back (two excellent yet powerful 2014 novels of love affair triangles by brilliant authors); will surely convince any man or woman to seriously think twice before embarking on an affair (as you may get more than you bargained for).
A special thank you to St Martin’s Press (St Martin’s Griffin), via NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an unbiased honest review.
“The Other Half” grabs you from the first page, to the last with such intensity, emotion, and seduction as this complicated sexy love triangle faces life, temptation, and desire in the sexy and hip UK and US glamorous magazine world. Set between modern London and lively New York, the suspense will keep you on edge until the wee hours of the morning.
This book was so much more than the “other woman/mistress” typical scenario. This love story had depth and meaning-- told from the man, mistress, and wife (mother)’s point of view, as well as a few of the secondary characters, making you sympathetic to each of them at times.
Sarah did an outstanding job of transitioning between Maggie, Chloe, and James (Jamie), each facing powerful raw emotions and difficult moral dilemmas. The book depicts an emotional journey with exploration of feelings and erotic content. Friendship was also a big component, as quite adored the relationship between Chloe and Rob.
A novel of strong tenacious women, ambition, lust, seduction, and relationships; lessons learned, being true to yourself, taking control of your life, and finding your way when obstacles get in the way.
After reading “Tempting Fate” by Jane Green and “The Other Half” back to back (two excellent yet powerful 2014 novels of love affair triangles by brilliant authors); will surely convince any man or woman to seriously think twice before embarking on an affair (as you may get more than you bargained for).
A special thank you to St Martin’s Press (St Martin’s Griffin), via NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an unbiased honest review.
September 6, 2014
Books like The Other Half have the tendency to elicit a lot of cheap emotion from me. I inevitably get sucked into family drama/marriage-in-trouble stories, and I've recently found a plethora of novels that fall into that genre subset. This book was neither the best of those that I've read nor was it the worst.
The main players are Maggie, the freelance writer with a house, husband, and kid in the 'burbs, and Chloe, vivacious and bubbly and very naive. Maggie and Chloe are total opposites in looks and personality. While Maggie feels trapped by her life and restless in her work, hoping for a second child (cliché, no?), Chloe is young and unmoored, hoping to launch her career - and a new magazine. James the philanderer also has a career in publishing, which is a pretty huge plot point in the book because it's how he and Chloe meet and begin their affair.
I'm giving this novel a 3.5/5 because it held my interest and made me feel invested in the characters' situations. I also related to Maggie because she was so fully-imagined, a reserved, understated woman with a touch of social shyness almost at odds with her demanding and perfectionist nature. I love-hated that James compared her to Chloe because those moments just read so heartbreaking real on the page. Rayner didn't hold back from putting the characters in sticky, awkward situtations, either.
However, there were some things that bugged me and a few that I flat-out didn't like about this story. Things that bugged me: this novel is a reissued version of a book published originally in the late 90s, which I didn't know when I picked it up. The fact that it's a reissue explained some of the niggling issues I had with characters' interests and actions . It also explained why the setting for the book is a dying industry (magazines) but everyone still gets excited thinking Chloe's magazine idea is the next big thing. What I flat-out didn't like: Chloe is SO annoying! (And not just because she knowingly starts an affair with a married man.) I just don't think Rayner does a great job of justifying any of her actions and thoughts. Chloe's gay roommate (also a holdover stereotype from a decade ago) warns her repeatedly about romantic entanglements with a married man to no avail.
To some degree, the biggest thing that kept me reading was wanting to find out how it all turned out for this threesome. That said, the ending was exactly how is should've been, not perfect, not HEA, not totally depressing. Take that cryptic, spoiler-free statement however you want, but mainly it means I didn't love the ending but also don't think the book could've realistically ended any other way.
Good book, but if you like the love triangle/marital affair angle, read Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter instead. It's more compelling - and it was written this century.
The main players are Maggie, the freelance writer with a house, husband, and kid in the 'burbs, and Chloe, vivacious and bubbly and very naive. Maggie and Chloe are total opposites in looks and personality. While Maggie feels trapped by her life and restless in her work, hoping for a second child (cliché, no?), Chloe is young and unmoored, hoping to launch her career - and a new magazine. James the philanderer also has a career in publishing, which is a pretty huge plot point in the book because it's how he and Chloe meet and begin their affair.
I'm giving this novel a 3.5/5 because it held my interest and made me feel invested in the characters' situations. I also related to Maggie because she was so fully-imagined, a reserved, understated woman with a touch of social shyness almost at odds with her demanding and perfectionist nature. I love-hated that James compared her to Chloe because those moments just read so heartbreaking real on the page. Rayner didn't hold back from putting the characters in sticky, awkward situtations, either.
However, there were some things that bugged me and a few that I flat-out didn't like about this story. Things that bugged me: this novel is a reissued version of a book published originally in the late 90s, which I didn't know when I picked it up. The fact that it's a reissue explained some of the niggling issues I had with characters' interests and actions . It also explained why the setting for the book is a dying industry (magazines) but everyone still gets excited thinking Chloe's magazine idea is the next big thing. What I flat-out didn't like: Chloe is SO annoying! (And not just because she knowingly starts an affair with a married man.) I just don't think Rayner does a great job of justifying any of her actions and thoughts. Chloe's gay roommate (also a holdover stereotype from a decade ago) warns her repeatedly about romantic entanglements with a married man to no avail.
To some degree, the biggest thing that kept me reading was wanting to find out how it all turned out for this threesome. That said, the ending was exactly how is should've been, not perfect, not HEA, not totally depressing. Take that cryptic, spoiler-free statement however you want, but mainly it means I didn't love the ending but also don't think the book could've realistically ended any other way.
Good book, but if you like the love triangle/marital affair angle, read Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter instead. It's more compelling - and it was written this century.
March 14, 2014
*ARC kindly provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Cheating isn't the easiest subject to read about and I imagine it's because no one ever wants to think about being in that situation themselves. But don't let that deter you, this was a great book! The author tells the story from the perspective of the wife and the mistress with dual POV's, which makes for a unique story. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with cheating, but it was hard not to sympathize with both Maggie and Chloe.
Maggie and James are married and have a six year old son. She works as a freelance writer and has been feeling like she isn't being challenged enough with her writing or in life. Chloe is a single, ambitious editor for a women's magazine. She is the complete opposite of Maggie. She's curvy, messy, outgoing and loud. When she has an idea to launch a new magazine, it's James that listens to the pitch and there is an instant attraction between the two of them. Chloe reminds James of an ex-girlfriend that he once loved. Chloe and James start having an affair and fall for one another. A few months in, Maggie can't ignore the changes she sees in James or the distance in their relationship. She discovers that he's having an affair.
Cheating isn't the easiest subject to read about and I imagine it's because no one ever wants to think about being in that situation themselves. But don't let that deter you, this was a great book! The author tells the story from the perspective of the wife and the mistress with dual POV's, which makes for a unique story. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with cheating, but it was hard not to sympathize with both Maggie and Chloe.
Maggie and James are married and have a six year old son. She works as a freelance writer and has been feeling like she isn't being challenged enough with her writing or in life. Chloe is a single, ambitious editor for a women's magazine. She is the complete opposite of Maggie. She's curvy, messy, outgoing and loud. When she has an idea to launch a new magazine, it's James that listens to the pitch and there is an instant attraction between the two of them. Chloe reminds James of an ex-girlfriend that he once loved. Chloe and James start having an affair and fall for one another. A few months in, Maggie can't ignore the changes she sees in James or the distance in their relationship. She discovers that he's having an affair.
"Whatever happens, we've had this time, haven't we? No one can take that away."It's really hard to watch James lie and lead both women on. I loved that both Chloe and Maggie realized that they shouldn't be sitting back and letting James make all the decisions, but instead made the choice for themselves to be happy.
August 12, 2016
The Other Half is one of those rare books that while shining a rather glaring spotlight on a very touchy subject, (adultery) still manages to entertain the reader and maintain a light hearted tone.
Telling the story of infidelity from both the point of view of mistress (Chloe) and wife (Maggie); author Sarah Rayner expertly navigates the twists and turns of loves, lives, betrayals, and growth with a respect and sensitivity that is unmatched.
Although there are a great many things that make this book a stellar read, the most important of these would have to be the fact that neither Maggie nor Chloe is ever made to play the victim. They each are
allowed to remain strong and accomplished in spite of the turmoil of their personal situations.
This read has a very Sex In The City feel. This especially true in Chloe's case. Unmarried, climbing the publishing ladder, and looking for adventure; Chloe may be the bad girl in this scenario, but she is a very likeable person, and it is quite clear that she is really not out to hurt anyone.
James, a.k.a "the man in the middle" is your usual married and approaching forty husband. He is haggard, and feels a bit trapped by the conventions of married life and fatherhood.
He is quite the charming rogue, and it is easy to see why Chloe falls for him.
He also proves to be quite adept at making a mess of things, and as usual, it is up to the ladies to ge things sorted.
The Other Half will probably make you laugh; could make you cry; may even make you want to throw the book. Most importantly however, it will defiantly make you think.
Telling the story of infidelity from both the point of view of mistress (Chloe) and wife (Maggie); author Sarah Rayner expertly navigates the twists and turns of loves, lives, betrayals, and growth with a respect and sensitivity that is unmatched.
Although there are a great many things that make this book a stellar read, the most important of these would have to be the fact that neither Maggie nor Chloe is ever made to play the victim. They each are
allowed to remain strong and accomplished in spite of the turmoil of their personal situations.
This read has a very Sex In The City feel. This especially true in Chloe's case. Unmarried, climbing the publishing ladder, and looking for adventure; Chloe may be the bad girl in this scenario, but she is a very likeable person, and it is quite clear that she is really not out to hurt anyone.
James, a.k.a "the man in the middle" is your usual married and approaching forty husband. He is haggard, and feels a bit trapped by the conventions of married life and fatherhood.
He is quite the charming rogue, and it is easy to see why Chloe falls for him.
He also proves to be quite adept at making a mess of things, and as usual, it is up to the ladies to ge things sorted.
The Other Half will probably make you laugh; could make you cry; may even make you want to throw the book. Most importantly however, it will defiantly make you think.
April 10, 2014
Fair warning--there's lots of emotion and sexual attraction here, but this is no romance novel. "The Other Half" is the story of a marriage and an affair told from the viewpoints of the two women who lived it.
Set in England, it covers some interesting ground--what attracts us to people, whether we ever truly get over important past loves, how we justify our actions to ourselves, how much of ourselves we give up--or should give up--to maintain a relationship.
Though very different in appearance and temperament, both women are very likable and I felt their pain. Both women are professionals--the wife a freelance writer who likes life neat and organized and the mistress a magazine editor who goes for messy and creative. The guy they share is the publisher of the magazine.
I really wondered how Rayner would resolve the triangle and I found the ending to be very satisfying.
Set in England, it covers some interesting ground--what attracts us to people, whether we ever truly get over important past loves, how we justify our actions to ourselves, how much of ourselves we give up--or should give up--to maintain a relationship.
Though very different in appearance and temperament, both women are very likable and I felt their pain. Both women are professionals--the wife a freelance writer who likes life neat and organized and the mistress a magazine editor who goes for messy and creative. The guy they share is the publisher of the magazine.
I really wondered how Rayner would resolve the triangle and I found the ending to be very satisfying.
May 12, 2013
Absolutely loved it, Started Sarah's books with One Moment, One Morning and this revamp of her earlier work is just as good.
October 3, 2018
Στην αρχη είχα θυμώσει με τη συγγραφέα γιατί να δικαιολογεί μια ερωμένη; Δεν είμαστε έρμαια να μην μπορούμε να πάρουμε μια απόφασή στη ζωή μας; Ένας άβουλος μεσήλικας μια υπερτελεια σύζυγος πφφφ πραγματικά ήθελα να το παρατήσω.. Ευτυχώς στο τέλος η σύζηγος γλίτωσε από τον αντρα της οπότε παρηγορήθηκα..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2024
very interesting… oh what i would do to live in a mans brain for a day
August 13, 2016
The Other Half is the story of the affair between Chloe and James and the resulting fallout once the wife (Maggie) discovers what has been going on. The story unfolds in alternating chapters told by Chloe and Maggie. Consequently we get to know about James through the eyes of his wife and his lover, which allows the reader to form their own opinion as we take a more dispassionate view of his actions.
Given the subject matter, I was not inclined to be sympathetic towards the guilty parties, as I, like I suspect many other female readers, have an uncompromising stance on adultery. As it happens I don’t think that the characters of Chloe and James are particularly likeable, which is a tribute to Sarah Rayners writing. It would have been easier to make the affair the result of some grand passion that could not be ignored, which we might, albeit reluctantly, have been swept along by. As it is, I find Chloe very childish and selfish with very little moral fibre as she acknowledges that James has a wife and child but puts her own desires first. Similarly James seems to easily ignore his responsibilities at home as he seeks to reclaim the excitement of what he once had in his marriage and a previous relationship. While Chloe might convince herself she is in love, to be honest I can’t see how and why as the relationship seems to be defined by sex, of which there is a lot, something which is worth flagging up as it is probably not for the faint hearted.
While our sympathies should lie with the wronged wife, Maggie is not always a particularly warm and sympathetic character, though that still does not justify the affair, because the true innocent in all of this is their son. James, like many adulterers, uses the justification that while he loves his wife, he is not in love. Well welcome to the real world James, relationships develop and deepen and extend beyond the immediate primal desires of sex and attraction, and for the majority of adults that produces a relationship that is worth fighting for if the going occasionally gets a little tough. In reality I suspect that we are looking at a man who for all his maturity is reluctant to accept reality and is more ruled by his libido that his head. He is a weak character and if Chloe wasn’t available I suspect it would have sought someone else.
I’m not sure I can say I enjoyed the book, in the sense that the subject is one I have difficulty with and I found myself getting annoyed with the characters. On several occasions I wanted to shout at both women, who despite their being intelligent, independent women seemed to need James to validate them. On the other hand, it was thought provoking and insightful, and the characters were well drawn and from that viewpoint it was a good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Given the subject matter, I was not inclined to be sympathetic towards the guilty parties, as I, like I suspect many other female readers, have an uncompromising stance on adultery. As it happens I don’t think that the characters of Chloe and James are particularly likeable, which is a tribute to Sarah Rayners writing. It would have been easier to make the affair the result of some grand passion that could not be ignored, which we might, albeit reluctantly, have been swept along by. As it is, I find Chloe very childish and selfish with very little moral fibre as she acknowledges that James has a wife and child but puts her own desires first. Similarly James seems to easily ignore his responsibilities at home as he seeks to reclaim the excitement of what he once had in his marriage and a previous relationship. While Chloe might convince herself she is in love, to be honest I can’t see how and why as the relationship seems to be defined by sex, of which there is a lot, something which is worth flagging up as it is probably not for the faint hearted.
While our sympathies should lie with the wronged wife, Maggie is not always a particularly warm and sympathetic character, though that still does not justify the affair, because the true innocent in all of this is their son. James, like many adulterers, uses the justification that while he loves his wife, he is not in love. Well welcome to the real world James, relationships develop and deepen and extend beyond the immediate primal desires of sex and attraction, and for the majority of adults that produces a relationship that is worth fighting for if the going occasionally gets a little tough. In reality I suspect that we are looking at a man who for all his maturity is reluctant to accept reality and is more ruled by his libido that his head. He is a weak character and if Chloe wasn’t available I suspect it would have sought someone else.
I’m not sure I can say I enjoyed the book, in the sense that the subject is one I have difficulty with and I found myself getting annoyed with the characters. On several occasions I wanted to shout at both women, who despite their being intelligent, independent women seemed to need James to validate them. On the other hand, it was thought provoking and insightful, and the characters were well drawn and from that viewpoint it was a good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
March 20, 2014
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher St Martin's Press for the digital copy to review and give my honest feedback.
I was quickly drawn into the story and into the lives of the characters. They were all very well written and believable – so believable in fact that at first I thoroughly disliked the husband James (Jamie) who I thought was quite withdrawn from his wife and what she was going through how what he was doing was causing such stress for her, she new something was off in the relationship but unable to confront it for herself. I found both Chloe and James selfish and childish, and had such disregard for the wife and son. See how Believable I think these characters are I can go on and on about how much I disliked them, but how wonderful Sarah Rayner wrote them so believable.
There was quite a few characters I engaged with the most and who I felt the most sympathy for and that was Maggie, her whole life and I could empathize with her fears that her marriage and family were falling apart. I found I was a tad disappointed with the James yet again not being able to make a decision, and ultimately that's what confirmed his end on both relationships. I would have liked to delve into more or James emotional turmoil through counselling to get to his route cause, I mean in a way he had to know the way he told Maggie of Chloe's leaving ultimately was his demise with Maggie as well. I really don't agree with the context of this book, however Sarah Rayner did a fantastic job writing it.
I was quickly drawn into the story and into the lives of the characters. They were all very well written and believable – so believable in fact that at first I thoroughly disliked the husband James (Jamie) who I thought was quite withdrawn from his wife and what she was going through how what he was doing was causing such stress for her, she new something was off in the relationship but unable to confront it for herself. I found both Chloe and James selfish and childish, and had such disregard for the wife and son. See how Believable I think these characters are I can go on and on about how much I disliked them, but how wonderful Sarah Rayner wrote them so believable.
There was quite a few characters I engaged with the most and who I felt the most sympathy for and that was Maggie, her whole life and I could empathize with her fears that her marriage and family were falling apart. I found I was a tad disappointed with the James yet again not being able to make a decision, and ultimately that's what confirmed his end on both relationships. I would have liked to delve into more or James emotional turmoil through counselling to get to his route cause, I mean in a way he had to know the way he told Maggie of Chloe's leaving ultimately was his demise with Maggie as well. I really don't agree with the context of this book, however Sarah Rayner did a fantastic job writing it.
December 29, 2012
I came to this from Sarah Rayner's more recent novels, One Moment One Morning and The Two Week Wait, and whilst it's clearly written by younger woman, I enjoyed it hugely nonetheless. It tells the story of an affair from the alternating perspectives of the wife and the mistress - so one chapter is from Maggie's point of view, the next Chloe's, and so on. Because of this romantic theme it arguably sits more in the 'chick lit' genre, but there is meat to this novel nonetheless, and the familiar themes of love and friendship that typify Rayner's later writing are here too.
If, like me, you're sick of the ditsy media girlies passively waiting for their man who inhabit far too many "women's" novels, you'll find the two heroines of The Other Half a refreshing change. Chloe has hips, wit, ambition, and a fab wardrobe. Maggie is a smart and loving mother, and throughout the novel 're-finds' her political and sexual self and so her sense of being.
The story romps along with great pace and fascinating insights into the glamorous world of magazine publishing, plus it whizzes you across the pond to NYC - it'll sell The Big Apple to you if nothing else. In short, it's a smart, sexy read.
If, like me, you're sick of the ditsy media girlies passively waiting for their man who inhabit far too many "women's" novels, you'll find the two heroines of The Other Half a refreshing change. Chloe has hips, wit, ambition, and a fab wardrobe. Maggie is a smart and loving mother, and throughout the novel 're-finds' her political and sexual self and so her sense of being.
The story romps along with great pace and fascinating insights into the glamorous world of magazine publishing, plus it whizzes you across the pond to NYC - it'll sell The Big Apple to you if nothing else. In short, it's a smart, sexy read.
April 26, 2014
I was completely prepared not to like this book, I mean it was all about having an affair which I've always been very against. However, some how the characters in this book found a way to make me love them. I felt for Chloe the mistress and also Maggie the wife. I could see how they both got into the situations they did and I certainly sympathized with them both. That being said, I'm not sure this book would be for everyone. People who have dealt with infidelity might not find this book a great read. It does tend to be very abrupt in its language and you must have a rather open mind to really fall in love with it.
All that being said, the writing was really good. I felt the writer really put you in each women's mind and let you hang out there so that as a reader you really got a feel for both women's point of view. I really enjoyed reading about the different places in England and the surrounding areas, plus the trip that Chloe takes to New York as well. The descriptions that are written were superb. I really felt as if I was in each locations.
I must say this book could have ended many ways but I really love the way the author chose to end it. It was surprising but yet great too.
All that being said, the writing was really good. I felt the writer really put you in each women's mind and let you hang out there so that as a reader you really got a feel for both women's point of view. I really enjoyed reading about the different places in England and the surrounding areas, plus the trip that Chloe takes to New York as well. The descriptions that are written were superb. I really felt as if I was in each locations.
I must say this book could have ended many ways but I really love the way the author chose to end it. It was surprising but yet great too.
Read
June 24, 2023Told in alternating viewpoint,mistress\wife. Why not H? In any event...Ugh...not for me.I read from back to front to tolerate this cake eater and his Mistress,both unlike able imo. I despised the focus on their relationship, the wife examined more marginally. For instance any erotic interactions appeared to be (i skimmed the first half)between he and the mistress,even though he was still having sex w the wife.He was so wishy washy,at times stated he still loved the wife ..but apparently not as heatedly as mistress....you know the same old,its been ten years and I don't love THAT way anymore... Limerance excuses.
Wife confronted him,agreed he could stay because of son if he cuts it off entirely.....he doesn't, she finds out. He admits he is likely only back because Chloe left. Seriously dude? She kicks him out. At this point the whole thing feels bland ,tepid and tedious. I may have been more invested if I was willing to consume the book normally, but I didn't want to wade through their steamy infidelity while wife so secondary. 🤷Not recommended!
Wife confronted him,agreed he could stay because of son if he cuts it off entirely.....he doesn't, she finds out. He admits he is likely only back because Chloe left. Seriously dude? She kicks him out. At this point the whole thing feels bland ,tepid and tedious. I may have been more invested if I was willing to consume the book normally, but I didn't want to wade through their steamy infidelity while wife so secondary. 🤷Not recommended!
November 18, 2014
Originally I gave this three stars simply because it was engrossing enough to get me through many long hours sitting in the hospital with a friend. however, as my son pointed out, the jeopardizes the credibility of all other reviews and stars, so I'm giving it two stars for being adequately engrossing and not requiring much cerebral effort. The kind of book that makes you feel so smart cause you figure out the plot before midway.
So, for those snowed-in-at-the-airport times, it gets two stars.
So, for those snowed-in-at-the-airport times, it gets two stars.
April 23, 2018
On the cover of this book, the words "wickedly funny" were attributed to a reviewer in Cosmopolitan (UK). I found nothing remotely funny, wicked or otherwise, in this work, but then I don't find infidelity in marriage amusing. I found the husband to be a weak-kneed cheater and the lover a bitch concerned only with what she wanted. I admired the wife and felt terribly sorry for the little boy...pleased with the ending.
August 30, 2015
This is really 3.5 stars (I liked her other book better) but since no half stars I averaged up and gave 4 stars. This is yet another book about affairs (seems like that is the topic to write about lately). This one told in alternating views of the wife and the mistress. How funny the guy is a liar! Big surprise! Good fast easy read!
June 11, 2017
After several years of marriage, a house and a kid, there isn't much passion left between James and Maggie. Enter Chloë, a young and hip new colleague in James's job as a magazine editor. What starts off with a dinner quickly evolves into a some steamy nights on a business trip in a New York hotel room.
We get this story of adultory from two voices: one is Chloë's, about the passion and excitement of the affair, the other voice is Maggie, who starts to gradually get more and more suspicious about her husbands 'late nights at the job'. I have seen this technique of alternating storytellers before in "Eleanor and Park", and in both cases it got very tedious after a while. Like marriage, one might say, but even faster!
The book is awfully moralizing. Adulterous James gets kicked out of the house, then gets dumped by his mistress Chloë and Maggie refuses to take him in again - understandably, because by then she has discovered that she's in love with an old friend from the past and that it is mutual.
So James really gets his comeuppance and you feel the author, Maggie, Chloë and so many female readers gloating about it. While there is no fault in that by itself, it just doesn't make this rather tedious and poorly written novel any better.
If you'd like to read a book that, in contrast to this one, really adds nice and original new insights into the concept of a triangular relationship, I'd advise Alain De Botton's "Essays in Love". For a start, it's more fun.
We get this story of adultory from two voices: one is Chloë's, about the passion and excitement of the affair, the other voice is Maggie, who starts to gradually get more and more suspicious about her husbands 'late nights at the job'. I have seen this technique of alternating storytellers before in "Eleanor and Park", and in both cases it got very tedious after a while. Like marriage, one might say, but even faster!
The book is awfully moralizing. Adulterous James gets kicked out of the house, then gets dumped by his mistress Chloë and Maggie refuses to take him in again - understandably, because by then she has discovered that she's in love with an old friend from the past and that it is mutual.
So James really gets his comeuppance and you feel the author, Maggie, Chloë and so many female readers gloating about it. While there is no fault in that by itself, it just doesn't make this rather tedious and poorly written novel any better.
If you'd like to read a book that, in contrast to this one, really adds nice and original new insights into the concept of a triangular relationship, I'd advise Alain De Botton's "Essays in Love". For a start, it's more fun.
October 18, 2018
I surprised myself by enjoying this book. It came highly recommended from my wife, which normally means it'll be a chore to finish, but this read quick and kept me engaged. As an American, I personally enjoyed the Brit speak - words like knickers, arsehole, row, shag and throttle were my favorites, and I plan to fit them in my daily conversations.
Morally, I could not really identify with any of the characters, except for perhaps Jean, who was intuitive and always a good friend. I don't think we were supposed to like James (which I didn't), but I also had problems liking the narrators Chloe and Maggie, who certainly had their faults (Chloe moreso than Maggie).
Overall though, the book kept me engaged and thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading it. To me, if you're actively thinking about the book when you're not reading it, that's a sign of a good book. I would certainly read something else by Rayner, and actually, we have "Two Week Wait" in our home, but this is apparently some sort of a sequel, so perhaps I will have to find the original first!
Cheers!
Morally, I could not really identify with any of the characters, except for perhaps Jean, who was intuitive and always a good friend. I don't think we were supposed to like James (which I didn't), but I also had problems liking the narrators Chloe and Maggie, who certainly had their faults (Chloe moreso than Maggie).
Overall though, the book kept me engaged and thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading it. To me, if you're actively thinking about the book when you're not reading it, that's a sign of a good book. I would certainly read something else by Rayner, and actually, we have "Two Week Wait" in our home, but this is apparently some sort of a sequel, so perhaps I will have to find the original first!
Cheers!
September 8, 2020
This book made me sad. I read it as part of “The Guilty Pleasure Book Club” hosted by thegiltypleasurekclub.tumblr.com and so I was initially excited to read it, but the excitement quickly dwindled.
My biggest problem was the affair and the notion of cheating. I am just so tired of people cheating in relationships and so when I read about it in romance novels, I’m just not a fan. Romance novels are my guilty pleasure, my escape. They’re supposed to be better than reality. I mean, hello…book boyfriends. So when the main character is not worthy of this book boyfriend title, the book automatically drops in its standing as a worthy romance read for me.
Furthermore, I found that this book was slow and kind of just dragged on forever. I acknowledge that this might have partially have been due to my lack of interest in the story, but I highly doubt it. I was waiting for a friend in a parking lot and had two hours to read and yet getting through this book felt like torture.
Overall, I would not recommend this book as a guilty pleasure romance read.
My biggest problem was the affair and the notion of cheating. I am just so tired of people cheating in relationships and so when I read about it in romance novels, I’m just not a fan. Romance novels are my guilty pleasure, my escape. They’re supposed to be better than reality. I mean, hello…book boyfriends. So when the main character is not worthy of this book boyfriend title, the book automatically drops in its standing as a worthy romance read for me.
Furthermore, I found that this book was slow and kind of just dragged on forever. I acknowledge that this might have partially have been due to my lack of interest in the story, but I highly doubt it. I was waiting for a friend in a parking lot and had two hours to read and yet getting through this book felt like torture.
Overall, I would not recommend this book as a guilty pleasure romance read.
February 9, 2018
This is my second novel by Sarah Rayner and I enjoyed the format of the novel. Maggie and Jamie are married to each other; Chloe and James are having an affair. Yes, Jamie and James are one in the same man. I liked that Maggie and Chloe are both strong, creative women who are finding their paths to not just professional success but to personal happiness as well. But that's all I liked. I didn't like James at all - what a completely self-centered man he is. I really didn't care for Chloe making a decision to becomes involved with a man even after she finds out he's married. I felt for Maggie because of the lack of trust James created and the professional hurdle Chloe threw in her path. All in all, not my favorite read by Sarah Rayner.
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
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