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Patterns
Nothing goes according to plan in this glitzy novel of fame, fashion, and finding your own way in the world. Susan is married to successful fashion industry player Edward Thorwald, traveling all over Europe and mingling with the most glamorous and exciting people. Yet she and her husband are growing apart as Edward becomes more and more wrapped up with his work and their high-powered lifestyle. Susan's resentment adds to the strain, until she decides to strike out on her own and show him that she can do something that matters. She hopes to command more of his respect and attention so that their love may flourish once more. However, struggling to achieve success in the fickle world of fashion is more difficult than she thought, despite all of her connections. Before she knows it, her goals begin to shift and her overwhelming desire for Edward's approval begins to fade. Susan finds that her most motivating factor is now a desire to express herself creatively. Forced to confront a new, more complete self emerging, Susan must come to terms with the fact that her life isn't always going to operate in terms of the pattern she has chosen.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 4, 2026
I thought this would be good but there was too much stupidity from the start. Since when does a wealthy young woman make her own clothes??? Not when you can afford designer labels, you don't! How many (supposedly) sensible women in their early 30's decide to "make it on their own" without their estranged hubby's help, and then go to another country to do it, without considering work visas, planning a budget, honing sills ahead of time, making some sort of financial plan??? Not this airhead! She thought because they owned a home in London everything would fall into place???'
Even more ridiculous, she made this decision because she felt her husband was neglecting her, wasn't taking her seriously, didn't respect her enough, etc., and so she decides on this impulsive move, which makes her seem more like one of those willful Harlequin heroines rather than a grown woman!
And if she's so disturbed by some things (like her husband being insensitive and thoughtless by giving the designs she sketched to his female designer colleague without her permission (OW, by the sounds of it) then why the heck didn't she confront him and tell him so??? She used the excuse that they thought she was sleeping to stay inside and let it go, which was dumb! Instead, she goes the typical romance novel h route ad keeps accusing him of being involved with the OW in more than a professional way.
And I guess that's her excuse for getting friendly with another man as soon as she's on the plane to London and then inviting him over for tea when he admits he used his skills as a news reporter to track her down and called her??? WHAT???? Any sane woman would hang up on him after telling him stalking is NOT an attractive quality! But this nincompoop starts checking him out right away, impressed with his looks, not so impressed with his job (he travels to other countries to report on major stories then covers local ones when back in London and she considers that lack of ambition - WTF!!!) and decides he may have some useful connections to get her started on a new, independent life so she can show her husband she can get along without him. So, using people is one of her character traits??? Lovely, isn't she???
No, her husband isn't much better, kind of patronizing, as well as resentful of her having that silver spoon while he had to fight for everything. He's also his own biggest fan, or so it appears.
Having decided early on that I don't like any of the characters, it was a DNF for me!
Even more ridiculous, she made this decision because she felt her husband was neglecting her, wasn't taking her seriously, didn't respect her enough, etc., and so she decides on this impulsive move, which makes her seem more like one of those willful Harlequin heroines rather than a grown woman!
And if she's so disturbed by some things (like her husband being insensitive and thoughtless by giving the designs she sketched to his female designer colleague without her permission (OW, by the sounds of it) then why the heck didn't she confront him and tell him so??? She used the excuse that they thought she was sleeping to stay inside and let it go, which was dumb! Instead, she goes the typical romance novel h route ad keeps accusing him of being involved with the OW in more than a professional way.
And I guess that's her excuse for getting friendly with another man as soon as she's on the plane to London and then inviting him over for tea when he admits he used his skills as a news reporter to track her down and called her??? WHAT???? Any sane woman would hang up on him after telling him stalking is NOT an attractive quality! But this nincompoop starts checking him out right away, impressed with his looks, not so impressed with his job (he travels to other countries to report on major stories then covers local ones when back in London and she considers that lack of ambition - WTF!!!) and decides he may have some useful connections to get her started on a new, independent life so she can show her husband she can get along without him. So, using people is one of her character traits??? Lovely, isn't she???
No, her husband isn't much better, kind of patronizing, as well as resentful of her having that silver spoon while he had to fight for everything. He's also his own biggest fan, or so it appears.
Having decided early on that I don't like any of the characters, it was a DNF for me!
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