It Takes 2 to Tango

Living Apart Together #2

by Elise Darcy

Do you believe in second chances? John does. That's why he's going to do everything in his power to get his wife back. There's just one hitch: they're still living apart together.

John has converted the family home into two apartments and now his wife, Sylvie, is ensconced in the apartment downstairs. Getting her to move back in with him might be a problem. John hopes it's not insurmountable. The plan was to rent out the garden apartment. He intended to spend the extra income on things they couldn't otherwise afford in retirement like restaurant meals and trips abroad. John hasn't told Syvlie this yet. He's still waiting for the right moment. They haven't exactly been on speaking terms since Sylvie upped and moved downstairs. She's calling it a trial separation.

But all that is about to change. At least John hopes so. He's calling in the cavalry. His brother, Dave, has a plan to get Sylvie out of the garden apartment and everything back to normal in the Baxter household. It better happen soon because John is harbouring a guilty secret. If Sylvie finds out before she moves back upstairs he might lose her forever.

Genres: Chick Lit, Contemporary

440 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2015

About the author

Elise Darcy grew up in North London in the 1970's, the daughter of two baby boomer school teachers. Her love of books began at an early age when trips to Regent's Park always culminated in a visit to Foyles, the legendary independent bookstore in Charing Cross Road. She has fond memories of exploring a veritable Aladdin’s cave of books; a magical place with winding staircases, old creaking lifts, and cosy corners in which to settle down and lose herself in a good book.

After university Elise Darcy worked in London before embarking on her writing career. She now lives in an apartment in a picturesque market town in Suffolk where she writes her novels.

Find out more at www.elisedarcy.com

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book as I did the first in the series. It Takes 2 to Tango continues the story
of Sylvie and John and their unusual living arrangements.

The relationship between Sylvie and John takes some interested twists and turns as they
both dig their heels in over who should make the sacrifice to give up their respective
apartments. I fell in love with Sylvie and John from the beginning and continue to be
absorbed into their lives.

[Sandy Segneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not what I expected!

Author keeps you captivated with twists you don’t expect!
Leaving you needing to know what happens next anxiously!
I’m impressed and just bought book #3!

[Ieva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elise Darcy does it again

And not in a particularly good way. I don't think I've ever read books with quite such an irritating style of narrative as the first two in this series. I'm not sure I can be bothered to finish this one let alone read the third.
Things to like: The scenarios,
the characters of the protagonists are engaging.
Things not to like:
Dwelling on irrelevant details, for example: " Sylvie put the book and magazine on the table in front of her as Jess, sitting opposite, passed her a large disposable cup of coffee that she had thoughtfully bought at the station before they boarded the train. They exchanged a smile before settling down for the journey, "
Is it only me, but why do we have to read this tedious detail about disposable cups which adds nothing to the narrative?
Rather randomly, some minor characters are given names while others are described as ' the history buff', ' the ladies at the salon', even the main protagonist's four older siblings are never named even though their problematic relationship with the younger Sylvie comes up quite often.
The narration seems to be by a slightly distracted person who ruminates about things that have already been explained in detail. If this narrative was in the first person, I could accept it as reflecting a protagonist's state of mind and personality, but it is a third person narrator who just can't say something once where repeating it yet again a few pages later seems such a good idea. I regularly find myself reading something I've already been told over and over again - and am left wondering why. I find myself making exasperated notes (I'm reading on the kindle) to the author to get on with it. Actually I find I'm enjoying this more and more, perhaps I'll keep going just for the fun of 'marking the text' like a mean-spirited school teacher.
But seriously, this lady has worked hard to write these books and the central theme is a clever one. What a pity her writing isn't quite up to the challenge.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written well and has great characters, I have to say that the stuff the husband gets up to makes my skin crawl, he is inconsiderate, and a control freak and although the wife could make herself in some ways clearer when making her thoughts and needs to her husband in all honesty I would have divorced him years ago.

Although I suppose in a way the sheer thoughts I had about the man is tantamount to the quality of the authors writing, my feelings about him were so strong that at one point in the book I decided that I was not going to read anymore because he was driving me mad. But low and behold, I had to get the next one, then the next one and even the last one.

I cant say that I became anymore endeared to him throughout all four books, but can see how his wife could.

All four books are full of humour, wickedness and some thought provoking happenings and a family that are all at odds with one another and the expectations of the children of their parents and their siblings.

I can see how you can fall into the way a married couple live and how they worked in a supposed harmony until bad luck befalls them.

Highly recommended. If you feel like me in the first book, please persevere with it and get the next four they are an excellant read.

[Rita Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an interesting continuation of the first one. There was a lot of drama and tension between the couple but no resolution to their problem. The book ended with the two still in their separate apartments.

I would love to see how this situation turns out but I find that there are 2 more books in the series which probably stop at the end of the book leaving me hanging so I don't intend to read any more books in this series.

[Elva Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Takes 2 toTango ( Living Apart Together Book 2)

this series written by Elise Darby just gets better and better. I recommend you read from the first book for a lol experience. Hope you enjoy them as much as I am.

[kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens next?

I'm glad sylvie has found her feet and is living her dream. Even if her husband is not owning up to the trouble he had caused and sorting it out. I wonder what happens next?

[Sally Warrilow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fab read

Really loving the drama, can’t wait to read book 3 to see what finally happens. I love that Silvie is finally coming into her own. John really is a control freak, but learning the hard way that he can’t control everything.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read of this series the funnier it gets. John is so stubborn and has no idea of Sylvie's wants or needs

[Pat Langhelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still a laugh about John and Sylvia's antics which took a different turn, now onto part 3.

[Wendy Ann Neels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing

Brilliant, I couldn't put this second book in the series down, just like the first. I just love reading John and Sylvie s antics .

[Linda Sroka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

Really enjoyed the first two in
the series. Well written easy to follow and get lost in. On to book 3 now

[June Richland · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading book one I had to find out how this crazy couple got on. If only they would speak to each other. A story of non-communication, misunderstandings and way off the mark presumptions. Downloaded next book.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second installment of the LAT series so much that I read it twice.. Sylvie and John are struggling and basically have been "dancing to a different tune." Is there hope for this faltering relationship?

[wanda bullard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

So funny. Totally enjoyed this book. It holds your attention to what is going to happen next. This is a keeper

[Marie (UK) · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was much better than the first book the author seems to have picked up the pace and a real story is developing.

[Terrice Tharp · Rating 2 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first book in the series but was disappointed in the remaining three books. Author has a poor narrative style and was too repetitious.