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The Swing of Things
Told from the dual perspective of a husband and a wife, The Swing of Things is a sexy, provocative, page-turning novel about a suburban couple who wants out of their routine—but will they take things too far?
Attorney Jayne Larsen loves her stay-at-home husband. Eric is attentive and a great father to their daughter. He’s also unfailingly committed to their Wednesday date nights—but things have gotten too predictable.
Enter Theo and Mia Winters, the effortlessly cool, attractive couple who are the center of everyone’s attention. They are blissfully happy and ready to share their secret for keeping things spicy. But there are rules. And breaking them has consequences. As Jayne and Eric explore a more modern definition of marriage, they are forced to confront whether they’ve given up too much in the pursuit of trying to have it all.
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First published August 28, 2018
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March 4, 2019
Audiobook...narrated by Lynn Barrington and Tristan James
Buzz words for swingers..... words that describe various forms of swinging behavior might be:
Lifestyle, (LS), rules, safe word, permission, warning signals, vanilla, secret club, secret code, closed group, screening, insiders, outsiders, sharing, newbies, experienced, unicorn, hard swap, soft swap,same room, separate room, open door, closed door, play, and drop out.
Swingers agree with non-swingers that adultery is a bad thing. It’s just that their use of the word - cheating - is used differently.
Theo and Mia Winters are ‘experienced’. They are considered the ‘cool’ couple within their suburban community. Even their children fall into the cool category on the playground at school.
Jayne Larson, and her husband Eric are ‘newbies’. Jayne is a lawyer. Eric is a stay at home husband. They have one daughter. Sophie is 6 years old - in the first grade.
Sophie is not considered one of the ‘cool kids’. Jayne would like her to be.
It’s possible that if Jayne fucks Theo - and Eric fucks Mia - Little Sophie will become a ‘newbie-cool-kid’. Ha! Having fun yet?
In truth.... we see from the beginning of Jane and Eric‘s relationship, that it’s become stagnating. One of the most embarrassing scenes was Jayne describing just HOW stagnate their sex life was. Every Wednesday night was ‘date night’. They met years ago during college. Eric’s steamy fourplay was now boring for Jayne.
Nothing had changed.
I’m still laughing at how Jayne described their Wednesday night sex.
She knew ‘exactly’ what body part Eric would touch next. Jayne learned Eric’s memorized script a little too well. REALLY A FUNNY SCENE - (a little blushing embarrassment never hurts a reader).
Theo and Mia didn’t find it complicated mixing vanilla parenting - family life - school functions - with their spicy secret sex group. SO IT SEEMS.
They felt confident about their private group. They assume that every couple obeyed their agreements. NO PROBLEM....NO DRAMA. EASY AS BAKING AN APPLE PIE!
Theo and Mia ‘set’ the GROUP RULES: Each ‘couple’ sets their own ‘specific’ rules among themselves - ( ie...same room or separate, kissing on the lips, etc.).....but the ‘group rule’ is for all of them. None of them are ‘allowed’ to have sex with anyone outside their group. ( swingers adultery is not cool). Lol
Theo and Mia might turn out to be not so cool either.
The storytelling is GOOD - CLEAN - OLD FASHION FUN! Ha.....integrated with short explicit descriptive sex scenes, emotional ups and downs - freedom & liberation - new electric erotic rushes - new cool friends - parties after parties - fantasies come alive - and hotter sex with their significant partner -
Then things begin to change: .....outside temptations - mild jealousy - envy- and not only with their marriage partner - fears - guilt - secrets & lies - broken rules....
Eric and Jayne had different desires and points of views. Theoretically they talked about working out issues. They explored morality & concerns - They ‘were’ talking more together.....
but the ‘holes’ in their marriage couldn’t ultimately be made ‘whole’ by exchanging sex partners.
Things keep changing - ( surprises I didn’t see coming) - until we are smack in the middle of a crime thriller.
This story is not without flaws.....but it’s entertaining and thought provoking.
We are left to think about: ”can sex ever really just be about sex”?
There is much more that goes on in human physiology, the human mind, the human heart and human soul than just the physical act of sex.
When one participates in the sex act with multiple partners - there are increase risks of a variety of complications.
A discussion could go on forever about the pros and cons of swinging.
Pros: Opens up lines sexual communication....allows one to explore a variety of sexual partners and experiences...creates a platform to tackle fears....enhances an
already strong relationship.
Cons: keeping lifestyle a secret....partners disagree and swinging distracts from their prime relationship....not easy finding swing partners where everyone is a good match...it can be time consuming...fears - anxiety - jealousy - and resentments can surface.
I’ve been married for 40 years. We have a monogamous marriage - but years ago - Paul and I - together - explored this world. No cheating - no real drama or problems.
We honestly had a blast for a couple of years. At some point - we were just done. We were also extremely select.
The excitement and rush took its course. We did meet couples where swinging destroyed their marriage....but their relationship wasn’t strong enough to begin with.
For us....we learned more ‘things’......physically - and intellectually. ALL POSITIVE for us.
I was ruthless in my communication. I’d never take ‘one-for-the-team.
A couple of times we had crappy experiences- but mostly the years were awesome fun. We were in our sexy prime years.
Our friends were educated from top universities with successful careers.
They were mentally bright sexy people.
Paul and I are still friends with several couples we ‘ha’ (played with). We are all retired from the swing world today - but still have wonderful great PG friendships. Unless you‘ve been in our shoes - then this all might just sound odd - strange - and wrong. Judge me if you want....but hopefully not enough to d-value who I am ‘because’ of the adult choices we made.
I never feel an urgency to keep what we did a secret. I’m clear it’s not for most people. It isn’t for us ‘today’.....but we aren’t the least bit regretful for our ‘fun years’.
Our ‘adult’ children know - they understand the context. They actually admire the relationship Paul and I have.
Paul and I never needed to keep it a ‘deep’ secret. At the same time - we never flaunted our lifestyle choices.
Today- we are happy keeping our sexual energy with just the two of us. We have zero desire to swing.
But when it was hot.....it was pretty hot!
The biggest thing I took away - there is ‘nothing’ I can’t tell Paul - nothing I ever have to hide or be too shy about.
Paul listened to some parts of this Audiobook and laughed with me - He felt the parts he listened to were PG rated compared to things we saw and really lived.
Me: I blushed in one scene. I’m 66 years old - pretty open - nothing to hide - ( saw a lot at one time in my life)....nothing I feel ashamed or particularly guarded about.
Yet......I admit to BLUSHING in this book.
I felt embarrassed in one of sex scenes. It was the way it was written.....( well written)....
And.....
I loved the feeling.
4 stars! Enjoyable!
Buzz words for swingers..... words that describe various forms of swinging behavior might be:
Lifestyle, (LS), rules, safe word, permission, warning signals, vanilla, secret club, secret code, closed group, screening, insiders, outsiders, sharing, newbies, experienced, unicorn, hard swap, soft swap,same room, separate room, open door, closed door, play, and drop out.
Swingers agree with non-swingers that adultery is a bad thing. It’s just that their use of the word - cheating - is used differently.
Theo and Mia Winters are ‘experienced’. They are considered the ‘cool’ couple within their suburban community. Even their children fall into the cool category on the playground at school.
Jayne Larson, and her husband Eric are ‘newbies’. Jayne is a lawyer. Eric is a stay at home husband. They have one daughter. Sophie is 6 years old - in the first grade.
Sophie is not considered one of the ‘cool kids’. Jayne would like her to be.
It’s possible that if Jayne fucks Theo - and Eric fucks Mia - Little Sophie will become a ‘newbie-cool-kid’. Ha! Having fun yet?
In truth.... we see from the beginning of Jane and Eric‘s relationship, that it’s become stagnating. One of the most embarrassing scenes was Jayne describing just HOW stagnate their sex life was. Every Wednesday night was ‘date night’. They met years ago during college. Eric’s steamy fourplay was now boring for Jayne.
Nothing had changed.
I’m still laughing at how Jayne described their Wednesday night sex.
She knew ‘exactly’ what body part Eric would touch next. Jayne learned Eric’s memorized script a little too well. REALLY A FUNNY SCENE - (a little blushing embarrassment never hurts a reader).
Theo and Mia didn’t find it complicated mixing vanilla parenting - family life - school functions - with their spicy secret sex group. SO IT SEEMS.
They felt confident about their private group. They assume that every couple obeyed their agreements. NO PROBLEM....NO DRAMA. EASY AS BAKING AN APPLE PIE!
Theo and Mia ‘set’ the GROUP RULES: Each ‘couple’ sets their own ‘specific’ rules among themselves - ( ie...same room or separate, kissing on the lips, etc.).....but the ‘group rule’ is for all of them. None of them are ‘allowed’ to have sex with anyone outside their group. ( swingers adultery is not cool). Lol
Theo and Mia might turn out to be not so cool either.
The storytelling is GOOD - CLEAN - OLD FASHION FUN! Ha.....integrated with short explicit descriptive sex scenes, emotional ups and downs - freedom & liberation - new electric erotic rushes - new cool friends - parties after parties - fantasies come alive - and hotter sex with their significant partner -
Then things begin to change: .....outside temptations - mild jealousy - envy- and not only with their marriage partner - fears - guilt - secrets & lies - broken rules....
Eric and Jayne had different desires and points of views. Theoretically they talked about working out issues. They explored morality & concerns - They ‘were’ talking more together.....
but the ‘holes’ in their marriage couldn’t ultimately be made ‘whole’ by exchanging sex partners.
Things keep changing - ( surprises I didn’t see coming) - until we are smack in the middle of a crime thriller.
This story is not without flaws.....but it’s entertaining and thought provoking.
We are left to think about: ”can sex ever really just be about sex”?
There is much more that goes on in human physiology, the human mind, the human heart and human soul than just the physical act of sex.
When one participates in the sex act with multiple partners - there are increase risks of a variety of complications.
A discussion could go on forever about the pros and cons of swinging.
Pros: Opens up lines sexual communication....allows one to explore a variety of sexual partners and experiences...creates a platform to tackle fears....enhances an
already strong relationship.
Cons: keeping lifestyle a secret....partners disagree and swinging distracts from their prime relationship....not easy finding swing partners where everyone is a good match...it can be time consuming...fears - anxiety - jealousy - and resentments can surface.
I’ve been married for 40 years. We have a monogamous marriage - but years ago - Paul and I - together - explored this world. No cheating - no real drama or problems.
We honestly had a blast for a couple of years. At some point - we were just done. We were also extremely select.
The excitement and rush took its course. We did meet couples where swinging destroyed their marriage....but their relationship wasn’t strong enough to begin with.
For us....we learned more ‘things’......physically - and intellectually. ALL POSITIVE for us.
I was ruthless in my communication. I’d never take ‘one-for-the-team.
A couple of times we had crappy experiences- but mostly the years were awesome fun. We were in our sexy prime years.
Our friends were educated from top universities with successful careers.
They were mentally bright sexy people.
Paul and I are still friends with several couples we ‘ha’ (played with). We are all retired from the swing world today - but still have wonderful great PG friendships. Unless you‘ve been in our shoes - then this all might just sound odd - strange - and wrong. Judge me if you want....but hopefully not enough to d-value who I am ‘because’ of the adult choices we made.
I never feel an urgency to keep what we did a secret. I’m clear it’s not for most people. It isn’t for us ‘today’.....but we aren’t the least bit regretful for our ‘fun years’.
Our ‘adult’ children know - they understand the context. They actually admire the relationship Paul and I have.
Paul and I never needed to keep it a ‘deep’ secret. At the same time - we never flaunted our lifestyle choices.
Today- we are happy keeping our sexual energy with just the two of us. We have zero desire to swing.
But when it was hot.....it was pretty hot!
The biggest thing I took away - there is ‘nothing’ I can’t tell Paul - nothing I ever have to hide or be too shy about.
Paul listened to some parts of this Audiobook and laughed with me - He felt the parts he listened to were PG rated compared to things we saw and really lived.
Me: I blushed in one scene. I’m 66 years old - pretty open - nothing to hide - ( saw a lot at one time in my life)....nothing I feel ashamed or particularly guarded about.
Yet......I admit to BLUSHING in this book.
I felt embarrassed in one of sex scenes. It was the way it was written.....( well written)....
And.....
I loved the feeling.
4 stars! Enjoyable!
September 10, 2018
The cover for The Swing of Things speaks volumes. In a neighborhood full of drab gray and brown homes there's the home of Mia and Theo, brightly colored with cars gathered outside and their pool full of revelers. Who wouldn't want to be their friends and hang out with the cool kids?
Jayne, an attorney, and her stay-at-home husband, Eric are quickly swept up in the allure of Mia and Theo after attending a potluck at their home that ends with skinny-dipping. Like a lot of married couples, Jayne and Eric's sex life has become passionless and perfunctory at best, so when they are presented with the idea of swinging with several other couples, at the invitation of Mia and Theo, they quickly get into the swing of things. See what I did there? 😊
I could easily relate to Jayne and Eric, although I wish the peripheral characters had been a little more developed. I would have liked to have known what led them all to this lifestyle and how the decision had affected their lives.
This story does get a little wordy at times, bogged down with elements that do not progress the plot at all. Yes, there is a lot of sex in this book but it's not overboard or provided as a salacious shock factor. The scenes are quite short and not nearly as descriptive as an erotic love story.
The swing parties are interesting chapters, jaw dropping at times. However, I would have liked to have spent more time with Jayne and Eric's lives outside of the parties. The book seemed to jump from party to party with not near as much time spent on the consequences of this lifestyle for my liking.
At around the 70% mark a huge curve ball is thrown in that changes the trajectory of the story, and while interesting, I couldn't help but feel like it was an afterthought and, therefore, poorly executed and rushed.
Overall this is a fun read about a taboo subject but done tasteful manner. I gotta say, I enjoyed this book far more than I would have predicted.
3.5 Stars
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jayne, an attorney, and her stay-at-home husband, Eric are quickly swept up in the allure of Mia and Theo after attending a potluck at their home that ends with skinny-dipping. Like a lot of married couples, Jayne and Eric's sex life has become passionless and perfunctory at best, so when they are presented with the idea of swinging with several other couples, at the invitation of Mia and Theo, they quickly get into the swing of things. See what I did there? 😊
I could easily relate to Jayne and Eric, although I wish the peripheral characters had been a little more developed. I would have liked to have known what led them all to this lifestyle and how the decision had affected their lives.
This story does get a little wordy at times, bogged down with elements that do not progress the plot at all. Yes, there is a lot of sex in this book but it's not overboard or provided as a salacious shock factor. The scenes are quite short and not nearly as descriptive as an erotic love story.
The swing parties are interesting chapters, jaw dropping at times. However, I would have liked to have spent more time with Jayne and Eric's lives outside of the parties. The book seemed to jump from party to party with not near as much time spent on the consequences of this lifestyle for my liking.
At around the 70% mark a huge curve ball is thrown in that changes the trajectory of the story, and while interesting, I couldn't help but feel like it was an afterthought and, therefore, poorly executed and rushed.
Overall this is a fun read about a taboo subject but done tasteful manner. I gotta say, I enjoyed this book far more than I would have predicted.
3.5 Stars
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2018
When I received the notice that this book was awaiting me at the library I had to look up what it was about because I had no recollection of placing it in the queue. After reading the synopsis I started to wonder if I’d had maybe one cocktail too many when I placed it there. The plan was to check it out and then promptly place right back on the conveyor for returns, too embarrassed to even hand it back to a librarian. Yet after completing the check out I decided to take it home instead. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it won out.
Why this long explanation? Because my guilt-ridden, Catholic upbringing requires that I explain to you why I read a book about swingers. There, I said it. Judge away, just don’t tell my Cuban Catholic Mother. Those rosary beads will come spilling out faster than you can say Hail Mary Full of Grace.
This story takes a look at a marriage in distress--the chapters alternating between husband and wife--and how this lifestyle became a choice. It also takes a rather unsympathetic view of the suburbs and exposes some of the hypocrisy lurking on the surface, all the while titillating with its subject matter. The writing wasn’t stellar, but it was compelling enough to make me read through to the end. Did I learn a thing or two about the swinging lifestyle? You bet your sweet bippy I did. Were the sex scenes explicit? Explicit, yes, but not graphic. Or not overly graphic depending on your level on the prude-o-meter.
I would recommend this if you want a completely different kind of domestic drama or just want to take a walk on the wild side of the street. Me? I’m just a curious little cat.
Why this long explanation? Because my guilt-ridden, Catholic upbringing requires that I explain to you why I read a book about swingers. There, I said it. Judge away, just don’t tell my Cuban Catholic Mother. Those rosary beads will come spilling out faster than you can say Hail Mary Full of Grace.
This story takes a look at a marriage in distress--the chapters alternating between husband and wife--and how this lifestyle became a choice. It also takes a rather unsympathetic view of the suburbs and exposes some of the hypocrisy lurking on the surface, all the while titillating with its subject matter. The writing wasn’t stellar, but it was compelling enough to make me read through to the end. Did I learn a thing or two about the swinging lifestyle? You bet your sweet bippy I did. Were the sex scenes explicit? Explicit, yes, but not graphic. Or not overly graphic depending on your level on the prude-o-meter.
I would recommend this if you want a completely different kind of domestic drama or just want to take a walk on the wild side of the street. Me? I’m just a curious little cat.
September 16, 2018
I made it to page 65, which was more than enough. Poorly written and boring, but I plodded away until one of the characters put on “a Western dress shirt” to go out to dinner with his wife and another couple. Nobody wants to read a book about swingers who wear Western dress shirts.
September 3, 2018
I enjoyed this book so much more than I expected.
Having read a book or two about swinging/open marriages previously, and not being overly impressed, I didn't have high hopes for this book either. But, it was free on Kindle Unlimited, and I enjoy books about neighborhood drama, so the book cover spoke to me.
Turns out, I started reading around 5 PM last night, and finished around 11.
I could not put this book down.
It's mesmerizing. By far, the best portrayal of this lifestyle I've read. Surprisingly, around the 70% mark, the book shifted and went in a direction I did not see coming...and it wasn't a bad thing. The story went from a domestic drama to a domestic suspense. Somehow, it worked by adding another layer of depth.
I'd definitely give this book a chance but, keep in mind, there are some very graphic sexual situations. If that bothers you, give this one a pass. Otherwise, read and enjoy.
4 well-deserved stars!
Having read a book or two about swinging/open marriages previously, and not being overly impressed, I didn't have high hopes for this book either. But, it was free on Kindle Unlimited, and I enjoy books about neighborhood drama, so the book cover spoke to me.
Turns out, I started reading around 5 PM last night, and finished around 11.
I could not put this book down.
It's mesmerizing. By far, the best portrayal of this lifestyle I've read. Surprisingly, around the 70% mark, the book shifted and went in a direction I did not see coming...and it wasn't a bad thing. The story went from a domestic drama to a domestic suspense. Somehow, it worked by adding another layer of depth.
I'd definitely give this book a chance but, keep in mind, there are some very graphic sexual situations. If that bothers you, give this one a pass. Otherwise, read and enjoy.
4 well-deserved stars!
February 1, 2020
3.5. Ok so I got a few chapters in & thought I might have made a mistake. Is the whole “point” of the book the swinging? But I’m happy to say, it’s not. There is sex.. If you don’t like reading about that, this certainly isn’t for you. But it’s there as a vehicle for the rest of the story, & that I can handle! In fact, this author did a really good job letting us get to know & even empathize with both husband and wife, throughout decisions & experiences that may be hard to understand for some (myself included.) So just as I’m on this roller coaster “family drama” ride.. Bam! Some actual suspense! Goodie! & it was good! Think Liane Moriarty, rated x! In the end though, I personally felt certain (key) motivations were pretty far fetched, hence the 3 stars.. But still, I enjoyed it!
June 7, 2018
Review coming but in the meantime, add this to your shelf. IT'S FANTASTIC. I couldn't put it down!!!
August 28, 2018
The Swing of Things is about sex, group sex, marriage, independence, bonds, freedom, routines, temptation, lust, boredom, reality, and fantasy all balled up in one taut tale told from two distinctly different perspectives—husband and wife.
The novel reminded me of that classic New Yorker cartoon of the couple getting married. Mid first-kiss at the altar, the groom is thinking, “Tim and Betty” while the bride is thinking, “Betty and Tim.” The title of the cartoon: Trouble Ahead.
Linda Keir—the joint writing team of Linda Joffe Hull and Keir Graff—takes us deep inside the heads of this suburban Denver couple, stay-at-home dad Eric and breadwinning attorney Jayne. Hull wrote the Jayne sections and Graff handled Eric’s perspective. Among the treats in the skillfully paced novel is seeing the same events from dueling points of view.
The book starts with the routines of “date night,” which includes well-rehearsed and somewhat monotonous, to Jayne, sexual routines. Jayne scolds herself for being ungrateful about Eric’s attentions and the predictable order of, um, activities. The couple is pondering a second child so six-year-old Sophie won’t grow up without a sibling. Jayne’s mid-romp thoughts are cluttered with her own self-analysis and wondering what’s missing from their alleged bliss. It’s pretty clear something is off; Jayne is frustrated with many things about their life together, right down to the painful degree of deliberation with which Eric spreads goat cheese on a cracker.
Eric, meanwhile, knows that child number two will extend his career as house spouse. Maybe good, maybe not. Besides watching out for Sophie, Eric earns beer money by teaching “acne-spotted high-school boys how to play guitar” and he gigs once a month with his band, The Cadillac Ranchers.
And then along comes Mia and Theo. After a casual potluck for the parents of first-graders there is an “unexpected” way to end the party. Only the “cool kids” are left at the party so a pitcher of mojitos appears and suddenly there is a skinny dip in the backyard pool. The spontaneous decision to shed clothes and jump in the pool puts a jolt into Eric and Jayne’s relationship. Soon, they find themselves being invited, after careful screening, to swing.
The response to the invitation—and how Eric and Jayne dance around and negotiate with each other (and think through their personal concerns and desires)—is judiciously prolonged. Without leaving town or changing much else about their routines and work, they are suddenly strangers in a strange land. And they can have a piece of it if they wish. Goodbye vanilla, hello spice. For Jayne, the temptation is powerful. “Nothing in her life—not her job, not Eric’s predictable underemployment, and especially not their pretty home with its pleasant but wholly unremarkable backyard, complete with potted pansies and a Little Tikes plastic playhouse, offered anything to get truly excited about.”
And we’re off. Complications abound. Complicated relationships abound. There is jealousy. There are secrets, private yearnings, and new connections. There is a messy complication with Jayne’s professional life and a case involving fraud at a church. Yeah, trouble ahead. Changing partners regularly with the swingers prompts Eric and Jayne to reconsider their own values, upbringings, and moral codes. The swingers have their own strict rules (at least, on the surface) and now the temptation is to break some of the group boundaries as well. And given that Eric is now sleeping with women other than his wife, he wonders, what’s the difference in extending his circle of lovers to the fetching Bridget, a waitress with the “agreeably loose-limbed stride” who gives Eric ample attention when his band plays its monthly gig? Jayne, meanwhile, realizes she can pursue her own personal preference for a certain guy under the cover of the private club of tumbling, groping bodies.
All the bedroom action is starkly contrasted with the management of daily household life and Sophie’s needs, a burden that mostly falls to Eric. But even a field trip to the zoo encounters a display of mating giraffes. But of course.
Getting into the groove with the swingers, Eric and Jayne have discovered a place to disappear, to be themselves. Or have they? Eric and Jayne push the boundaries of the new world they have discovered and as they both realize, in their own ways, that they hadn’t given a thought to the possibility of ulterior motives or to the idea that swinging might define their “very existence” and infuse every other aspect of their lives. Just because there are rules doesn’t mean there is control. And just because they taste a certain kind of freedom doesn’t mean the outside world can be kept completely at bay, that there won’t be some kind of emotional debt come due.
Packed with sharp observations about suburban life and a gripping page-turner of its own for many reasons, including an unexpected mid-swing jolt of genuine suspense, The Swing of Things zips along (and unzips along, ahem) on the strength of its three-dimensional characters. The writing required genuine empathy, given the challenge of making husband and wife sympathetic and recognizable as they balance personal desires with the needs of the family unit. There are many pages of graphic sex. But at the core of the story are two human beings making their way in the world who decide to challenge routine and shatter the looming, dreaded sense of deadendness. They wonder about the bargains they have already cut with the world and wonder if it’s too late to try something new. Their search is real and the resulting entanglements, of all kinds, are equally visceral and painfully real.
The novel reminded me of that classic New Yorker cartoon of the couple getting married. Mid first-kiss at the altar, the groom is thinking, “Tim and Betty” while the bride is thinking, “Betty and Tim.” The title of the cartoon: Trouble Ahead.
Linda Keir—the joint writing team of Linda Joffe Hull and Keir Graff—takes us deep inside the heads of this suburban Denver couple, stay-at-home dad Eric and breadwinning attorney Jayne. Hull wrote the Jayne sections and Graff handled Eric’s perspective. Among the treats in the skillfully paced novel is seeing the same events from dueling points of view.
The book starts with the routines of “date night,” which includes well-rehearsed and somewhat monotonous, to Jayne, sexual routines. Jayne scolds herself for being ungrateful about Eric’s attentions and the predictable order of, um, activities. The couple is pondering a second child so six-year-old Sophie won’t grow up without a sibling. Jayne’s mid-romp thoughts are cluttered with her own self-analysis and wondering what’s missing from their alleged bliss. It’s pretty clear something is off; Jayne is frustrated with many things about their life together, right down to the painful degree of deliberation with which Eric spreads goat cheese on a cracker.
Eric, meanwhile, knows that child number two will extend his career as house spouse. Maybe good, maybe not. Besides watching out for Sophie, Eric earns beer money by teaching “acne-spotted high-school boys how to play guitar” and he gigs once a month with his band, The Cadillac Ranchers.
And then along comes Mia and Theo. After a casual potluck for the parents of first-graders there is an “unexpected” way to end the party. Only the “cool kids” are left at the party so a pitcher of mojitos appears and suddenly there is a skinny dip in the backyard pool. The spontaneous decision to shed clothes and jump in the pool puts a jolt into Eric and Jayne’s relationship. Soon, they find themselves being invited, after careful screening, to swing.
The response to the invitation—and how Eric and Jayne dance around and negotiate with each other (and think through their personal concerns and desires)—is judiciously prolonged. Without leaving town or changing much else about their routines and work, they are suddenly strangers in a strange land. And they can have a piece of it if they wish. Goodbye vanilla, hello spice. For Jayne, the temptation is powerful. “Nothing in her life—not her job, not Eric’s predictable underemployment, and especially not their pretty home with its pleasant but wholly unremarkable backyard, complete with potted pansies and a Little Tikes plastic playhouse, offered anything to get truly excited about.”
And we’re off. Complications abound. Complicated relationships abound. There is jealousy. There are secrets, private yearnings, and new connections. There is a messy complication with Jayne’s professional life and a case involving fraud at a church. Yeah, trouble ahead. Changing partners regularly with the swingers prompts Eric and Jayne to reconsider their own values, upbringings, and moral codes. The swingers have their own strict rules (at least, on the surface) and now the temptation is to break some of the group boundaries as well. And given that Eric is now sleeping with women other than his wife, he wonders, what’s the difference in extending his circle of lovers to the fetching Bridget, a waitress with the “agreeably loose-limbed stride” who gives Eric ample attention when his band plays its monthly gig? Jayne, meanwhile, realizes she can pursue her own personal preference for a certain guy under the cover of the private club of tumbling, groping bodies.
All the bedroom action is starkly contrasted with the management of daily household life and Sophie’s needs, a burden that mostly falls to Eric. But even a field trip to the zoo encounters a display of mating giraffes. But of course.
Getting into the groove with the swingers, Eric and Jayne have discovered a place to disappear, to be themselves. Or have they? Eric and Jayne push the boundaries of the new world they have discovered and as they both realize, in their own ways, that they hadn’t given a thought to the possibility of ulterior motives or to the idea that swinging might define their “very existence” and infuse every other aspect of their lives. Just because there are rules doesn’t mean there is control. And just because they taste a certain kind of freedom doesn’t mean the outside world can be kept completely at bay, that there won’t be some kind of emotional debt come due.
Packed with sharp observations about suburban life and a gripping page-turner of its own for many reasons, including an unexpected mid-swing jolt of genuine suspense, The Swing of Things zips along (and unzips along, ahem) on the strength of its three-dimensional characters. The writing required genuine empathy, given the challenge of making husband and wife sympathetic and recognizable as they balance personal desires with the needs of the family unit. There are many pages of graphic sex. But at the core of the story are two human beings making their way in the world who decide to challenge routine and shatter the looming, dreaded sense of deadendness. They wonder about the bargains they have already cut with the world and wonder if it’s too late to try something new. Their search is real and the resulting entanglements, of all kinds, are equally visceral and painfully real.
July 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. It’s about a somewhat unorthodox couple in the doldrums of marriage and career stepping out and adding some zing to their lives.
The unorthodoxy is the wife is the high flying legal eagle and the husband is the homebody musician, predominantly charged with looking after their daughter. As this is a thriller, I’ll not give away the story. Suffice it to say there’s swinging involved with some complications, including near the end some non-consensual sex between former lovers.
Among the reviews, I find it interesting that those focused on reading a thriller find the sex distracting, and those interested in the sex dis the family/relationship aspects of the story. I thought the authors did a very good job in marrying the two.
For me this is a 5 Star read with some valuable insights into the challenges of longtime married life.
The unorthodoxy is the wife is the high flying legal eagle and the husband is the homebody musician, predominantly charged with looking after their daughter. As this is a thriller, I’ll not give away the story. Suffice it to say there’s swinging involved with some complications, including near the end some non-consensual sex between former lovers.
Among the reviews, I find it interesting that those focused on reading a thriller find the sex distracting, and those interested in the sex dis the family/relationship aspects of the story. I thought the authors did a very good job in marrying the two.
For me this is a 5 Star read with some valuable insights into the challenges of longtime married life.
June 4, 2019
1.5 stars - I didn't like it.
The synopsis and comparison to Tom Perrotta set expectations for a literary drama, but reality was a lackluster, light erotica that failed to engage. I’ll never understand how authors can make a book about sex boring, but this is not the first to accomplish that feat and will probably not be the last. DNF’d at 67% with no cares to give about how it ends.
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Favorite Quote: She always tried hard when she wanted to win people over, never understanding that, sometimes, drifting away was exactly what made them follow.
First Sentence: Jayne couldn’t pinpoint exactly when she’d begun to dread date night.
The synopsis and comparison to Tom Perrotta set expectations for a literary drama, but reality was a lackluster, light erotica that failed to engage. I’ll never understand how authors can make a book about sex boring, but this is not the first to accomplish that feat and will probably not be the last. DNF’d at 67% with no cares to give about how it ends.
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Favorite Quote: She always tried hard when she wanted to win people over, never understanding that, sometimes, drifting away was exactly what made them follow.
First Sentence: Jayne couldn’t pinpoint exactly when she’d begun to dread date night.
September 8, 2018
Psychological Impacts of an Alternative Lifestyle
The premise of this book sounded interesting, since it was different from what I normally read. A couple, she a lawyer, he a stay at home dad, decide to sample the swinging lifestyle. This book deals with the emotional and physical effects on the couple.
Spoilers below, please be warned.
This is not a traditional erotic novel. While sex is described, the scenes are shortened so that I couldn't really see much of a payoff. In all fairness, the wife was actually manipulated into swinging. Her boredom with her "traditional" sex life, made her more amenable to suggestion. Had she been honest with her husband, the outcome would've been much different. The husband has his doubts, but he connects with someone else more deeply than he expected. They both were set up by a master manipulator with ulterior motives and he was able to compromise the wife's position at her law firm.
There is a great deal of exploring insight from the pair. Two authors write this book from differing points of view. For me, the book bogged down with the family bits from their daughter. It felt like a plot device to cause some tension. A great deal of time is allocated to their thoughts, expectations and fears of the lifestyle. Sometimes less is more. I personally didn't feel like this book was sexy. To contrast, I read another book with a collection of swinger stories. It was far shorter than this book, but felt far more realistic. It was also written by a male and female author team. They managed to put you in the story and feel what the couple's were experiencing. The Swing of Things was far tamer in this respect. The couples in that book were more interested in new experiences. In this book, it's a hook for the crime story. I could see the ending coming a mile away.
I read this book using immersion reading while listening to the audiobook. There was a male and female narrator team in this one as well. The female narrator did a wonderful job with her expressive voice. The male narrator sounded monotone without much vocal expression.
The premise of this book sounded interesting, since it was different from what I normally read. A couple, she a lawyer, he a stay at home dad, decide to sample the swinging lifestyle. This book deals with the emotional and physical effects on the couple.
Spoilers below, please be warned.
This is not a traditional erotic novel. While sex is described, the scenes are shortened so that I couldn't really see much of a payoff. In all fairness, the wife was actually manipulated into swinging. Her boredom with her "traditional" sex life, made her more amenable to suggestion. Had she been honest with her husband, the outcome would've been much different. The husband has his doubts, but he connects with someone else more deeply than he expected. They both were set up by a master manipulator with ulterior motives and he was able to compromise the wife's position at her law firm.
There is a great deal of exploring insight from the pair. Two authors write this book from differing points of view. For me, the book bogged down with the family bits from their daughter. It felt like a plot device to cause some tension. A great deal of time is allocated to their thoughts, expectations and fears of the lifestyle. Sometimes less is more. I personally didn't feel like this book was sexy. To contrast, I read another book with a collection of swinger stories. It was far shorter than this book, but felt far more realistic. It was also written by a male and female author team. They managed to put you in the story and feel what the couple's were experiencing. The Swing of Things was far tamer in this respect. The couples in that book were more interested in new experiences. In this book, it's a hook for the crime story. I could see the ending coming a mile away.
I read this book using immersion reading while listening to the audiobook. There was a male and female narrator team in this one as well. The female narrator did a wonderful job with her expressive voice. The male narrator sounded monotone without much vocal expression.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2018
would be significantly higher rating except.
A lot of things happened in this book, as you can see in the description there is non-monogamy in the book. Whether intentionally or not by the end of the book it's implied that monogamy is the only good way and that non-monogamy results in lots of Very Bad Things. The problems in this book were actually caused by certain people (trying not to spoil), and not by relationship styles.
Misrepresentation of non-socially-standard things annoys me. Hence 2 stars even though the writing was compelling and I enjoyed a lot of the book.
A lot of things happened in this book, as you can see in the description there is non-monogamy in the book. Whether intentionally or not by the end of the book it's implied that monogamy is the only good way and that non-monogamy results in lots of Very Bad Things. The problems in this book were actually caused by certain people (trying not to spoil), and not by relationship styles.
Misrepresentation of non-socially-standard things annoys me. Hence 2 stars even though the writing was compelling and I enjoyed a lot of the book.
November 19, 2018
Jayne feels her sex life is boring, and she wants some excitement, so she talks husband Eric into a pool party at a neighbours house, where they both end up naked.
They are welcomed into a group of like minded couples and are soon swapping partners and having sex with them.
Its soon obvious that they cannot have sexual partners without developing feelings, and they both fall for members of the group, causing them to break the rules putting their marriage at risk, but as the affairs continue everything is not as it seems, and their relationship is the least of their worries.
They are welcomed into a group of like minded couples and are soon swapping partners and having sex with them.
Its soon obvious that they cannot have sexual partners without developing feelings, and they both fall for members of the group, causing them to break the rules putting their marriage at risk, but as the affairs continue everything is not as it seems, and their relationship is the least of their worries.
January 22, 2019
This book starts out pretty great, but I hate how the author wrapped up the ending so quickly. I almost had the feeling that she was on a deadline and spent most of her time on the beginning and middle and had to finish up the ending in a matter of days or hours. All in all though, it was a good story. It does kind of revamp the lesson of things not always being greener on the other side.
September 28, 2018
1st read by this author. You never know what's going on in your neighborhood as this couple found soon learned. Started off slow but picked up as the story progressed. This couple experienced more than what they bargained for. Storyline kept me reading to see how this fiasco would end. Good read
April 24, 2021
This is a bit of an odd book.... in some ways a domestic drama.. in other ways a descriptive sexy tale... then it moves onto a psychological thriller ! Humdrum everyday married life gets swopped for an adventure into a Swingers lifestyle. (note, quite descriptive sex scenes, so not for everyone !)
All turns out not as it seems and there ends up with more anguish than pleasure for the newbie swingers !
All turns out not as it seems and there ends up with more anguish than pleasure for the newbie swingers !
February 10, 2021
I bought this book after listening to an interview with one of the authors on the Liar's Oddcast podcast. It did not disappoint. Very intriguing and thought-provoking. This is one of those novels you wish everyone else would read really fast so you can then discuss all the burning questions you have! Very fast-paced. I will definitely be checking out more books by these two authors!
September 13, 2018
Even from the title I didn't know where this book was going and I hadn't read about it on the blogs, so it was a pleasant surprise.
Eric and Jayne married with a little girl. Jayne is the bread winner, hubby stay at home dad and a good home maker. The marriage is beginning to be in a bit of a rut and Jayne wants something to shake it up to get back to their earlier spark. Eric seems more set in his ways and happy with his very comfortable life.
When Theo and Mia invite them over for a small dinner party, Eric and Jayne are more than happy to go - to be in the inner circle as it were. When the party ends in skinny dipping and light hearted flirtations all around, both of them are aware that this is a taste of what is to follow. Jayne is more looking forward than Eric is but as a couple they agree to be part of a small group of swingers. Theo gives Jayne valuable advice on a major case she is presenting, which will give her fast track to partner status, and though both have reservations how much further this can go, both are now more than excited to participate.
As would be expected there is a fall from this elevated plateau, and the machinations which have gone on behind the scenes is a bad scenario. More will be spoilers.
Characterization, plot and descriptiveness was spot on. Sexual scenes not overly explicit but sufficiently so!!!!
I read this till three am so it was an interesting read !
October 9, 2018
Between 3.5 and 4 stars.
Well, this is an interesting read. It’s a novel about swingers, as in married people who have sex with other couples, and it’s told from the points of view of the husband and wife of one such couple. It’s also written by two novelists, one of whom handles each perspective. I thought it was very entertaining, though the sex scenes got a little overwhelming after, oh, a dozen or so. However, just as a domestic drama in keenly observed, aspirational suburbia, it had a lot to offer – interesting characters, clever observations, even a hint of suspenseful intrigue that was heavily telegraphed but still satisfying when it was ultimately sprung. I got a little bogged down a couple of times from all the sex, which didn’t really take off for the reader as much as it apparently did for the characters (not too surprising, since participation trumps observation in most things), but the book was able to re-establish a good pace before it lost me completely (I had a few other books I wanted to get to and my level of patience was uncharacteristically low, perhaps). There is an argument near the end which is devastating and memorable in its skillful rendering (wonder how the two authors handled the writing?), and the plottish mystery resolved itself nicely. A solid, fun,
beach-y-type read with a twist – a nice combination, if not terribly exciting.
Grade: B+
Well, this is an interesting read. It’s a novel about swingers, as in married people who have sex with other couples, and it’s told from the points of view of the husband and wife of one such couple. It’s also written by two novelists, one of whom handles each perspective. I thought it was very entertaining, though the sex scenes got a little overwhelming after, oh, a dozen or so. However, just as a domestic drama in keenly observed, aspirational suburbia, it had a lot to offer – interesting characters, clever observations, even a hint of suspenseful intrigue that was heavily telegraphed but still satisfying when it was ultimately sprung. I got a little bogged down a couple of times from all the sex, which didn’t really take off for the reader as much as it apparently did for the characters (not too surprising, since participation trumps observation in most things), but the book was able to re-establish a good pace before it lost me completely (I had a few other books I wanted to get to and my level of patience was uncharacteristically low, perhaps). There is an argument near the end which is devastating and memorable in its skillful rendering (wonder how the two authors handled the writing?), and the plottish mystery resolved itself nicely. A solid, fun,
beach-y-type read with a twist – a nice combination, if not terribly exciting.
Grade: B+
October 22, 2018
Disappointed
Not dirty, very boring, not sexy, again trying to be somethings not. I’m sure fans of 50, will enjoy... Boring
Not dirty, very boring, not sexy, again trying to be somethings not. I’m sure fans of 50, will enjoy... Boring
October 26, 2025
A bunch of unlikeable people participate in a series of weirdly detached sex scenes.
I found one 'supporting character', Amanda, to relate to and kept reading to see precisely how everyone would be fucked over.
To be fair, I was never less than entertained.
I found one 'supporting character', Amanda, to relate to and kept reading to see precisely how everyone would be fucked over.
To be fair, I was never less than entertained.
December 16, 2019
Oof. What a steaming pile of judgmental garbage.
It's almost 2020.... time to recognize that there are various ways to have/be in a relationship, and that those who do not fall into traditional roles are not bad or evil or somehow inferior. I felt like I was reading a poorly written Aesop's fable with sex thrown in to try to maintain the reader's interest.
EDIT: Ok, so the more I think about this book, the more it pisses me off.
First, let's examine our main female character Jayne. She works as a lawyer while her husband is the stay-at-home dad. Not an unusual set-up these days. But let's talk about what happens to Jayne.
First of all, she's miserable with her home life, which is what attracts her to swinging in the first place. (Undercurrent here is that she's unhappy because she's not at home raising her child.) Then she commits ethics violations which to even an un-lawyerly reader such as myself were obviously horrible. (What the author wants us to understand: She's a bad lawyer because she's a WOMAN blinded by LUST because WOMEN ARE NOTHING BUT LUSTFUL SUCCUBI.) Next, at the end of the story, when she realizes she has been blackmailed, cheated, swindled, and manipulated, she is raped. (Subtext: SHE DESERVES IT FOR BEING SUCH A LUSTFUL, ETHIC-LESS WHORE.)
So can we agree that's messed up? Yes? Let's move on.
Our main male character Eric, is a classic trope of artist/dude suffering from Peter Pan syndrome. He is supposedly very attractive to women, and he flirts because eh, that's what guys do, right? His lack of income, lack of professionalism in regards to the music lessons he does give, constantly turning down offers of an easy, high paying job, are all indicators that he is not "acting like a man," in turn causing his wife to have to take on his roles. (Utter horseshit, right? What is this, 1959?)
He is also the one who does not want to be involved in swinging. Because he's such a nice guy, you know? I mean, if he has to screw other women to make his wife happy, he'll do it, but he won't like it- cuz he's such a nice guy... He actually falls in love with one of the other swingers, which sucks for him but is meant to be a second level of punishment and shame on his wife for letting her husband be tempted.
Honestly, sexual expression in the human race is varied and expansive. There are lots of people who have kinks and preferences that are so far out of the mainstream they'd make your Aunt Mabel faint. But as long as no one is getting hurt (without consent) then that's no one's business but the participants. This book appears to have been written by someone who did not understand what they were talking about. (Kinda like how much damage was done to the BDSM community due to the 50 Shades books.) In situations like this, I'm guessing that all swinging clubs aren't orchestrated by an evil hipster mastermind who recruits members to find investors in his companies, or those who would have social influence or connection. I'm also guessing that someone dying mid-coitus is even less likely.
This whole book felt like there was some big lesson the characters were supposed to learn, and mostly it was just set up to reinforce the hetero-normative, monogamous, nuclear family construct as the only "right" way to be. And let's face it folks....... that is an old model. It's time to stop working so hard to make it seem like there is only one path. Poorly written parables like this don't help anyone. I'm rather surprised it was published in modern times.
It's almost 2020.... time to recognize that there are various ways to have/be in a relationship, and that those who do not fall into traditional roles are not bad or evil or somehow inferior. I felt like I was reading a poorly written Aesop's fable with sex thrown in to try to maintain the reader's interest.
EDIT: Ok, so the more I think about this book, the more it pisses me off.
First, let's examine our main female character Jayne. She works as a lawyer while her husband is the stay-at-home dad. Not an unusual set-up these days. But let's talk about what happens to Jayne.
First of all, she's miserable with her home life, which is what attracts her to swinging in the first place. (Undercurrent here is that she's unhappy because she's not at home raising her child.) Then she commits ethics violations which to even an un-lawyerly reader such as myself were obviously horrible. (What the author wants us to understand: She's a bad lawyer because she's a WOMAN blinded by LUST because WOMEN ARE NOTHING BUT LUSTFUL SUCCUBI.) Next, at the end of the story, when she realizes she has been blackmailed, cheated, swindled, and manipulated, she is raped. (Subtext: SHE DESERVES IT FOR BEING SUCH A LUSTFUL, ETHIC-LESS WHORE.)
So can we agree that's messed up? Yes? Let's move on.
Our main male character Eric, is a classic trope of artist/dude suffering from Peter Pan syndrome. He is supposedly very attractive to women, and he flirts because eh, that's what guys do, right? His lack of income, lack of professionalism in regards to the music lessons he does give, constantly turning down offers of an easy, high paying job, are all indicators that he is not "acting like a man," in turn causing his wife to have to take on his roles. (Utter horseshit, right? What is this, 1959?)
He is also the one who does not want to be involved in swinging. Because he's such a nice guy, you know? I mean, if he has to screw other women to make his wife happy, he'll do it, but he won't like it- cuz he's such a nice guy... He actually falls in love with one of the other swingers, which sucks for him but is meant to be a second level of punishment and shame on his wife for letting her husband be tempted.
Honestly, sexual expression in the human race is varied and expansive. There are lots of people who have kinks and preferences that are so far out of the mainstream they'd make your Aunt Mabel faint. But as long as no one is getting hurt (without consent) then that's no one's business but the participants. This book appears to have been written by someone who did not understand what they were talking about. (Kinda like how much damage was done to the BDSM community due to the 50 Shades books.) In situations like this, I'm guessing that all swinging clubs aren't orchestrated by an evil hipster mastermind who recruits members to find investors in his companies, or those who would have social influence or connection. I'm also guessing that someone dying mid-coitus is even less likely.
This whole book felt like there was some big lesson the characters were supposed to learn, and mostly it was just set up to reinforce the hetero-normative, monogamous, nuclear family construct as the only "right" way to be. And let's face it folks....... that is an old model. It's time to stop working so hard to make it seem like there is only one path. Poorly written parables like this don't help anyone. I'm rather surprised it was published in modern times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2019
It seems lately that the books I have read about the "the lifestyle" follow the same formula. A couple gets introduced to the lifestyle, get sucked in, drama ensues and they leave the lifestyle to return to their previous life with a better understanding of themselves. I did enjoy the book but wish that doesn't have to end with them finding the lifestyle a negative. I guess, I would like to see people continue in their lifestyle after the drama, finding themselves in the process but also finding the freedom of polyamory. It would be refreshing to see something different in the same old same but this book did have a twist from the usual. I hope you enjoy and leave me your minds open to the potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2018
A pretty good read (and listen). Certainly entertaining, and with an interesting twist at the end that was foreshadowed since it was the only thing extraneous to all the sex romps (and resulting emotional complications) that the authors bothered to expand on in detail. I thought when I first began this book that it would be a complex analysis of a stagnant marriage and the things people do to revive one. And it was that, kind of. It also involved LOTS of explicit sexual situations which, frankly, added little to the story and filled a lot of pages. It would have been enough to know the sex was happening, and with some detail, but at times it was overdone and felt like a gimmick to keep readers turning the pages. It did, but more because after a while I started skimming the sex scenes to get back to the plot, which was independently interesting. The writing was good and didn't get in the way of the storytelling, and when I was listening (I both read and listened to this one) the narrators only occasionally grated on my nerves. All in all a diverting way to spend a few hours. Well-paced for a commuter listening experience.
Sidenote: rare are the narrators that don't really, really suck at doing opposite sex characters. In this one, all the men (when read by the female narrator) sounded either ridiculously pompous or like some college-aged bro'. And the male narrator made all the women sound either campy, or prim.
Sidenote: rare are the narrators that don't really, really suck at doing opposite sex characters. In this one, all the men (when read by the female narrator) sounded either ridiculously pompous or like some college-aged bro'. And the male narrator made all the women sound either campy, or prim.
May 19, 2022
The other side of swinging
Have read a few books on swinging now, mostly they're all about everyone having a jolly good time but I found this book dealt with "the lifestyle " with more reality, ie: what can happen when one of the people in the marriage wants it more and it becomes all they think about, putting a real strain on their relationship. A moral tale, I'm thinking, from the writers..I really enjoyed this book, I liked the way it was told from the husband and wife's point of view, recommended!
Have read a few books on swinging now, mostly they're all about everyone having a jolly good time but I found this book dealt with "the lifestyle " with more reality, ie: what can happen when one of the people in the marriage wants it more and it becomes all they think about, putting a real strain on their relationship. A moral tale, I'm thinking, from the writers..I really enjoyed this book, I liked the way it was told from the husband and wife's point of view, recommended!
November 2, 2020
The Swing of Things by Linda Keir
Brief Summary: Things have gotten too predictable and comfortable for power attorney Jane and her stay at home father husband Eric; so when they meet Mia and Theo, a blissfully happy couple at the center of the social circle; they can’t help but be enticed to learn the secret to their happiness. But the swinging lifestyle involves more than they bargained for and how far will they go to obtain a picture perfect life. I requested this book knowing little about swinging but thinking that it might benefit me to learn given so many of my patients have sexuality issues.
Highlights: I really found this plot interesting and enjoyable long before the bombshell drops about two thirds of the way through; which was very engaging for this ripped from the headlines Law and Order SVU fan. I was enjoying the novel prior, but that definitely turned it into a page turner; from a rom com to a thriller. I found the rules and practice of the winging group fascinating. The sex scenes were graphic but not grotesque.
What makes this book unique? The swingers storyline was definitely unique and I haven’t read another novel like it.
Explanation of Rating: 4/5; I’m feeling this this novel is much better than the Good Reads Rating indicates. If you like Rom Coms and thrillers and are open minded enough to appreciate varying sexual preferences give this one a shot; you wont regret it. I’m sorry it sat on my shelf so long…..
Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review
Brief Summary: Things have gotten too predictable and comfortable for power attorney Jane and her stay at home father husband Eric; so when they meet Mia and Theo, a blissfully happy couple at the center of the social circle; they can’t help but be enticed to learn the secret to their happiness. But the swinging lifestyle involves more than they bargained for and how far will they go to obtain a picture perfect life. I requested this book knowing little about swinging but thinking that it might benefit me to learn given so many of my patients have sexuality issues.
Highlights: I really found this plot interesting and enjoyable long before the bombshell drops about two thirds of the way through; which was very engaging for this ripped from the headlines Law and Order SVU fan. I was enjoying the novel prior, but that definitely turned it into a page turner; from a rom com to a thriller. I found the rules and practice of the winging group fascinating. The sex scenes were graphic but not grotesque.
What makes this book unique? The swingers storyline was definitely unique and I haven’t read another novel like it.
Explanation of Rating: 4/5; I’m feeling this this novel is much better than the Good Reads Rating indicates. If you like Rom Coms and thrillers and are open minded enough to appreciate varying sexual preferences give this one a shot; you wont regret it. I’m sorry it sat on my shelf so long…..
Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review
January 11, 2020
1 1/2 out of 5 stars
I have only DNF'd 4 books that I can remember so I decided to push through but this book is awful! I was lured in by the description and the cover because the cover really did grab me. I also saw so many good reviews but this is my biggest disappointment so far this year. There was not a likable character in the book. Okay, I take it back because I kind of liked Amanda and I did like Eric and Jayne's daughter Sophie. She was fine. It wasn't the book's topic because I really have no issues reading about sex or anything that would be considered out of the "norm". I just felt that this was not very well written. The characters seemed like cliches to me. I wish instead of focusing on what a "chick magnet" Eric was and how bored with her husband Jayne was I would have loved to explore the relationship between the two much better. There was so much promise in the premise of the book but it just didn't live up to it. With all that said I plan to read "Drowning with Others" soon anyway because I think that Linda Keir has the talent to write something entertaining, this just was not it.
I have only DNF'd 4 books that I can remember so I decided to push through but this book is awful! I was lured in by the description and the cover because the cover really did grab me. I also saw so many good reviews but this is my biggest disappointment so far this year. There was not a likable character in the book. Okay, I take it back because I kind of liked Amanda and I did like Eric and Jayne's daughter Sophie. She was fine. It wasn't the book's topic because I really have no issues reading about sex or anything that would be considered out of the "norm". I just felt that this was not very well written. The characters seemed like cliches to me. I wish instead of focusing on what a "chick magnet" Eric was and how bored with her husband Jayne was I would have loved to explore the relationship between the two much better. There was so much promise in the premise of the book but it just didn't live up to it. With all that said I plan to read "Drowning with Others" soon anyway because I think that Linda Keir has the talent to write something entertaining, this just was not it.
January 26, 2021
I enjoyed this book for the complexities of marriage and friendship that it explored. It was interesting to follow the characters as they discovered the expected and unexpected consequences of allowing marital freedoms. The grass is always greener was a common sentiment and one that most can relate to. I liked hearing the story from the perspectives of both Eric and Jane and thought the author did a great job of developing the main characters. And, there was plenty of steam for those who enjoy it.
December 11, 2018
What a crazy life a swinger leads! This book has lots is steamy sex scenes, and an interesting look into an alternative lifestyle.
I liked the twists that happened. This wasn't just a story about sex. There is a lot more to it.
I did not like the Male narrator in the audible book. He just didn't read it like it was a real story.
I recommend this book of you like a bit of sexy with a plot. .
I liked the twists that happened. This wasn't just a story about sex. There is a lot more to it.
I did not like the Male narrator in the audible book. He just didn't read it like it was a real story.
I recommend this book of you like a bit of sexy with a plot. .
May 27, 2019
3.5 stars for this steamy, turned suspenseful book.
I didn’t really know what I was getting in to when I picked the book up - but I truly enjoyed it up until the end. I wasn’t sure that the turn it took played the story to the best; but it worked.
I didn’t really know what I was getting in to when I picked the book up - but I truly enjoyed it up until the end. I wasn’t sure that the turn it took played the story to the best; but it worked.
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