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Una relación especial
Sally Goodchild es todo lo que cabría esperar de una periodista estadounidense de treinta y siete años: independiente, fuerte y ambiciosa. Hasta que conoce a Tony Hobbs, un corresponsal inglés en una misión en El Cairo. Tras un romance apasionado, la vida de Sally se trastorna por completo; de pronto se encuentra inesperadamente casada, embarazada y viviendo en Londres. La relación transforma la libertad y la aventura en responsabilidades y trabajo extenuante, y convierte los problemas cotidianos de la pareja en una auténtica pesadilla. Después del nacimiento de su hijo, Sally cae en una espiral de depresión posparto, mientras que la vida de Tony vuelve a una relativa normalidad. Resentida e incapaz de hacer frente a los cambios que se han producido en su vida, Sally se encuentra con que el hombre en el que confiaba por encima de todo se ha vuelto en su contra, y amenaza incluso con arrebatarle lo que más le importa: su hijo. Este libro es la historia y el reflejo de muchas relaciones complejas: la de un hombre y una mujer, una pareja, unos amigos puestos a prueba, un paciente con sus cuidadores, un cliente con su abogado... y, por encima de todo, la relación especial de una madre con su hijo.
440 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
117 people are currently reading
1506 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Kennedy
132 books1,187 followersDouglas Kennedy was born in Manhattan in 1955. He studied at Bowdoin College, Maine and Trinity College, Dublin, returning to Dublin in 1977 with just a trenchcoat, backpack and $300. He co-founded a theatre company and sold his first play, Shakespeare on Five Dollars a Day, to Radio 4 in 1980. In 1988 he moved to London and published a travel book, Beyond the Pyramids. His debut novel The Dead Heart was published in 1994.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
July 29, 2008
A really gripping tale well told, but what a hatchet job on us Brits! Made me feel seriously nauseous in its relentless condemnation of anything from this side of the pond. Nothing escaped the somewhat single-minded assassination: The NHS, the legal system, the weather, London, the very nature of the entire English population (apparently), corner shop owners, transport, cost of living, pre-natal care, post-natal care, English b@stard journalist men, posh English bitchy lawyers, drivers, old people, young people...oh and the general messiness of the place. I learn from Wikipedia that Douglas Kennedy lives in London which I find HYSTERICAL. If he loathes the English and everything connected to Englishness so much....the question must be, why subject yourself to it on a day-to-day basis?
I feel like I've been thoroughly told off after reading it and must apologise for the existence of my nation. Sorry Douglas, SORRY!
I feel like I've been thoroughly told off after reading it and must apologise for the existence of my nation. Sorry Douglas, SORRY!
January 9, 2009
Douglas Kennedy is one of my favorite authors - I will read anything he writes. Sometimes when you have a favorite author, you run the risk they will write subject matter that is a little too close to home. This was one of those books for me. Loved it, devoured it, but had to put it down occasionally to catch my breath.
Sally is a journalist based in Cairo, meets and falls in love with and English foreign correspondent. They get pregnant, get married, then things start to go wrong.
Kennedy has a way of opening up his characters so you feel their pain (and happiness) as if it were your own. Get your hands on one of his novel, you wont be disappointed!
Sally is a journalist based in Cairo, meets and falls in love with and English foreign correspondent. They get pregnant, get married, then things start to go wrong.
Kennedy has a way of opening up his characters so you feel their pain (and happiness) as if it were your own. Get your hands on one of his novel, you wont be disappointed!
May 9, 2010
gave up around page 180, then skim-read a chapter further along and then skipped to the very last chapter alltogether because I couldn't stand it anymore to read about the post-natal depression and the stupid British/American comparisons. But I needed to know that the baby was ok that'S why I read the last chapter
August 6, 2015
This novel is so stupid in places I would have laughed except for the tremendously blatant racism towards anyone who wasn't American. I definitely will never read another book penned by this Author. This fabricated tale is interspersed with an appallingly huge number of medical inaccuracies which I'll touch on.
American reporter meets male English reporter in Cairo, threatened at gun point by a teenage rebel, male 'overpowers' him, girl falls in love, gets pregnant, they marry in haste, move to London -she has no friends, suffers from pre-eclampsia, has emergency c-section (where she is practically butchered) then suffers for ages from mastitis -
She is only pumping once a day, no entry room for infection yet she gets mastitis.NO ANTIBIOTICS used for the mastitis??? - DOES HE THINK ENGLAND IS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY???
In the real world, a breast-feeding support Nurse would have been assigned to her.Douglas Kennedy, premature infants are fed every 2 hours so pumping once a day is not enough milk! As for the scene where she yanks the baby off her breast- in real life a Nurse would have guided her through the correct technique of 'latching on'. Get it right or don't write about it.
Finally, she gets dreadful post natal depression. She is treated very badly in two hospitals and all the Nurses are painted as stupid and uncaring.
I'm not British, I'm Irish and as a Nurse, I was raging. This book is a complete waste of time...... Shame on you.
American reporter meets male English reporter in Cairo, threatened at gun point by a teenage rebel, male 'overpowers' him, girl falls in love, gets pregnant, they marry in haste, move to London -she has no friends, suffers from pre-eclampsia, has emergency c-section (where she is practically butchered) then suffers for ages from mastitis -
She is only pumping once a day, no entry room for infection yet she gets mastitis.NO ANTIBIOTICS used for the mastitis??? - DOES HE THINK ENGLAND IS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY???
In the real world, a breast-feeding support Nurse would have been assigned to her.Douglas Kennedy, premature infants are fed every 2 hours so pumping once a day is not enough milk! As for the scene where she yanks the baby off her breast- in real life a Nurse would have guided her through the correct technique of 'latching on'. Get it right or don't write about it.
Finally, she gets dreadful post natal depression. She is treated very badly in two hospitals and all the Nurses are painted as stupid and uncaring.
I'm not British, I'm Irish and as a Nurse, I was raging. This book is a complete waste of time...... Shame on you.
November 22, 2023
Me lo he leído en una noche del tirón, a pesar de que es un libro largo, porque algo tiene el estilo de Douglas Kennedy que me engancha de forma inevitable. Quizá más en este libro que en ningún otro que haya leído del autor. No voy a negar que es una novela complicada, que en muchos momentos no tenía claro si estaba leyendo una historia de amor, una novela sobre la depresión postparto o casi casi un thriller. Aunque algunas partes de la trama me parecen un poco cogidas con pinzas, me ha atrapado la descripción de los momentos más desesperados de la protagonista.
May 28, 2016
I didn't realise this book would focus so much on child birth and post natal depression (Yet another read where the blurb did not indicate this ) . Also the whole Brits versus the Americans in terms of emotions got boring. I'm really surprised Douglas Kennedy chose to right about post natal depression from a female perspective ..... While some descriptions where accurate his voice as a first time mum recovery from an emergency Caesarian and severe post natal depression was not authentic ( having personally experienced both situations ) Many phrases were so repetitive .... If I had to read the "rush of relief when my milk duct unblocked " or " I stuffed my pillow into my mouth " I was going to beg for the sedatives that the main character was offered in hospital
June 6, 2020
A Special Relationship is a contemporary(ish) women’s fiction story published in 2003 about an American journalist who falls in love with a Brit and follows him to London, where things go horribly wrong. I’m trying to read some paperbacks for my book club, and so picked this somewhat at random from my overloaded unread bookcase, where it’s sat since 2011, being in the mood for something other than thrillers. I’ve read about six of Kennedy’s other novels, enjoyed most of them and always been impressed by his portrayal of women.
Sally Goodchild is a workaholic foreign correspondent based in Cairo when she is swept off her feet by dashing fellow journalist Tony Hobbs. When a promotion calling Tony back to the London office coincides with her unintended pregnancy, they decide to get married and buy a house. When medical complications put her in hospital she loses her new job, leaving her vulnerable and insecure, then a traumatic delivery and his selfish lack of support tip her into severe depression, with terrible consequences.
This is very much a book of two halves: I spent the first actively loathing the main character, and bored by the extended and frequently repetitive account of her battle with post natal depression, but the second gripped by her legal battles to right a terrible wrong. That’s why it gets 3 stars - 2 for the beginning, 4 for the end, averaging out.
Several reviews complain about the fierce anti-English bias displayed here by an American author - and I agree that he certainly paints a bleak picture of the health and legal systems there, but considering the American way only works if you have lots of money, I know which I’d choose. I grew up in London and many of the places mentioned were very familiar, but it takes leaving to realise how abnormal some aspects of life there are - like shopkeepers and neighbours not talking to you.
This was an interesting exploration of how stereotypical American and English character traits come across. Sally is described as independent, strong-willed and ambitious - whereas to me she came across as selfish, bolshy and inconsiderate. Her MO - even before her depression - is to harangue and disrespect every health professional she meets, and ignore all advice in favour of her own impulses, then grovel for forgiveness and wallow in guilt and self-pity. Initially she doesn’t even seem to love or want her son - which we come to realise is her illness talking. Regardless, she doesn’t deserve what happens to her and I liked her character evolution as she fights first her illness, and then her husband. Postnatal depression is very common, under diagnosed and damaging, and I think Kennedy got it mostly right here.
Sally Goodchild is a workaholic foreign correspondent based in Cairo when she is swept off her feet by dashing fellow journalist Tony Hobbs. When a promotion calling Tony back to the London office coincides with her unintended pregnancy, they decide to get married and buy a house. When medical complications put her in hospital she loses her new job, leaving her vulnerable and insecure, then a traumatic delivery and his selfish lack of support tip her into severe depression, with terrible consequences.
This is very much a book of two halves: I spent the first actively loathing the main character, and bored by the extended and frequently repetitive account of her battle with post natal depression, but the second gripped by her legal battles to right a terrible wrong. That’s why it gets 3 stars - 2 for the beginning, 4 for the end, averaging out.
Several reviews complain about the fierce anti-English bias displayed here by an American author - and I agree that he certainly paints a bleak picture of the health and legal systems there, but considering the American way only works if you have lots of money, I know which I’d choose. I grew up in London and many of the places mentioned were very familiar, but it takes leaving to realise how abnormal some aspects of life there are - like shopkeepers and neighbours not talking to you.
This was an interesting exploration of how stereotypical American and English character traits come across. Sally is described as independent, strong-willed and ambitious - whereas to me she came across as selfish, bolshy and inconsiderate. Her MO - even before her depression - is to harangue and disrespect every health professional she meets, and ignore all advice in favour of her own impulses, then grovel for forgiveness and wallow in guilt and self-pity. Initially she doesn’t even seem to love or want her son - which we come to realise is her illness talking. Regardless, she doesn’t deserve what happens to her and I liked her character evolution as she fights first her illness, and then her husband. Postnatal depression is very common, under diagnosed and damaging, and I think Kennedy got it mostly right here.
July 28, 2021
Тази книга се оказа истинска бомба със закъснител. До половината книга бях сигурна, че ще й дам само 1* - няма такава депресарщина, на човек му иде да си пререже вените чак. Бях решила, че е някаква книга от типа за взаимопомощ, от онези, в които четейки за герой с депресия, читателят сам открива как да се справи със своята.
Американката Сали Гудчайлд наближава 40-те години и цял живот е била кореспондент в държави от третия свят с военни конфликти, тя не се страхува от горещи зони, докато изведнъж среща друг като нея – англичанинът Тони. Двамата си допадат и след кратка романтична връзка се оказват женени и с бебе на път. Пристигайки и установявайки се в Англия обаче, Сали сякаш се озовава в омагьосан водовъртеж, от който няма измъкване. Тя няма време да завърже контакти и приятелства, защото се оказва с проблемна бременност и ѝ се налага да лежи в болница седмици наред до раждането. А след това ѝ се стоварва проблемно раждане, бебе в интензивното и за капак много тежка следродилна депресия. Всичко това е описано с такива подробности и толкова правдоподобно, че е странно, че писателят е мъж. Тънката психология на проблема е уловена много добре – онези моменти, в които според околните ти няма нищо, а ти драматизираш и истерясваш от паника и тревожност. Но аз лично просто нямах нерви за такъв тип книга, беше ужасно депресиращо да узнаеш за нечия друга тежка депресия.
Но докато си мислех, че това е основната тема на книгата и сама се чудех на себе си защо съм я започнала, изведнъж действието тръгна в съвсем друга и неочаквана за мен посока и тогава стана наистина интересно.
Книгата заслужава и 5*, но точно защото през първата половина не беше мой тип четиво ще й дам 4* и се надявам, че тази протяжност прекарваща читателя през всички етапи на депресията, няма да депресира достатъчно, за да може да няма отказали се и всеки да стигне до интересното след това.
Американката Сали Гудчайлд наближава 40-те години и цял живот е била кореспондент в държави от третия свят с военни конфликти, тя не се страхува от горещи зони, докато изведнъж среща друг като нея – англичанинът Тони. Двамата си допадат и след кратка романтична връзка се оказват женени и с бебе на път. Пристигайки и установявайки се в Англия обаче, Сали сякаш се озовава в омагьосан водовъртеж, от който няма измъкване. Тя няма време да завърже контакти и приятелства, защото се оказва с проблемна бременност и ѝ се налага да лежи в болница седмици наред до раждането. А след това ѝ се стоварва проблемно раждане, бебе в интензивното и за капак много тежка следродилна депресия. Всичко това е описано с такива подробности и толкова правдоподобно, че е странно, че писателят е мъж. Тънката психология на проблема е уловена много добре – онези моменти, в които според околните ти няма нищо, а ти драматизираш и истерясваш от паника и тревожност. Но аз лично просто нямах нерви за такъв тип книга, беше ужасно депресиращо да узнаеш за нечия друга тежка депресия.
Но докато си мислех, че това е основната тема на книгата и сама се чудех на себе си защо съм я започнала, изведнъж действието тръгна в съвсем друга и неочаквана за мен посока и тогава стана наистина интересно.
Книгата заслужава и 5*, но точно защото през първата половина не беше мой тип четиво ще й дам 4* и се надявам, че тази протяжност прекарваща читателя през всички етапи на депресията, няма да депресира достатъчно, за да може да няма отказали се и всеки да стигне до интересното след това.
February 27, 2016
4.5
Um livro totalmente diferente do que costumo ler...
Gostei bastante, chega-se a uma fase do livro que não se consegue parar até terminar.
Mas talvez também tenha gostado tanto por ser a primeira vez que li algo deste género com já referi.
Recomendo :)
Um livro totalmente diferente do que costumo ler...
Gostei bastante, chega-se a uma fase do livro que não se consegue parar até terminar.
Mas talvez também tenha gostado tanto por ser a primeira vez que li algo deste género com já referi.
Recomendo :)
January 28, 2019
Въпреки , че вече съм чела книгата, въздействието й не намалява. И продължавам да се чудя как мъж е успял до такава степен да вникне в проблемите и да ги предаде , все едно ги е изпитал сам. Не мисля ,че познавам такъв мъж в реалността,уви.
20/02/2016
Аз, Нина Драганова официално съм пристрастена към книгите на Дъглас Кенеди :)
И тази , както и останалите , които прочетох , ме накара да не спя и да не спра да чета , докато не я завърших.
Започва по-скоро като любовен роман,чак ме изненада, за да премине към доста тежка психологическа драма.
Съпреживях всяка една ужасяващо тежка минута с главната героиня. Толкова майсторски е описал какво чувства една бременна жена, след това минаването й през тежко раждане и последвалата следродилна депресия, че не можах да повярвам как е описано от мъж.
Да,има доза наивност в романите му, защото в реалния живот не всичко е с хепи енд, но точно това на мен ми харесва много. Оптимизма му. И справедливият край.
Ето някои мисли, които си записах :
"По същество скръбта се корени в осъзнаването ,че никога не можеш да избягаш от сполетялата те покруса.Може да има моменти ,когато успяваш да се справиш с остротата й;когато болката временно утихва.Но истинският проблем със скръбта е нейната трайност. Тя не си отива. И макар че на едно ниво плачеш заради понесената загуба - каквото и да правиш, тя се е превърнала в неразделна част от теб и завинаги променя светогледа ти.
"За да можеш да вървиш напред ,трябва да изгубиш надежда."
"Разводът е по-лош от смърт. Защото не можеш да погребеш негодника, знаеш, че си живее живота някъде без теб."
"Най-трудното нещо на света е да простиш на себе си."
20/02/2016
Аз, Нина Драганова официално съм пристрастена към книгите на Дъглас Кенеди :)
И тази , както и останалите , които прочетох , ме накара да не спя и да не спра да чета , докато не я завърших.
Започва по-скоро като любовен роман,чак ме изненада, за да премине към доста тежка психологическа драма.
Съпреживях всяка една ужасяващо тежка минута с главната героиня. Толкова майсторски е описал какво чувства една бременна жена, след това минаването й през тежко раждане и последвалата следродилна депресия, че не можах да повярвам как е описано от мъж.
Да,има доза наивност в романите му, защото в реалния живот не всичко е с хепи енд, но точно това на мен ми харесва много. Оптимизма му. И справедливият край.
Ето някои мисли, които си записах :
"По същество скръбта се корени в осъзнаването ,че никога не можеш да избягаш от сполетялата те покруса.Може да има моменти ,когато успяваш да се справиш с остротата й;когато болката временно утихва.Но истинският проблем със скръбта е нейната трайност. Тя не си отива. И макар че на едно ниво плачеш заради понесената загуба - каквото и да правиш, тя се е превърнала в неразделна част от теб и завинаги променя светогледа ти.
"За да можеш да вървиш напред ,трябва да изгубиш надежда."
"Разводът е по-лош от смърт. Защото не можеш да погребеш негодника, знаеш, че си живее живота някъде без теб."
"Най-трудното нещо на света е да простиш на себе си."
August 19, 2008
Not only is this book not a good one to read while pregnant (or even with a new baby), but it doesn't offer anything to discuss. Except, perhaps, why Kennedy thinks he does such a good job at writing from a woman's perspective... A woman in my Book Club commented that it makes her think of what Jack Nicholson says in "As Good As it Gets" in response to Helen Hunt's question about writing from a woman's perspective. He replies: I think of a man and take away reason and accountability.
There is no substance behind the relationship that spirits the plot forward, nor is there much authenticity in the main character's plight following the birth of her child. It seems like everything that can possibly go wrong does - and this is not just small mishaps - the events are extreme. Thus, the story just becomes a suspenseful thriller. Unfortunately, Kennedy is not a great writer, either.
There is nothing to challenge the reader except, perhaps, to complete 500 pages of large-font reading.
There is no substance behind the relationship that spirits the plot forward, nor is there much authenticity in the main character's plight following the birth of her child. It seems like everything that can possibly go wrong does - and this is not just small mishaps - the events are extreme. Thus, the story just becomes a suspenseful thriller. Unfortunately, Kennedy is not a great writer, either.
There is nothing to challenge the reader except, perhaps, to complete 500 pages of large-font reading.
June 21, 2011
Douglas Kennedy is one of my new favorite authors. I read two of his books in less than a week (this novel and LEAVING THE WORLD). His novels appear to deal with very serious subject matter (suicide, guilt, post-partum depression...) while still managing to be very intelligent page-turners. The novels I've read thus far were written in a female voice; Kennedy is superb at this.
This novel is about Sally Goodchild, an American foreign journalist, and Tony Hobbs, a British journalist, who meet while on assignment and fall in love. Sally becomes pregnant so they marry and settle down in London. Sally has a complicated traumatic childbirth and soon falls into terrible post-partum depression. Thereafter, Tony takes actions against Sally that lead her to realize that she never really knew him at all...
I don't want to give any spoilers so I will stop here. I highly recommend this novel. I read it in a day 1/2!
This novel is about Sally Goodchild, an American foreign journalist, and Tony Hobbs, a British journalist, who meet while on assignment and fall in love. Sally becomes pregnant so they marry and settle down in London. Sally has a complicated traumatic childbirth and soon falls into terrible post-partum depression. Thereafter, Tony takes actions against Sally that lead her to realize that she never really knew him at all...
I don't want to give any spoilers so I will stop here. I highly recommend this novel. I read it in a day 1/2!
October 30, 2011
This novel drew me in. It took a while to do so but once we got to the major turning point I was hooked. I particularly loved the narrating voice. For a man to get into the voice of a woman like this is a remarkable fit. It truly convinced me. True, you could always see the ending coming, but that didn't deteriorate, for me at least, the path there. And I must put in a special mention for that wonderfully drawn solicitor. Solicitous and determined, yet socially inept, he's marvellously drawn. A true feat.
June 28, 2011
Heart-breaking. Heart-wrenching. At some point, I can't help but feel the pain of anger. This book without noticing can completely wrap your feelings to understanding and pain. Two things that are hard to handle both at the same time. A page-turner. It made me feel victorious in the end though the journey beforehand is excruciating. I love this book. I love Douglas Kennedy. I love his brilliant mind.
April 15, 2020
Review to follow
June 10, 2025
No sé por qué tenía este libro en mi casa, pero y sido como leerse el peor telefilm que hayas visto en tu vida.
June 29, 2025
I'm following a new BookTuber and she recommended this one, not the sort of book I'd have chosen to read in a million years. But she's right: it's unputdownable. It's basically just the story of an American foreign correspondent who at 37 unexpectedly marries, gets pregnant and moves to London, all in the space of a month. She's just telling her story, her impressions of the British (Londoners) and what it's like to live in Britain (London). Her understanding of human psychology is phenomenal. Perhaps you have to actually be British to get this story, to truly understand the subtle cultural nuances she discovers, but I genuinely can't put this one down.
As ever, I'll update when done.
Two thoughts that occurred to me last night whilst still in the middle of this one. Whatever you do, do not read this book if you're thinking of ever having a baby. Don't lend it to anyone who might either. Reading this book could possibly be the single factor causing global birthrates to plummet. My second thought was, don't read this book if you're prone to getting so caught up in a story, so invested in the life of a character, that you are prone to throwing a book across the room in outrage on her behalf. Stay calm. She is only fictional.
Nearly finished, and Holy Cow. I use the term un-put-downable in its slightly loose sense with lots of books, but last night I resented putting the light out and was tempted to just get up and go read some more. The court drama in this book is absolutely riveting. Surprise witnesses, cross examination...
We so need more than five stars to rate books on this app...
Finally finished. What a read. Unreserved five stars. I'm adding Douglas Kennedy to my must-read authors list.
As ever, I'll update when done.
Two thoughts that occurred to me last night whilst still in the middle of this one. Whatever you do, do not read this book if you're thinking of ever having a baby. Don't lend it to anyone who might either. Reading this book could possibly be the single factor causing global birthrates to plummet. My second thought was, don't read this book if you're prone to getting so caught up in a story, so invested in the life of a character, that you are prone to throwing a book across the room in outrage on her behalf. Stay calm. She is only fictional.
Nearly finished, and Holy Cow. I use the term un-put-downable in its slightly loose sense with lots of books, but last night I resented putting the light out and was tempted to just get up and go read some more. The court drama in this book is absolutely riveting. Surprise witnesses, cross examination...
We so need more than five stars to rate books on this app...
Finally finished. What a read. Unreserved five stars. I'm adding Douglas Kennedy to my must-read authors list.
November 1, 2020
4⭐️
For the first half of this book I really couldn’t decide if I loved or hated it.
I felt like I needed to have swallowed a dictionary before reading, and I genuinely found myself having to look things up at times. I did think the author was a little brutal towards the British, a bit of a generalised character assassination.
But despite this I found the characters really interesting, Sally and Tony were very uniquely deep characters, who had a interesting and dysfunctional relationship.
About half way through the book, (when Sally goes back to Boston to see her sister), the pacing changed and from this moment I couldn’t put this book down! It was engaging, exciting, I didn’t know what to expect every time I turned the page! Gone was the never ending wallowing in depression, and here was a kick ass female character, who was going to fight for herself and her son. I loved it!
So if you are willing to see past the slightly duller chapters, and the slight on the British, this is definitely a book worth reading!
For the first half of this book I really couldn’t decide if I loved or hated it.
I felt like I needed to have swallowed a dictionary before reading, and I genuinely found myself having to look things up at times. I did think the author was a little brutal towards the British, a bit of a generalised character assassination.
But despite this I found the characters really interesting, Sally and Tony were very uniquely deep characters, who had a interesting and dysfunctional relationship.
About half way through the book, (when Sally goes back to Boston to see her sister), the pacing changed and from this moment I couldn’t put this book down! It was engaging, exciting, I didn’t know what to expect every time I turned the page! Gone was the never ending wallowing in depression, and here was a kick ass female character, who was going to fight for herself and her son. I loved it!
So if you are willing to see past the slightly duller chapters, and the slight on the British, this is definitely a book worth reading!
June 29, 2016
I liked this book due to it's unpredictability. While the start was extremely plain, course of matters started to shake in a while. I also enjoyed cultural snapshots and how environment was shown being impacted by surrounding traditions. Also, common problems were shown in an absolutely unique light... Not easy to read at times but definitely hard to put the book down.
May 29, 2015
3.5 stars
A Special Relationship started out as a romance, but then it became much more about difficult relationship, betrayal, loneliness and despair... Full review to come soon - for this one, I'll do a guest review at Between Dreams and Reality
A Special Relationship started out as a romance, but then it became much more about difficult relationship, betrayal, loneliness and despair... Full review to come soon - for this one, I'll do a guest review at Between Dreams and Reality
May 30, 2015
3,5*
O início custou-me um bocado, mas a partir da página 220 a história começa a melhorar.
O início custou-me um bocado, mas a partir da página 220 a história começa a melhorar.
December 3, 2023
I think I nearly gave up on this book at least 4 times, and that's because the first part of the book was a massive struggle to read.
I've never disliked 2 book characters more than the 2 main characters of this book. Considering that Sally was a successful, well-travelled, and mature journalist, I found her to be extremely annoying and needy (even before what had happened to her - no spoilers), and Tony was such a classless, selfish scoundrel. It was obvious from very early in the book that he was up to no good. And don't even get me started on the stereotyping! Not a single nationality was spared!
So why the 4 stars? I found that the second part of the book had the suspense, storyline and likeable characters that were sorely missing from the first part, and also because I understand that the painful first part was needed so that the second part could be as great as it was. Additionally, Sally was not as obnoxious and overbearing in the second part, and the ending was also very nicely done.
I've never disliked 2 book characters more than the 2 main characters of this book. Considering that Sally was a successful, well-travelled, and mature journalist, I found her to be extremely annoying and needy (even before what had happened to her - no spoilers), and Tony was such a classless, selfish scoundrel. It was obvious from very early in the book that he was up to no good. And don't even get me started on the stereotyping! Not a single nationality was spared!
So why the 4 stars? I found that the second part of the book had the suspense, storyline and likeable characters that were sorely missing from the first part, and also because I understand that the painful first part was needed so that the second part could be as great as it was. Additionally, Sally was not as obnoxious and overbearing in the second part, and the ending was also very nicely done.
December 21, 2022
Not as exciting as his other books, but I love everything he writes.
September 17, 2025
il m'a tenu en haleine, je n'avais encore jamais stressé en lisant ! un suspens féroce
April 11, 2019
A quintessential American women journalist Sally who covers the news in foreign lands such as Somalia on her job meets the fellow English journalist, a foreign correspondent Tony. They both fall in love & she gets pregnant. They get married & Sally leaves her home town Boston to start her new life of domesticity in London. A child is born & her nightmare begins. As she's not used to total domesticity & still getting used to English country & customs, tries to adjust to the child caring routine at home & hospital, while her husband keeps to his own routine & work life, getting increasingly distant from her. Sally gets in to post natal depression after child delivery & was admitted to hospital for a while. Though she comes back home, caring for her child again after recovery. One fine day she visits her hometown Boston to attend her sister's ex-husband funeral, encouraged by her husband. & after few days, upon her return, back to her house in London, she discovers that her husband & little child had vanished with their stuff. With not any friend or collegues in London, & still on antidepressants, how she copes with the situation, is the stuff of nightmare & central theme of the story. Ultimately she finds a lawyer to plead her case, to fight to get a custody of her infant Jack from her husband who has betryed her & married another rich woman, without even giving her a hint. Everything she ever did was used against her in court but finally the good guys win. In story, there's a lot of pre & post pregnancy stuff & infant care details which might have got me bored out of my mind, if any other book, but this book engaged my mind till the very last page, just for the profound, literary style & mastery of the author in language fluidity weaving the story. I am hooked with Douglas Kennedy, this author's work. I will now make it a point to read all his work published till now. Four stars 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟
June 15, 2011
I just finished Douglas Kennedy’s A Special Relationship, the second book of my dedication to summer reading. The cover is deceptive, and with no description on the back flap, I went into this intense and desperately unhappy novel blind. Thinking I was in for a quick beach read about love, the story instead followed the inner workings of a postpartum depression-haunted woman and a traumatizing divorce. This book was a combination of Jodi Picoult’s Keeping Faith and Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key (the present dialogue, not the Holocaust background story). All three stories get in the minds of women who bowed before impressive husbands and along the way lost who they really were. The story was well-written and intriguing, as a male author truly delved into the workings of a new mother and wife. I read it in one day (staying up until 3 am to do so), but I was not blown away by the writing or overall message. It was not hard to see where the story would go, but at the same time I was intrigued by the overlaying scenes of the British court system and journalistic backdrop. I’d give it a B.
July 15, 2007
It's like reading a living nightmare. American journalist meets British journalist and have whirlwind relatioinship. She becomes pregnant, they get married and things deteriorate very quickly from there. He is a rotten scumbag, she does nit understand his Englishness and can't communicate with him or anyone English for that matter. She gets pre eclampsia and has the baby prematurely, and is then hospitalised with post natal depression and just when you think the story can't get any worse, it does...
Douglas Kennedy does a brilliant job taking on the persona of a woman, and writes in the most incredible detail about things such as engorged breasts, aneough to make you wince with pain. His description of a relationship built on very flimsy foundations and the total inability couple to communicate with each other is totally believable.
The court case where the main character has to fight to gain custody of her son is totally gripping and I couldn't put the book donw.
This is not a leisurely read and the subject matter is unpleasant but its definately worth persevering with.
Douglas Kennedy does a brilliant job taking on the persona of a woman, and writes in the most incredible detail about things such as engorged breasts, aneough to make you wince with pain. His description of a relationship built on very flimsy foundations and the total inability couple to communicate with each other is totally believable.
The court case where the main character has to fight to gain custody of her son is totally gripping and I couldn't put the book donw.
This is not a leisurely read and the subject matter is unpleasant but its definately worth persevering with.
July 27, 2014
This is a really good book.....I just wish he would have come up with a better title. You would think this is going to be a romance....IT"S NOT....it is a riveting book about trust, betrayal, post partum depression, fighting for what belongs to you and fighting for what is right.
It may start a little slow (that happens with so many books I've read lately) but WOW just hang on and keep reading and you will get a shock in short order!
A really good author, I have read him before and knew I wouldn't be disappointed with this one. I only have about 80 pages left to read.....absolutely glued to this book, it really takes me out of myself and all my problems (when I am able to concentrate) .....I highly recommend this British author and any of his books.
I have a feeling the ending is going to be a zinger!!!!
It may start a little slow (that happens with so many books I've read lately) but WOW just hang on and keep reading and you will get a shock in short order!
A really good author, I have read him before and knew I wouldn't be disappointed with this one. I only have about 80 pages left to read.....absolutely glued to this book, it really takes me out of myself and all my problems (when I am able to concentrate) .....I highly recommend this British author and any of his books.
I have a feeling the ending is going to be a zinger!!!!
August 20, 2013
just finished this book and was amazed with the detail and character built by a male author dealing with such female issues, very frank and very well written. The mix of British and American view points related well to the atmosphere of the book, shows there are other options to using the weather as a frame, I thought this worked well within the context of the novel and was well constructed as a theme. A satisfying read throughout and as a courtroom drama fan I enjoyed this book immensely in its final chapters. really good so good I'm going to read everything else by this author and I an rarely say that these days. very happy to have found a new favourite writer.
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