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Francesca's Party
When everyone expects you to fall apart, do the unexpected: Get a life.
After years of being the perfect wife and mother, Francesca Kirwan realizes one dreary fall day that her life is a sad cliche when she catches her husband, Mark, with another woman. With her safe, predictable life turned upside down and an uncertain future ahead of her, Francesca has only two choices: sink or swim.
So Francesca decides to get a life...a life of her own making. But first she has to deal with the obstacles in her way -- her husband's ambitious young girlfriend who intends to get exactly what she wants; her teenage sons' mixed reactions to the changes in the family; Mark's own reluctance to accept the consequences of his actions; and sexy journalist Ralph Casson, who shows more than a professional interest in Francesca.
Then Francesca decides to throw a party, and that's when the fun really starts....
After years of being the perfect wife and mother, Francesca Kirwan realizes one dreary fall day that her life is a sad cliche when she catches her husband, Mark, with another woman. With her safe, predictable life turned upside down and an uncertain future ahead of her, Francesca has only two choices: sink or swim.
So Francesca decides to get a life...a life of her own making. But first she has to deal with the obstacles in her way -- her husband's ambitious young girlfriend who intends to get exactly what she wants; her teenage sons' mixed reactions to the changes in the family; Mark's own reluctance to accept the consequences of his actions; and sexy journalist Ralph Casson, who shows more than a professional interest in Francesca.
Then Francesca decides to throw a party, and that's when the fun really starts....
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
168 people are currently reading
872 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Scanlan
71 books399 followersPatricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Her #1 bestsellers include Apartment 3B; Finishing Touches; Foreign Affairs; Promises, Promises; Mirror, Mirror; City Girl; City Woman; City Lives; and Francesca’s Party. She has sold millions of books worldwide and is translated into many languages. Patricia is the series editor and a contributing author to the award winning Open Door literacy series, which she developed for adult literacy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
August 29, 2020
Thank you Preeti.
This was hysterical in parts. Spoilers below so beware.
The heroine catches her husband kissing a woman as he leaves for a “business trip”. Does she go home, soak in a tub, cry like a baby, eat ice cream and dream how to get him back? Hell no! She packs up his bags, flies to his rendezvous, talks the bell hop into letting her into the hotel and proceeds to lay out the husband and his outraged side piece then changes the lock when she gets home. Husband and side piece are outraged at the heroine’s behavior. Apparently cheating bastards and sneaky, conniving homewreckers don’t care to be called slut or called on the carpet.
Contrary to most “marriage in peril” stories, the heroine doesn’t try and win her husband back or in any way turn the other cheek. Her Irish Catholic mother prays to St. Jude, patron saint of lost causes, and switches to St. Rita when St. Jude doesn’t come through.
From this starting point, the h has a very s-l-o-w journey of change with a big helping of bitter along the way. The husband and the evil OW are two for the books. The husband wants to stay married and is outraged when the h tells him to forget it once she gets her head together, and the OW is outraged that the heroine blesses her out every time the OW wants to set the heroine straight.
There is a wannabe OM that blows it big, and it was refreshing to see
The husband and OW want to have their cake and eat it too as well as the heroine's cake. They are out there with what they expect the heroine to do as in perform for their incredibly selfish wants and needs, but I found their actions and thoughts believable. They’ve dismissed the heroine as nothing and her needs as nonexistent.
Comeuppance? Oh yes.
Great option for readers who are tired of the little women opening their arms to the sadder but wiser now that I’ve sowed my wild oats husbands.
Question
This is set in Dublin and published in 2000. Much is made my the heroine’s mother and a few others about the issue of divorce even with the idiot having cheated and living with the OW. Is this still the case or is it a by-product of author’s choice?
This was hysterical in parts. Spoilers below so beware.
The heroine catches her husband kissing a woman as he leaves for a “business trip”. Does she go home, soak in a tub, cry like a baby, eat ice cream and dream how to get him back? Hell no! She packs up his bags, flies to his rendezvous, talks the bell hop into letting her into the hotel and proceeds to lay out the husband and his outraged side piece then changes the lock when she gets home. Husband and side piece are outraged at the heroine’s behavior. Apparently cheating bastards and sneaky, conniving homewreckers don’t care to be called slut or called on the carpet.
Contrary to most “marriage in peril” stories, the heroine doesn’t try and win her husband back or in any way turn the other cheek. Her Irish Catholic mother prays to St. Jude, patron saint of lost causes, and switches to St. Rita when St. Jude doesn’t come through.
From this starting point, the h has a very s-l-o-w journey of change with a big helping of bitter along the way. The husband and the evil OW are two for the books. The husband wants to stay married and is outraged when the h tells him to forget it once she gets her head together, and the OW is outraged that the heroine blesses her out every time the OW wants to set the heroine straight.
There is a wannabe OM that blows it big, and it was refreshing to see
The husband and OW want to have their cake and eat it too as well as the heroine's cake. They are out there with what they expect the heroine to do as in perform for their incredibly selfish wants and needs, but I found their actions and thoughts believable. They’ve dismissed the heroine as nothing and her needs as nonexistent.
Comeuppance? Oh yes.
Great option for readers who are tired of the little women opening their arms to the sadder but wiser now that I’ve sowed my wild oats husbands.
Question
This is set in Dublin and published in 2000. Much is made my the heroine’s mother and a few others about the issue of divorce even with the idiot having cheated and living with the OW. Is this still the case or is it a by-product of author’s choice?
February 17, 2021
Very very unputdownable!
You may like/agree with lots of things in the book OR not, but it sucks you right in and spits you out only when it's done!
And Francesca goes through a lot - inside and out - to end up as One of My All Time Favorite Heroines.
More later ...or not!
I have so much to say about all the characters but don't want to give away any spoilers.
Later...
*Major major spoilers*
You may like/agree with lots of things in the book OR not, but it sucks you right in and spits you out only when it's done!
And Francesca goes through a lot - inside and out - to end up as One of My All Time Favorite Heroines.
More later ...or not!
I have so much to say about all the characters but don't want to give away any spoilers.
Later...
*Major major spoilers*
December 4, 2013
I hate books that involve infidelity, but I'd heard so many good things about this book that I decided to read it anyway. I enjoyed it so much that I bought it so that I could re-read it. I could feel Francesca's anguish and I cheered as she grew into a much stronger woman.
I loved the fact that her husband wanted her back - but that she didn't go. I always hate it when the woman ends up back with the cheater. I also loved the part where they ended up in bed together. He thinks they're together again, but she tells him it was just sex. That made me laugh. I didn't feel sorry for Nikki at all. She set out to get Mark and she got him. Too bad for her that he didn't turn out to be the man she thought he was. She deliberately set out to ruin his marriage - not caring about Francesca or her two sons - just herself. As far as I'm concerned, she got what she deserved.
I loved the fact that her husband wanted her back - but that she didn't go. I always hate it when the woman ends up back with the cheater. I also loved the part where they ended up in bed together. He thinks they're together again, but she tells him it was just sex. That made me laugh. I didn't feel sorry for Nikki at all. She set out to get Mark and she got him. Too bad for her that he didn't turn out to be the man she thought he was. She deliberately set out to ruin his marriage - not caring about Francesca or her two sons - just herself. As far as I'm concerned, she got what she deserved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2020
I wasn't sure which Ron Swanson GIF to use for this book!!!!
I was so so happy about this book! well, the overall growth of this book at least. I was sad for the h a little of course, because there definitely was some sad and angry moments.
And the antagonists were just so realistically narcissistic that it was a little hard for me to click the 5th star. I don't feel they suffered enough. I don't think anything less than doing some bodily harm would be enough for me, but hey that's me.
The h to the horrible FIL and SIL:
Husband regarding divorce:
Lovely h:
The husband wanting to get back and this is me:
The h to the OM:
Lastly, THE party:
But h's sister be like:
I was so so happy about this book! well, the overall growth of this book at least. I was sad for the h a little of course, because there definitely was some sad and angry moments.
And the antagonists were just so realistically narcissistic that it was a little hard for me to click the 5th star. I don't feel they suffered enough. I don't think anything less than doing some bodily harm would be enough for me, but hey that's me.
The h to the horrible FIL and SIL:
Husband regarding divorce:
Lovely h:
The husband wanting to get back and this is me:
The h to the OM:
Lastly, THE party:
But h's sister be like:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2021
This was a cheating book that ticked all of my boxes.
Angst, an h with backbone, an arsehole H who eventually has his eyes opened, growth of characters, a HEA for the h
It felt like we were watching a documentary of a real life cheating story.
I felt for the h-we watched her fall apart repeatedly and there were no quick fixes. The H was unapologetic and quite annoyed that he’d been discovered. He felt that the h was being unfair with her negative reaction and this wasn’t about her but about him finding his happiness. He would have loved to keep his ruse going until he’d had his fill. He hated that his hand had been forced and that the h was being so unreasonable about everything.
The growth of the h was a pleasure to watch and go on her journey with. There are false starts and some dead ends. Amongst all of the delighted rubberneckers, there are those who have the h’s best interest at heart. I loved that we got to see that the h wasn’t always ready for suggestions and advice but with growth, she understood what it meant and how she could apply it.
Her HEA was hard fought for and well deserved. She is in such a strong place emotionally and was in a great place to enjoy her new-found peace and happiness.
Angst, an h with backbone, an arsehole H who eventually has his eyes opened, growth of characters, a HEA for the h
It felt like we were watching a documentary of a real life cheating story.
I felt for the h-we watched her fall apart repeatedly and there were no quick fixes. The H was unapologetic and quite annoyed that he’d been discovered. He felt that the h was being unfair with her negative reaction and this wasn’t about her but about him finding his happiness. He would have loved to keep his ruse going until he’d had his fill. He hated that his hand had been forced and that the h was being so unreasonable about everything.
The growth of the h was a pleasure to watch and go on her journey with. There are false starts and some dead ends. Amongst all of the delighted rubberneckers, there are those who have the h’s best interest at heart. I loved that we got to see that the h wasn’t always ready for suggestions and advice but with growth, she understood what it meant and how she could apply it.
Her HEA was hard fought for and well deserved. She is in such a strong place emotionally and was in a great place to enjoy her new-found peace and happiness.
September 4, 2020
True chick lit. Cheating husband, devastated wife, obnoxious OW. It ends with a well adjusted wife and everyone else a mess. Can’t ask for better than that 😁
April 21, 2022
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Amazing!
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I was really pleased with the reading and the direction the story took. Our cheater scumbag deserved a worse ending, but come to think of it... the wild sex with no strings attached to the mistress is over and a whole new set of responsibilities and commitments present themselves to the cheater. Not to mention taxes, LOL!
We follow the full range of emotions our heroine goes through and we feel each one of them. Kudos to the author.
The cheater scumbag is a narcissist who only thinks about his own well being and who wants to keep his wife and possessions, but with a mistress ready to satisfy him.
The homewrecking whore is a woman who apparently only cares about her career, but deep down she is jealous of the women who have built a home, a family and a relationship. She doesn't care about the lives she destroyed, she only cares about herself.
The mistress will experience the weight and responsibility of raising a child while still keeping her partner interested and her career on track.
I confess I wanted to see cheater scumbag and his whore totally fucked up, but I think in the end they will get what they deserve.
And our heroine will rise and shine and show the world and her children that she is a strong and capable woman.
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P
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I was really pleased with the reading and the direction the story took. Our cheater scumbag deserved a worse ending, but come to think of it... the wild sex with no strings attached to the mistress is over and a whole new set of responsibilities and commitments present themselves to the cheater. Not to mention taxes, LOL!
We follow the full range of emotions our heroine goes through and we feel each one of them. Kudos to the author.
The cheater scumbag is a narcissist who only thinks about his own well being and who wants to keep his wife and possessions, but with a mistress ready to satisfy him.
The homewrecking whore is a woman who apparently only cares about her career, but deep down she is jealous of the women who have built a home, a family and a relationship. She doesn't care about the lives she destroyed, she only cares about herself.
The mistress will experience the weight and responsibility of raising a child while still keeping her partner interested and her career on track.
I confess I wanted to see cheater scumbag and his whore totally fucked up, but I think in the end they will get what they deserve.
And our heroine will rise and shine and show the world and her children that she is a strong and capable woman.
A young woman had stepped forward to greet him and, to Francesca’s absolute horror, Mark wrapped his arms around her and kissed her ardently.
She vaguely remembered the glamorous brunette. She worked in the Acquisitions and Mergers department of Mark’s bank. She’d seen her at a few functions but hadn’t taken much notice of her. She couldn’t remember her name.
ow long had Mark been seeing this woman?
He was a deceiving, lying, despicable bastard.
‘You’re plain wicked.’ Mark grinned at her. ‘You’ve just led a sheltered life, darling. Just as well I’m here to change that,’ Nikki drawled.
Mark grimaced. He didn’t want to call Francesca with Nikki sitting beside him. He was as guilty as hell about having an affair, so he tried not to think about it.
Nikki looked stunning in an emerald-green bikini. Her tanned, toned body made a perfect arc as she dived into the warm sparkling waters of the hotel’s pool. She was so fit, so vibrant.
The wife knew and had kicked him out. Perfect! Mark was all hers now.
‘She was so cold.’ He shook his head in disbelief. ‘I’ve never seen Francesca like that.’ ‘Well, how would you expect her to be?’ Nikki probed gently.
‘Well, Mark, we have been having a relationship for nearly a year. Didn’t you ever think that she might find out about us? And didn’t you ever wonder how she’d deal with it?’ Nikki’s tone had an edge to it.
He’d been happy having the affair with Nikki, but he hadn’t planned to leave Francesca for her.
They’d seemed so at ease in each other’s company, so lighthearted and happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she and Mark had had an intimate evening together.
‘The sex side of our relationship is very good, as it happens,’ he lashed back, knowing that it would hurt her. ‘But there’s much more to Nikki than that. She’s a highly intelligent woman—’
‘When she came into my life I started to have fun again. She made me feel that life could be different. She made me feel young—’
‘Are you telling me you felt trapped into marrying me?’ She was incredulous. ‘Kind of,’ he muttered.
Well, you’ve broken up our marriage to be with that woman so don’t let me stand in your way. But I won’t divorce you and I won’t move out of this house and I want maintenance. I worked hard at our marriage. I’m not going to lose out just because you’ve lost the run of yourself and are having a fucking mid-life crisis.’
‘Don’t give me that. The boys were the last thing on your mind when you started “feeling young” again,’ she jeered.
‘Don’t be a bitch, Francesca. It doesn’t suit you.’ ‘Fuck off, Mark,’ she swore at him and drove out of the drive like a bat out of hell.
Maybe he would go and stay with Nikki. She seemed to love him, for some weird and wonderful reason. It would be much nicer to be with her
Bastard! He’d gone galloping off into the arms of his mistress. Just what he’d wanted to do all along probably.
Some men got away with it for years. How had he been so bloody unfortunate? he thought sorrowfully as he picked up his parcels and emerged into the hordes of last minute shoppers.
Mark had set up a separate bank account for her and closed their joint account. He paid a standing order into it once a month.
Mark didn’t have those fears or unfulfilled desires, she thought angrily, picturing him lying in bed with his chic, sexy, career woman who probably knew the Kama Sutra off by heart.
That was the legacy he had dumped on her. Her despair was all his fault.
He hadn’t had to make much effort after the first couple of years, he thought a little guiltily. She hadn’t demanded it of him like Nikki did.
Francesca Kirwan would be getting a visit from her in the very near future and would be told in no uncertain terms to step aside and butt out of her and Mark’s life.
As Mark sat in the taxi on the way to the airport he felt invigorated. Nikki’s sensual farewell made him feel ready for anything.
Nikki was a very disciplined woman and it showed. Francesca could learn lessons from her, he thought crossly.
A tear trickled down Nikki’s cheek and she brushed it hastily aside. How Francesca would relish this, the cold bitch, she thought angrily. Knowing that the ‘other woman’ was so unhappy would be such a triumph.
He had the life of Riley, swanning around the country with his fancy woman. Living the life of a bachelor.
Francesca was a bloody parasite with no manners and she could get lost. She might change her tune if the monthly cheque wasn’t lodged in her account once or twice.
He felt he’d been more than fair to Francesca but she obviously didn’t see it like that. It hurt that she wanted to go it alone. Providing for her helped assuage his guilt for having the affair with Nikki.
If, by a miracle, Francesca took him back, he’d be dumping Nikki in the not-too-distant future and she had no idea what was going on in his head. He felt like a heel!
If Francesca turned him down, he didn’t want to be alone.
May 8, 2022
This is not a romance, but more of a women's empowerment read.
We follow Francesca as she turns from a lowly caterpillar living secondary to her husband like a miserable sidekick. Well F* that!
Right near the start of the story, she finds her hubby, Mark has been seeing Nikki, a younger harder woman for over a year. Contrary to all expectations she doesn't crumble (well not too much) but is proactive and determined to save herself.
This isn't really realistic, but more of a fairytale divorce story. Francesca is in the lovely position to have the money to kick her husband to the curb and not have to live with his cheating ass, like some women I've known.
The author does a fine job of showing how she is torn apart by his defection, but also uses the opportunity to reinvent herself like a butterfly from a chrysalis.
And Mark who had all the power in the beginning finds that the can't have his cake and eat it too.
I loved the side characters and how nobody was perfect, not even Francesca.
I even felt sorry for Nikki the homewrecker in the end... well maybe not for her but for her unborn child who would have been much better off with Francesca for a mother!
The 'PARTY' doesn't happen till 93% in but it was a delicious culmination of all crap that had been shoveled her way.
Safety isn't important as it wasn't a romance but...
We follow Francesca as she turns from a lowly caterpillar living secondary to her husband like a miserable sidekick. Well F* that!
Right near the start of the story, she finds her hubby, Mark has been seeing Nikki, a younger harder woman for over a year. Contrary to all expectations she doesn't crumble (well not too much) but is proactive and determined to save herself.
This isn't really realistic, but more of a fairytale divorce story. Francesca is in the lovely position to have the money to kick her husband to the curb and not have to live with his cheating ass, like some women I've known.
The author does a fine job of showing how she is torn apart by his defection, but also uses the opportunity to reinvent herself like a butterfly from a chrysalis.
And Mark who had all the power in the beginning finds that the can't have his cake and eat it too.
I loved the side characters and how nobody was perfect, not even Francesca.
I even felt sorry for Nikki the homewrecker in the end... well maybe not for her but for her unborn child who would have been much better off with Francesca for a mother!
The 'PARTY' doesn't happen till 93% in but it was a delicious culmination of all crap that had been shoveled her way.
Safety isn't important as it wasn't a romance but...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2021
3.5 ⭐ =Quite Good. Not quite 4 ⭐
I actually quite enjoyed this and think that it will be very familiar to anyone who has sadly been cheated on.
Very well written and I liked all the characters.
I kept changing my mind as to how this would end.
The only reason it wasn't quite a 4 is because I felt it was lengthier than it needed to be.
Certainly never judge a book by its cover... which is dreadful! 😂
I actually quite enjoyed this and think that it will be very familiar to anyone who has sadly been cheated on.
Very well written and I liked all the characters.
I kept changing my mind as to how this would end.
The only reason it wasn't quite a 4 is because I felt it was lengthier than it needed to be.
Certainly never judge a book by its cover... which is dreadful! 😂
October 21, 2024
What can I say? Was any part of this story based on the author’s life or someone she knew? What the husband did was deplorable. But I tired of reading Francesca’s woes. It took too long for her to get a backbone.
Still, I have to give Ms. Scanlon credit because I read the book in its entirety, but sheesh. Too depressing, by half.
Two stars because I finished it.
Still, I have to give Ms. Scanlon credit because I read the book in its entirety, but sheesh. Too depressing, by half.
Two stars because I finished it.
July 22, 2020
This book was awwwesome! Loved how the heroine grew so much. In the end everyone got exactly what they deserved, and I couldn’t stop from giggling my ass off...couldn’t have ended better
June 30, 2021
Written 20 years ago, this is now quite dated, the story of Francesca who's husband Mark leaves her for a much younger woman. Really much too long, its like a gutsy version of Maeve Binchey but not as interesting. I wanted to knock all their heads together by the end!
February 15, 2024
More a romance about a woman finding herself than a love story, because actually the story between the heroine and her husband is over. Over 20 years of marriage and she finds out he has a mistress. She confronts them both and we all understand that he is not the hero of her story. He and his lover are unrepentant and as soon as the heroine dumps his sorry ass he goes to live with her. The heroine has been a stay at home mom, so she is now the typical desperate housewife. She will find a job, an identity, a new look. Not total makeover because she’s not that bad, just she finds her style. In the end she will have a flirt that doesn’t work, new friends, an exciting job, a new freedom since her children are now grown up and away from home. She will divorce the hero even if he doesn’t want it, and she will even have a goodbye fugg with her husband, shooing him out as soon as they are finished. But with a lot of grace and good manner. She’s not resentful. And he finds out that the exciting new lover, as soon as she lost the fake splendor of all new things, has a lot of faults, and he doesn’t want her anymore. He wants his wife back. Pity that his wife doesn’t want him back and in the end he will find himself alone, without a home, and with a child on the way that he didn’t plan and doesn’t want. Middle age crisis costed him everything and now he will have to live with his father who is a cranky old man, because the heroine doesn’t want him and the new lover found out he cheated on her too with his wife. Both lovers have their karma, even if I would have wanted something more. The heroine is a very positive person, she is hurt and sometimes rejoice when the lovers have some issues, which makes her more human, as when all her and her husband friends choose her and not the new lover, as when she is happy that her husband cheated on her lover with her, and in the end she enjoys the fact that he will have to put up with his grumpy old man. Both sons don’t approve of him and the younger is definitely hostile. Nice and refreshing. A funny thing, the heroine is barely 40 but it looks like she’s at least 55, while we know that nowadays women at 40 look and are actually young and attractive. The lover is 8 years younger, of course. The husband is a slimy worthless idiot with middle age crisis, pathetic as his younger son very well says to his face.
October 5, 2021
Loved, loved, loved this one. Loved that it is an Irish story, because the culture and laws are so different from the US. I read several reviews that described Irish men having this kind of open-cheating-while-married-relationship. Apparently once the laws changed, many of those side relationships fell by the wayside. So interesting. Francesca emerged the victor here. I loved reading about her finding her strength and purpose, all while her pig of a husband was opening living and cavorting with a young professional woman. If reading about sex with OW is a no-go for you, then this book is not for you; it is jam packed with that trope. The hubs is so stereotypically in the midst of a midlife crisis…the fresh young piece is his ultimate cure. Luckily for the readers, there is a pleasing amount of comeuppance to go around to deserving characters, while our h triumphs. Loved it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2014
Francesca's Party by Patricia Scanlan is her very best book to date. 100% Highly recommended and 100% not to be missed. I couldn't put this book down. Something juicy is on every page. Francesca Kiwan happily married to mark in their large all paid for house. Francesca takes Mark to the airport as he is going away on a work buisness trip. But carless Mark in a hurry to catch his flight on time forgets his mobile. Loving wife Francesca pops into the airport to give Mark his mobile with her world shattered as she see her husband kissing another much younger woman. How does Francesca deal with the pressure of her cheating husband?.
April 30, 2022
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I liked the surprising ending and how she grew from the experience. Three and a half stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2021
A surprisingly satisfying read. 3.5* rounded up because I just liked Francesca so much.
This is a fairly simple story about the year following Francesca discovering her husband is cheating with one of his colleagues. She has a pretty rough year emotionally as her entire world changes. No matter how weak she might feel we get to see how strong she is. I respected the fact that she tried to help one of her adult sons get over his anger at his dad despite the fact that she is not remotely over her own anger. At the same time she didn't allow her husband, Mark, to shirk telling the son what he had done to destroy the family.
We get the POV of the 3 main people plus the occasional POV of side characters.
Mark was truly enjoying his affair and had no plans to leave his wife, so getting caught and kicked out was rather a surprise to him. The book is set in the Republic of Ireland which had quite restrictive divorce laws at the time, In fact divorce only became legal in the late 1990s. This is important to understand as it helps to explain why Mark expects to stay legally married despite the fact he is living with the OW, Nikki. Nikki is pretty manipulative and wants him to get the divorce so he can marry her. He was super selfish and she was pretty cold and self-serving. But I still found all of them believable. I was a bit irritated that Mark made out so well financially but that too is realistic.
This is a fairly simple story about the year following Francesca discovering her husband is cheating with one of his colleagues. She has a pretty rough year emotionally as her entire world changes. No matter how weak she might feel we get to see how strong she is. I respected the fact that she tried to help one of her adult sons get over his anger at his dad despite the fact that she is not remotely over her own anger. At the same time she didn't allow her husband, Mark, to shirk telling the son what he had done to destroy the family.
We get the POV of the 3 main people plus the occasional POV of side characters.
Mark was truly enjoying his affair and had no plans to leave his wife, so getting caught and kicked out was rather a surprise to him. The book is set in the Republic of Ireland which had quite restrictive divorce laws at the time, In fact divorce only became legal in the late 1990s. This is important to understand as it helps to explain why Mark expects to stay legally married despite the fact he is living with the OW, Nikki. Nikki is pretty manipulative and wants him to get the divorce so he can marry her. He was super selfish and she was pretty cold and self-serving. But I still found all of them believable. I was a bit irritated that Mark made out so well financially but that too is realistic.
August 11, 2014
i thought this book will have a hero sweating with blood, begging the heroine to have him back...SURPRISE....it has none...
Francesca found hus husband when she rode him to the airport. left his phone, goes back to airport found his b=husband kissing OW..
the heroine confronts her husband, who by the way fights back saying that she (nikki)makes him younger. Mark actually thought that he can get away with what he did and he has a POV saying that Francesca might ask him to stop seeing nikki, in his internal monologue he says that he will agree but if things cool off, he will resume his affair with nikki.
Francesca throws him out of the house after saying that she wont divorce him but will ask for an allowance, that suits him fine, and he immediately goes to live with his mistress on her apartment, happy and feel young.
Things go slow with Francesca, she became bitter Everytime she contacted Mark, she is always angry, i think she unable to move on.
as for Mark and Nikki...oh thier relationship is great. thier happy living together. Always saying I LOVE YOU... and I MISS YOU when on e of them has abusiness trip, and yes lots of sex which goes through the whole book, im not lying, really.
Francesca got a job, and realize she needs to have a fresh start which i think happened on 90% of the book. ask him a divoce and shell put thier house on market, he doesnt want to. He says that they dont need to have a divorce, because if they do, she'll sold the house.. confrontations blah,..blah,,,....
Then she told herself that she really need to have fresh start and put everything behind. and calls him and started to act nice.
He was playing of wanting her back for a very short pages...The reason, because the house he's been paying the mortgage to is very important to him, not because he loves her.....get laid with her wife expecting to be back together again, Francesca refuse....blah...blah....
He's back to miserable again, because the House is really important to him. its more important to him than his new love, Nikki....
BLAH...BLAHH....Blah........it ends as a dissapointment...in the end they really got divorced which is the only good thing and satisfying that happen in the books.
i actually thought it would be like TEAR STAINED BEACHES, but no it isnt .....the book is too long but it is so unsatisfying to read....
Francesca found hus husband when she rode him to the airport. left his phone, goes back to airport found his b=husband kissing OW..
the heroine confronts her husband, who by the way fights back saying that she (nikki)makes him younger. Mark actually thought that he can get away with what he did and he has a POV saying that Francesca might ask him to stop seeing nikki, in his internal monologue he says that he will agree but if things cool off, he will resume his affair with nikki.
Francesca throws him out of the house after saying that she wont divorce him but will ask for an allowance, that suits him fine, and he immediately goes to live with his mistress on her apartment, happy and feel young.
Things go slow with Francesca, she became bitter Everytime she contacted Mark, she is always angry, i think she unable to move on.
as for Mark and Nikki...oh thier relationship is great. thier happy living together. Always saying I LOVE YOU... and I MISS YOU when on e of them has abusiness trip, and yes lots of sex which goes through the whole book, im not lying, really.
Francesca got a job, and realize she needs to have a fresh start which i think happened on 90% of the book. ask him a divoce and shell put thier house on market, he doesnt want to. He says that they dont need to have a divorce, because if they do, she'll sold the house.. confrontations blah,..blah,,,....
Then she told herself that she really need to have fresh start and put everything behind. and calls him and started to act nice.
He was playing of wanting her back for a very short pages...The reason, because the house he's been paying the mortgage to is very important to him, not because he loves her.....get laid with her wife expecting to be back together again, Francesca refuse....blah...blah....
He's back to miserable again, because the House is really important to him. its more important to him than his new love, Nikki....
BLAH...BLAHH....Blah........it ends as a dissapointment...in the end they really got divorced which is the only good thing and satisfying that happen in the books.
i actually thought it would be like TEAR STAINED BEACHES, but no it isnt .....the book is too long but it is so unsatisfying to read....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2022
Ive been reading a lot of cheating books lately, but i hate cheating and despise cheaters 🤷🏻♀️ So why do I read these? I’ve just recently realized, its actually because i want to see some kind of REVENGE, there must be a COMEUPPANCE, a reconning that is ultimately satisfying.
This one had those elements, not as bloodthirsty as I would have liked, but good enough. The Cheaters got their just dues, they didn’t end up together either, so it was satisfying enough.
I liked that the heroine has a backbone, she catches her cheating husband, confronts him and his tart and immediately throws him out of the house. Despite this, she still spends the first half of the book, wallowing in her grief and misery so its hard to read but very realistic. But she perseveres, and pulls herself up by her bootstraps, its a long hard road, but she overcomes. It would have been so easy for her to continue in her misery, dependent on her husband, who, in fairness continued to support her generously, but she would have been tied to his apron strings forever. I also liked that her sons stood solidly behind her. Unlike the last cheating book i read.
Best of all, I liked that the heroine was happy in the end, a complete, fulfilled woman looking forward to a bright future. This is not a romance so she doesn’t end up with anyone in the end, but it was totally fine.
Sigh. Good satisfying read that kept me engrossed. ❤️
This one had those elements, not as bloodthirsty as I would have liked, but good enough. The Cheaters got their just dues, they didn’t end up together either, so it was satisfying enough.
I liked that the heroine has a backbone, she catches her cheating husband, confronts him and his tart and immediately throws him out of the house. Despite this, she still spends the first half of the book, wallowing in her grief and misery so its hard to read but very realistic. But she perseveres, and pulls herself up by her bootstraps, its a long hard road, but she overcomes. It would have been so easy for her to continue in her misery, dependent on her husband, who, in fairness continued to support her generously, but she would have been tied to his apron strings forever. I also liked that her sons stood solidly behind her. Unlike the last cheating book i read.
Best of all, I liked that the heroine was happy in the end, a complete, fulfilled woman looking forward to a bright future. This is not a romance so she doesn’t end up with anyone in the end, but it was totally fine.
Sigh. Good satisfying read that kept me engrossed. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2015
I got tired of hearing the same rants from the same 3 characters. I finished the book but don't think I'll be tempted to read another by this author.
May 31, 2014
Francesca Kirwan's life is in a rut. Married to a high-powered banker, mother to two grown-up sons, she is a practised corporate wife. Then she discovers her husband is having an affair. Angry, hurt, and humiliated, she throws him out.
Unfortunately, the book then gets bogged down in describing, in loving detail, how Francesca spends the next six months or so wallowing in misery and self-pity. This is not exactly thrilling stuff.
It does improve after that, though, when Francesca gets her act together, gets a job, acquires some self-confidence, and achieves the best revenge (that is, living well) on her husband.
As usual with this author, the characters are all well-drawn, from selfish, cheating Mark to even such minor characters as sensible but distractable Monica. I particularly liked grumpy, demanding Gerald, also the dynamic between Francesca's parents.
But overall, this isn't one of Ms. Scanlan's best books. Half of the page-count is wasted on Francesca's tedious wallowing. The three-star rating is generous; it should really be two and a half, but the second half of the book is very good.
Unfortunately, the book then gets bogged down in describing, in loving detail, how Francesca spends the next six months or so wallowing in misery and self-pity. This is not exactly thrilling stuff.
It does improve after that, though, when Francesca gets her act together, gets a job, acquires some self-confidence, and achieves the best revenge (that is, living well) on her husband.
As usual with this author, the characters are all well-drawn, from selfish, cheating Mark to even such minor characters as sensible but distractable Monica. I particularly liked grumpy, demanding Gerald, also the dynamic between Francesca's parents.
But overall, this isn't one of Ms. Scanlan's best books. Half of the page-count is wasted on Francesca's tedious wallowing. The three-star rating is generous; it should really be two and a half, but the second half of the book is very good.
October 26, 2018
This was pretty good. Wish the moping didn't last quite as long and that revenge parts were a little less tell (lots of gratuitous swearing) and a little more show.
That whole Ralph thing was weird too.
That whole Ralph thing was weird too.
March 6, 2020
Really dislikable characters. Even the h was yuck. There were parts of her that were good but overall I disliked her.
The book dragged. So boring. So much unnecessary story and descriptions. I skimmed most of it.
The book dragged. So boring. So much unnecessary story and descriptions. I skimmed most of it.
July 15, 2025
3.75 to 4 stars rounded up
It was pretty good. A bit of a slow but steady pace. I liked how Francesca (the cheated upon wife) picked herself up and how Mark (the cheater husband) had to finally come to terms with his selfish behavior and get his just desserts. The writing was engaging and I found myself quite unable to put the book down, despite the themes and the story one that I've read numerous times before, given I like this genre and general theme. It was a bit of a soft payback, unlike some of the others where the cheating husband gets put in jail or almost run over by his lover, etc. but good nonetheless.
I would read this author again but maybe not this book. Once was enough. That being said - I liked it so if you're looking for a comfort read, then enjoy this one.
It was pretty good. A bit of a slow but steady pace. I liked how Francesca (the cheated upon wife) picked herself up and how Mark (the cheater husband) had to finally come to terms with his selfish behavior and get his just desserts. The writing was engaging and I found myself quite unable to put the book down, despite the themes and the story one that I've read numerous times before, given I like this genre and general theme. It was a bit of a soft payback, unlike some of the others where the cheating husband gets put in jail or almost run over by his lover, etc. but good nonetheless.
I would read this author again but maybe not this book. Once was enough. That being said - I liked it so if you're looking for a comfort read, then enjoy this one.
August 12, 2020
Just what i need after so much doormat heroine..she have the bone ...confident and some self dignity...i love the sister come bf millie...becoz like other books she never pushed to the cheater ..giving secondchance and soulmate like talk crap....its good that i get to know the ow even if they both got what they deserve...in short one of the best book which including cheating.....and author is deserves a big clap for this book.....more to go.....i hope i can found out like this type of books....?
Husband cheats on herione......herione moved on with dignity...and the husband and ow got what they deserve☺️
Husband cheats on herione......herione moved on with dignity...and the husband and ow got what they deserve☺️
December 24, 2023
Amazing change of pace from doormat cheater books. Francesca rises from the ashes and the cheaters get their due.
My rating is basically based on the first 15% and the last 15%. Francesca did drive me a little insane in the middle. But she was on fire in the beginning! She did what I always dream of fmc’s doing in her position.
My rating is basically based on the first 15% and the last 15%. Francesca did drive me a little insane in the middle. But she was on fire in the beginning! She did what I always dream of fmc’s doing in her position.
July 1, 2025
Loved this - makes me want to read more from Patrica Scanlon!
July 18, 2015
This book had me hooked right from the start when Francesca discovers that her husband Mark has been having an affair. It doesn't take her long to decide that she will be throwing him out, refusing a divorce but insisting he pays her a monthly allowance.
There is some wallowing in self-pity from Francesca but slowly with the support of her sons, her sister and he friends, she is encouraged to start embracing life again, especially with regards trying to get back into the work force.
This book great was great as it tell's of Francesca's journey from down trodden housewife, to a woman made of sterner stuff that is capable of fighting her corner, and doesn't giver her soon to be ex-husband a leg to stand on.
The spats between Francesca, Mark and Nikki (his mistress) are all hilarious and entertaining, and were compelling reading. There is name calling, and occasionally we see things from their points of views, and its clear that Mark may soon live to regret being caught.
This book is classic Patricia Scanlan, and I always love reading books by top Irish Women's fiction authors. It spans 18 months and the main focus is on Francesca and her family.
I was interested in the story the whole way through the book, and really enjoyed it a lot.
There is some wallowing in self-pity from Francesca but slowly with the support of her sons, her sister and he friends, she is encouraged to start embracing life again, especially with regards trying to get back into the work force.
This book great was great as it tell's of Francesca's journey from down trodden housewife, to a woman made of sterner stuff that is capable of fighting her corner, and doesn't giver her soon to be ex-husband a leg to stand on.
The spats between Francesca, Mark and Nikki (his mistress) are all hilarious and entertaining, and were compelling reading. There is name calling, and occasionally we see things from their points of views, and its clear that Mark may soon live to regret being caught.
This book is classic Patricia Scanlan, and I always love reading books by top Irish Women's fiction authors. It spans 18 months and the main focus is on Francesca and her family.
I was interested in the story the whole way through the book, and really enjoyed it a lot.
December 4, 2013
Francesca is a perfect corporate wife. She has done all she can to support her husband Mark, a banker. So naturally when she drops Mark off at the airport and returns in the car to find his cell phone there, she runs after him to give it to him. This is when she gets the surprise of her life when she finds him at the bottom of the escalator kissing another woman. Francesca recognizes the other woman as a bank colleague of Mark's. She decides then and there to follow them to Cork and expose them. She accomplishes this and returns home. Nikki is happy that Francesa has discovered the affair because she feels that it will help them move on as a couple. Francesca is devastated and doesn't know what she will do. The story continues over the next year showing the emotions of everyone in the family including their parents, the reactions of friends, surprising revelations, and growth. Where are they all at the end of the year? You may be surprised. Definately a worth while visit to Dublin.
December 4, 2013
i started this book unwillingly, thinking that the writing would be a bit old-fashioned or that the whole book would be moany and depressing but i am really glad i read it!even though i cant relate to what francesca is going through i was really with her every step of the way, and i think anyone who picks up this book will end up rooting for her right to the end. its strange because overall not a lot happens in this book but i think its genius is in the normality of it,its very down to earth and believable and thats why i found it so enjoyable.
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