Hope Delafield hasn't always had an easy life.
She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can't wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn't exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.
At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He's sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he's pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they're still totally in love. Totally. They're even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie...
Does true love forgive and forget? Or does it get mad... and get even?
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book and found myself utterly engrossed in it from the first page until the last. I liked how it kept me guessing and thought it was quite clever in the issues it raised. Not too sure about the title though as I don't think it fits the story at all but that aside I'd say it is definitely worth checking out.
For me this book is the story of the break up of Hope and Jack, a couple who have been together for since they were teenagers. Before I read this I thought I had a clear cut opinion about cheating in my head. Don't get me wrong I still think its wrong but I'd never really thought about why some women try to forgive and move on in a relationship that is so obviously flawed but yet at the same time everything in this book makes sense and rings true. What you see in this book is a couple who love each other but are no longer in love clinging to each other because they just don't know how to do anything else. Hope just can't imagine life without Jack and tries to force things to make them better when underneath it all she knows that things aren't right and when she really thinks about it it isn't making her happy either. You can feel how desperate she is just to hold it all together for a variety of reasons even if they aren't the right ones.
Alongside all the serious stuff I liked that this book kept its humour. I particularly loved the scenes when hope was at work with her class of six year olds and those with her brother. I also loved that the book had a good measure of sexy times throughout which was very steamy.
A fabulous commentary on the nature of long term relationships and how they are so completely different from shorter ones which is thoughtful and truthful through out and really shows that life isn't always black and white.
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