Out of the Blue Book

Out of the Blue is a romantic comedy that explores the pressures of marriage in the 21st century. Faith and Peter are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary. On the surface they appear to have it all: a secure, happy relationship; two intelligent teenage children and successful, glamorous careers--he as a publisher and she as a TV weather girl. But a casual comment by her best friend Lily makes Faith wonder if her world is as perfect as it seems. She begins to wonder whether Peter's new, smart look really is because he's looking for a new job and wants to impress prospective employers. As Faith begins to doubt her husband's fidelity, she endeavours to "put all her fears to rest"--checking trouser pockets, scanning mobile phone bills for unfamiliar numbers, examining credit card statements for evidence of secret dates, even hiring a private detective. What ensues is a tale of deceit and self-deceit as she strives to find happiness once again. Isabel Wolff's third novel is a modern romance with an interesting mix of characters--Faith's perceptive daughter Katie, always at hand to give Freudian insights into her mother's relationships; Lily, an eccentric editor for a top woman's magazine who wants to take Faith away from her "boring little trips to Ikea" and "boring little house"; and the charming but duplicitous Jos, Faith's new love interest, who all add a little spice to the predictable story line. But what the plot lacks in originality, Wolff makes up with writing that is energetic, upbeat and full of humour, making Out of the Blue a novel that should be on the reading list of every thirtysomething woman. --Amy GallagherRead More