For the last four years, Helen has been having an affair with her sexy older boss, Matthew - stolen evenings away from work and hidden from his wife and daughters. In that time Helen's plans for a career in PR have been put on hold, and most of her friends have drifted away into marriage and children, with only single Rachel left to confide in. Coming up to her thirty-ninth birthday and evaluating her life, Helen's starting to think that she doesn't really want Matthew at all. Which is when he arrives at the door of her one room flat with the news that he's told all and left Sarah for her. How will Helen get rid of her unwanted lover?
I was immediately attracted to the premise (unlike Lynn, who thinks it's ridiculous and unbelievable), and thoroughly enjoyed the execution. Helen's flawed - her plans are often ill-considered or not thought through, she at times lacks empathy (particularly for the long suffering Rachel), she is judgemental (the list she and Rachel have composed of "women we hate" is bitter, superficial, and amusing) and, of course, she's been having an affair with a married man for four years. At times, Helen is also the most attractive and sympathetic member of the cast, with the exception of Mrs Matthew, Sophie.
Fallon has managed to portray a shades-of-grey picture of adultery that I thoroughly enjoyed. There were certainly coincidences that slightly stretched credibility, and the resolution is a little too neat, but it was none the less satisfying for that. I've even persuaded Lynn to give it a whirl, so perhaps there'll be a review about this from her one day! - Alex
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