Author: Jane Moore
Publisher: Broadway
Publication Date: January, 2001
Genre: Chick-Lit
Description: At age thirty-three, Josephine Miles is forced to come up with a brand-new life when her husband leaves her for "the cliché"--his very young, very pretty secretary. Suddenly she's single and back in the dating game with the added complication of children in tow. But Jo's no wallflower, and she soon finds herself with not one but four eligible bachelors vying for her time and affections. Add her two kids and her now booming interior design business to the mix, and she winds up with a nightmarish schedule but a dreamy love life.
So who are the contestants? There's Sean, the sexy foreign affairs correspondent who sweeps Jo off her feet and proves to be masterful in bed; Martin, the music industry mogul who offers luxury, stability, and a glamorous lifestyle; and Conor, Jo's trusted confidant, who knows just what to say to make her smile (why hadn't she noticed his irresistible smile until now?). Then there's Jeff, her ex-husband: she wouldn't consider hooking up with him again, would she? It could happen--especially when Jeff's romance with the sweet young thing sours and he launches a full-scale campaign to win Jo back.
My Thoughts: One of the reasons I am a fan of the Chick-Lit genre is how the stories resonate with me. The plots, characters, emotions, wit, sarcasm, and the humor are all elements I find so easy to relate to. Fourplay was no exception. This story and the lead character, Jo, drew me in quickly. Anyone who has had a long term relationship end unexpectedly and badly can see themselves in this story. Anyone who has had their trust betrayed by their spouse and has to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and start over will easily connect to this story.
One of the things I liked about Jo was her determination to move forward through her husband’s adultery. She allowed herself to shatter and fall apart, but she didn’t stay there. She got up and began rebuilding her life. She restarts her career, takes care of her children, and takes her life back. Healing is a long process that doesn’t happen overnight, but Jo is a wonderful example of a woman who does exactly that. I loved that Jo is receptive to new relationships but that she doesn’t rebound commit to the first man who crosses her path. I had a lot of anticipation reading the book trying to figure out who she would ultimately end up with.
A very interesting aspect of this story was Jeff, Jo’s ex-husband. I found his character defects and flaws quite interesting and witnessing his behavior and treatment of Jo is typical of a man who is weak and selfish. His attempt to win Jo back when his fling fizzles out came as no surprise to me. As Jo’s life seems to shine as she becomes stronger and more self-confident, Jeff’s seems to become the opposite. I enjoyed seeing Jeff eating some Karma pie, but I also pitied him. I thought it was sad that a self-made successful attorney on the outside was so weak and pathetic on the inside that he threw everything away instead of working on his problems with Jo. I especially loved it when Jo actually tells him that she should thank him for walking out on her and the kids.
I also enjoyed all of the other supporting characters. Jo’s brother, her best friend, her parents and the prospective love connections added to the story in unique ways. Jo’s brother was entertaining and her best friend was a god-send. Jo depends on them a lot and I loved that they were there for her. I empathized with Jo about the relationship she has with her parents. Jo’s mother was overbearing and hard to tolerate and Jo struggles with it for most of the book. Towards the end, we get a wonderful twist that gives Jo a whole new outlook on her relationship with her parents, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked each of the men Jo dates, some more than others. They were all unique and being with each of them brings Jo a wonderful opportunity to figure out who she is once again.
My Final Verdict: Overall, a very good story of one woman’s journey to rebuild her life after betrayal ends her marriage. I recommend this for readers of romance who enjoy strong female characters who refuse to let life’s roadblocks keep them from pursuing happiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment