She knows him better than anyone.
She doesn’t know him at all…
Lottie and Nick once had a dream marriage, but a series of failed IVF attempts has left Lottie feeling insecure, and her paranoia is further stoked by the arrival of a new starter at Nick’s firm. Nuala is the spitting image of a younger, more attractive Lottie, and Nick is paying her a lot of attention…
But then Lottie discovers she’s pregnant. A surprise getaway to their country cottage to celebrate Nick’s birthday will provide the perfect backdrop to give him the news and start to heal the rifts in their relationship.
Then, on the eve of Nick’s birthday, Lottie goes into the cellar, and what she finds makes her question everything.
Because there, in the corner of the cellar, is the body of a young woman.
A young woman who looks just like Lottie…
THE YOUNGER WOMAN
Mandy Byatt
Lottie, an aging actor. Married to Nick, the doting husband. Are struggling with infertility. When someone new starts at Nick’s place of employment it sparks paranoia and jealousy within Lottie and unsettles their happy marriage.
When Lottie discovers she is pregnant she decides that their family cottage is the best place to tell him. While she is at the cottage she makes a shocking discovery that will send shockwaves through their marriage and will change everything as they know it forever.
This book doesn’t exactly play nice. It has a few one-liners that target populations such as couples struggling with infertility, anyone over the age of 22, anyone with weight issues, and those in a committed relationship, it takes aim at Americans and does a better job at stereotyping than it ever could at characterization.
Which isn’t its only downfall.
This book is not meant to be taken seriously. It’s making fun of itself in a lot of places. I do hope that I’m catching the humor and not misreading it. This is why although I had an ok time with it-I cannot recommend it to any reader.
I knew what I was getting into when I requested it and enjoyed some of the commentaries on marriage and feminism. However, I didn’t feel that there was much to this book that would warrant sitting through the stand-up routine. The experience was like reading gossip headlines in the supermarket aisle.
Satirical or hurtful, not for me to decide here, and not worth it either way, skip this one!
THE YOUNGER WOMAN…⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK, Avon for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
This one comes out on February 2, 2023.
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