I said before that I wanted to read more of Carole Matthews and my wish was granted. A Minor Indiscretion is the second book of hers that I read, and although I didn't like/love it nearly as much as The Only Way is Up, I still enjoyed it a lot. A Minor Indiscretion occurs when Ali decides to pon a day at work to meet a new admirer. Events compound and she's quickly turned out by her husband (who in a very strange sense of logic, refers to this as Ali having "left him" - please, the dude threw her out) and goes into a full-time relationship with her new, younger boyfriend while her husband simultaneously has two young women after him. Basically, it's a romance novel with relationships so confusing it may rival A Midsummer Night's Dream. Although, truth be told, this book does contain more substance than a normal fluffy book. It at least explores/looks at a few topics, such as the possibility of love between an older women and a younger man. But to me, the main strength about the book are its characters. Christian is charming, although I didn't like him at times, and I quite liked Ali most of the time. Ed (Ali's husband), on the other hand, was very irritating. Maybe he wasn't given enough word count to explain himself, but I found him extremely selfish and someone who says one thing and does another. But at the very least, he 'redeemed' himself at the end by changing for the better. The only issue I have with this book is one of it's endings (there is at least one sub-plot so there needs to be more than one ending). -Spoiler Alert- Neil (Ed's brother), ends up with Orla (Ed slept with her a few times during the novel). I thought Orla wasn't a likable character and their manner of meeting and getting together was highly implausible. It rang false even within the fictional domain of the novel. And (I think), because of this, two other characters are denied resolution (or simply forgotten about). Apart from that, this is a really enjoyable novel. Despite the subject matter, it's not graphic, but rather, deals with the day-to-day life of a couple in crisis. Still, this is probably only for slightly older/more mature readers, because of the rather complex issue that is being dealt with. (First published at http://allsortsofbooks.blogspot.com/2...)
I love Carole Matthews. However, I did NOT care for this book once I was about halfway through it. I have a very difficult time reading something that is back and forth but with a predictable ending. I feel like all the in-between is wasted because I already know what is going to happen. Perhaps it is the way something is written or perhaps I've just read too many books. Either way - I like to be kept guessing and I was not. I have enjoyed many other books by Ms. Matthews that do, yes, have a predictable last page, but the story is better formed and it makes for an interesting, riveting read all the way through. You don't get that with this one.
Do You like book A Minor Indiscretion (2003)?
I'm guessing this book will be loved or hated. Cheating seems to be a difficult subject for writers to tackle. I think the whole book needed to read as entertainment rather than looking for realistic situations. For many people, you cheat and that's it. No second chances. At the end it felt as if what happened to Ali was some sort of punishment for what she'd done. Bit cheesy. BUT - there were some great moments. I really did see why she fell for Christian - though not entirely sure why he fell for her. The kids were fun. Neil was a great character too. Overall it was a good read in the sunshine.
—Barbara Elsborg
