Tempting Fate

December 9, 2013
New York Times bestselling author Green (Family Pictures) returns with the story of Gabby, a 43-year-old Englishwoman living in Connecticut with her husband, Elliott, and their two teenage daughters, Alana and Olivia. Ever since she left England and her unpredictable mother, Gabby has prided herself on being surrounded with tranquility, one of the defining characteristics of her happy and long-standing marriage. During a girl’s night out with her friends in New York City, she encounters an intriguing younger man, Matt, at a bar. Gabby is flattered by his unexpected attention, but reminds herself that “once tonight is over she will once again be a middle-aged suburban housewife, caught up in the pots and pans of life.” Afterward, Gabby tries to return to normalcy, feeling safe since Matt lives far away, in California, but her intentions soon fall by the wayside. Green skillfully depicts a woman trapped between contentment and temptation, crafting an insightful look into married life and middle age.