The Ex Files

December 15, 2003
British columnist Moore (Fourplay
) returns with another clever titular pun, but wit is scarce after the title page, despite the novel's promising premise. Feisty model Faye Parker and soft-spoken rising chef Mark Hawkins invite several former lovers to their wedding bash at a gorgeous French chateau. (Mark's loaded parents pay the tab; despite some misgivings about the bride, mother Jean wants her baby to have the very best, especially since the marriage of Tony, her eldest, has broken up.) Why do Mark and Faye plant emotional land mines at their big event? It seems that deep down they know they're mismatched. Faye's bosom buddy Adam ("who described himself as 'Homo sapiens, homeopathic, and homosexual' ") tells her so, and best man Brian delivers the message to the groom. The arrival of Mark's brother clinches it. It turns out that Tony, who lives in New York, got to London a week ago, and he's the stud with whom Faye had a no-names last fling. Faye drew the line at intercourse, but that doesn't stop Tony—whose own marriage fell apart over infidelity—from demanding that she halt the wedding and let his brother find happiness with a good woman. Moore jumps forward and back in time to introduce the many players, and readers won't doubt for an instant that all's well that ends well. Awkward writing and unsympathetic characters dampen the fun, but there's something weirdly fascinating about a soap opera this shameless.

January 1, 2004
It's bad enough that supermodel Faye Parker decides to have one more fling right before her big day-but then the object of her indiscretion turns out to be a member of the wedding party. Add to that the groom's having invited his former flame to the ceremony, so the bride follows suit. This sophisticated, witty British offering from Moore (Fourplay), a writer/columnist for the Sun and the Sunday Times (London), is reminiscent of a Richard Curtis script: full of modern, urbane relationships, with frantic, fast-paced interactions as the couples shuffle and redeal. Droll humor and clever observations abound in a story in which the "in" people succumb to good old-fashioned love, and characters and relationships are revealed through skillful flashbacks. Recommended for all public libraries.-Shelley Mosley, Glendale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

December 15, 2003
Faye is a spoiled, high-profile fashion model who is ready to give up the dating life and marry Mark, a sweet, good-natured up-and-coming chef. But before she flies off to her expensive wedding in the south of France, Faye has one last fling--a mistake with repercussions that have no bounds. Then there is the wedding itself. At Mark's insistence, they invite a few of their exes: Faye's self-absorbed, sex-crazed ex, Nat, and Mark's ex, Kate, who is bitter and angry because she isn't the bride. Faye's plans for a perfect wedding fall completely apart when she realizes her one-night stand is a guest at her wedding. Between figuring out who, if anyone, is truly happy for the couple and keeping her infidelity a secret, Faye has no choice but to decide what and who it is she really wants. Though the plot is fairly predictable, Moore makes a decent effort to keep the story moving by using flashbacks to highlight different points in the respective relationships. With a light tone and fresh characters, this is a fun, effortless read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)