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.

Jane Green's narration of her novel is proof of how hard it can be for an author to read her own work. However, even the most accomplished, spellbinding narrator would have a difficult time rescuing this overly long, melodramatic story. Green's delivery reinforces the unattractive, self-centered personality of Gabby, the main character. The other characters hold little interest, and her reading does nothing to infuse them with life. Overall, Green sounds condescending, as if the listener might not be sharp enough to understand the nuances of this story of selfishness and betrayal. The implausible ending reinforces this as an audiobook that gives "chick lit" a bad name. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine