Iris hates having to share her flat with Carol the lodger after her husband left, wrecking her chances of having a baby.
The other woman was Maddy, now an influencer who shares about her happy family life with her partner Lee and twin daughters. It seems only fair that Iris reveals to the world her hypocrisy, and get her back for stealing her husband.
I loved the premise of the book with an influencer’s perfect life being exposed as the perfect lie but it wasn’t as solid a read as the author’s revenge-coms usually are. However, Iris made for a great unreliable narrator as she goes down the rabbit hole of stalking and online hate campaigns.
Joni’s about to meet Ant for the first time through online dating. Only problem is she’s used a photo of her sister Lucy instead. So when he doesn’t notice her at the meeting point, Joni pretends to cancel and instead wangles a way to bump into him another time in real life.
This time they hit it off but Joni has to lie again, giving her name as Lucy. But it appears that Ant is deceiving her too and still messaging and dating other women.
So Joni contacts two of the women, Saffy and Mary, to discover the only thing they have in common is they are all well-off. What exactly is Ant up to?
This is another entertaining tale of betrayal and revenge, with the emphasis on the women forging an empowering friendship with one another.
Georgia is the author of the successful Wilbur the Wallaby picture books about a shopaholic marsupial. Her friend, Lydia, is also an illustrator who is feeling frustrated that instead of showcasing her own creations, she works for a publishing company commissioning other artists.
Georgia encourages Lydia to start selling her artworks online but there is no interest. So with the best of intentions, Georgia signs up as a fake admirer called Patricia to boost her friend’s confidence. But then Lydia begins to message Patricia and tell her things about Georgia, including an earth-shattering rumour.
This story had me hooked from the first page. Nobody does friend conflict better than Jane Fallon.
After her husband tells her he wants out of their marriage, Laura moves into a tiny studio in a salubrious mansion-filled street, while she waits to find a place near her daughter’s school. Although she knows she is very different to the other wealthy residents, she never expects the queen bee, Stella, to turn everyone against her because she suspects Laura of flirting with her husband Al.
With a bit of snooping, Laura discovers that Al is indeed up to no good and in a surprise turn, teams up with Stella to bring him down.
I really enjoyed this witty and sharp read. Laura was a fantastic narrator, offering an outsider's perspective into how the other half live, and how she couldn't help herself from getting involved in the neighbours' lives, even when they snubbed her.
TV script editor Holly has just been promoted but her happiness is cut short when she notices that someone in the office is trying to sabotage her. From false messages to inappropriate emails to her boss, it’s clear to Holly that someone doesn’t want her to succeed in her new job. Is it Juliet, her rival for the promotion? Or is it Roz, her friend and colleague who knows her secrets and who she thought she could trust?
I do love Jane Fallon’s novels and am always looking forward to reading any new stories from her. She always creates strong, relatable and likable women who stand up for themselves and fight for what is theirs, be it their husbands, boyfriends, or, as in this case, their jobs. Holly is a single mother who raised her daughter all on her own. Her only support is her best friend Dee, who is a character I really liked because of her witticism and her loyalty, and Holly turns to Dee for help in stopping her opponent.
There was suspense as, like Holly, you’d never know what would happen next, what kind of mischief was awaiting her in the office. If you are looking for romance, there is none in this novel. Instead, it’s a story about friendship, deceit and jealousy, and it’s full of twists and turns that will keep you glued to the page. This addictive and engaging novel is another win for Jane Fallon and I highly recommend it as the perfect read to start the new year. (NP)
Actress Amy has a small role on an American TV series. As a surprise, she flies home to London to attend her best friend Melissa's 40th birthday. But her unannounced visit uncovers the fact that a woman has been living with her fiance, Jack. And she eventually works out that woman is her treacherous friend. But instead of telling them they've been sprung, Amy decides to continue on like normal but play some tricks on them as payback.
Having a fondness for tales of revenge, I loved this story, which explored why Melissa wasn't such a good friend even before her betrayal with Jack. A clever plot, smooth writing and a toxic character to despise - what more could you ask for?
When Paula finds out that her husband of eighteen years has been having an affair with his work colleague, instead of going in all guns blazing she decides she's going to play the long game and enact her own form of revenge on Robert and his mistress, Saskia. And better still she plans on getting Saskia's husband, Josh, on board too. It is going to be one epic act of retribution – if they can pull it off.
Set in the world of TV drama – actors Robert and Saskia play an on-screen husband and wife – you'd be forgiven for thinking that the plot of this novel is something straight out of a soap opera special, replete with far-fetched twists, and curious double falsehoods, and it does all become a bit farcical. However, as with any good soap opera, everything goes, and sometimes the zanier, the better. (JC)
What would you do if you heard rumours that your best friend’s husband was cheating on her? For Tamsin, the answer is to set up a honey trap. But when things don’t go according to plan, she gets embroiled in a far worse scenario and risks losing best friend Michelle. Even worse, Michelle’s husband, Patrick, still seems to be playing around and Tamsin is stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The blurb gives a bit too much away for my liking but this is one heck of a riveting, exhilarating read as you follow Tamsin to see how things are going to unravel. There’s tension and drama aplenty.
Fallon blurs moral boundaries and implicates her heroine as much as she exonerates her. But it’s a fascinating approach to characterisation and one that reveals the grey areas. As such, the plot doesn’t always go the way you would expect, instead Fallon shows the complications of the situation and doesn’t try to take the easy route out. And although this means that Tamsin may not get her happy ending, it does make for a much more nuanced and thought-provoking depiction of friendships, relationships and morality. (JC)
Holding on to a secret is hard. Holding on to a secret which could destroy a family is even more difficult. Jen is part of the Masterson family, marrying the only son of real estate millionaire Charles. With both daughters now at college, Jen and husband Jason are settling into the routine of empty nesters and struggling to find common ground on topics which don't revolve around their doting children. The Mastersons are a close-knit family where on the surface, the bond between each family member is impenetrable. Jen discovers a secret which would destroy the very essence of this family or at least her own part in the Masterson clan.
As secrets go, there is no one way to expose it without destroying lives in the process. As the days pass, the pressure of holding the past and future of her family in her hands begins to take a toll of Jen - both physically and mentally. As Jen attempts to mend fences with her own family, she finds herself confiding in a stranger. A chance for her to offload the secret but at the same time burdening her with another. Actions of sharing secrets have repercussions and with repercussions come consequences.
Jane Fallon has produced a magnificent story of a family where, with the utterance of one secret, could destroy all family connections. The characters and the sense of family are totally relatable. As the reader begins the journey of Jen Masterson's story, you begin to think you know what is going to happen but then there is a twist and a turn leading the reader down a completely different path! Superbly written and clever in its delivery, it's colourful, funny, intimate and most of all unpredictable. (MP)
Abigail has always played second fiddle to her more beautiful
sister Caroline. But as a child Abigail didn't mind that Caroline was the one to inherit their parents' good looks, or care how it affected the way people treated them, because Caroline proved to be not only her big sister, but her best friend and protector too. But when Abigail was 13, Caroline stepped into the world of modelling and got so caught up in her fame and success that she left her old life behind (including her sister). Eighteen years have passed, and Abigail is now a single mother who works part-time at a library.
Her daughter, Phoebe, is already moving out, and has plans for a rather bright future. Abigail though has no place to stay since she sold her small cottage way before getting possession of her new flat. Then she receives an email from Caroline, after so many years of hardly any contact, inviting her to spend the summer holidays with her family. Abigail thinks it may be the perfect opportunity to re-establish their sisterly bond. But upon meeting her sister's family, she discovers that her visit is not going to be two fun-filled months of sightseeing but will instead see her step into the role of nanny while Caroline stages her modelling comeback.
This is an intriguing story with a clever title which had me trying to figure out which of the characters really fit the profile of The Ugly Sister. (XT)
Rebecca has always revelled in the cosy friendship formed when she and Isabel married best friends Dan and Alex. Now 20 years down the track, Alex has just left Isabel, telling Rebecca that he's always actually loved her. So as well as worrying about how her best friend is coping and making sure no one finds out about Alex's declaration, Rebecca's also stressing about how the break-up is going to wreck her tight social circle.
Things get even more strained when Alex starts dating Lorna, her nightmare colleague at the talent agency, who really needs to spend less time chatting about herself and more time eating.
Even though this is essentially a story about the breakdown of the bond between two couples, the rivalry between Rebecca and Lorna is far more compelling.
When Stephanie discovers a suspicious message on her husband James' mobile, she tracks down the female caller and finds that he has been living a double life. He spends the early part of the week living with his girlfriend Katie in a rural town while he runs his vet practice, then the rest of the week in London with Stephanie and their son Finn.
Stephanie convinces a shocked Katie not to tell James what they have uncovered - instead they join forces to make his life hell first. But then one starts taking the revenge a bit too far and James' life really starts falling apart.
It'll keep you reading to find out whether revenge is indeed sweet but I would have preferred a bigger showdown or twist at the end.
Helen has been having a secret affair with a married man - her former boss - for the past four years. So when Matthew finally leaves his wife, Sophie, and moves in with Helen, you think she'd be delighted. But now she's decided she doesn't want him anymore. So Helen embarks on a campaign to get rid of Matthew, including befriending his wife. One of the best releases of 2007.
