More To Life Than This (Red Dress Ink Novels) [Paperback]

Carole Matthews (Author)

Book Description

Series: Red Dress Ink Novels | Publication Date: March 1, 2006

Sure, I have it all.
Except . . .wait, what's that word again?
Oh, right: FUN!

I'm exactly what every woman dreams of being at thirty-five: I have a lovely house, a handsome, loving husband and two perfect children. All right, so Jeffrey's "loving" can only be counted on to happen once a week, with lights off and pajamas on. And the children -- well, is it normal for children to remind their mother to eat her vegetables? It might be time to make a few changes -- which is why I signed up for this Tai Chi retreat, to concentrate on finding myself. Yes, this is the week for thinking about ME. Not my bumptious best friend Sonia's attempts to shag our instructor. Not the perils of leaving Jeffrey alone for the week with a stunning Australian au pair. And definitely, definitely not my handsome classmate Ben Mahler . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Kate and Jeffrey Lewis are comfortable in their marriage, but lately their union has lacked excitement. Even their two preteen children are terribly responsible and levelheaded. All that changes when Kate decides to take off for a tai chi retreat for a week with her best friend, Sonia, leaving Jeffrey and the kids at home with Natalie, a sexy Australian au pair. Kate searches for inner peace and finds the opposite in a handsome fellow student, Ben, whom she is deeply attracted to, while Jeffrey is fighting his own lust for Natalie, who seems determined to take him and his children for a walk on the wild side. Matthews, author of A Minor Indiscretion (2003) and Let's Meet on Platform 8 (2004), frequently puts her characters in tough situations with no easy way out, making for offerings that are more complex and layered than the average fare. Her engaging latest is no different and offers a surprising conclusion to this story of a marriage quietly in crisis. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

". . . one of the few writers who can rival Marian Keyes' gift for telling heart-warming tales . . ." -- Glasgow Daily Record

"A Big Five points for humor." -- Kelly Ripa, Live with Regis and Kelly

"Carole is going somewhere. And it's going to be big." -- Style Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 346 pages
• Publisher: Red Dress Ink; Original edition (March 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373895682
• ISBN-13: 978-0373895687
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,784,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carole Matthews is an internationally bestselling author of hugely successful romantic comedy novels. Her unique sense of humour has won her legions of fans and critical acclaim all over the world.

As well as appearing on the Sunday Times and USA Today bestseller lists, Carole is published in 24 different countries. Her novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for the RNA romantic novel of the year award.

In the USA, the hilarious For Better, For Worse was selected by one of America's top TV book clubs - Reading with Ripa on LIVE with Regis and Kelly - as their book of the month. As a result it went straight into the USA Today and New York Times Extended bestseller lists.

Carole co-edited two editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child. She has recently contributed a story to an anthology for the Romantic Novelists' Association, Loves Me, Loves Me Not. Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest.

Born in St Helens, Merseyside, Carole has always been an avid reader and dreamed of being a teacher, an air traffic controller, a travel guide or a hairdresser - writer never featured once. Leaving Liverpool for London after a torrid holiday romance in Torquay, she worked as a secretary, an ice-cream lady, a shop assistant and a beauty therapist. It was when she was working in a completely mad holistic clinic that she first thought 'one day I should write a book about this.' She still hasn't got round to it.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A book that makes infidelity the best thing for a marriage, February 19, 2006

By 

T. Cogan "bring it on" (Chicago Area United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: More to Life Than This (Paperback)

Kate and Jeffery are a comfortably married couple who aren't exactly happy with their mundane life. To remedy this, Kate goes on a retreat to a Tai Chi class and leave Jeffery with a Barbie-doll for an au pair named Natalie.

While away, Kate falls steadily in love with Ben (who is a flat, uninteresting character that Ms. Matthews just wants you to like because there's no one else around for Kate). While at home, Jefferey can't keep himself from lusting over Nat, who flirts like hell with a married man--sometimes--no, make that often--in front of his two kids.

The big spoiler is that both Kate and Jeffery have affairs. Kate has the best, most adventurous sex of her life and Jeffery gets to sleep with a woman who would never go for him.

In the end, there is no consequence for their actions. They keep their secrets, feel their passion renewed, and basically live happily ever after.

If you're all for adultery this could prove a worthwhile read, but if you want to see characters actually grow and change, skip this book. Kate was wishy-washy and whiny, her husband so dull you could skip over his chapters. If I could give zero stars, I really would have. I can't believe I finished it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Stale Marriage? Remedy it with an affair!, May 25, 2006

By 

E. Northrop (MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: More To Life Than This (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

I wish I could convey all the sarcasm that I feel in the title of my review of this book. Because, bottom line, that is the message: In a middle-age married rut? Take a lover and watch the spice come back into your marriage! I don't recommend this novel on any level whatsoever. It was offensive and insulting, not to mention degrades and cheapens something that should not be. I wish I had passed on this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book with no actual ending, October 23, 2006

By 

Tatyana (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: More To Life Than This (Red Dress Ink Novels) (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading the book and was surprised with some of the reviews as I continued my reading. It was easy to read and one of those reads where you want to know what happens next. However, the book is completely cut off with no ending. The story is developing throughout the book and has a completely unfulfilled ending and is cut off in a couple of pages. As much as I liked the book, I was very disappointed with underdeveloped end of the story.