Out of the Blue [Import] [Paperback]

Isabel Wolff (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers (2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007120664
• ISBN-13: 978-0007120666
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,421,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Isabel Wolff read English at Cambridge and was a journalist and BBC broadcaster before becoming a full time writer. A Sunday Times best-seller, her eight poignant romantic comedies have been published in 29 languages and include 'The Making of Minty Malone', 'Behaving Badly' and 'Rescuing Rose'. Her latest novel, 'A Vintage Affair' was an Amazon.co.uk 'Best of the Year' title, 2009, and in 2011 it was shortlisted for the American Libraries Association Reading List award (in the women's fiction category). Her ninth novel, 'The Very Picture of You' will be published by Random House Inc on October 4th. Isabel lives in London with her partner, their children and her stepchildren and in her spare time enjoys playing with dolls and trains. For more information please visit www.IsabelWolff.com or see Isabel's author page on Facebook. Thank you...

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marriage and Divorce, June 10, 2003

By 

Janice (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) (Paperback)

Isabel Wolff's "Out of the Blue" deals with Faith, a suburban wife who has been married for fifteen years to her college sweetheart, Peter. Faith always considered her relationship with Peter to be wonderful until she suspected him to be having an affair. Peter later confessed that he did indeed have an affair and Faith's was incredibly devastated. She was still very much in love with Peter but unsure of how to deal with his fling and suddenly another man, Jos, was paying attention to her. Jos was charming, attentive, good-looking and Faith became torn.

Even though this is a Red Dress Ink book, it is not your typical chick-lit as this book deals with a much more serious topic - infidelity. Wolff tries successfully to add humor to such a grave situation. In addition, her main character is married and in her thirties unlike other chick-lit authors whose main characters are usually single and in their twenties. Her characters are well-developed, making you feel that you really know them. My only complain is that the book is quite slow and there seems to be no surprises. Once you get the storyline, that's it. So, it can be a little boring at times. However, I still think it is a good book especially since it was written well.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars deep character study, February 2, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) (Paperback)

Faith and Peter Martin celebrate their fifteenth wedding anniversary, which he completely forgot about, with friends and family including their two teenage children. Peter apologizes to his wife blaming it on the pressure at work caused by new a new chairwoman at the publishing firm where he works as a director. At the party, Faith's friend Lily makes a seemingly innocuous remark praising Faith for being "marvelous to trust him".

However, Lily's casual comment makes Faith relook Peter who has bought new clothing and lost weight. She checks his credit card where she finds he bought flowers for someone. She questions him and he blows her off as being silly. Ultimately, she believes he is innocent and praises him for his faithfulness only to have him break down and confess he had an affair. As Peter tries to win back his wife, Faith begins to branch into other areas encouraged by her daughter and best friend.

OUT OF THE BLUE could have been another "He did, she did" tale, but is more than that due to the rich cast that turns the prime theme of deceit into a deep character study. Faith lives up to her name until she learns Peter cheated. Peter feels guilt over his actions and his subsequent cover-up. Their daughter Katie steals the show with her Freudian analysis of everyone around her while Lily is a rip the skin off of everyone else magazine editor. These and other secondary players make for an upbeat amusing tale of relationships in the modern age that will have every spouse checking his pockets.

Harriet Klausner

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Grown Up Look At "Chick Literature!", March 28, 2003

By 

Caroline P. Hampton (Columbus, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Red Dress Ink (Numbered Paperback)) (Paperback)

Without a doubt - Isabel Wolff is one of the better authors out there in the "Chick Lit" genre. Her previous work (Trial of Tiffany Trott / The Making of Minty Malone / and Rescuing Rose (out later this year) are among my shelf of favorites and her newest US release "Out Of The Blue" is a wonderfully grown up and smart book about a married woman's fears of an adulterous husband and how she goes about handling/proving/disproving and dealing with all those problems that come with insecurities.

I loved the idea of this book and really enjoyed the serious and complex elements of this story. The characters were well developed and really interesting. Some of the more memorable in recent history.

Ms. Wolff is a very gifted storyteller and I will continue to look for her work. A wonderful addition to the Red Dress Inc. line of literature.