Sarah Hogle: Piatkus $29.99
NAOMI Westfield has an idyllic life – or, rather, she will have just a few short months from now when her wedding day finally dawns. To the outside world, Naomi is blissfully happy.
Nicholas Rose is the man of any sane woman’s dreams: a handsome, caring, career-focused dentist earning a generous income and with an open, welcoming family behind him.
By contrast, Naomi’s own parents are distant – both physically and emotionally – and she has little in common with her siblings.
However, appearances can be dangerously deceptive – particularly in the case of this engaged couple as they’re shepherded towards mother Rose’s vision of ever-after togetherness.
Naomi and Nicholas are in fact dreading marriage yet neither is willing to be the one who has to bear the shame of breaking their engagement. Instead they’re locked in the ultimate game of intimacy chicken, each daring the other to be the first to blink and walk away from an impending avalanche of lifelong disaster.
So intent are they on maintaining the façade that they’re willing to go to almost any lengths to conceal their true fears. After all, in this age of social media obsession, appearing to have the ideal bond in public is far more important than actually feeling respected, supported and understood in private – isn’t it?
“Knowing that our relationship looks enviable from the outside is the only thing we’ve got going for us,” Naomi admits to herself.
Unwilling to confide in her friends and workmates and seek their advice, she begins finding convert ways to undermine Nicholas’ plans for their future – ways that to the outside world seem increasingly off-balance and bizarre. The result for onlookers is hilarious and thought-provoking.
Will one or other of the engagees realise their mistake and call off the wedding before it’s too late or will they simply continue freewheeling towards marital misery?
NAOMI Westfield has an idyllic life – or, rather, she will have just a few short months from now when her wedding day finally dawns. To the outside world, Naomi is blissfully happy.
Nicholas Rose is the man of any sane woman’s dreams: a handsome, caring, career-focused dentist earning a generous income and with an open, welcoming family behind him.
By contrast, Naomi’s own parents are distant – both physically and emotionally – and she has little in common with her siblings.
However, appearances can be dangerously deceptive – particularly in the case of this engaged couple as they’re shepherded towards mother Rose’s vision of ever-after togetherness.
Naomi and Nicholas are in fact dreading marriage yet neither is willing to be the one who has to bear the shame of breaking their engagement. Instead they’re locked in the ultimate game of intimacy chicken, each daring the other to be the first to blink and walk away from an impending avalanche of lifelong disaster.
So intent are they on maintaining the façade that they’re willing to go to almost any lengths to conceal their true fears. After all, in this age of social media obsession, appearing to have the ideal bond in public is far more important than actually feeling respected, supported and understood in private – isn’t it?
“Knowing that our relationship looks enviable from the outside is the only thing we’ve got going for us,” Naomi admits to herself.
Unwilling to confide in her friends and workmates and seek their advice, she begins finding convert ways to undermine Nicholas’ plans for their future – ways that to the outside world seem increasingly off-balance and bizarre. The result for onlookers is hilarious and thought-provoking.
Will one or other of the engagees realise their mistake and call off the wedding before it’s too late or will they simply continue freewheeling towards marital misery?
