TEST
I read most of Fourplay on a plane ride to Kansas City. I have to admit I was surprised when I heard the announcement that we were landing. Fourplay was entertaining enough to have made a two-hour flight zip by. It would be nice if all women ended up with a social life that goes as well as the heroine’s in this book
Interior decorator Josephine Miles is shocked when she finds out that her husband Jeff is cheating on her. She’s even more shocked when he tells her that he’s leaving her and their two kids for The Cliché, as Jo nicknames the young secretary he’s cheating with. While Jo is thrown for quite a loop at first, she has her brother, his best friend, Connor, and her best friend Rosie to help her through. She soon finds that there’s life after marriage, too, as she eventually has four guys after her. It’s every woman’s fantasy, right?
Jo’s got a dry sense of humor and a sarcasm that I appreciated. Readers will feel for Jo as she deals with her husband’s betrayal and subsequent moving out. Among the issues that Jo has to deal with are figuring out what happened to the marriage that always seemed so perfect, her issues with her mom, and, of course, dating.
Focusing as it does on Jo’s adventures in dating, the story zips by as each new adventure begins. She segues from one man to another almost effortlessly. Each one has different things going for him, and Jo is hard pressed to make a choice. First up is Conor. He’s Jo’s brother’s best friend and a good friend of hers, but he’s also hot, nice and always there for her.
Next up is Sean, a sexy photojournalist whom Jo likes very much. Good looking, sexy, fun, and young, Sean seems like a winner, but he’s got a secret. Jo’s client Martin is a wealthy record executive. He tries to win Jo’s heart by getting the kids tickets to see and meet Britney and by taking Jo to fabulous, exotic locales. He seems like quite the catch. And last but not least, Jeff, the cheating ex decides he wants Jo back and tries to play on her sentimentality. Readers will pretty easily figure out who the eventual winner will be, but it’s still good fun getting there.
The secondary characters help give the book a little more depth. Jo’s brother makes her laugh and continually cheers her up. Best friend Rosie is very different from Jo and is also looking for love. She provides a good counterpoint to Jo. Jo’s mom is initially very annoying, with her constant harping that Jo should just ignore her husband’s actions, but eventually turns out to be a help to Jo. Jo’s kids show up and disappear conveniently. They’re clearly props.
Moore writes with a breezy style and takes the liberty of jumping weeks or months ahead between chapters. The time jumping can be a little disconcerting and makes Jo seem as if she gets over her husband’s betrayal much too easily. And while it’s light fun, I found myself wishing for a little more originality and depth. Though I’m not a big fan of the term “Brit Chick Lit,” the form has definitely invigorated women’s fiction. Mr. Maybe and Jemima J., both by Jane Green, do the genre better, but Fourplay is lots of fun, and any book that takes my mind off a plane ride in coach is worth the time.
Grade: B-
Book Type: Chick Lit
Sensuality: N/A
Review Date: 17/11/02
Publication Date: 2002
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.