After the Party (Ralph’s Party #2)

I have read other books by Lisa Jewell and I believe maybe this is her first book which could’ve had better editing. The story continued to repeat itself and repeat itself and revisit issues which are not generic to the story. I finished all but the last eight pages. Go to her other books which are much better read.

Ralph McLeary and Jemima Catterick (Jem) began as flatmates, somewhat serendipitously, during the mid-nineties. Jem was actually the girlfriend of Smith, one of the others in the flat. Then on one smashing night at the art gallery where Ralph showed his work, they got together in what they still often remember as a fabulous party, and they felt like soul mates. As if life before was nothing compared to what would come now. Living in London, and moving from one flat to another, life was good. Ralph did a series of paintings featuring Jem that brought in quite a bit of money. But then Jem got pregnant. Was that when everything started to change for them? But the lovely Scarlett was adorable, and life continued to be good. But then there were more pregnancies and miscarriages, and finally Blake came along. But by then, the luster had faded from the sparkling duo of Ralph and Jem. Alternately told by Ralph and Jem, the story of their relationship, which was a partnership but not a marriage, is revealed with all its flaws and cracks. Back and forth, during the eleventh and twelfth years of their time together, we watch the connections slowly disintegrate. We see the temptations, the choices that drive them further apart, and then, finally, we discover what will become of them. What was the straw that finally broke them? Was it the inequities of their partnership? Was it other people, like the single dad from the playground that seems to be stalking them? Or was it time, and a failure to communicate? Like many stories about long term relationships, After the Party reveals much about what makes a love story work, and what must be done to repair the connections. An enjoyable story that felt real, with characters I cared about. Parts of the story seemed a bit redundant, and I was often frustrated by their inability to do what was necessary, but it was definitely a book that I will think about. 4.5 stars.

I\’m well into the book and I can\’t read it anymore. It shows on my screen with an X on it and grayed out. It won\’t open at all. That makes it totally worthless. It\’s not really a complaint about the book per se, but I can\’t find any way to get help from Amazon getting the book to open.

Not a heavy read – good for summer. Won\’t keep you on the edge of your seat, so good one to read when you\’re bored or keep in car. Entertaining enough.

I love Lisa\’s books… read them all and loved them all on a different level. I am however sorry to say that I am struggling to finish this one… I am beyond caring how it all ends. I am finding the whole story boring beyond words and every time I read a bit of it I think to myself \’well there is 30 minutes of my life I will never get back\’… sorry Lisa….

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