What the back says...
'Myself and Hugh . . . We're taking a break.'
'A city-with-fancy-food sort of break?'
If only.
Amy's husband Hugh says he isn't leaving her.
He still loves her, he's just taking a break - from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together.
Six months in South-East Asia. And nothing she says can stop him.
But when does a break become a break up?
For a lot can happen in six months. And it's enough to send Amy and her family of gossips, misfits and troublemakers teetering over the edge.
When Hugh returns if he returns, will he be the same man she married?
Will Amy be the same woman?
Because if Hugh is on a break from their marriage, then isn't she?'
I'm continuing my love for Marian Keyes with this book and I absolutely adored it!
The Break tells the story of a married couple and what happens when one half of this couple wants to take a break from the marriage. Can you walk away from your marriage for six months and then get back together as if nothing has happened?
Although I have always been aware of Marian Keyes and her books this is actually the first of hers that I have read. Being 40-something and married myself, I found the lead character, Amy, very easy to relate to. I loved how she wanted to give the impression that everything was fine - showing a perfect 'Facebook' life to the actual reality of her husband walking out on her for six months to travel the world like a single man but you could actually feel her heartbreak through the pages. I found myself questioning 'what would I do in this situation'. I could also understand Hugh's point of view, even though there were times when I just wanted to shake him and couldn't believe the selfishness, I could understand the need to get away. I also loved the fact that this was about a marriage and the things that a married couple would go through.
Again, Marian Keyes creates such great characters, I really admire the way she works her characters together. There is always so much detail to them and the way she can write with so many of them is amazing. My only criticism for the whole book would be that she could have ended the story sooner, I'm not sure the last few pages were really necessary.
This is one of my favourite books that I have read in a long time and I would have no problem sitting down and reading it again.