Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A Perfect Home-Kitty Glanville

A Perfect Home


Kitty Glanville

Berkley, Aug 7 2012, $15.00

ISBN: 9780425247778



Claire raises her children (twins Emily and Oliver, and baby Ben) while running her Emily Love business from the exquisite house that her husband William and his parents bought while she was away. A magazine is doing an article showcasing the house with Stefan the photographer. William spends most of his time renovating the house and lecturing his wife over the behavior of their children; only Emily is never criticized.



Stefan tells Claire the house is special. He surprises her when he gets on well with Ben and Macavity the cat. She talks to William about the article but he ignores her and instead mentions he will build a summerhouse. Claire and the kids have fun while William is unhappy that the shoot takes away from house projects. Stefan and Claire discuss Emily Love, Inc. and he orders an apron for his ailing sister. Stefan emails Claire saying he would like to pick up the apron. They begin to exchange emails until she says she would like to see him. They begin a tryst, but as they fall in love family matters and distrust separate them.



The key cast (including the house) is fully developed and more important so are their interrelationships especially William’s obsessive love for the house. However, many American readers will find the cast’s behavior (especially William and his obnoxious snobbish mother) too British and frown at a late separation caused by an overly used misunderstanding of the “other” woman in this character driven contemporary.



Harriet Klausner



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