First published 2017
Neve, a writer in her mid-thirties, navigates a volatile marriage with Edwyn, a man whose love oscillates between tender protection and brutal psychological warfare. Their relationship exists in a claustrophobic London apartment, where every conversation becomes a minefield of potential eruption. As Neve reflects on her past relationships and family dynamics, she reveals the intricate psychological patterns that have led her to this moment of intense, destructive intimacy. The marriage becomes a complex dance of power, vulnerability, and survival. Edwyn's mercurial temperament—shifting between affection and contempt—creates an environment of constant emotional tension. Neve must negotiate her own survival within this relationship, understanding the delicate balance between endurance and self-preservation. At its heart, this is a raw examination of how love can become a battlefield of personal histories, where survival means understanding the complex emotional terrain of connection and disconnection.
Genres: literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, abuse, contemporary, psychological-thriller, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: London
Period: 21st-century
169 pages · Paperback · Melville House
Content warnings: abuse, domestic-violence, emotional-abuse