by Alison Lurie
First published 1977
Erica Tate finds out that Brian, her husband, has been having an affair with Wendy, a blonde student. Brian promises to end the relationship and Erica agrees to forgive him. But their truce crumbles quickly. Erica becomes suspicious and starts watching Brian's every move. Brian breaks his promise and returns to Wendy. Then Wendy becomes pregnant. What started as a betrayal becomes an all-out battle between husband and wife. The Tates' marriage transforms into a battlefield where neither side honors their agreements. Erica and Brian wage war through deception, broken promises, and escalating retaliation. Their conflict consumes their household as they fight over Brian's infidelity and its consequences.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, domestic-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
368 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books