Mad About You - Sinead Moriarty (2013)

This tells the latest story of Emma and James, the main characters in Sinead Moriarty's first three books, The Baby Trail, A Perfect Match and From Here to Maternity. Emma and James have just moved from Dublin to London for James' job as a rugby coach, with their two young children. Emma is apprehensive about the impact the change may have on their lives. However, her worst fears about what might lie ahead don't include what actually does. Within weeks of moving, James starts receiving sex-texts from an unknown number. He presumes it's one of the players he coaches, pulling his leg. The texts continue and then sex toys start arriving at the house, addressed to Emma. Soon, threatening texts are being sent to Emma's phone. James vehemently denies that he is having an affair. Emma wants to believe him but she's aware that with their busy work schedules, their marriage has become stale and she begins to wonder if he really is cheating on her - and it's not long before their marriage starts to fall apart under the strain and suspicion. Should Emma trust her husband? Is he cheating on her, or is he really the victim of an obsessed stalker? Will Emma figure out who it is in time to save her marriage? Mad About You has a huge readability factor, enhanced by a sub-plot involving Emma's irrepressible sister Babs. Interesting themes are explored in the book - trust within a marriage, how women as the family breadwinner in a demanding job affects home life, one partner wanting a second child when the other doesn't and the impact of this on a marriage, and many others. Although I was disappointed that the ending wasn't more unpredictable, the characters, the humour and the themes explored made up for that and it was still a fantastic read overall. (SBB)

Sinead Moriarty returns to some familiar characters in her latest novel, Mad About You. The summary says:" Emma and James Hamilton have weathered lots of storms in their ten-year marriage. From the heartbreak of infertility, to the craziness of then becoming parents to two babies in one year, to coping with James losing his job, somehow they have always worked as a team. However, the pressure of moving from Dublin to London for James' new job - away from familiar surroundings and the family Emma loves - puts them under stress like never before. So when James starts getting texts from a stranger - texts that show startling insights into their lives - Emma is not sure what to think. She is far from home, isolated and before long finds herself questioning everything about their relationship. Maybe those texts are telling her the truth and the life she believed to be solid and secure is just a mirage. Somehow she has to get a grip, but how can she do that when a stranger is set on driving Emma out of her home and her marriage?" You can read the earlier stories about Emma and James in The Baby Trail, A Perfect Match and From Here to Maternity.

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