Fiction Book Reviews

Book Review: Love in the Air

By Sandy Amazeen Apr 14, 2010, 0:49 GMT

A chance encounter with a stranger on an airplane sends Elyse Bearden into an emotional tailspin. Suddenly Elyse is willing to risk everything: her safe but stale marriage, her seemingly perfect life in an affluent Southern suburb, and her position in the community. She finds herself cutting through all the instincts that say "no" and instead lets "yes" happen. As Elyse embarks on a risky affair, her longtime friend Kelly ...more

A chance encounter on an airplane with Gerry Kincaid, a handsome stranger leads pottery artist Elyse Bearden to start reevaluating her marriage in earnest. She has been vaguely unhappy for a long time, her husband Phil is a great father but seems indifferent to her accomplishments as an artist or a person. Elyse finally persuades Phil to join her in marriage counseling but it is a lost cause. Married a wealthy older man, Elyse’s best friend Kelly is no happier as they commensurate together.

The women’s warm friendships form a nice contrast to Phil’s cold, off-putting nature as they engage in the many daily activities that keep them busy. While the main theme is a formula as you get, Wright’s authentic dialog and clever wit keep the story fresh. The only off-note comes at the climax when Elyse’s marriage truly comes apart in an act that seems uncharacteristic of Phil’s temperament.