Publishing year: 2008
The narrator in this new book is Annie, who works for a glossy magazine.
She was recently promoted to deputy editor, but that means she has to put in many hours, and she feels she is continuously walking the tightrope, and at any moment her position might chance. Because of her new promotion, she and her boyfriend Nick decide to take out a mortgage for a three-bedroom house instead of the flat that they had initially thought of buying.
There is a turning point in this story when after a hard work Annie returns home and Nick has news. That morning he had been moaning about his unhappiness about the sense of his life. So that evening he tells Annie that he has decided to take voluntary redundancy, so now he has no job. His ambition is to have time to think and find his calling. Annie is shocked and wonders how they are going to pay their mortgage if they don’t have his salary. Yet, she tries to be supportive, but as days go by and Nick doesn’t make a single attempt to start his job-hunting.
At the weekend when they tell Annie’s parents about Nick’s decision, they show their consternation. Actually, her father doesn’t beat about the bush and is straightforward in his opinions. He even embarrasses Annie when he hints about marriage and how Nick couldn’t consider proposing without any prospects.
That weekend apart from Annie’s parents there is Georgia, Annie’s younger sister. Georgia is engaged to Olly, who is in banking. The man is now in some kind of mental centre for his nerves or depression – it is not clear and it seems that Annie doesn’t know much either. Olly makes a lot of money, so Georgia can afford to stop working. Apart from that, Annie and Giorgia are really close, and it is refreshing to see them together. Annie describes Giorgia as a beauty and admits her own shortcomings.
I liked the beginning of the book, and I foresee problems in the future for Annie and Nick. I have the impression that Nick relies on Annie for everything, and even though he is thirty-six, he acts like a child.
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