Hugely disappointing. Angelica is a writer, a wife and a mother, unhappy with her life. Although she loves her husband, she feels he flirts too much with other women (he does) and that he ignores her too much (he does, but he is a busy banker, who tries to make up for it whenever he can). She meets a man from S. Africa who is relentless in his email flirting with her, continually asking her to visit him. She has a chance to go to S. Africa for a book tour, so jumps at the chance to see him. She stays with him at his house - with his wife and child!?? He hints that his wife knows he is having an affair, and hints he has had other affairs, and that his wife just doesn't say anything to him about it, because she is not a "possessive" person. However, Angelica notices his wife looking sad and wistful much of the time. Angelica discovers that her lover is dying, and has been having affairs because that is what he wants to do before he dies! And his wife just puts up with it, because...you guessed it...he's dying! What total rubbish! Of course, Angelica is "different" than the others he has cheated on his wife with. She is "special". He "really loves" her. Easily the worst book I've read in years. I loved THE FRENCH GARDENER by Santa Montefiore so I was anxious to read another of her books. While I did enjoy THE PERFECT HAPPINESS--because I appreciate Montefiore's chatty, conversational tone and how it drew me into the lives of the characters--I didn't like it quite as much as FRENCH GARDENER. I wasn't particularly bothered by the main storyline involving an affair undertaken by children's author, Angelica, who feels taken for granted in her marriage to Olivier. It wasn't even the chronic descriptions of the designer duds worn by Angelica and all her tony London friends that put me off; but more of a general sense of superficiality that pervaded the thoughts and actions of Angelica and her chums. I know part of the book was Angelica's coming to terms with what true happiness is, and I did like her enough to root her on, hoping she would finally see what she had all along. I guess what I felt was lacking was a true "soul" of the book, and I didn't feel like Angelica was grounded enough to be that. All in all, a good book and an entertaining read, not quite on par with THE FRENCH GARDENER. Still, I will definitely read more of Santa Montefiore's work as her writing style is truly engaging.
What do You think about The Perfect Happiness (2010)?
Kan niet meer zeggen dan dat Santa Montefiore een geweldige schrijfster is!
—G0007
