Becareful what you wish for (Getting Rid of Matthew - Jane Fallon)

Member Name: roversjenny

Product:	Getting Rid of Matthew - Jane Fallon
Date:	12/05/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic plot that keeps you gripped from beginning to end

Disadvantages: None

Getting Rid of Matthew is Jane Fallon's first novel, it centres around the complicated life of Helen, who is 39 years old and having an affair with a married man, Matthew.

Matthew works for a PA Company, representing 'celebrities' and ends up falling in love with his secretary, Helen, and embarking on a 4 year affair, whilst his wife, Sophie, is non the wiser.

After 4 years of pleading with Matthew to leave his wife and set up home with her, Helen finally gets what she wished for when Matthew turns up on her doorstep, possessions in tow, but she then decides that she doesn't want Matthew anymore, and tries her best to make him leave, hence the name of the book!

The rest of the stories centres around the lengths that Helen will go to, to get Matthew to go back to his wife and two children, including befriending Sophie! It is then when you start to feel sorry for Helen, rather than see her as a homewrecking bitch, you see how she is trying to rectify her mistakes and ensure that Sophie and Matthew can live happily ever after.

As the story evolves, the deceit grows and you become hooked, wanting to find out if Helen manages to get rid of Matthew without anyone finding out about her web of lies. Helen manages to alienate herself even further when she kisses Matthews son Leo, who Sophie introduced her to. When the realisation kicks in, she knows that its going to be harder than ever to come out of the relationship with her dignity in tact. When Matthew's mum dies, we see Helen go to drastic lengths to avoid the funeral, which Sophie and Leo will be also attending.

I won't spoil whether Helen manages to get rid of Matthew, or whether her web of lies is unravels before her eyes, however, I will encourage you to go and buy this book! I would class it as chic lit, but chic lit that doesn't follow the normal pattern, chic lit that may not have the usual happy ever after ending. It is a real page turner, once I picked it up I couldn't put it down and had finished it within 2 days of buying it.

The characters evolve throughout the story and you can't help but feel gripped by what could happen next, it is a book that can make you laugh and then cry within a few pages. You find yourself wanting to delve into the story and give a few of them a good shake and make them see what they are doing to each other.

All in all it is a fantastic read and I would recommend it to all!

Summary: Not your normal chic lit novel