Itchy Scratchy People (The Seven Year Itch - Emlyn Rees)

Member Name: scuba_angel

Product:	The Seven Year Itch - Emlyn Rees
Date:	22/07/07 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: no major ones

Nope not the film with that famous blonde bird but a book, another one of many that I have read in the last week or so.

It is one of an ever increasing number of books with two credited writers, in this case both Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees have written independantly with some success but to many (or me at least) they are better known for their co-written books which include the first featuring Amy and Jack (Come Together). Written with chapters in each characters voice means that the authors can effectively tell their own story around af ew central events.

By this time the couple have been married for several years (in fact it has been seven of them, hence the title) and are the parents of a two year old boy Ben. Still living in London their flat is small and messy as is the norm for a single income family, but while Jack is out working Amy spends her days with 'The Vipers' a group of other new Mums, Ben and the radio.

Amy finds that she begins to enjoy calling in to a radio talk show, as it gives her the chance to use her brain in discussing the daily topic and leads to a job for Jack's new gardening business. Then she helps her friend H to pick a potential date online, but H stands him up and Amy finds that she can talk to him, but why does she keep going to meet him, surely she cant be feeling anything?

Jack on the other hand is feeling that maybe he is becoming invisble to other women, not that he would want to be noticed you understand, but when it happens he begins to feel that maybe he still has 'It'. But why is his new boss acting as she is, surely she doesnt want more from him than a tidy garden?

Somehow Amy and Jack have grown apart and almost before they realise it they are both embarking on a path to possible infidelity, as observed by Jack, the itch was discovered but would he scratch it?

As a follow up to Come Together, The Seven Year Itch does a pretty decent job, as a stand alone novel I really couldnt recommend it, some of the back story is not explained here at all so having read the first book will help you follow the story better. But then again as long as you arent expecting a deep and meaningful story not having read the first one isnt necessary, reading it as a light summer holiday read its passable, though in general I found it disappointing the plot is too predictable and the peripheral characters pretty typical chick lit stereotypes.

OK so I read this straight after finishing Ultimate Weapon and the contrast between the two is huge but if I'm being honest I would much rather read something like Ultimate Weapon which is basically the masculine version of chick lit than I would this or any other chick lit publication.

So unless you are a fan of the genre then I would say avoid this at all costs. As I am unfamiliar with the standard of the authors independant work I couldnt tell you if it is worth reading this but I would err on the side of caution and say expect to be disappointed by this offering.

I got my copy as part of the Asda 3 for £10 deal ( roughly £3.33) and feel that I completely wasted my money. But for a book 420 pages long it is a reasonable price (as long as you dont take in to account the quality of the writing and story).

Summary: A passable chick lit book