Elisa Lodato
The Necessary Marriage
Jane is sixteen when she first becomes aware of Leonard Campbell. He is a tall, gentle man with full lips and no ring on his left hand. He is her teacher. As Leonard begins to show her attention, giving her novels to read and discuss over dinner, their attraction grows and they fall in love. It is only once married, tied down with two children in 1980s suburbia, that Jane realises she might have settled too early, losing much of herself in the process.
Then Marion and Andrew, a couple whose passion frequently tips into violence, move in next door, forcing Jane to confront feelings she didn't know she could have. And when Marion abandons her family, Jane steps in to help with the couple's two boys, setting in motion a series of events, all of which expose the push and pull within every relationship. As desire and loyalty are blurred, it becomes clear that nobody can escape the devastating impact of a family falling apart.
The Necessary Marriage explores the tension between intimacy and desire for freedom. It is an intense, intimate portrait of how couples come together and grow apart, and the passions that drive us to do crazy things.
Liz Dennis manages the translation rights for The Necessary Marriage
Surrey Gothic: a superbly written suburban saga with an agreeable sense of creeping dread.
The Daily Mail
The Necessary Marriage is powerful and gripping. This author has a magical way with words that just engulf me. Her characters are perfectly formed, with flaws and foibles that just add to their strength and make them completely real for me.
Elegant, subtle and tender, with a sharp sting in the tale
A captivating novel which gets to the core of lust, love and commitment
Gripping and atmospheric, this book will knock you sideways
Beautifully written and with emotional intelligence pulsing through its veins, this portrait of marriage is a gripping read right up to its shocking end