Cover Image: Other People's Marriages

Other People's Marriages

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Member Reviews

⭐⭐⭐5 Stars
Steph’s 60th Birthday is approaching. She is thinking about her past and the fun friendships she had when she was young.
Steph, Theresa, and Evie met as young mothers in 1980 at a coffee they attended with their preschool sons. Each are narrators in the story.

The women are very different and their marriages as well as their parenting styles are different.
The three couples: Steph/ Mal, Theresa/Paul, and Evie/Neil became best friends and vacation together. However, one trip Steph and Evie had some disagreement which ended their close friendship.
They both regret staying away from each other and are pulled back together.
Story alternates through the ages. It is basically about their friendship but also how one never really knows what it going on in someone else marriage/relationship.

I always enjoy reading the author’s note and acknowledgements. In this case Author, Kerry Fisher writes a letter to her readers and tells us about her inspiration in writing this story.
She states that she hopes we love this novel.
At this point, I feel perhaps I need to reread as I didn’t love this story🤔. Doesn’t mean it isn’t good.
In fact, the history between these three is interesting. I am positive many readers will see these characters different and just love it.

Want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 16, 2021.

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A really great read. This is the story of three women Steph,Evie and Teresa who are all different but they are drawn together by their friendships and families. It is very well written and there are lots of secrets and disappointments that come to light and as they grow older can they still remain friends when so much has happened or will they eventually be torn apart by withholding the truth. I loved the storytelling from the beginning a 5 ⭐read

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3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This was an enjoyable easy read that plodded along nicely. Nothing amazing or exciting happened but it certainly gave me food for thought. I enjoyed the ending.

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I have always enjoyed Kerry Fisher's books, and this one was so pitch perfect in terms of confronting the dilemmas we face as we get older, both with children and husbands as well as friends. The story follows three longtime friends Steph, Evie and Teresa, as they navigate later life but also flashing back to what happened in their friendship (and marriages) through the childrearing years. Kerry has such a wonderful turn of phrase--there were times I was laughing out loud at how realistically she portrays relationships, but also very poignant and painful moments too--really, all you could want or ask out of a book! Highly recommended.

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Steph, Teresa and Evie met at their sons' Mother and Toddlers group, in the eighties. They became friends and nurture d each other's through the years.
It's Steph's sixty years birthday and she has plans for her future. Plans that would not include some of the closest people she's tired listening to. Plans that have been waiting for too long. But life has that accurate punctuality to insert the unexpected into perfect plans, the ability to cancel them in a blink. The power of taking the rug from under your feet in just a rough movement. And there are fallings. Some of them harder than others.
I liked this book very much. Perhaps because I'm near that age, perhaps because I felt empathy with some of the so well developed characters, or perhaps just because it's a brilliantly written story.
I loved the back and forth, so neat and so complex at the same time. And I admired the introspection the author worked through the characters. Absolutely coherent and respectable.
The epilogue is mature and balanced, And also I found a lesson in it, which is another of these things I love to happen when reading fiction.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This introspective read has given me a lof of thought. Married nearly four decades I felt like this book was forcing me to look at my relationship and that of others in my family. Is the grass always greener on the other side of the fence, or is it completely wilted?

Steph and Mal have been married for decades, Steph is no longer certain she wishes to remain married. Her husband waxes poetic at her 60th birthday party, but she doesn't feel anything he is going on about.

Hearing from her old friend Evie after twenty years gives Steph pause. Why does Evie want to get back together, especially as the two formerly close friends parted on bad terms? Then there is Steph's friend Teresa. She definitely has an impact in this story.

While this book was sometimes painful to read I am glad I did and even more glad that I am completely happy in my marriage! Some of the things in this story hit quite close to home for me (same age as Steph, etc.), but I love how Kerry Fisher presented events that happen in real marriages and how people are sometimes forced to make very difficult decisions in their lives.

There was definitely heartbreak in this story, but it was done remarkably well as the past, differences in personalities, marital difficulties, fidelity and more were part and parcel in this well-written and satisfying story.

Many thanks to Bookoutue and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

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Kerry Fisher knows how to tell a story, not only that, how to make it real.

I’m in my 60’s so it was great to meet ladies my age in life.

Life isn’t always a bunch of roses. And these women who have been long term friends have had problems of their own. Married to men that they weren’t fully happy with.

Showing that relationships can break down at any age, it’s not just the young.

Friendship also can break down, but can the ties ever completely be severed?

Other People’s Marriages.
We can be disillusioned that others marriages are much better than your own can’t we, and even those with “perfect” soulmates there are flaws. But some flaws are wearable in some marriages and some can break one.

Finding out secrets of your spouse is another.

I loved this in the book
as we get older we make different choices, simply because we know more. I wanted to believe they were wiser choices, but, sometimes I thought they were just different , not better, just from a long-lived perspective


Life is tough, folk let you down in life, whether that’s on purpose or accident, but, at the end of the day….joy is there.

A lovely book. A lovely story. People who have your back don’t always make the right decisions, or maybe knowledge is lacking.

I loved this book

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This is a well written book that is full of emotions. A beautiful story of friendship that will keep you turning the pages. Once you start reading this book you won't be able to put it down. Thank you Bookouture via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

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I found this book a very easy read but not enough punch to it . It had the back in time /present time to keep it interesting but it was lacking a bit for me , sorry

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Other People's Marriages by Kerry Fisher
Pub Date 16 July 2021
As I stood at my own birthday party, listening to my husband's speech about me, I could no longer silence the thought that had started as a low-level hum five years ago and built until I could no longer ignore it. I had to leave him.
As Steph considers whether she can leave Mal, she receives a letter from Evie, seeking a reunion. But this reunion threatens to reveal a secret that could destroy two families.
This story is told by three narrators Steph, Teresa and Evie. They meet each other at a Mother and Toddler group whilst chatting about their sons. Soon become close friends, holidaying together with their families.
Steph and Evie fall out on one of those holidays, which leads to Steph and her husband Mal leaving the villa and out of Evie's life. Over the years, without Evie's friendship, Steph has relied intensely on Teresa and Paul's friendship, and even though Teresa is still in contact with Evie, she is loyal to both of them equally.
On Steph's sixtieth, she has a party for her family and friends, but one friend isn't there, Evie, who Steph misses deeply. Reaching this time in her life, Steph thinks now is the time to restore her friendship with Evie, but how and where does she start? But when she receives a letter out of the blue from Evie suggesting they meet, Steph feels that this might be their chance of reconciliation.
The friends try to restore their relationship with Evie, anxious to forget what happened, Steph however, has not ever truly understood what caused the fallout in the first place and needs to find out more about it, as it still plays on her mind.
The plot is well-executed, and I especially enjoyed learning about each of the friends' families and backstories. Even when we get to understand why Steph and Evie fall out, there is so much more to be uncovered in this cleverly woven, heartfelt, page-turning tale covering family relationships, friendships, deceit, love and loss.
Another great read from Kerry Fisher that I am happy to recommend.
I want to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and author Kerry Fisher for a pre-publication copy to review.

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This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it, the story line, characters, and how the story developed. The three narrators of this story are Steph, Teresa and Evie. They meet at a Mother and Toddlers group and bond over their chatting and their boys, who also become friends. Eventually these close knit friends used to holiday together in rentals. Although this novel is ostensibly about marriage and how you never truly know the innermost workings of someone else’s relationship, the decades-spanning friendship is the star of the story. It’s a treat to see women’s friendship so beautifully written. Kerry Fisher is very skillful at characterization, and “Other People’s Marriages” is no exception. The three women feel real and relatable, and you’ll wish you could be friends with them too. You’ll feel drawn to Steph’s free spirit just as much as Teresa and Evie were back in 1985. Definitely enjoyed the characters as well as the story line, it makes one think of how on the surface everything looks so wonderful but if you dig deeper there is always a story to tell. The story line was realistic as well as showed the strength of friendships and belief in one's self.

Available July 16, 2021.
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to review this book.

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The three narrators of this story are Steph, Teresa and Evie. They meet at a Mother and Toddlers group and bond over their chatting and their boys, who also become friends. Eventually these close knit friends used to holiday together in rentals.
When Steph was thirty three one such holiday became a friendship breaker after Steph and Evie fell out. She and her husband Mal walked out of their holiday let and that was that. They didn’t talk to each other for over thirty seven years. Steph‘s best friends throughout this time was Teresa and Paul, her husband, who were loyal to her but would not talk about Evie, although their friendship with her was strong.
When Steph turned sixty she had a massive celebratory party for her family and friends. Her husband gave a speech and this was the catalyst that made Steph desperate to make changes in her life. For half a decade she had been unhappy and antsy. She was at a turning point in her life. She had missed Evie terribly. It was now the time to forget about her argument with Evie and she pondered how to go about it. Sometime later she received a letter from Evie.
This family drama begins at Steph’s sixtieth birthday party in May 2018. The friends renew their relationship, ignoring what had happened to cause the upset. Still it burned in Steph’s heart. Evie was keen to forget about the incident. She had news for her former friend. Would Steph ever come to terms with that row? She needed to find out more about it. It still gnawed around in her mind. This is the story of a final resolution and peace, perfect peace.
I liked the way that the initial story of the trio of friends started and especially the way it ended with everything out in the open. I enjoyed reading each of the friends back stories as well. I thought the greatest aspect of the novel was the carefully created and developed characters, diverse as in life itself. The story is full of emotion, secrets, grief, renewal and love, both familial and with the different characters. I found it quite a challenge to keep reading in the mid story. The pace was uneven and this is not one of my favourite novels from Kerry Fisher and I am a huge fan of hers.
I received a copy of this novel through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Bookouture, in return for an honest review. Thank you for my copy. It is a 3.5* review from me.

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How lovely it is to be able to immerse myself into another book by Kerry Fisher.
I absolutely adore Kerry’s books and this is another brilliantly written book.
Kerry hits the nail on the head every single time when it comes to writing about friendships and this book is no exception. With believable, natural and such relatable characters, I found myself just completely at the centre of the story and felt as though it was happening around me as I was just so engrossed in what was going on.
I can not speak highly enough of the talent this author has in delivering such fabulous books.

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At the end of the day, it isn't always your marriage, your relationship with your spouse, that gets you through the day, the years. It's those women - those friends who knew you at each stage of you.
When you were crazy, tired and just done while raising young children.
The you struggling with work commitments, trying to revive your marriage, school parents who shunned your attempts at conversation while waiting for children.
The you single again after so many years.
The you enjoying the empty nest, new time for your spouse.
The women who remind us of who we are as ourselves, that part that always seems to disappear - desperate to be remembered.
Three friends reminisce over their lives - meeting, weekends away, tension. Even lost years, too afraid to connect.
And a secret. I had to close my book and give it a rest - shocking.

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Other People's Marriages by Kerry Fisher was a book I absolutely raced through, needing to know how it would all end! I tried to slow down because the story itself was fantastic, and I loved the flashbacks to the eighties!! Highly recommend and I'm sure this will be a favorite beach read of 2021!!!!

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NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

There are secrets that people keep to maintain the status quo. Secrets that are kept to keep relationships from suffering and ending. This is the story of Steph, Evie and Teresa. Their friendship, husbands, and their families. Will their friendship survives the secrets kept? You'll have to read it to find out.

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It’s not just focusing on marriages but the friendships surrounding them too. all or nothing, on others terms, and about getting what you want. The best thing for you and your happiness. What friendships make it?

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A warm engaging story of friendship over a thirty year span, filled with memories, misunderstandings and betrayal between the characters. Despite having more books by the author on my kindle, I have only read one other and plan to rectify that quite soon.

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Steph, Evie and Teresa become fast friends from the moment they meet at a playgroup with their small sons. The story opens as Steph is celebrating her 60th birthday and reminiscing about her life and friendships. We learn that Evie is no longer one of the circle to Steph's great regret, and the story begins from there.

The story is about marriages and what makes and breaks them or holds them together. But it is also about friendships, the decisions friends make to protect each other, and sometimes having to decide where a line is or at what point someone might have crossed it. And what is forgivable.

I really liked Stepha, Teresa and Evie, and the honesty of feelings and emotions that each woman has and which I would say most women can relate to. And I also really liked that a good part of the book takes place when the three friends are in their 60's so that we see how individual life events have altered their perspectives and objectivity.

I love Kerry Fisher's books but this one has jumped to be my new favourite.

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Steph is at her birthday party, listening to her husband Mal give a speech. For a while now, Steph has been thinking that she will leave Mal, yet the timing never quite seems to be right. Shortly after the party, Steph receives a letter from her old friend Evie, who she hasn't spoken to for nearly 20 years, after a disastrous couples weekend. But there are other people who don't wish to see Steph and Evie reunited for the truth of that weekend could destroy even more than expected.

What a ride! I expected this book to be the standard middle-aged woman leaves her husband starts over story, but that's not what this was at all. Going back and forth from that weekend away to current time, we also see the events from various character POVs. I thought the way the characters saw themselves compared to how the others saw them was well-done and really interesting to me. I had a little bit of a hard time keeping everyone's husbands straight at the beginning, but everything fell into place soon enough and it was not an issue for me for very long. I did not expect this to go the direction it did, but really enjoyed it for sure.

Available July 16, 2021.

I recevied this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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