If Not Love

By Kay Langdale

What defines a marriage?What are the ties that bind?It cannot only be a question of love...If not love, then what keeps a marriage or relationship together? Is it a matter of knowledge, of kindness, or simply the familiarity of a long road traveled together? "If Not Love" is a candid exploration of the lives of six women who, unknowingly, are all connected to one another. In this moving debut novel, each one must confront and accept an uncomfortable reality, and recognize what their relationships teach them about themselves. The truths of their marriages are far from an idealization of love; instead they carry with them an understanding of what it is to be a wife, a mother, a lover.For Sarah, it is not just love, but rather a brave commitment to the ties that bind--the oath she swore to and honors even in the face of temptation and desire. Kate, Sarah's best friend, understands that she would rather be alone than not loved, whereas Isobel, Kate's mother, reflects, in her widowhood, on the infidelity she accepted and possibly even encouraged. Martha, now in a retirement home, cherishes her affair with Isobel's husband as the defining moment of her life. Martha's nurse, Sheila, is in an unconventional marriage--but one that is shown to be enduring and with its own integrity. And finally there is Judith, who is the most tormented of all, and who must confront old demons before she can face life boldly.In a rich, evocative narrative, Kay Langdale interweaves the complexities of love and marriage with a rare maturity and vision. "If Not Love" is subtle and moving, and dark and painful at times. But it is ultimately a celebration of the journey each woman makes, both within her heart and within her marriage. It shows how individuals can make small, bold actions that transform their emotional history. A well-crafted story of individual and mutual empowerment, "If Not Love" displays a breadth of understanding of female honesty in an engrossing and perceptive debut novel.International Praise for the Unusually Powerful Debut Novel by Kay Langdale, Nominated for the 2007 Romantic Novel of the Year Award (UK): "Affecting first novel...celebrates, frankly and subtly, the checks and balances of marital life."--"The Sunday Times""Langdale's approach in crafting is refreshingly, compellingly alternative...an elegant, adept use of language and a singularly insightful evocation of the mature female psyche." --"her circle ezine""Langdale's accomplished debut takes some unfashionable themes--marriage, mother- hood, loyalty, and duty--and considers them in a fresh light, through the medium of six female characters....The sensitivity with which the author describes her characters' innermost thoughts is one of the things that makes this book worth reading."--"The Times" (London)"A powerful and positive meditation on marriage that resonates long after you have finished the book"---"The Oxford Times"

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312367392
• ISBN13: 9780312367398
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.1" x 1.1" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Where's Langdale's Next Book Please

Little did I realize when I pulled this tiny little gem off the book shelf would I find a book so enjoyable. Much of this novel reminds me of Meg Wolitzer's style of writing. Words are crisp. Each sentence does not meander. Every chapter leaves you longing for the next. Oh, and the theme of the book is poignant. A perfect book for mothers and daughters and granddaughters too!

fine female British version of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Sarah considers an affair with Harry, her husband Michael's best friend. Kate thinks her husband Harry no longer desires her and is sniffing elsewhere so she turns to her mother for guidance. A widow Isobel explains to her despondent daughter that her marriage had issues of infidelity too as her husband Kate's dad Robert had an affair with Martha. Isobel visits Martha at her nursing home where Robert's mistress tells her that her four years as the other woman were the highlight of her life. Night nurse Shelia notices the sudden vim in her patient Martha and ponders her own virginal chaste marriage as she wed for convenience not love. Finally there is migraine sufferer Judith, whose husband Tom is kind and caring, but she has never let go giving up her son for adoption. The six women have their own chapter with a final seventh denouement tying up their individual but somewhat connected entries. All six women seem genuine while the support family members enhance the deep look at each of the stars as readers learn why each one committed to a relationship especially IF NOT LOVE. To learn the Judith link requires reading this fine female British version of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Harriet Klausner