The Affair by Hilary Boyd
Pub Date 19 August 2021

Escape to the sun-drenched shores of Lake Como in the irresistible and gripping new novel from the million-copy bestselling author of Thursdays in the Park, The Anniversary and The Lie
Connie McCabe longs for the summer, where she spends days leading tours across Europe.
But it's on the glamorous shores of Lake Como, where she is genuinely swept away when Jared, a much younger man, falls for her.
Despite resisting his advances, Connie finds that he's got under her skin.
And so begins a long, hot, intoxicating summer where Connie succumbs and breaks her marriage vows.
Connie returns home to her husband at the end of the season, wanting to put this affair behind her.
But Jared has other ideas . . .
I have enjoyed previous books by Hilary Boyd much more than this. Her latest, The Affair, is not a bad read, but I felt there was no real depth to the story; it's all a bit superficial, and what should have been a dramatic twist at the end was unbelievable and disappointed me. Unfortunately for me, this story didn't work.
I want to thank NetGalley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, Penguin and author Hilary Boyd for a pre-publication copy to review.

In The Affair, retired GP Devan McCabe, married to Connie, is struggling to adjust to his slower pace of life. Connie and Devan have led what many would consider a charmed life, but now their marriage is on a downturn whilst Devan tries to cope with his problems including heavy drinking and general apathy. Connie is a European tour manager and goes on a trip taking in Lake Como among other places. Jared is also on the trip and Connie finds him difficult to resist.

I loved this novel; the action builds slowly and details how one misjudgement can have chilling consequences. Hilary Boyd’s writing style is uncomplicated and she is perceptive in her portrayal of flawed human behaviour. Addictive and engrossing, I was carried along in the lives of Connie, Devan and Jared. The pacy tale held my attention throughout with deception and obsession and it was well seasoned with thrills and suspense. If you're looking for a read that delves into the darker aspects of relationships try The Affair.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Penguin Michael Joseph via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Connie leaves her family and husband at home while she travels the world as a tour guide. At first all is well, although Devan, her husband is finding it difficult to adapt to retirement, especially when Connie is abroad. She really enjoys her job, but when a customer becomes rather more friendly than others the atmosphere changes and tension builds up. I got gripped by the story as it unfolded thinking I knew how it would turn out. But no! - it finishes on a real twist!

This one is definitely a slow burner. It is well written with believable characters and the story flows well even though some of it is a little predictable. It did take me awhile to get through it, as it didn't really grab me. Thank you #netgalley.

What an intriguing storyline! I really liked Connie despite her turning down the corner of her husband ‘s book after he fell asleep reading.
She didn’t always make the best choices and found herself in a worrying situation.

I wasn’t sure how it would all end

There was very little that I enjoyed about this story and at times it was a chore to get through it

It centres around a couple in their 60s, Devan is a retired GP and Connie works as a tour guide. The marriage is going through a slump, he is drinking too much, the intimacy has gone. This leaves Connie vulnerable and open to the attentions of a younger man and a one night fumble becomes an affair when Jared keeps turning up on Connie’s various tours. She confronts him and decides to end the affair, however Jared then turns up in her home town, renting a renovated house nearby.

One of the most annoying aspects of this story was Connie’s inability to see she was being stalked and her naivety. Also at times Devan needed a real shake.

I won’t give away spoilers but ending felt rather anticlimactic and a bit of a let down in that Jared didn’t really get any punishment.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

The Affair is a compelling story of love, lies and obsession that asks the question, can you ever walk away from an affair unscathed? It is a terrifying psychological thriller that knows how to pull you in and keep you engaged and an enthralling page-turner that maintains the thrill of solving a crime. No doubt, it is an exploration of the depths of friendship, love, revenge and commitment of heart and soul. The beginning of the story moves at a steady pace, but once you get a taste for it, it will keep you up the whole night. An entertaining novel packed with action and ripe with thrills, suspense and twists that will keep you guessing throughout. It is filled with disloyalty, demise, forgiveness and unfolding secrets. An easily readable novel that creates an appealing and mysterious environment that takes you deep into the centre of the story.

Connie and Devan had a happy and successful marriage until Devan retired as a GP. With no hobbies or interests he became morose and depressed and blamed Connie for not retiring with him. When Connie's job as a tour guide takes her on an extended trip to Europe, the distance between them leads one to have an affair.

Believable characters, but for me a hit and miss plot. Slow at the beginning but the pace quickens as the novel progresses and the ending has the reader guessing.

Entertaining but not the author's best.

Connie McCabe is a tour manager, travelling via train to different places in Europe. She’s married to Devan, a GP that recently retired. While before they didn’t have much time to spend together, now, with Devon all the time staying at home and hinting Connie should retire as well, not everything is rosy in McCabe’c household. Connie feels abandoned and lonely in her marriage, when Devan chooses to spend his time on his mobile phone, avoiding closeness and intimacy with his wife. And then, during one of her trips, Connie meets Jared who doesn’t hide the fact he’s interested in her. It’s hardly surprising that she’s flattered, right? Could there be something more between them? Is Connie going to risk her marriage for an affair? Is Jared who he says he is?

I think the fact that the author took us on a tour around Europe was only an added bonus. It took us a bit away from the main plot, however it also emphasised the fact that Jared was, actually, stalking Connie, and oh my, it annoyed me so much that Connie didn’t see what I’ve seen, that it took her so long to realise what I’ve realised so quickly. But back to travelling around Europe – I think it is a perfect job, it sounded interesting, however Connie was probably lucky with pretty uncomplicated tourists. I liked the fact that, next to such popular destination as Italy, Holland and Scotland, the author took us on a journey to Poland – I was in Ausschwitz. I know how the characterst felt.

There was a bunch of characters in the story, however I felt they need more depth, that they lacked a bit in development, that they were introduced to us and then stayed on the same level, without changing, without moving forward. Nevertheless, the author captured a very good picture of a relationship, she has executed it really, really well, leaving us a space for our own opinions and thoughts, giving us time to actually appreciate the differences and opposing views of Connie and Devan. I must admit that I felt more sympathy to Connie, Devan came too late with his sudden changing mind and desperation to spend quality time with his wife.
I missed Jared’s point of view in this all, I think. I’m also truly not sure about the whole stalking storyline, it seemed underdeveloped and so half heartedly done, not explored. He was such a significant character in this story yet it felt as if he was not there and absolutely not convincing – I’d love to know what has made him tick, what was his motivation.

Hilary Boyd explores here a long term marriage, one that had been together through thick and thin, where the couple started to feel too comfortable and, in the end, there is no more romance. I liked how she didn’t judge the characters, she didn’t blame them, she only showed how it truly is, in real life. She is a good observer, Hilary Boyd, and the actions and reactions of the characters ring a bell, seem true to life and are entirely realistic. However, the book itself felt slow, repetitive and not as tense as I thought it’s going to be. There were no life changing twists and what pained me so much was the fact that the story wasn’t going anywhere. But it was written in a lovely, uncomplicated, approachable and chatty way and felt close to life.

Altogether, it was an interesting story, easy to follow, written in a very good way. I wouldn’t call it a psychological thriller, it was more of a domestic dark noir and the author really nails all the feelings and emotions and family dynamics.

The Affair is an authentic and well-crafted story about the conflicts that can arise in a long marriage when a sudden change makes you question what you have done with your life and where you want to go from here.

With the main characters in their 60s, I did find them very accessible but I feel that older readers might be able to relate to the story more with the experience of this stage in life, as I was just expecting something a little more gripping.

Books about affairs are always difficult to engage with fully as at least one of the characters are always acting in the wrong. But I was still hoping to be swept up with the promise of a passion-fuelled romance in the beautiful Italian setting. I certainly got a good feel of the locations that Connie visits, but I always felt that there was something off with Jared, so I remained too cautious to get caught up in the moment.

Despite that, the book perfectly balances the tensions between both Connie and Devan, which I suppose is what the focus of a story about an affair really should be. Author Hilary Boyd obviously puts her knowledge as an ex-marriage counsellor to good use here, as you can completely understand the frustrations, desperate hopes, and regrets from both sides of the party.

While the story begins quite slowly, jumping between Connie's time at home and her time at work to show the contrast between the two halves of her life, the second half of the book does pick up pace as the threat of everything coming undone gains weight. The conclusions add some tension, but the relationships just didn't tug on my emotions enough for me to love it more.

Nevertheless, The Affair is a very convincing and well-researched story that feels very personal, and I am certainly interested in reading more by Hilary Boyd.

Connie is a tour guide and is in a bit of a rut with her marriage to Devan. Devan has recently retired and seems a bit low about things. Connie falls prey to the attention of Jared who she succumbs to a night of passion and thinks that is it and she can move on. But it doesn't turn out like that at all. I read this book quite quickly and was intrigued as to how the story would unfold.

The Affair - as affairs do - promised more than it delivered. A very ordinary couple - the husband struggling to come to terms with retirement, the wife, still happy as a tour guide, wishing (quite justifiably) he’d just get up and DO something. When guiding a group she engages with a younger man, has what she guiltily thinks is a quick fling but soon has him turning up unannounced and unexpectedly wherever in the world she happens to be working. It’s not a bad read, but there’s really no depth ... it’s all a little shallow (again ... as affairs to be) and what should have been a sinister twist at the end was a little limp and unbelievable.

That beginning! That Middle! That ENDING! Oh wow, this book will have you on the edge of your seat as your read, quite literally, and you won't be able to stop until that GRIPPING conclusion!

I really enjoyed this book, it kept me hooked until the end with some twists and turns along the way

I’ve been a big fan of Hilary Boyd’s writing ever since reading Thursdays in the Park and this is another book which keeps up the high standards she easily maintains.

Connie is a tour guide; the job she loves takes her away from home from time to time. When on tour, she meets a man – younger than her – and there is a definite spark. With a very happy marriage to Devan, she would never have fallen for any man’s approach, but since her husband retired, things have changed and Connie is feeling unloved and rejected and she succumbs to Jared. When he turns up again and again, there is no doubt they are involved in an affair. But then the summer ends and she returns to her home and her marriage only Jared isn’t letting go quite so easily . . .

I don’t think I’ve come across any other writer who can get inside a marriage quite like Hilary Boyd. There is a clarity to her words which makes every scenario totally plausible. An emotionally charged story, this is also completely believable with realistic characters. Beautifully written, I was gripped all the way through and couldn’t have said how it would end but I do know that it was very fitting. As with all her novels, this one really got under my skin and there isn’t anything about it I didn’t like. Absorbing and appealing, definitely recommended, and one I’m happy to give all five stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Connie is at a low point in her marriage to Devan. He’s just retired and wants her to give up the job she loves as a tour guide. They are just stumbling through life.
Whilst on a tour of the Italian lakes she meets Jared. The begin a short affair. He always seems to know where to find her. Connie retu4ns home disgusted with herself. Determined to make her marriage work. But Jared has other ideas.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to see an arc of the book.

Ive been a fan of Hilary Boyd’s books and I really enjoyed this latest one. Her understanding of the obstacles middle aged people encounter are so real and relatable.

When I started the novel I was sure I knew which character was going to have an affair, but I was surprised when I was completely off the mark. The story revolves around Connie and her husband Devan. Connie works as a tour guide and Devan is struggling to come to terms with retirement after having a busy career as the local GP.

Without giving away the plot, one of the characters embarks on an affair which not only threatens to destroy their marriage but also their sanity as the affair partner becomes obsessed with them to the point of infiltrating their life.

The consequences of an affair are far reaching and I think this was explored well in the book, how it not only affects those involved but the wider family and friends as well.

This book was an enjoyable read for me and I was surprised at the ending. Maybe one to read if you are tempted by the greener grass. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this book.

This book was just fantastic.
At the beginning I thought it was going to be an extra marital affair that Connie would get involved in with Jared but as the book progressed it certainly was not that at all…….Jared was a stalker!
Connie’s husband Devan had his life turned upside down when Connie made the confession to her affair along with the rest of the family. Jared seemed to be everywhere that Connie was without her realising it or seeing him. It was quite scary at times!
This is a very pacy read and had me turning the pages to find out what happens.
I thoroughly recommend this book.

Connie is a tour manager and spends most summers touring around Europe with holiday makers. Her husband Devan, is a recently retired Dr, He is finding retirement difficult and appears to have given up on everything including his marriage. When Connie embarks on an affair with one of the holiday makers it threatens everything in her life.
I found this a slow book, I would not class it as a psychological thriller, more Stalker ish but with knowing who the character is. However I didnt expect the ending.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I've read and enjoyed all of Hilary Boyd's books and I really like the fact that her protagonists are mostly middle aged rather than twenty or thirty somethings. I don't know of any other authors who do this so I find it refreshing to read books that are more relatable to me personally. This book was a bit of a slow starter and although the characters of Connie and her husband Devan were depicted very well, the man who Connie began an affair with whilst working in Lake Como, was less so. He was - and remained throughout - a mystery as we are told so little about him and his motivations. It may have helped to have been given a little background information about this man, Jared, in order to flesh out his character a little more. As the story progressed I did find that it became much more engaging and I was really eager to read on and see how it all panned out. Jared's 'stalking' throughout the book was relatively mild but the last part of the book changed things and had me racing through the pages to reach the conclusion. Although I wold say that I enjoyed this book I would admit that it isn't my favourite by this author. Nevertheless, I shall be looking out for more of her work in the future as there is much more that I liked than disliked. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.