An Ideal Husband ⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re looking for a nice easy read, Erica James’ latest isn’t a bad choice. A story about the Langford family and how Louisa’s (maybe less than ideal) husband Kip’s actions hugely disrupt the family that they worked so hard to build.

The book dealt with difficult family dynamics well and it’s large cast of characters each had their perspective explored throughout. I appreciated the opportunity to read each characters’ thoughts and feelings, rather than being focused solely on the lead. In particular, seeing the point of view of the cheating husband and “other woman” helps steer you away from feeling the stereotypical feelings of dislike towards a man leaving his loving wife and causing pain to his family, helping you understanding the reasons behind certain actions and the impact the consequences can have. I also enjoyed the subtle (and sometimes more obvious) parallels between characters, such as Arabella, her stepdaughter Lexi and her father’s new partner Zoe.

I would have liked to have seen more of Angus’ relationship with CeeCee, but appreciate he was more of a minor character to the plot. Overall, I felt almost proud of Louisa for how she took charge of her own life when Kip dropped his bombshell and was pleased with her ending.

This was my first Erica James book, but won’t be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I have read and enjoyed a lot of Erica James books, and An Ideal Husband didn’t disappoint. It was an easy, cosy read sharing the perspective of different characters which I liked. A perfect holiday read it didn’t take long to get through it.
Many thanks for the ARC, 4 stars.

I have loved Erika James novels for many years and this one does not disappoint. A thoroughly up to date family saga set in Suffolk, which for someone living in Suffolk instantly adds interest.
A seemingly happy family with everything looking rosy is suddenly split apart by a Boxing Day announcement.. individual members of the family are devastated for differing reasons and over the following months so many family situations bring heartache and questions.
Recognition of mental health needs, understanding and forgiveness enable the family to regroup and reimagine the family dynamics. Can it be happy ever after? I do hope so.

When Kip leaves Louisa for his son's girlfriend it leaves damage that looks like it will tear the family apart.
Louisa is forced out of her house and the ramifications of the split cause others to look at their relationships.
Good story with satisfying ending.

This is Erica James at her finest! The characters are so well drawn, I felt empathy with many of them, but particularly Louisa. The book tells the story of one family over about 12 months, with all their emotional upheavals and subsequent problems. It deals with all types of relationships within a blended family: new partners, step children, siblings, parents and children. I absolutely loved it.

An ideal husband is a lovely family drama type read that is so relatable to those who have been through similar situations in middle life!
A supposedly happily married couple with grown up children, a gorgeous cottage, financial stability and rewarding careers, an enviable position to be in but all is not as it seems!
Kip, Louisa’s husband announces to her that after 40 years of marriage he wants out of their marriage as he is in a relationship with his sons ex girlfriend!!
The fall out from this revelation has far reaching consequences for the whole family, subjects such as divorce, forgiveness, deceit, trust, mental health issues and new beginnings are all encountered in this modern take on family life and blended families.
A great read perfect for anytime of the year
Thank you NetGalley for this early read.

A long family saga set in Suffolk with Louisa and Kip who have been married for nearly 40 years, Their children are grown- twins Ashley and Arabella and a younger son Ashley.

All this was seemingly ideal but that rogue Kip announces on Boxing Day he wants a divorce. His girlfriend, Zoe, is much younger and was Ashley's ex girlfriend!

Lots happen along the way with Louisa trying to hold it altogether.. I would say that this is not a chicklit in any sense but an enjoyable read (from a bloke's perspective!)

What does come across is Ms James' love of Suffolk. My uncle lives just a few miles from Lavenham, pink cottages and windmills well described!

Thanks ro Net Galley and HQ for the chance to read and review.

This is definitely a novel for our times. It follows a family over the course of a year starting with the moment when Kip tells Louisa he wants a divorce as he's fallen in love with their youngest son's ex girlfriend! We follow the family as adjustments and changes take place , and include a gamut of emotions. An absorbing and relevant read

Another excellent book from Erica James. Thoroughly enjoyed this , read in one sitting whilst recovering from a recent illness. Exceedingly well written , great story, and fabulous characters both flawed and not so flawed , much like real life . Very enjoyable read, highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked the way the story is told by multiple narrators as this made it easy to see everyone’s point of view. The characters are well-rounded and it’s easy to picture them. The whole Langford family is rocked when Kip leaves his wife Louisa for Zoe, his son’s ex-girlfriend. It’s an intriguing idea and I found it very easy to turn the pages, keen to find out what would happen to them all. At times the author explores difficult themes, and some of the characters’ lives start to unravel, but the ending is upbeat and I felt I’d been on a journey with them all. An Ideal Husband is a lovely, light read and each time I had to put it down, I couldn’t wait to get back to it.

I really enjoy Erica James books so was excited to read this one. I read it in a weekend sitting and was totally engrossed in Louisa and Kip's story. it was a really well written family saga with plenty of good storylines for all the characters, the ending was really good and I would certainly recommend this to take in your holiday bags this summer!

Another excellent read from Erica James. Set over the course of a year this novel follows the lives of Louisa, Kip and their adult family in the aftermath of their marriage break up.

Love Erica James books she has a great flair for writing books that are so enjoyable and hard to put down.
Brilliant modern day story of when a marriage fails after 30 years and the consequences for not only the husband and wife but the children and the emotions.
The story follows Louisa and Kip who have been married for 30 years when Kip 64 tells Louisa he wants a divorce and has been sleeping with a younger woman who just happens to be one his sons ex girlfriend who is 30 years younger than him.
I loved the characters and how it explores the emotions and ups and downs of the family coping with the devastating news plus unwanted pregnancies and how the children cope in their own way.
Would highly recommend for a engaging story well done.

An engrossing family saga, which charts the intertwined lives of a family left reeling by Kip’s entirely unexpected announcement that he wants a divorce. His wife of over 30 years Louisa is naturally devastated. The fall- out is immense, and each adult family member has a POV, as they work through their own personal issues; marital disharmony; unexpected pregnancy; unfaithfulness; deteriorating mental health; are all explored.
The characterisation is excellent, all are strongly portrayed, faults and all. Not all are likeable, inevitably. Throughout it all, the saintly Louisa takes it all in her stride, moving on with her life with the minimum of bitterness and rancour. She rapidly finds a quirky new home, and like the queen bee, oversees the chaos befalling her family, while gathering them round her to be helped and encouraged. Including her ex- husband Pip and his new partner.
Within the space of twelve months, several members of the family have been to hell and back, but they all manage to arrive together at an unbelievable point of happiness and accord.
Towards the end of the book, the saccharine quality of this narrative made my teeth ache. The ending is unbelievably neat and tidy, and tied up happily for everyone, whilst Louisa has a gorgeous new man in her life.
The first two- thirds of the book were a 4 star read, however the disappointing concluding chapters were a 2 star read for me.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Another good novel from this author. Describes the destruction in a family that divorce can bring.. A enjoyable storyline if a little improbable in parts. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

I always look forward to a new book by Erica James as she has been a favourite author for many years and this new novel did not disappoint. It was an engrossing read which I found hard to put down.
The Langford family are thrown into turmoil on Boxing Day when Kip announces that after over 30 years of marriage, he is leaving his wife for a new life with a much younger woman. Louisa is then devastated even further when he arranges for the sale of their house with no prior warning. The book deals with the fallout from this event for Louisa and her three adult children.
The story is told through multiple POV and seeing things from differing points of view gives the story a lot of depth. It would be easy to see Kip and his new love as the villains of the piece but instead we feel a lot of sympathy for them as their situation unfolds. Erica James does a great job as usual of portraying real characters in realistic situations and there were certainly scenes that resonated with me. I particularly liked the character of Cleo who had a very down to earth view of things which didn’t always endear her to the rest of the family. As well as marriage breakdown, the book also takes a look at mental health and how we can have unrealistic expectations of ourselves which was interesting.
Louisa’s character was the only slightly off note in the book as she seemed almost too good to be true and less believable than the others. She moved very quickly to acceptance of the situation after being treated shockingly by Kip. The ending was also a bit too ‘happy ever after’ for me even allowing for the fact that this is a novel and I expected it to have a positive conclusion.
Overall though, this was an excellent read and Erica James remains an author whose books I look forward to reading. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, HQ, for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was quite simply excellent. The characters are all full and rounded and the narrative bounces along between the cast challenging beliefs and expectations as the different points of view shape the narrative and add depth to the drama. The topic of divorce, pregnancy and loss I very sensitively handled and allows for all characters to be empathised for and cared for. The author manages to make the quite out of the ordinary actions and attentions appear to be quite run if the mill and the book is all the better for it,

Firstly, I should say this is not my usual genre but I need a break from murder and psychological thrillers every now and again, so I chose to read this.
Louisa and Kip are a couple who’ve been married for a very long time, they have three grown up kids, twins who are both married and have a daughter each and Angus the youngest. Kip announces on Boxing Day that he’s leaving Louisa for Angus’ ex-girlfriend. The book then follows the turmoil of the next year.
I was invested in the story and did keep page turning but it was all a bit too much too quickly. Having been through a divorce myself, things can move quite quickly if you want them too and you can both be amicable but I’m not sure I would be as ‘saintly’ as Louisa if my husband had done to me what hers had done to, not just her, but her son as well. Maybe when everyone has plenty of money it makes a big difference? But the reality of divorce rarely leaves everyone satisfied, financially stable and on good terms with everyone within a year!
However, having said that, I did enjoy the book even though I found myself rolling my eyes at how perfect everything turned out. It’s a light hearted read if you like family dramas/chic lit. I just wouldn’t be in a hurry to read another.
My thanks go to the author, the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I absolutely loved this book. Erica James has the ability to create a wonderful character with whom I sympathise completely, then change the point of view to another character and make me doubt everything I'd thought to that point. Her characters are so real and flawed, they carry the story through some extraordinary life challenges. I was engrossed throughout and read the book very quickly.

I enjoyed reading An Ideal Husband - it follows Louisa and Kip, happily married for over 30 years, and their 3 grown up children when Kip makes an unexpected announcement on Boxing day. The book follows the characters over the next year after the shock.