Ideal Love
by Alice Burnett
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Pub Date 14 Aug 2017 | Archive Date 25 Sep 2017
Description
After an argument with her husband Gilles, Venus Rees is left devastated by his sudden death. But when she discovers that he died of a treatable genetic condition she knew nothing about, she is haunted by the thought that he didn’t love her enough to save himself. As time passes, Venus looks set to be trapped between grief and distrust forever. Until she meets the shy, good-looking and seemingly ideal Alex.
Intertwining Venus’s compelling attraction to Alex in the present with Gilles’ enraptured pursuit of her in the past, Ideal Love is an intimate and life-affirming novel about love, from its incandescent beginnings to its final breath and back again.
'Burnett's ear for dialogue between lovers – and friends – is second to none. Ideal Love is an extraordinary interrogation of the human heart in all its complexity. Anyone who has ever felt they might die for love will relish this book.' Rowan Pelling
'A rich and evocative novel about what it means to love and, above all, what it means to be human.' Annabel Abbs
'Interesting and challenging' Katie Fforde
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781787199880 |
| PRICE | £4.99 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 288 |
Featured Reviews
Brooke A, Reviewer
BROOKE’S REVIEW
Alice Burnett’s debut novel, Ideal Love, explores what happens when love is torn away and found again. Venus Rees’ husband Gilles dies unexpectedly at 35. What Venus later discovers is that he passed away from a treatable genetic condition, and it leaves her world spinning. Still haunted by the fear that Gilles withheld treatment, Venus accepts love again with Alex.
This beautifully-written book explores the themes of love and loss, but more than that, it explores the themes of the secrets that partners keep from each other and the role of the individual in a relationship. What are the boundaries that we can keep, and what do we owe each other to share? Burnett has a strong debut into the literary world, and readers will look forward to what comes next.
PRAISE
“Burnett's ear for dialogue between lovers - and friends - is second to none. Ideal Love is an extraordinary interrogation of the human heart in all its complexity. Anyone who has ever felt they might die for love will relish this book.” - Rowan Pelling
"A rich and evocative novel about what it means to love and, above all, what it means to be human." - Annabel Abbs
"Interesting and challenging" - Katie Fforde
AUTHOR
Alice Burnett grew up on a farm in Devon, England. She studied maths at Cambridge University followed by a degree in philosophy, a subject she is still passionate about. She qualified as a lawyer in the City and worked in London and Paris before leaving law to write full-time. Ideal Love is her first novel. She is currently working on a second. Alice is 42 and lives in London with her husband and three sons.
Andrea C, Reviewer
Review copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. First off, I love books with multiple POVs and I was excited that this book carried that aspect. The three POVs are from Venus, Alex, and Gilles. The story takes place in London, another awesome part of this book! This book gave me so many emotions. I was happy, I cried, it was just a roller coaster of emotions for me. I enjoyed all of the characters also, and I really came to care about what was happening in their lives.
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