I left my husband for the au pair is the fascinating autobiographical account of a British wife and mother whose life is turned upside down when she meets and falls in love with her au pair after an adventurous move with her family to South Africa. This memoir delves into the issues that are faced during the process of 'coming out' and explores the emotional landscape of lesbian women as they explore and come to terms with, their sexuality.

Michele met her husband in Coventry where she attended drama college. At the age of 24, she became a full-time mother and home educator. After their third child was born, the happily married couple decided to embark on a new adventure that would take them to Cape Town, South Africa. Though the move was just what the family needed, caring for her children became more difficult when she was diagnosed with the degenerative eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa which causes tunnel vision, headaches and eventual blindness. As her visual impairment worsened with age, Michele appointed an au pair to assist with driving and childcare.

This book, bravely written with raw honesty, is a candid memoir of how two women found each other at an inopportune time in both of their lives. The author speaks directly and openly about her erotic self-disovery as she explains how their blossoming romance was shocking news to be received by their family and friends.

I left my husband for the au pair is a true story that will appeal to anyone intrigued by alternate sexual orientations and those that have experienced divorce, mid-life crisis and love. Michele is an advocate and ambassador for Retina South Africa. After successfully following her heart, Michele is now divorced from her husband but remains in Cape Town with her partner and four children.