Hardback by William Heinemann, £14.99 (ebook £9.02)
Lotto and Mathilde are a couple who appear to have it all and are the envy of their friends, even years 10 years into their marriage. But every relationship has two perspectives and Lauren Groff switches between time and viewpoints in this absorbing and intimate novel, depicting the intricacies and enigmas of a modern marriage.
Tall and charming, Lotto is born into wealth and stumbles through a wild adolescence to find love with Mathilde, an intriguing and charismatic ex-model. They marry after a short and thrilling courtship, much to the disapproval of Lotto’s mother.
According to Groff, the key to success in love is secrets. Mathilde’s desire to quietly please, along with Lotto’s dogmatic gratitude, allows their marriage to run smoothly, albeit a little muddled at times.
Groff reveals the mysteries behind this power couple and as the novel develops, we ask ourselves, how much do we really know about our own spouse?
