A mid-life crisis tale of great charm. Chloe has been married to Greg for 17 years and although she still loves him, she aches for some bedroom activity. Temptation enters in the guise of Ivan, a passionate Russian, and romance ensues … Full of shrewd observations about how women feel when a marriage has lost its way and gone a little stale, it should be read by men as well, just to learn a thing or two! It won the Good HousekeepingAward for Most Entertaining Read.
Meet Chloe Zhivago, 43 and definitely not counting. Married for what feels like all eternity to Greg who tests his memory in infuriating ways, for example hiding the kettle from himself in the drum of the washing machine, Chloe is a successful psychotherapist with two children and a Famous Friend from hell. She's got it all. So why does she want to rub her life out and start again? Is this it? She asks herself. Will I never sleep with another man again? When Chloe meets temptation in the shape of Ivan, does she dare risk a passionate Russian romance before gravity wins the battle with her face and figure? Can she get away with one glorious, final fling? Dr Zhivago didn't. And just look what happened to Anna Karenina…
This is a razor sharp, wonderfully funny, sexy novel that asks a serious question - how do you keep love alive during a long marriage? - and answers it with poignancy and pure delicious comedy.
'[Lichtenstein] skilfully weaves the various strands of the story together with some touching observations about the beauty and preciousness of non-romantic relationships.' THE LONDON PAPER
'A comic novel about how to survive being 40, married and a little bit bored.' IN THE KNOW
'Mrs Zhivago is like a script for the perfect comedy drama. And, reading between the jokes and comic situations, there's a real message about what keeps a marriage alive.' FIRST
'Both poignant and and darkly amusing, we heartily recommend.' IRISH TATLER
'Olivia Lichtenstein's first novel is full to bursting with good things ... [her] writing is succinct, witty and often funny enough to make you hoot unbecomingly on public transport. ... accomplished, enjoyable and surprisingly moral fable.' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
Author
About Olivia Lichtenstein
The former Editor of BBC Television's flagship documentary 'Inside Story', Olivia Lichtenstein has worked as an executive producer on a long list of programmes that span subjects as diverse as Russian humour to the Oklahoma bomber. She currently works as a freelance producer, director and journalist. She is in her early forties and lives in West London.
