An unsuitable match (by Joanna Trollope)

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I’ve been reading novels by Joanna Trollope for over twenty-five years now. Mostly they are character-based rather than having a significant plot, and as I get older that increasingly suits me. Although the author is in her seventies now, she’s still publishing novels, so I put them on my wishlist as soon as they’re out in paperback. I was given ‘An unsuitable match’ for my birthday in April, and have just finished reading it.

The main character is a woman in her sixties called Rose. She’s been divorced for seven years, after learning that her husband had been involved in a long-term affair, but although deeply hurt at the time she has moved on. She lives in a very nice house in London, and is close to her three adult children and two grandchildren. Then Tyler, an old acquaintance from her teenage years, reappears in her life. The novel opens just after Tyler has told Rose not just that he adores her, but that he wants to marry her…

There’s some back-tracking as we learn about Tyler’s past. He was married to an American called Cindy, who had a very wealthy and rather pushy father who funded their entire marriage. Cindy died some time before the novel begins, and Tyler’s at a bit of a loss to know what to do. He isn’t particularly close to either of his adult children. Seth is passionate about baking - he runs a very successful restaurant - and Mallory is busy working in the world of theatre. But when Mallory let him know that she had a small role in a theatre in London, he decided to travel with her - and that’s when he met Rose.

Seth and Mallory don’t really mind what their father does, although Mallory feels, deep down, that nobody has ever really cared much about her. But Rose’s children are very protective. Laura, who’s married with two children and works as a GP, is fairly accepting of Tyler, hoping her mother will be happy. But her twin siblings, Nat and Emma, are very stressed at the thought of their mother remarrying. Nat is concerned that Tyler is after his mother’s money, and Emma’s feelings are more complex, partly bound up in her close connection to her twin, and partly to her never having had a serious romantic relationship herself.

The novel takes place over a relatively short period, switching between different characters as each one tries to come to terms with what’s going on. Emotions come to the surface, past hurts are brought to light, and each person learns a bit about themselves. I felt at first that the twins were both quite selfish, unwilling to allow their mother any happiness, but gradually realised that they do care about her, albeit with mixed motives. Perhaps they’ve both been a bit spoiled and protected - their father, now living in Australia, has funded them both quite significantly. But they both have good jobs, and live reasonably responsible lives.

So the novel follows Rose and Tyler’s relationship as they get to know each other better - and the gradual tensions that arise when she realises he really cares nothing for money at all, almost to the point of irresponsibility. There are interactions between Rose’s children and Mallory, and extra stresses when Nat falls in love with a friend of Mallory’s, which suddenly changes his relationship with his twin - and neither quite knows how to cope.

Joanna Trollope seems to have excellent insight into human nature, into motivations, and interactions, and has a believable style in the many conversations. I felt that all the main characters were three-dimensional; Seth the baker felt rather caricatured, with a bit of a light-hearted touch, but he only plays a minor role in the story. I very much appreciated the contrast between the very close relationship Rose has with her children (her son-in-law reckons she’s the best possible mother-in-law) and the rather distant relationship Tyler has with his - even though he’s the one who seems more emotional, and keen to build family ties.

I wasn’t sure how the story would unfold, and I thought things happened a tad too rapidly towards the end, but the conclusion, if a bit bittersweet, works well. It paves the way for future reconciliations - possibly - but with Rose more sure of herself and her motivations.

I enjoyed this book very much, and found it quite thought-provoking in places. The people got right under my skin, and I was sorry to have to leave them when I finished the book. Definitely recommended if you like women’s fiction that’s almost entirely character-based.

Review copyright 2021 Sue's Book Reviews