2016INTRODUCTION TO

The Torn Up MarriageCAROLINE ROBERTSPublished by Harper Impulse, 2015

The Torn Up Marriage is a novel about messy, real-life love. As a writer, I’m fascinated by relationships, and for many years I have wanted to write a not-so-typically ‘romantic’ love story. An affair can be tantamount to a destructive bomb, with the capacity to have a knock-on effect for the whole family – a far greater fallout than just the ‘victim’ you normally think of as being affected. Writing from a dual perspective, I wanted to show both sides of the affair, allowing readers to consider how it would feel for both parties. How would all those complex emotions play out?

A memory: golden-tipped sand dunes, early June heat-waves blurring the Northumberland coast-line. Michael racing towards the shore, Emily on his shoulders, their laughter ringing out against the crash of the rolling waves. A family together.

Two years later, and the landscape of Kate’s marriage has changed irrevocably. When Michael comes home one evening and deals the fateful blow to their marriage, neither could have imagined the heart-wrenching journey stretching before them. Her happy home with Michael and their two beautiful girls is washed away like footprints in the sand.

As well as having several friends who have been through this painful situation, a magazine article I was reading (whilst waiting for my car to be serviced, no less!) was the initial inspiration – it dealt with the betrayer’s side of the story and that set me thinking how it would feel to be the one who caused all that damage; the one who set off the bomb inside their own family home. Why would you do that, and how could that happen? I also wanted to consider how it would feel to be betrayed, and the idea just grew.

It is very much a relationship drama – about love, loss, complacency, trust, friendship and family. I wanted it to be a gritty and emotional read, lent extra drama by the beautiful backdrop of the county of Northumberland – featuring both the historical town of Alnwick, and the stunning North East coastline, as its setting.

Overall, I think the book is about being human, about making mistakes, and trying to find a way back from that.

Had me emotionally involved right from the start That Thing She Reads

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2016

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authorities in the North of England

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QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONThe novel is written in dual perspectives; how did you find that? How did this style of storytelling affect how you felt about the main characters, Michael and Kate?

Forgiveness is a big part of this story. Michael obviously has flaws in his character; can you as a reader forgive these flaws over the course of the book?

There are several secondary characters in the novel. Which characters did you enjoy and why?

Did you find the back-story of Dorothy and George’s relationship interesting, and how do you feel it added to the novel?

How does having young children affect the dynamics of a romantic relationship?

The setting of the novel is based on a real town and the coastline of Northumberland. How did you find this? How did this setting reflect the mood of the novel?

Did you feel the ending to the novel was satisfactory, and if so why?

RECOMMENDED READINGCaroline chooses ten books that she was inspired by, or enjoyed…

You, Me and Other People, Fionnuala Kearney

The Memory Book, Rowan Coleman

Us, David Nicholls

Letters to my Husband, Stephanie Butland

After You’d Gone, Maggie O’Farrell

Marrying the Mistress, Joanna Trollope

Man and Boy, Tony Parsons

The State We’re In, Adele Parks

The Last Letter From Your Lover, Jojo Moyes

Before We Say Goodbye, Louise Candlish

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