My Policeman by Bethan Roberts
The story opens with two schoolfriends Sylvie and Marion doing what teenagers do best - talking and giggling about boys. Sylvie has a rather dishy and handsome older brother called Tom - and Marion has developed a bit of a crush on him. But it's nothing to worry about, she'll grow out of it. Except she doesn't. Even although, deep down, she has misgivings about this rather lukewarm romance. She's actually sizzling hot for some action, a bit of kissing, a bit of harmless snogging - but Tom's the one who is lukewarm. Why?
| My Policeman by Bethan Roberts | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Louise Laurie
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| Summary: Young policeman Tom is torn between two loves. He marries - but his personal inner turmoil and unhappiness only deepens. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 341 | Date: February 2012 |
| Publisher: Chatto & Windus | |
| ISBN: 9780701187101 | |
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And we get to the problem, albeit one which is skirted around and not really talked about. If you don't talk about it well, things may turn out okay. So Tom and Marion initially meet up for swimming lessons - Marion can't swim. But even with just the two of them, the situation is far from ideal. All the warning signs are there if only Marion would open her eyes.
When Tom returns from National Service, Marion (now a teacher) puts her master plan into action. She'll have her man - at any cost.
The story is told by Marion many years later, so we know what has happened in the intervening years. Especially to the three main characters. The other person in this threesome is Patrick. Patrick and Tom are more than just friends and they conduct a hush-hush relationship.
Fast-forward to the present day and we see that Patrick, due to a recent illness, is now a captive audience of one for Marion. She tells him how it was for her, all those years ago and does not spare the details. Her friendship with the suave, man-about-town Patrick has always been uneasy. She had to 'share' Tom with him, after all. But over the years Marion became very good at putting a brave face on for the world but was it worth it?
I found Roberts' style to be fluid, uncomplicated and very easy to get into the story, right from the beginning. Although, after a while, I did find Pattrick's constant reference to Tom as My Policeman irksome.
A threesome in a love triangle is not uncommon in fiction. But here, in the words of an ordinary woman, it is poignant. Okay, Marion has made her choice and she's an intelligent woman. She knew that her marriage would not be a bed of roses. And children? Did they have any? Roberts tells all in her own good time. A story about partner choices. About living with choices as gracefully as possible. A bitter-sweet tale.
If this book appeals then you might like to try Consolation by Anna Gavalda and Roberts' The Good Plain Cook.
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You can read more book reviews or buy My Policeman by Bethan Roberts at Amazon.com.
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