*** The new novel from the author of An Unremarkable Body, shortlisted for the Costa First Book Award 2018. ***

'Elegant, subtle and tender, with a sharp sting in the tale' Sunday Mirror

Jane is sixteen when she falls in love with her teacher. Leonard Campbell is everything she has ever wanted: handsome, intelligent and attentive. He singles Jane out, giving her novels to read and discuss over long walks and cosy dinners. It is only once married, tied down and tied down with two children in 1980s suburbia that Jane realises she might have settled too early, losing much of herself in the process.

Then Marion and Andrew, a couple whose passion frequently tips into violence, move in next door, forcing Jane to confront feelings she didn't know she could have. And when Marion abandons her family, Jane steps in to help with the couple's two boys, setting in motion a series of events, all of which expose the push and pull within every relationship. As desire and loyalty are blurred, it becomes clear that nobody can escape the devastating impact of a family falling apart.

The Necessary Marriage is an intense, intimate portrait of how couples come together and grow apart, and the passions that drive us to do crazy things.

'A captivating novel which gets to the core of lust, love and commitment' Irish Times

'Beautifully written and with emotional intelligence pulsing through its veins, this portrait of marriage is a gripping read right up to its shocking end' Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat and The Doll Funeral

'Gripping and atmospheric, this book will knock you sideways' Fiona Mitchell, author of The Maid's Room

About the Author
Elisa Lodato grew up in London and read English at Pembroke College, Cambridge. After graduating she went to live in Japan where she spent a year teaching, travelling and learning to speak the language. On returning to the UK she spent many happy years working for Google before training to become an English teacher. Helping pupils to search for meaning in a text inspired Elisa to take up the pen and write her own. Her first novel, AN UNREMARKABLE BODY, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award and longlisted for the Bath Novel Award. Elisa lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and two children.

Reviews
Elegant, subtle and tender, with a sharp sting in the tale * SUNDAY MIRROR *
This is a novel which closely examines hidden lives and secret motives . . . I would call it Surrey Gothic: a superbly written suburban saga with an agreeable sense of creeping dread -- Wendy Holden * DAILY MAIL *
A captivating novel which gets to the core of lust, love and commitment. Lodato's writing is delicate, yet direct . . . an excellent examination of rash decisions and their consequences * IRISH TIMES *
Beautifully written and with emotional intelligence pulsing through its veins, this portrait of marriage is a gripping read right up to its shocking end -- Kate Hamer, author of THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT and THE DOLL FUNERAL
An intimate portrait of two couples that lays bare the truth of their marriages and the danger of relationships that stretch across neighbouring walls. Beautifully written, poignant and thrilling -- Chloe Mayer, author of THE BOY MADE OF SNOW
I adored this beautifully told, immersive portrait of two marriages and the flaws and desires within . . . so gripping and original -- Clare Empson, author of HIM
Gripping and atmospheric, this book will knock you sideways -- Fiona Mitchell, author of THE MAID'S ROOM
Tragic and affecting, this novel absorbed me from the first page - and what an ending, wow! -- Melanie Golding, author of LITTLE DARLINGS
I adored this tale of two very different marriages. Beautifully written, utterly compelling, and so tense, I was gripped from page one -- Francesca Jakobi, author of BITTER
I hugely enjoyed this novel - a subtle and unexpected take on marriage and the paths we weave through life. A lovely evocation of time and place and a perfectly judged ending. -- Joanne Sefton, author of IF THEY KNEW
Jane is 16 when she falls in love with her teacher, Leonard, but when they wed and start a family, she finds herself stifled in 1980s suburbia * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING *
A brilliant exploration of love, desire and desperation. I absolutely loved it! -- Sally Bibb, author of THE STRENGTHS BOOK
There's a gritty intensity that quietly builds. What I thought was an excellent family drama turned into something completely different as it neared it's conclusion and I was taken by surprise in a very enjoyable way. Passionate, real, and at times heartbreaking. I would thoroughly recommend this book to you all. * BOOKISH CHAT *
I was absolutely swept away by this novel and read it over one weekend, hardly putting it down at all. 1970s suburban England is brilliantly and expertly described and the incredible pull of the dangerous and the unknown for Jane was alluring and enticing. THE NECESSARY MARRIAGE is powerful and gripping. This author has a magical way with words that just engulf me. Her characters are perfectly formed, with flaws and foibles that just add to their strength and make them completely real for me. Both the story, and the author are strikingly brilliant, her ability to look at human relations is so astute. Wonderful, I loved every page and will recommend this highly. -- Anne Cater * RANDOM THINGS THROUGH MY LETTERBOX *
This book explores the way families can both grow and crumble, how close bonds can last and others wither and how love and loss can truly shape people . . . Emotional. Compelling. Dazzling. -- Ronnie Turner, author of LIES BETWEEN US
A beautifully written and thoughtful exploration of marriage, love, motherhood and identity. Elisa skilfully draws us into two marriages, seemingly completely different, but at the heart of both lies the same question. Is it better to settle for what we have, or to strive for what we believe we deserve, irrespective of the consequences? I loved it * ReadingSelfishly.blog *



Book Information
ISBN 9781474606370
Author Elisa Lodato
Format Hardback
Page Count 384
Imprint Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 628g
Dimensions(mm) 244mm * 171mm * 33mm