Review: The Broken Vows

The Broken Vows by Daniel Hurst
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Liked it!
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I think about joining my companion in there but then decide that we’ve had enough fun for one afternoon, so I remain on the bed instead.

That’s because I need to get home to my wife and my acquaintance in the shower needs to get home to her life too.

The lady in the shower always makes me take off the ring before we engage in our sordid shenanigans, mainly because she says she doesn’t want to be reminded of my wife. That’s fair enough, I suppose.

‘How is she?’ ‘I don’t know. I think something’s wrong.’ ‘Something’s always wrong.’

No secrets. Graham and I tell each other everything.

It’s been ten minutes since my wife told me that she had breast cancer.

I’m in love with another woman, meaning that as much as I care about Alison and want her to get better, there is someone I care about even more.

That’s because I was planning on leaving Alison this weekend. But how am I supposed to do that now when she is like this?

‘I’m sorry, but I’m not going to be able to move in with you this weekend.’

Right now, that means figuring out the best way to keep both Alison and Jasmine happy.

My affair with Jasmine began over a year ago, and in all that time, I’ve spent most of it thinking about the new woman in my life instead of the old one.

My wife or my lover. Security or unpredictability. Alison or Jasmine.

My extramarital relationship with Jasmine began at a time when I was having doubts about the decisions I had made in my life up to that point. I was bored at work. I was bored in my social life. And I was bored with the woman I had married.

Not only am I still married, but my wife has no idea that I’m cheating on her.

‘No, it’s not actually,’ she replies, shaking her head. ‘I’m here to tell you that I have been sleeping with Graham for over a year now, and this weekend was supposed to be when he finally left you and started a new life with me. But he’s chosen you instead. Congratulations. And good luck with that chemo.’

It’s a double betrayal for Alison, her husband and her best friend, the two people she would have trusted more than anybody else, and I can’t even imagine how she is feeling inside.

Graham and Claire are going to pay for what they did to me.

After my affair was unearthed, I chose Alison. But if I can’t be with her, then I guess I choose Claire.

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