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    40 Love: A Novel
    40 Love: A Novel
    40 Love: A Novel
    Audiobook7 hours

    40 Love: A Novel

    Written by Madeleine Wickham

    Narrated by Katherine Kellgren

    3/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From the author of the sensational bestselling Sophie Kinsella novels and the New York Times bestsellers The Wedding Girl and Sleeping Arrangements, this perceptive comedy 40 Love skewers the shallow rich, displaying a wicked backhand along the way.

    Everyone wins this game of literary tennis, a comedy of manners about envy in which Madeleine Wickham skewers the nouveau riche. At their country estate, Patrick Chance and his wife host a weekend tennis party. As four couples gather on the sunny terrace, it seems obvious who among them is succeeding, and who is falling behind. But by the end of the party, nothing will be quite as certain. While the couples' children amuse themselves with pony rides and rehearsals for a play, the adults suffer a series of personal revelations and crises.

    Wickham's nonstop action reveals at every turn that matters may not be as they seem, and in the end one thing is crystal clear: the weekend is about anything but tennis.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateAug 30, 2011
    ISBN9781427212368
    40 Love: A Novel
    Author

    Madeleine Wickham

    Madeleine Wickham is the author of several acclaimed novels, including A Desirable Residence, Cocktails for Three, Sleeping Arrangements and The Wedding Girl. As Sophie Kinsella, she has written a number of bestsellers including the Shopaholic series, Twenties Girl, Remember Me?, The Undomestic Goddess, and Can You Keep a Secret? Confessions of a Shopaholic was made into a major motion picture starring Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy. Born in London, Wickham studied at New College, Oxford. She lives in London with her husband and family.

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    Reviews for 40 Love

    3/5

    105 ratings18 reviews

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    • 3/5
      The story takes place over a weekend in the summer. The wealthy entrepreneur Patrick and his not-so-upwardly mobile wife Caroline are hosting three couples for a sort of house party, ostensibly to hold a tennis tournament.

      The guests are quite a mixed bunch, as are the five children who are also part of the weekend. The book is really about the ways these different people interact, and the characterisation is good, on the whole. I liked a few of them but found others intensely annoying.

      The tennis tournaments happen as planned and the children stage a play. An ex-wife appears, and adds a little spice to the scene, and there are many tensions, exacerbated by the closeness imposed on these rather different and somewhat prickly couples over the course of the weekend.

      There’s really not much plot. It’s a study in relationships, infidelities, greed, manipulation... done in a fairly light-hearted way, but I kept wondering when the story was going to start. Most of the characters were not interesting enough for me to care what happened to them, and the lifestyle was so far removed from anything I’ve ever experienced that I couldn’t really empathise much with anyone. I was also uncomfortable with the vast amount of bad language, and bored with the financial aspects.

      Still, the writing was good, the conversations believable, and the ending satisfying enough. I just wasn’t quite sure what the point of it all was.
    • 3/5
      There wasn't actually a whole lot to like about this story. Most of the characters were obnoxious and throwing them together for a weekend brought out the worst of their bad behavior. Throw in a gratuitous number of f-bombs and it just wasn't pleasant reading...
    • 3/5
      I feel like I've read this book before but maybe not. I enjoy Madeleine Wickham's books. They are simple and quick. This could be read all at once if you wanted. It's an interesting weekend at Patrick and Caroline's house where they invite 3 other couples for a tennis weekend. Patrick is an investment salesman who seems not to have any scruples. This book quickly studies the different personalities of the individuals. Shows who is fake, who lies, who tries to be who they aren't. Made me happy I'm not any of them. It's a fun and easy read. Nothing spectacular.
    • 3/5
      As Sophie Kinsella, the author wrote the Shopaholic series. I liked the one Shopaholic book I read, but this wasn't quite as good. Financial adviser Patrick and his wife host a tennis weekend at their estate in the British countryside for a small group of friends. Besides tennis, the weekend includes business deals and hanky-panky.
    • 5/5
      Excellent book. Great characters and dialogue!
    • 2/5
      It was just ok due to undeveloped characters and simple story. Was the intention to show how one couple can go through all these phases in life? If so, then it doesn't matter that I was unable to keep some of the characters separate. There was nothing new here but it was a nice way to spend a couple of hours on a lazy summer afternoon (or during a rainy day).
    • 2/5
      Madeline Wickham, what happened to you?? I love your Sophie Kinsella books but this book is just bad.
    • 4/5
      As expected, this was a very enjoyable audio. Katherine Kellgren's multiple voices made a complete picture of what was happening--a quick story all in a weekend---delightful listening. I didn't know this was a re-release until I read the other comments---did not bother me one bit! Sophia Kinsella/Madeleine Wickham---writes financially related topics because that is her background---what could be more perfect? I might add that sometimes a book makes much sense as an audio and this might just be one of those.
    • 2/5
      I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. A fast read about the lives of three couples and a father-daughter during a tennis weekend. Lots of financial issues ranging from extreme excess to making ends meet while in graduate school.
    • 4/5
      Let me start by saying this is another book that has been recovered and they are trying to sell as a new book for full price which is WRONG!!!!!!!! Now that I got that off my chest, this was a great book with a witty story line that many people can relate to. Well worth your time and another really quick read!
    • 3/5
      The name Sophie Kinsella is immediately recognizable as the author of the hugely successful Shopaholic chick lit series. How about the name Madeleine Wickham? No? Well, they're one and the same.The Tennis Party, originally published in 1995, was Wickham's first book. It has been re-released in North America as 40 Love.Four couples gather for a weekend tennis party. - but the host believes it should be a tournament instead. And although tennis is ostensibly the reason for being there, each of the couples have their own reasons and agendas for the weekend. With a little too much sun and a lot of too much drink, the social facade begins to slip. Quite a bit.I chose to listen to 40 Love rather than read it. I don't think I would have enjoyed the book near as much in written form. The reader was award winner Katherine Kellgren - one of the best around. Her accents are spot on, reflecting every character's personality and nuances. Each character sprang to life and immediately formed a picture in my mind. Her intonation and inflection give the story life and verve. It is such a treat to listen to her narrate. Having read all of the Shopaholic series, I was expecting more of the same. And yes, in a way it's there - it is chick lit for sure. There are the 'lighter' characters such as the 'innocent' couple Annie and Stephen. And I found the children delightful. But it is the darker characters that really gave me pause. I enjoyed the tale up until the last few chapters. It is a bit of a farce, poking fun at the 'noveau riche' and the desire to have more, more, more. But, the character of Charles was just plain cruel and truly vicious. I was actually quite shocked by the words Wickham put in his mouth and the violence he displayed. Kellgren's reading intensified the effect. I was disappointed with the direction taken with this character and his wife's reaction and subsequent (non) action. It rather spoiled what had been a good listen up to that point. I guess I just associate chick lit with a feel good read.Wickham/Kinsella has definitely improved since this original effort.
    • 3/5
      Patrick Chance and his wife host a tennis party for the weekend. These four couples are very different and it is unclear how they ever became friends. The adults play tennis, the children put together a play, and chaos breaks out when an old lover of one of the husbands shows up. I didn't care much for most of the characters or the story, for that matter! This is a shallow book with shallow people. I just couldn't get into it. Horrible things happen and at the end, everybody just leaves...friends just like always! Strange, indeed?
    • 3/5
      I think it's great that the success of Sophie Kinsella has publishers re-releasing many of the Madeleine Wickham titles years later. In this case, I checked how long ago this was written (over fifteen years), because today's economic climate would be handled very differently if this was written today. The book takes place over a weekend, where four couples, former friends and neighbors, get together over a lot of Pimm's to play a "friendly" tennis tournament. The feel of this story is much darker than a light-hearted Becky Bloomwood romp, as these characters connive from the get go among one another.
    • 3/5
      I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. It's a quick read about the lives of three couples and a father-daughter duo who come together one weekend for a tennis tournament. As the weekend progresses, it becomes clear that how the characters present themselves to the others (and how they are perceived) is sometimes very different than how the characters see themselves. It's a pretty shallow book, but entertaining and good for a quick weekend read.
    • 4/5
      40 Love by Madeleine Wickham, who also writes under the name Sophie Kinsella, follows the story of Caroline and Patrick Chance who invite a group to their country home for a tennis party weekend. Arriving for the tournament are Patrick's ultra-competitive client Don and his daughter Valerie; wealthy and elegant Charles and Cressida; and the unassuming academics Stephen and Annie. Drama ensues both on and off the court when Patrick tries to convince a few of his guests to invest in some risky business deals and the unexpected arrival of free-spirited Ella, Charles' former lover, is sure to upset the tournament. Wickham's main success in this novel is her characters and the way their strengths and weaknesses are gradually uncovered. At first few of the protagonists seem at all likeable, but as the story unfolds she reveals their humanity through their actions, faults and double faults alike. Though parts of the book are amusing it lacks the outright hilarity of some of Wickham's later novels and never quite reaches the charm of those written under her Kinsella pseudonym. Yet there remains a simple sincerity to the story that captures a snapshot of realism creating a delightful tale.This book was originally published in 1995 under the title Tennis Party and has been reissued with the name 40 Love and the added link to associate Madeleine Wickham with Sophie Kinsella of Shopaholic fame.
    • 3/5
      I started this book three different times before finally finishing it......While some may consider it a light fun read, I felt the characters were self-absorbed and the humor fell flat. Definately one to borrow rather than buy.....
    • 4/5
      Madeleine Wickham has done it again! I love reading her books and have read all of her other ones as well as the other ones under her other name Sophie Kinsella. She writes a very quick, light, and enjoyable read. This book features three couples and their struggles in marriage, love, and life in general. Never one to disappoint, Wickham uses plot twists and everyday life to make sure the reader cannot put down her book. I read this book literally in one day and it is the same with all of her other books. This one seemed to be more serious than others, but still a very fluffy and enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      I have read a number of Madeleine Wickham's books, most of which were released under her pseudonym Sophie Kinsella, and I think of them as pleasant, easy, quick reads. 40 Love fits these criteria but took a more serious turn than some of Wickham's past works. The novel centers around three couples at a weekend tennis tournament at an English country house. At first glance, they are all easily stereotyped, but as events unfold it becomes clear that they have varied and unexpected motivations. I enjoyed the character development as the characters went from flat caricatures to complex and intriguing people. I hope Madeleine Wickham continues this direction with her writing so that I can continue to enjoy reading it!I have read a number of Madeleine Wickham's books, most of which were released under her pseudonym Sophie Kinsella, and I think of them as pleasant, easy, quick reads. 40 Love fits these criteria but took a more serious turn than some of Wickham's past works. The novel centers around three couples at a weekend tennis tournament at an English country house. At first glance, they are all easily stereotyped, but as events unfold it becomes clear that they have varied and unexpected motivations. I enjoyed the character development as the characters went from flat caricatures to complex and intriguing people. I hope Madeleine Wickham continues this direction with her writing so that I can continue to enjoy reading it!