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Foursome

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 464 ratings · 73 reviews

Rebecca, Daniel, Alex and Isabel have been best friends since university. Rebecca married Daniel, Alex married Isabel and, for twenty years, they have been inseparable. But all that is about to change... When Alex walks out on Isabel, Rebecca thinks things can't get any worse. But then she finds out the reason why and she's left harbouring a secret she'd rather forget... A...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published February 1st 2010 by Michael Joseph (first published January 1st 2010)

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Sep 20, 2012 Emma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

This is a story about fairly average people. Two couples, Rebecca and Dan and Isabel and Alex who have been best friends since uni. That is, until arrogant Alex leaves his wife, Isabel, craps all over his best mate, Dan, by telling said best mate's wife, Rebecca, that he's in love with her and the ensueing mess that follows.

All of the charcters are fairly dull, fairly average, but the author does have a way of picking up on the mundane aspects of people and their lives in a rather readable fash...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bought-copy, chick-lit

Rebecca, Daniel. Alex, Isabel. Four best friends who met at university and end up married, having babies and living just streets away from each other. When Alex ends his marriage to Isabel, everything changes - and Rebecca is forced to acknowledge that life might never be the same again, especially when Alex gets together with Rebecca's hated colleague, Lorna.

Okay, here to start with is a comment on book covers. I'm used to my chick lit novels having pink or pastel or glittery covers. Foursome h...more Rebecca, Daniel. Alex, Isabel. Four best friends who met at university and end up married, having babies and living just streets away from each other. When Alex ends his marriage to Isabel, everything changes - and Rebecca is forced to acknowledge that life might never be the same again, especially when Alex gets together with Rebecca's hated colleague, Lorna.

Okay, here to start with is a comment on book covers. I'm used to my chick lit novels having pink or pastel or glittery covers. Foursome has a slightly more serious cover and I was fooled into thinking that Fallon might be covering weighty issues the way that Marian Keyes does in her books. Instead, we get a fluffy tale about a falling out between friends and how lying is BAD. And, yes, that message is hammered home.

Having got my head around the difference between cover and contents, I whipped through this soft confection of lies and lovers in less than a day. Fallon's prose is incredibly readable - she had me turning pages feverishly, even though I scoffed incredulously at most of the plot within the book.

I really enjoyed the first part of the book where the savage office relationship between Rebecca and Lorna is explored. Lorna is a hateful character, memorable, spiteful and with a fantastic turn in passive aggressive behaviour. I had the urge to throttle her, and, as far as I'm concerned, if an author makes you have a visceral reaction like that to a character then they are doing a fine job.

My problems came when Rebecca decided that, rather than tell her bosses that Lorna was going through big personal issues that kept her from work (the normal way to deal with a work issue), she decides to perform a series of lies and charades to pretend that everything is fine with Lorna's performance. This just wouldn't happen, and I could not suspend my disbelief. At all. I found myself rolling my eyes at the behaviour of many of the characters.

With that said, I think Fallon also has a deft touch when it comes to characterisation. She writes strong and real female characters, who are bitchy and loving by turn. Those that are mothers have warm and realistic relationships with their children, who are also written well.

With Fallon's ability to write these great characters, and her smooth prose, it made me even more disappointed at the ridiculous plot. I would really love to see what Fallon is capable of when she has a decent storyline to work with. I will be reading more novels by this author, for sure, but now I know that I shall be using them as light reads when I need fluffy escapism. (less)

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Apr 28, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's just occurred to me as I was finishing this book this morning that I very rarely read books that are just about normal, every day life... This novel is probably one of the first that I have tackled in a long time. Though, tackled is probably not an accurate word for it, because I highly enjoyed this. I think that I can relate to Rebecca, who is controlling and has enjoyed the way her life has been for the past twenty years, revolving everything around her group of friends, two married coupl...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Sherri Keller rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not usually a big fan of chick-lit, since most of it falls into "vagina celebration" territory, but I found this book to be quite entertaining.

Rebecca and Daniel, and Alex and Isabella were two couples who met in university. Their world is turned upside down when, after 20 years, Alex suddenly leaves Isabel and confesses his love for Rebecca. After Rebecca rejects him, Alex ends up dating Rebecca's workplace nemesis, Lorna.

While I enjoyed story itself, some of the office escapades really str...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Diane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books

I really liked this book a lot. Chicklit... check... British author and setting... check...bitchy and funny...check...

Alex has left his wife Isabel. They've been best friends since university with Dan and Rebecca. Their families have grown together. Isabel was shocked when Alex left but Alex told Rebecca a secret and she's had to keep it from everyone and it's a secret that could change everything and hurt people.

Rebecca works for a talent agency. The bane of her existence is her coworker Lorna...more

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Mar 19, 2010 Abi Holligan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Foursome is the third book by Jane Fallon and is about four friends, who are two couples Rebecca and Dan, Isabel and Alex, they've known each other for over 20 years but when Alex unexpectedly walks out on Isabel and tells Rebecca that it's her he's always been in love with, everything starts to fall apart...

I was really looking forward to Foursome I had read the other two books by Jane Fallon and really enjoyed them, unfortunately I was quite dissapointed the book starts off with Alex confessin...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Jacqueline rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was a bit concerned after reading some of the other reviews on here that this might be disappointing but I enjoyed it as much as I did Getting Rid of Matthew and The Ugly Sister. At about half way in I did rather wonder where it was all going, glad the end didn't spoil it.
I loved the description of Lorna and phone wars - I used to work with someone just like that and it brought it all back, so at times it was a stressful read, but anyone lucky enough not to have worked with a Lorna would enjoy...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I've read Got you back and Getting rid of Matthew. But I had to read foursome because I liked the other ones so much. And Jane Fallon didn't disappoint me! I really liked the attention shift from a boyfriend/ husband in most chicklits to friendship. This can be just as valuable as any relationship.
The characters were likeable. Besides it was so recognizable to have someone you dislike so much even if you have to see that person every day. The only downside was the end, a...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pure delight, cheeky fun, British chick lit at its best. I could NOT put this one down. Isabelle and Alex, Rebecca & Alex, best friends for 20 years until Alex decides he doesn't want to be married anymore, because he is in love with Rebecca, not his wife Isabelle. Alex & Dan have been best buddies forever ("mates," as the Brits say. Meanwhile, Rebecca loves Dan, hates her office mate, is furious with Alex, and worries about Isabelle. You grow to love all the characters, except for the s...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books-read

I would actually rate this 3.5 stars.

When I first started to read this book it reminded me of the ordinary things that happen in everyday life. I thought to myself do I really want to read a book about ordinary things? The reason that it reminds me of everyday life is because I have worked with people like Lorna who make hard for anyone to be around them. In the end I'm glad I persevered because I found the book a really entertaining read. I often see reading as a bit of escapism from ordinary l...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Sammi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

Such an easy and fun read.

The book is about two couples: Rebecca and Dan, Isabel and Alex. These two couples are both best friends and have been together for 20years when things change. Alex and Isabel break up, which causes a strain on the friendship nd Rebecca is forced to hold a secret she'd rather no nothing about.

This book had me laughing and feeling sorry for characters all at the same time. I thorougly enjoyed it and will definately look to read more books by the same autuor.

I loved every...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Hsiau Wei rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

This book tells the story of Rebecca, Dan, Alex and Isabel, who have been friends for a long time until one day, Alex decided to leave Isabel for no reason. And to make things worse, Alex confessed to Rebecca that he loves her all this while and want her to leave her marriage to Dan behind and be with him. When Rebecca refused him, he hooked up with Lorna, Rebecca's colleague who have been desperately looking for her Mr Right. This have make Rebecca's life difficult when she tried to juggle her...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Lisa (scarlet21) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this tale about four best friends suddenly finding their cosy little world has come to an end when one of the couples split up. Things take a turn for the worse when Alex who has left wife Isabel declares his long time love of Rebecca of the remaining couple. Rebecca is horrified, she loves her husband Dan and her best friend Isabel and has never thought of Alex 'like that!' Turning Alex down leads to more upheaval in her life when he takes it badly and starts dating her hated co...more

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Aug 07, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

FOURSOME begins a while after Alex has walked out on Isabel, planting us right into the middle of the action as the drama between these once close friends unfolds. The story is told from the point of view of Rebecca and initially, I thought that she was a surprising choice as I would have expected it to be Isabel, now alone with two children after her husband had walked out on her. So to have the best friend taking the lead seemed a little strange to me, but it worked beautifully as it allowed b...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Kristilyn (Reading In Winter & Winter Distractions) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: physical-book

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

...more

[from my blog 'Reading in Winter']

I love Jane Fallon. It seems like I love a lot of authors these days, but I don’t mind. It’s a lot better than hating authors. I mean, they do write the words, you know?

The thing with Jane Fallon is that she writes a great story. Something that draws the reader in, keeping them intrigued until the very end. I felt exactly the same way with her previous two efforts, and was so excited when I saw her latest novel, Foursome, was due to come out this year.

I’ve always been a fan of chick literature and while this novel definitely has aspects of the genre, it’s also honest and moving – something that could actually happen in real life. Like past novels, by Jane Fallon, Foursome also has some great humour – the characters can be gritty and raw and they like to say it as it is!

The one thing that irked me with this book, however, is that it didn’t seem as well written as her previous efforts. Don’t get me wrong – the story was great, but the editing was something that should have been looked at a little more closely. More often than not, I found myself rereading lines and paragraphs to understand what exactly Jane Fallon was trying to write – her wording and the occasional use of a typical British word threw me off on occasion and I don’t know if it was because of bad editing or because she threw the book together too fast. It seemed very out of character compared to Got You Back and Getting Rid of Matthew.

Though, aside from all of that, I was into the book until the very end – Jane Fallon kept me guessing and while I had my ideas, I never knew the outcome of the novel until the last few pages. THAT is the mark of a good book: being unpredictable.

The characters were also very well written. I found myself falling in love with the characters I was supposed to love, and hating the ones I was supposed to hate. I was speculative because the characters seemed a lot older than in her last few novels (something that initially threw me off in the second installment of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon)

It seems it was so long since her last book that I wonder when she’ll release another novel. If it’s anything like Foursome and her previous efforts, I can’t wait.

(less)

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Mar 28, 2010 Chloe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-release, read-in-2010, arc

Rebecca and Daniel are happily married, and love their life together with their two children. They’ve known their best friends Alex and Isabel since they were at University and they’ve always done everything as a Foursome, from getting married to babies and even group holidays.

So when Alex leaves Isabel, it shatters their foursome once and for all and Rebecca isn’t happy. It’s made even more awkward when Alex makes a shocking confession to Rebecca, one of which might change the group dynamics fo...more Rebecca and Daniel are happily married, and love their life together with their two children. They’ve known their best friends Alex and Isabel since they were at University and they’ve always done everything as a Foursome, from getting married to babies and even group holidays.

So when Alex leaves Isabel, it shatters their foursome once and for all and Rebecca isn’t happy. It’s made even more awkward when Alex makes a shocking confession to Rebecca, one of which might change the group dynamics forever. Suddenly, Alex appears with new girlfriend Lorna, who also happens to be Rebecca’s enemy at work, and the two instantly clash. Is their foursome destined to be broken forever?

I adored Jane Fallon’s debut novel Getting Rid of Matthew, and then went straight to the shops last year when her last book Got You Back was released, and I loved that too. I’ve been waiting for news of Jane’s third book for ages, and so when it finally went up on Amazon I was so excited! I didn’t like the first cover that was released so when the finished version seen above was shown to us, I thought it suited the book much better. When the book was delivered to my house a few weeks ago, I eagerly started to read it and devoured it in just a couple of days, it was fabulous!

As usual with Jane’s books, it centres around a strong female lead characters whose friends and family feature in the main storyline around them. Our narrator is Rebecca, married to Daniel, and best friend to Alex and Isabel. Rebecca is a character I warmed to immediately, and I loved her narration of the story. We get Rebecca’s thoughts on the failure of her friends marriage and the knock-on effect this has on the other characters around her. It’s at time an amusing narration, but it also gets the raw emotion, and this I find is where Fallon really does well.

Her previous novels have focussed on the wronged woman, but this book seems to change tact because the wronged woman in this story is actually the one we see least of all. I expected for Isabel to feature heavily in the book but she’s in only around 5 or 6 scenes in total, and even then not for very long. Therefore, while I sympathised with her I couldn’t necessarily feel much for her character. Fallon instead chooses to focus on Alex and Lorna in the book, and their relationship with Rebecca. This made for an interesting dynamic and shows us how hard it can be bringing a new person into an established friendship group.

As ever, Fallon isn’t afraid to tackle some of the more awkward moments in relationships, and this book is no different. The non existent relationship between Rebecca and colleague Lorna is great to read because its so awkward between the pair, and I was cringing at times with the interactions I was reading! I love how Fallon doesn’t make Rebecca a weak character, she does stand up for herself and I quickly found Lorna to be a character I disliked immensely, although she made for great reading. I also enjoyed reading Rebecca and Daniel’s marriage, it shows a relationship after many years and seemed very realistic.

The book touches on the world of acting because Rebecca works for an acting agency, and I enjoyed these little offshoots in the novel. Ithink it added a new perspective to the story and gives you a little break from the more emotional storylines that feature in the book. Fallon’s writing is so easy to read, you can lose yourself in the shortish chapter in the books and find that you’ve ploughed through a quarter of it before you’ve realised as its so enjoyable. I really couldn’t put it down because I wanted to find out what was going on next!

If you’ve loved Jane’s previous books then you’ll love this, but its also a great place to start if you haven’t read any of her work before. It is great chick-lit, lots of characters that you can care about, plot twists and turns that keep your interest for the duration of the book and I loved it. Jane’s debut novel Getting Rid of Matthew remains my favourite book by Jane, but this one is definitely a close second. Jane’s books seem to appeal to a large age generation, and I know I’ll be sending my mum this to read next! Very enjoyable, and a great one to pack for your holidays!(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

Unfortunate title aside, this was actually a fun read. The most interesting, dynamic, and poignant relationships in the book were between women. I thought Rebecca came off as a little too perfect sometimes (especially compared to at least one of the antagonists - Alex - if not Lorna as well), and the ending tied everything up a little too neatly, but after a slightly slow and didactic start, the office politics and friendship dynamics sucked me right in. I'd definitely seek out more by Jane Fall...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Jo at Jaffareadstoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, having been somewhat disapointed in the hype surrounding her first two books.
This story focuses on two couples, Rebecca and Dan and Isabel and Alex, who have been friends since university days,they are now in their early 40's and have homes, children and jobs. The dynamics of this foursome is broken apart when Isabel and Alex split up,revealing a marriage with flaws and marked by infidelity.
The lead character Rebecca works in a literary agent's office and...more

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Jul 26, 2010 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

A better than average Chicklit novel. Well written with the right amount of humour and serious stuff.
It's about two couples who have been like a pseudo family for 20 years since they first met and shared a flat as students. They do everything together until one of the husbands decides to leave his marraige as he is in love with Rebecca who is the main character and narrator of the story.Everything starts to unravel in their "perfect" lives as a result.

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Aug 20, 2011 Jennifer Whiteford rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I liked this one much better than Got You Back. Same great writing and well-drawn settings and characters, but with a much more satisfying plot and a less jarring ending. For the last few days I've resented any task that took me away from reading this book, which is always a good sign. I already have her first book on hold at the library. I hope she writes more soon!

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Aug 09, 2011 Lynsey added it

Distinctly average piece of chic-lit. None of the main characters were particularly likeable - Rebecca was a doormat & it was hard to understand why she'd want to help Lorna, who had a complete personality transplant towards the end of the book.

I really enjoyed Fallon's previous 2 books so was left feeling rather short changed by this one.

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Nov 29, 2012 Sallyann Van leeuwen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

Entertaining light book about a pair of married couples and the problems they encounter when one of the couples split up. Rebecca divulges her life including her workdays, warts and all, and her issues with Lorna, her colleague. Light and fun, you do feel you know the Rebecca character by the end of this book, and are glad that she gets a break. Wouldn't rush out to read this, but great if you need a holiday book.

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Nov 06, 2011 Janeen rated it 3 of 5 stars

this was good. from reading the excerpt and back, I was expecting a lot more drama - it is British after all! But some parts were over dramatic - and they really didn't need to be. And the thrilling parts were quite boring. Like when one of the friends proclaims his love for his best friend's wife...that was neatly wrapped up within 2 pages. Meh.

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Dec 04, 2012 The Twins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Easy to read and very entertaining - there are a few parallels between me and Rebecca especially when I lived in London, so sometimes it was difficult to read being reminded of moments you weren't that proud off (having too much to drink and telling another person exactly what you think of them...).Will read more of Jane Fallon.

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May 14, 2012 Emma Doidge rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quite surprised by this book as was expecting a quick trashy novel, but actually I really enjoyed it and wanted to keep reading. The writing style was also funny, I sniggered a few times. I got so in to the characters that at one point I was so annoyed with one of them, I considered quitting the book!

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Jun 21, 2011 Rosemary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very easy, entertaining reading. It's the first time I've read a book by Jane Fallon. The plot keeps coming up with new turns. Not particularly credible or deep, but enjoyable. You wonder why every one has to keep getting drunk all the time to enjoy themselves but maybe that's the author's experience ...

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Feb 12, 2012 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars

The plot was slow and tedious in the beginning, but picked up about half way through. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was okay. There were a few twists in the plot, though in general the story was rather unbelievable. It was not as good or nearly as funny as "Got you Back."

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Jan 30, 2012 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

Really enjoyed this book - it was engaging from the first page onwards. The characters were extremely well developed and seemed overall very believable and original. Also, it was very funny but not in an over-the-top kind of way.

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Jul 09, 2011 Fiona rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. Having bought it in the throw out box at QBD my expectations were low! However, it is a great light read, it keeps moving and there are more than a few laughs along the way.

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Feb 27, 2013 Nicola Townend rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-feb13

Two couples, one of which splits up and the following issues that arise. A good read with some uncomfortable moments in where you think everything could fall apart. Well written and kept me up late so I could finish it.

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About Jane Fallon

Jane Fallon is an English producer and novelist, most famous for her work on popular series Teachers, 20 Things To Do Before You're 30, Eastenders and This Life. She has also written two successful novels.

Fallon has been in a relationship with popular comedian Ricky Gervais since 1982, after they met while studying together at the University College London. The couple has lived together since 1984...more

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