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The Love Market

by Carol Mason (Goodreads Author)

3.36 of 5 stars 3.36 · rating details · 106 ratings · 27 reviews

A new novel from the bestselling author of The Secret Lives of Married Women

When a marriage ends and a first love reappears, Celine Lewis is about to learn that moving on is as complicated as going back.

Three years after seeing her first love, Patrick, quite by chance in London, Celine's ten-year marriage to Mike is over and she is running her own business, called The Lo...more

Hardcover, 279 pages

Published February 5th 2010 by McArthur & Co (first published 2010)

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Jul 18, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: canadian, canadian-chick-lit, contemporary-women-s-fiction

Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

Rated 4.5 Star

I really enjoyed this novel. It was a thoughtful, insightful book on marriage and the path not taken. Celine’s marriage falls apart and she’s drawn back into the world of an old flame, Patrick who she never managed to forget.

The writing style was different in The Love Market than most chick lit novels. It was written with more depth, poetically even at times and her attention to details and prose had me rereading sentences – at first, occasionall...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Book Binge Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, for-review, mcarthur-and-company-of-toronto

Those of us who enjoy reading romance fiction find that we get set to experience the "Happily Ever After" most of the time, regardless of the time period or genre of the context. It just seems that is a part of loving romance fiction. It comes as a bit of an emotional "jar" when we encounter the unhappy ending or at best, the bittersweet resolution . . . the way so much of life tends to be resolved, if the truth be known.

In this newest novel by Canadian author Carol Mason, we meet Celine, a woma...more Those of us who enjoy reading romance fiction find that we get set to experience the "Happily Ever After" most of the time, regardless of the time period or genre of the context. It just seems that is a part of loving romance fiction. It comes as a bit of an emotional "jar" when we encounter the unhappy ending or at best, the bittersweet resolution . . . the way so much of life tends to be resolved, if the truth be known.

In this newest novel by Canadian author Carol Mason, we meet Celine, a woman who has been married for 13 years and is now newly divorced from Mike, a radio producer for a popular talk show. Their 12 year old daughter is, of course, not at all happy about the break-up of her parents' marriage and added to her burgeoning adolescence, tends to live her days in the fog of confusion. Celine & Mike have had an on-again-off-again relationship pretty much for the majority of their years together. It has become apparent that Mike loves his wife to distraction but Celine has never really let go of her emotional involvement with a Canadian journalist with whom she shared a four-day madcap affair before meeting Mike. Somehow that initial love--the perverbial "first love" has never been left behind and a chanced glimpse of Patrick during a trip to London--a 10th anniversary trip, of all things--ultimately precipitates the end of the marriage. Mike is tired of fighting the old ghosts and Celine can't seem to object when he files for divorce. Just months after the divorce is final, Celine receives an email contact from Patrick and for the first time in fifteen years, is once again in contact with him. When he calls her and she hears his voice again, she is aware that the old feelings are as strong as her ex has maintained and she agrees to renew their relationship, even if it is a long-distance one.

Set in the Northeast of England, particularly in Newcastle, this story of love and loss, hope and disappointment deals realistically with the hurts, wounds, and challenges couples face when they divorce and especially when old attachments and feelings don't seem to want to die. Told in the first person, this novel reads like a biographical tale of a marriage's end, of the sense of loss, the fear of moving forward, the questions as to whether even this divorce was a mistake. Celine is a very intelligent woman--one who has begun her own business as a specialist in being a modern match-maker, one who reads people well but who can't seem to figure out her own feelings and hopes for the future. Mike is a wonderful man who works so hard to be a good husband and father, a man who knows he is almost always emotionally on the outside looking in, who loves his family and never fails to "be there" whenever he is needed in a variety of scenarios. Celine's dad is an aging Lothario who provides companionship for women in his own age range but whose roving eye never fails to draw him toward a beautiful, sexy woman. As an accomplished artist he definitely has an eye for the female form, but he has been unwise and undependable in his relationships for most of his life. Celine's sister has her own problems into which Celine is dragged, often by her own choice, to be sure, but still wanting the best for this woman who is, in reality, a "soul sister" even though biologically she is a step-sister. Their friendship has been forged in life's hardships as they both experienced loss when parents faded from their lives.

In many ways and on many levels, this was not an easy book for me to read. As one who is often called upon to counsel couples in relational trouble, I am probably more sensitive to the nuances of what Mike and Celine went through, the pressures they endured as each tried to make a marriage work, and the knowledge that a divorce would produce some serious emotional hardships for their daughter. Mike freely admits he still loves Celine deeply and irrevocably, but he is unwilling to even consider a reconciliation--being with her is almost more painful than being without her. The reader can feel that pain, and I was aware of being fearful for them both, especially after Patrick once again entered Celine's life and one wondered if his initial willingness to walk away 15 years earlier was necessitated by circumstance or was it a life pattern? The characters in this novel were real and bruised and sometimes bled all over the pages. How I hurt for them all . . . I just wanted them to all find a way to be happy. The background cast of characters was fascinating and sometimes humorous being made up of clients of Celine's who ae seeking relational partners and some of whom are having quite a time of it.

This is no pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by kind of novel with its hefty slice of real life. It never tries to smooth over the raw nature of the circumstances, even when Patrick and Celine re-unite. Even then there is that tentative sense--was this just something Celine wanted so much? Was this old flame and their newly re-awakened affair worth the loss of so much?

This author is new to me, but I must own up to liking her writing style and her willingness to address the brutal nature of divorce, the factors that impact these lives before and after, and the awareness that when writing about real life, there are not often happy endings. Some readers may not enjoy this in-depth exploration as I did. Others will find that such a keen awareness of adult romantic circumstances, both positive and negative, can be stimulating reading and can hold a reader's interest no matter how real and raw. And lastly, I think it important for fans of romance fiction who need to be reminded that the HEA ending is, in many real situations, a fiction in and of itself.

I give this novel a 5 out of 5 rating.

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.(less)

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Apr 11, 2010 Stephanie Watson rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have never read this author before but will go and get her previous two novels now. This book - The Love Market - was one of the best books i have read in a long time. I have read many women's fiction novels that deal with the one that got away. But this book deals it so differently. Because the book is as much about a marriage that may have got away as it is a first love. I too have divorced and had moments of wondering if I have done the right thing and this author made me so sympathetic to...more

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May 11, 2010 Meredith rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of well written chick lit and romance.

Shelves: chick-lit, netgalley, romance, reviewed, arc, england

As I was reading this book, a strange feeling overwhelmed me: I couldn't wait to review it. I couldn't wait to share it with others. In fact, I opened up a blank Notepad file and began typing this review with 40 pages left to read. This is the same feeling I had when I first read Emily Giffin and made the startling discovery that chick lit didn't have to be vapid--that it could be engaging, intelligent, and introspective.

Celine is a divorcée, mother, and professional matchmaker. Though her own r...more As I was reading this book, a strange feeling overwhelmed me: I couldn't wait to review it. I couldn't wait to share it with others. In fact, I opened up a blank Notepad file and began typing this review with 40 pages left to read. This is the same feeling I had when I first read Emily Giffin and made the startling discovery that chick lit didn't have to be vapid--that it could be engaging, intelligent, and introspective.

Celine is a divorcée, mother, and professional matchmaker. Though her own romantic life has always been fraught with uncertainty, it is her job to forge romantic connections between clients. She was married to Mike for over a decade, but always harbored unresolved feelings for Patrick, the man with whom she had a brief-but-passionate affair in Vietnam fifteen years ago. The name of her business, The Love Market, is a direct allusion to her romance with him. Soon after her divorce, the two reconnect and embark on a second chance at love. However, when Mike hires her to find him someone new, she realizes that Patrick is not the only man for whom she harbors unresolved feelings.

The Love Market isn't perfect. By its very nature, it can't be. Celine can be somewhat wishy-washy as she navigates her complex relationships with Mike and Patrick. And what woman wouldn't feel conflicted when she is in love with two men, both integral parts of her past and present? What makes this book resonate is its honesty, and the care with which this complicated love triangle is crafted. So often, authors fall prey to an annoying, lazy tendency to vilify one love interest while sanctifying the other in love triangles, stacking the deck in the future "winner's" favor. Mason does not fall into this storytelling trap. She presents two men that any woman could love and exposes them for the lovable, flawed people they are.

Mason's writing flows beautifully. The book is simultaneously a comedy that knows when to be serious and a drama that knows when to be funny.

Because this is a spoiler-free review, I won't comment specifically on the resolution of this book. All I will say is that I was satisfied. Deeply, deeply satisfied. The story presents two equally compelling potential endings, but the actual ending was, for me, the only viable one. There are no "neat red bows" here. Some things are left unresolved, but the story resolves enough to give the reader closure.

(Disclaimer: I received the galley proofs of this title from McArthur & Company for review.)(less)

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Sep 16, 2012 Waneeka Husain rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have to admit the author has an engaging writing style. She is very detail oriented which does not allow the reader to put down the book. The book focuses on Celine Lewis who recently got divorced. Her first love reappears and the story unfolds then. I do admire Celine looking after best interests of her daughter, Aimee. Her stepsister acts like her best friend throughout the book. While reading the book, though, I failed to understand why exactly Mike and her divorced. She mentioned a couple...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kritter-reviewed-2011, ebook

A story that quietly unfolded between a family that is being torn apart. Set in Northern England, this family unit of three is facing divorce and a new lifestyle that will forever change their lives. The child in this story is just the right age to have opinions on the matter of the family, but young enough to have no ability to stop what is going on or get away from it all. The other outlying characters were vibrant and full of life without overpowering the true center of the story.

As I don't t...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Allison (The Allure of Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit-and-contemporary, 2010

I got quite a bit more out of this story than I expected before I started it. I was immediately pulled in by the author's flowing prose and lyrical writing; it was very impressive. With that kind of talent, I don't think it will take Carol Mason long to get a pretty large reader base.

This is an emotionally driven story, and even though it revolves around the difficult topic of divorce, the story transmits more hope than regret. Celine and Mark are very fleshed out characters, Mason is as great w...more

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Jun 02, 2010 Tam Herra rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a great read.

Firstly, what a great cover. The woman waiting in the window, the muted, sophisticated colours, the title. It is all really fitting of the story within.

The most notable feature of this story is the authors writing style. Mason truly succeeded in giving Celine an engaging voice throughout the story. The writing really wraps the reader into the story. Not only that, Celine is a holistic, down-to-earth and relate-able character.

I also loved the theme of this book. I felt tha...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Cleffairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea

Date reviewed: 20th March 2011

Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=4981

The Love Market is one book that I think most married couple could easily relate to, especially if they have been married for years and with children. I don’t know if you have heard about the 7 years itch and whatnot, but The Love Market demonstrate exactly just that-evaluation of one’s relationship with the other half as well as unresolved issues in marriage.

The Love Market, despite being a conte...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Gaby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, romance, chick-lit, read-2010, contemporary, favorites

All You Need Is Love, The Beatles said. Yeah, right...

Celine is a 30-something women, recently divorced, and mother of a teenager, who can't control the desires of her heart.

For several years she have been trying to make her marriage work, but it seemed destined to fail. And when, for some reason, she receives an email of Patrick, her first love, whom she never forgot, it seems like she is finally going to be happy.

It's a very realistic book, because although I had never had the opportunity to u...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Melyssa Williams rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not sure how I felt about this book - I probably won't remember it after a while, but I did enjoy it. Not a very likable heroine. Good way with words ("I am his strange bed" keeps echoing in my head - love it!). Author did a great job keeping her ending under wraps; I really had no idea where she was going or who she would end up with, if anyone. Celine was wishy-washy and it seemed like she had too many epiphanies for me (she loves Patrick, no wait - maybe she loved Mike all along, no wait - sh...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Kim Hornsby rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone who loves women's fiction

Besides the fact that Mason can really, really write, this novel's story was so brilliant it will now become one of my all time favorite reads. I love Women's Fiction when it's written with the talent of Carol Mason. Like a beautifully risen souflee, this novel starts with all the ingredients of a masterpiece and rises to perfection. It's a brilliant delve into one woman's pivotous about-face in her life with just enough humor to keep us loving Celine, just enough conflict to keep us staying up...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is well written and engaging, showing the real life and quandaries of Celine, a middle-aged matchmaker, who takes faltering steps towards building a new life, where she can actually have the type of love and romance the she only thought her clients deserved. I really like that this novel is beyond the traditional chick lit novel. Had this book been written in a different genre, with more detail, it could be an epic type novel-- there is the backstory for a multi-generational tale, much...more

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Feb 10, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, chicklit, 2011-favorites, for-review

Celine is a romantic married to an incredibly practical and good-natured man, Mike. Since her time visiting The Love Market in Vietnam, years before her marriage, she's only been able to think about another man, Patrick. When, by an incredible set of circumstances, she sees Patrick again while visiting London with Mike she's thrown for a loop and suddenly her whole life veers off track. A few years later, an extremely amicable divorce, a random phone call and suddenly Celine is more unsure of he...more Celine is a romantic married to an incredibly practical and good-natured man, Mike. Since her time visiting The Love Market in Vietnam, years before her marriage, she's only been able to think about another man, Patrick. When, by an incredible set of circumstances, she sees Patrick again while visiting London with Mike she's thrown for a loop and suddenly her whole life veers off track. A few years later, an extremely amicable divorce, a random phone call and suddenly Celine is more unsure of her love life than ever. Will she choose the more predictable, Mike, or will she follow her heart by taking a leap toward the practically unknown, Patrick? Only time will tell.

Wow! If only there were some way for me to give this book more than 5 stars? I can honestly say that without a doubt, The Love Market is by far my favorite Chick Lit novel I've ever read. Ever. What Carol Mason has done within the pages of this brief, but incredibly lovely novel is something I feel I've been looking for without consciously recognizing it. It's as if everything I've ever wanted in an adult fiction novel has been tied up nice and neatly with a pretty bow wrapping it tightly, just waiting to be opened and read again and again.

Now, the question is, how do I talk about this story without giving away it's most important details and the ending? First of all, the writing. My biggest question is why is Carol Mason not more well known? Her writing is gorgeous! That being said, this is my first experience reading her books and I'm eager to try her others. But honestly, I'm quite surprised she isn't more well known. Her writing is equal to, if not better than many of the biggest authors I read day in and day out. This story in particular had me guessing until the very last pages what the outcome would be, but she would give glimpses along the way that would give you hope without being unrealistic. Mason also wove in the story of Celine's career as a matchmaker between the story of Celine's love life, making it blend seamlessly with what seemed to me to be little effort (though I'm sure that wasn't the case).

As for the characters...I'm absolutely head over heels in love with Mike! I know, the underdog, but I couldn't help routing for him all along the way. He was so incredible in his love for Celine and the way he cared for not only her but everyone around him. Such a catch! I just kept hoping that no matter the ending he'd end up swept off his feet in love. In the case of Celine, I actually quite enjoyed her character. She could have turned out to be quite annoying, having just divorced and still longing for a relationship that was in her past, but she wasn't at all. Each of the characters were so refreshingly true-to-life, it was beyond enjoyable. Even the 12 year old Aimee was a doll! I loved how they each felt and seemed so real, as if you could walk down the street and bump into Jacq on her way to her big architecture job.

The Love Market is absolutely one of the best Chick Lit novels out there and definitely a perfect read for the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday. A story of love lost and gained and the choices we make to have it in our lives, Carol Mason has created a story so real that the characters come to life before your eyes. Be prepared to fall in love and enjoy a book that could be the story of anyone anywhere or no one at all. So unbelievably well written and timeless. The Love Market is a book you cannot miss!(less)

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Mar 26, 2011 Judith rated it 5 of 5 stars

A bittersweet, pungent account of a marriage gone awry, the struggles of the characters to make a new context for their lives, and how to frame a future when an old love arrives to complicate matters. The wounds and pain are everywhere and draw the reader into the hopes and disappointments, the hours of joy and the days of loss. Just a fabulous book that will engage the imagination and which refuses to leave the emotions unscathed.

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Mar 27, 2010 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

An absorbing and moving tale of the roller coaster emotions experienced through relationships and divorce. Funny and endearing in parts as the principle players hold your attention through a maze of experiences thoughtfully explored.This book is the second one I have read from this author and like the other it didn't disappoint. An engaging read that I couldn't put down. Recommended.

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Dec 30, 2012 Shawn Bird rated it 4 of 5 stars

Celine fell in love with a newly married man in The Love Market in Vietnam. He left, she returned to the UK, married, had a child. On their 10 anniversary trip to London, she spots her first love getting into a taxi. Her response changes her life.

Some nice characters, some pithy observations, and a happy ending.

I was a little surprised at all the typos, though!

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Nov 25, 2012 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this story - Carol Mason did an excellent job of giving us likeable characters and a story that was sad and happy, with a great potential to go many different ways. I love where she ended it, giving us the ability to finish 2010 in our own way. Great story - good book.

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Feb 04, 2013 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a book about a married woman who is about to get divorced because she never really got over her first love. This was a sweet little story and I loved the ending.

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Nov 19, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: free-kindle-books

The story didn't go where I thought that it was going, but I was satisfied with ultimate story. The story was true to the characters. A quick read...

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Aug 05, 2012 Michelle [Helen Geek] marked it as to-read

Shelves: free, tbr-kindle

Free on Amazon 08/05/2012.

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May 14, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, chick-lit

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

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Feb 25, 2013 Pam rated it 2 of 5 stars

I couldn't finish this book!

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Jun 20, 2010 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Check out my review at Edwards Magazine Bookclub:
http://edwardsmagazinebookclub.com/20...

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Mar 29, 2012 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was really good. Recommended!

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May 04, 2011 Shonna rated it 2 of 5 stars

It was an ok book. Romance but not smut. Not predictable like some.

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May 22, 2013 Sandi Meka added it

May 08, 2013 Micaela Torregrosa-mahoney rated it 3 of 5 stars

May 07, 2013 Karen Pierce marked it as to-read

May 04, 2013 Ashley marked it as to-read

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About Carol Mason

I am the author of The Love Market, Send Me A Lover, and The Secrets of Married Women. Find out more about my books at www.carolmasonbooks.com
Recently all three of my novels were re-released as E Books on Amazon. So if you have a kindle, they are selling for $2.99 each!

You can keep up to date with developments by making me your friend on Facebook. I'll try my best to entertain you. I'm on twitter...more

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