Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

My Wife's Affair

3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 · rating details · 235 ratings · 70 reviews

Peter accepted his fate as a failed novelist turned semi-successful businessman, but even after three children, his wife Georgie always held onto the actress inside her.
When Peter gets a job in London, the move sets Georgie down a seductive path to the life she always wanted. Landing a one-woman show, she is drawn into the romance of the stage and begins to feel a kinshi...more

ebook, 288 pages

Published April 15th 2010 by Berkley (first published 2010)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 436)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 28, 2011 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well written and for the most part held my interest. The story is told through the voice of the husband and the author is able to weave a tale that captures your attention from the start. The parts I found at times odious were when the book would slip into the dialogue of Dora Jordan, the actress that Georgie was portraying in her play. I understood what the author was trying to do, drawing parallels between the Georgie and the actresss she was portraying, but it got a little too much at times f...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 09, 2010 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you’ve got a hot work project with an overdue deadline, a soccer game that you simply must attend, or any “must do” commitments in the next couple of days, whatever you do, DON’T pick up this book. It will grip you, entice you, and place you under its spell. And in the end, it just may break your heart.

The book, narrated by Peter – a wannabe novelist turned businessman – focuses on his wife Georgie, a mother of three who has become unmoored with the day-to-day drudgeries of an ordinary life....more If you’ve got a hot work project with an overdue deadline, a soccer game that you simply must attend, or any “must do” commitments in the next couple of days, whatever you do, DON’T pick up this book. It will grip you, entice you, and place you under its spell. And in the end, it just may break your heart.

The book, narrated by Peter – a wannabe novelist turned businessman – focuses on his wife Georgie, a mother of three who has become unmoored with the day-to-day drudgeries of an ordinary life. A promotion to London puts a world of possibilities suddenly within reach. Peter ponders, “Shouldn’t I have told her…that everyone’s life had flat, ordinary parts? That growing older meant moving on, closing chapters in your life and opening new ones…”

But he senses Georgie’s boredom and is on her side when she reignites her acting career, taking on the prestigious one-woman role of the true-life preeminent 18th century comedic British stage actress Dora Jordan. As she throws herself in the role, she discovers that she and Dora – the long-time companion of the Duke of Clarence (later, William IV) and the mother of 10 of his children – have a natural affinity.

Gradually, Georgie “twins” herself to Dora, a kindred spirit whose struggle of motherhood versus career so mirrors her own. And, as any reader can guess from the title of the book, she enters into an affair with the elusive playwright, Piers Brighstone, that sets in motion a chain of events with tragic consequences.

There is much about this book that sets it apart from the “chick lit” designation it might have become in a lesser author’s hands. For one thing, there’s the strength of the writing; Nancy Woodruff never resorts to overwrought, obvious, or manipulative sentences. For another, these characters and their pain are achingly real with genuine insights. At one point, Peter reflects, “When I looked at Georgie I saw two different people, the one I loved and the one who had broken my heart, and I had no idea how to dispose of one without losing the other.”

But perhaps most compelling is the interspersed letters of Dora Jordan herself; in a preface the author claims to “remain faithful to both the facts of Mrs. Jordan’s life – insofar as they are known –and the warmth of her voice.” As Georgie states, “Two hundred years later and it’s exactly the same thing.”

This is an unsparing look at a modern (and not-so-modern) marriage, a punishing glimpse into the costs of the decisions we make – yet it’s never preachy or moral. While I was reading My Wife’s Affair, I was totally enveloped into the world Nancy Woodruff created. The “new life rising from the ashes of Georgie’s unhappiness” is really about getting what you want…and still wanting more.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 29, 2011 Paul Pessolano rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"My Wife's Affair" wil be enjoyed by everyone, but will have special meaning to those who are in the theatre. It is a tragic love story that is unusual in that it is told from the perspective of the husband.

Georgie Connolly is happily married and has three boys. She has forsaken her career in theatre for her family. Her husband, Peter, is a journalist and is being transferred from New Jersey to London. It is here that Georgie finds her way back to the theatre in a one woman show.

The show is abou...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 11, 2010 Alex George rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this novel in two days. Two busy days, at that. An awful lot of people have observed that this book is nigh impossible to put down once you begin reading, and I can confirm that this is indeed the case. The author pulls you in to the story, and then simply doesn’t let go. The narrative drags you along with quiet but inexorable tension. It’s merciless, and quite brilliant.

The story revolves around an ex-pat American couple living in London, and (I don’t think I can be accused of spoiling a...more I read this novel in two days. Two busy days, at that. An awful lot of people have observed that this book is nigh impossible to put down once you begin reading, and I can confirm that this is indeed the case. The author pulls you in to the story, and then simply doesn’t let go. The narrative drags you along with quiet but inexorable tension. It’s merciless, and quite brilliant.

The story revolves around an ex-pat American couple living in London, and (I don’t think I can be accused of spoiling anything, given the title) the affair that the wife, Georgie, has with the director of a play in which she is starring. If that all sounds somewhat humdrum, don’t be deceived. This is an all-too-human, and utterly gripping story. The author marshals her characters expertly and creates an almost intolerable sense of inevitability about the disintegration of their marriage. Watching this self-absorbed woman’s fall from matrimonial grace was a little like watching a car crash in slow motion. It’s brutal, but one can’t pull one’s eyes away for a moment.

One of the things that makes the book so memorable is that there is a secondary narrative deftly woven in with this very modern fable, the intriguing true story of Dora Jordan, a famous eighteenth century actress. I knew nothing about Dora Jordan before reading the book and her own tragic story provided a telling counterpoint to Georgie’s own trials. It also served to ramp up the tension deliciously.

And then there’s the ending.

I’ve read some very heated debates online about the merits of the ending. I confess I am still in two minds myself. It is awful, shocking. When I finished the book I put it down, numb, and wandered about for a while, trying to make sense of it. At first I felt angry about it. Over time I slowly came to terms with it. It’s difficult to discuss the ending in any meaningful way without giving away what happens, and I certainly don’t want to do that. But it speaks to the power of the novel as a whole and to Nancy Woodruff’s ability as a writer that she was able to make me care so deeply about her characters.

Highly recommended.(less)

1 like · like · see review

May 07, 2010 Mary Verdick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Provocative and Deftly Written

Georgie Connolly, a talented actress, has put her career on hold for marriage and the mothering of three little boys she adores. But when her husband Peter, a failed novelist, who now works for a financial company, is given a promotion which means moving the family to London, she is excited and once in England her dormant career is revitalized and flourishes. Thanks to an old friend she finds work in the theater and is given the role of a lifetime, recreating the...more

like · see review

Apr 29, 2010 Jennifer Rayment rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ok, this one is going to be a hard one to review and would have much rather reviewed it before I read the final two chapters. It is going to so difficult to explain what I didn't like about this book without giving anything away (which is something I totally dislike in a review) I will try my best!

Good Stuff

Beautifully written, but tragic
The narrator's obvious love for his wife is so beautifully described
The narrator's wife is wonderfully theatrical (although quite the self involved tramp)
The...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 24, 2010 Amy Nash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After finally clearing off my stack of "required" reading, I was able to start...and finish "My Wife's Affair" this weekend. It was terrific! Fast paced, engaging, and had me guessing right up until the end. I can ensure that this book will now be making the rounds among my book club members as well as my sisters...and we are all big talkers about the books we've read.

Congratulations to Ms. Woodruff on a thoroughly enjoyable yet heart wrenching novel.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 24, 2010 Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was wavering between a 4 and a 5 the entire way through the book, and then the ending brought it all the way up to a 5/5.

The book is narrated by Georgie's husband...it goes back and forth telling about the life of Dora Jordan also an actress/comedian who Georgie portrays in a one-woman show and Georgie's life with her husband and three boys.

Georgie left the stage in New York to be a stay-at-home mother, but now that her husband has been transferred to London and the children are enrolled in Lo...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 05, 2010 Debbie Maskus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed the book, but the ending is so tragic. I feel that all hope of a reconciliation has been destroyed, like the fire that ended Fergus. The scenes of the play, Shakespeare's Woman, enhanced the story line. What a life for Dora Jordan, a mother of 13, but no husband; and a career as an actress, and mistress to the future King of England. Then her solitary life at the end. The story parallels that of Georgie, her career means life to her. A woman cannot seem to have both a career and childr...more

like · see review

May 06, 2010 Kelly Hager rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you are someone that I exchange presents with, stop reading now because odds are very, very good you're going to find this book as a present.

For the rest of you--holy crap. I wish I could explain to you just how brilliant and amazing and wonderful this book is.

Peter and his wife, Georgie, have recently moved to London with their three sons. Georgie used to act but now mostly takes care of the boys. Now that they're in London, though, and her boys are in school all day (the British apparently...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 26, 2011 Jlaurenmc rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nancy Woodruff's novel My Wife's Affair is the story of exactly that -- an affair. Told from the perspective of the cuckolded husband, however, it becomes so much more than that. It is actually the story of a marriage, and could be titled as such, were it not for the eventual fate the marriage inescapably reaches.

Peter and Georgie are two Americans living in the New Jersey suburbs after three sons born in quick succession forced them out of their brownstone in New York City. Georgie, a former ac...more Nancy Woodruff's novel My Wife's Affair is the story of exactly that -- an affair. Told from the perspective of the cuckolded husband, however, it becomes so much more than that. It is actually the story of a marriage, and could be titled as such, were it not for the eventual fate the marriage inescapably reaches.

Peter and Georgie are two Americans living in the New Jersey suburbs after three sons born in quick succession forced them out of their brownstone in New York City. Georgie, a former actress, feels herself withering away as she cares for three boys under the age of five: Fergus, the oldest, and twins Jack and Liam. Peter has made sacrifices himself, forgoing a career as a "real" writer to take a position as an economic journalist. He feels, however, as though the sacrifices he has made were worth it all in the end, as they resulted in stability for his little family of five. Georgie, on the other hand -- not so much.

The family moves to London for a brief period of time when Peter gets a job covering the European side of things for his newspaper. The move initially revitalizes their marriage, and the family quickly settles in: Peter in his new job, the boys in their new school, and Georgie in her first theater part since she became a mother.

Woodruff expertly blends historical fact with the fictional world she has created, through the great British theater actress Dora Jordan. She is the controversial stage madam who Georgie has been chosen to play, in a one-woman show titled Shakespeare's Woman. Jordan was the real-life mistress of King William IV (back when he was a Duke, rather than King), and her descendants went on to become distinguished citizens of England. In fact, current Prime Minister David Cameron is a direct descendant of hers. As Georgie increasingly finds herself drawn into the character she portrays on the stage, she also finds herself leaving her maternal and wifely instincts far behind.

My Wife's Affair was far from an easy read. Woodruff writes her characters and their story with ease, but the subject matter is dark. The effect of infidelity on a marriage and family is laid out with extraordinary honesty. Woodruff splices Peter's narrative voice with scenes from the play, joining fiction to fiction-based-on-real-life in a decidedly creative manner. In that way, the reader sees not only Georgie's progression into a life autonomous from her family (and Peter's complete heartbreak), but also Jordan's decline following her retirement from the theater.

Woodruff's masters Peter's voice in the novel. A smattering of quotes, so that you can see for yourself:

On their journey into parenthood: "Pity me for not recognizing that the path of compromise was more easily traveled by one of us than the other" (14).

On Georgie and New York City: "She belonged to the city; like the old man on the mountain, that was her place in the world, and we should have done anything we could to stay" (44).

On Georgia's bipolar relationship with the theater: "I was worried about the down at the end of the up, the long descent when the show closed" (123).

On infidelity: "It's not temptation alone, or chance. And it is not a moment, because it takes more than a moment to find a place to go. . . . It involves momentum, the strength of a moment sustained" (155). (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 09, 2010 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are parallel stories in this novel -- a current day actress stars in a one woman play about an actress from a couple of centuries ago -- and I found the older (and true) story more compelling than the modern one. As Georgie gets more and more engrossed in the role of Mrs. Jordan, the similarities in their lives become more and more obvious, and she begins to lose touch with her real life.
In the end the plot turns overly symbolic and emotionally manipulative, sort of in a Jodi Picoult kind...more

like · see review

Aug 08, 2010 Amanda Ishtayeh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am always intrigued when people say they reread a book...this was one that I too wish to reread and also wish I had read on my Kindle so I could have easily marked passages. Full of intrigue and surprise this is a great read that will stand up to the test of time. The emotions are ones that men and women will both relate to. My favorite line is this: "But now I was a father, and being a father made you less of a man, I could see. It left you powerless to do what you really wanted to do, becaus...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 15, 2011 Kim Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a writer, it is difficult for me to read a novel without questioning the author’s choices. I wondered why Nancy Woodruff wrote My Wife’s Affair from the husband’s perspective. It seemed gimmicky. But the passage: "Writing is a solitary craft. We are always on the outside, looking in, looking longingly but never belonging, and maybe that’s why we become writers, committing ourselves to a sort of sanctioned life gazing into others’ brightly lit picture windows while standing in our own perpetua...more

like · see review

Jul 13, 2010 Nette rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Second book this week about marital infidelity! (This means nothing except that both books were due at the library on the same day.) I didn't enjoy this one as much as "Husband and Wife" -- it was a bit dry and cold. The wife is touring in a one-woman show about an 18th century actress, and huge chunks of the play are included to show (clumsily) the parallels between the two women. The play is pretty bad and totally uncommercial, and yet it's about to go on to London's West End. Really? "Shut do...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2011 Cina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The only thing I liked about this book was that it was a quick read...outside of that I found the plot to be easy to detect and the ending rather meh. I feel like the author really didn't capture the voice of a man whose wife cheated on him. I don't think as a woman she could fully grasp what men go through and it seemed kind of stereotypical how he handled all the events that happened. Then to only make him in the end become the bad guy and the wife the victim I felt was actual rubbish. It's re...more

like · see review

Dec 21, 2011 Cathe Olson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked up this book intending to read the first page to see if it was something that might interest me . . . I never put it down. I just loved every second of this story of a woman torn between her work as an actress and her family--and what happens when she has an affair with a playwright. The story is told from the point of view of her husband who loves her so much, which made it even more powerful. Wonderful writing, griping story. I can't believe I'd never heard about this book before. Hig...more

like · see review

Dec 09, 2012 Michele rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-fiction

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

like · see review

Sep 09, 2010 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who like books which are well written and deal with marriage or theater

I loved the theater theme...the play within the novel. The story itself was almost slaustrophobic. A husband and wife going through difficult times because raising children and balancing careers each partner is committed to is always hard, but also because there are ways of being loved that marriage doesn't satisfy. I really enjoyed this books and...my next book...The Lake Shore Limited, helped me realize what I wasn't satisfied with about My Wife's Affair, which I did indeed like.

like · see review

May 14, 2011 Freda mans rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow!
That's what hits me at the end.
I had no idea it would be like this. The ending I mean.
You look at the cover and title, and immediately have some idea what the book is about, but man, it is so much more in the last few pages.
Totally brought the book home and with a bang!
Not a typical romance at all. I wouldn't even categorize it there.
So yes, you should definitely check it out!

like · see review

Sep 07, 2010 Cortney rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book had its dry parts and I got bored, but I still gave it 3 stars because the last 30 pages of the book made up for the dry parts!! What a shocking ending!!! I don't want to spoil it incase any of my friends are reading this review and want to read it.

Its about a couple with 3 young kids, who move to London for her husbands work for 3 years. The wife gets a job starring in a play and has an affair with the Director.

The interesting part about this book is that the whole book is wrote throu...more

like · see review

Jul 22, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was an interesting book about an actress playing the role of an actress from several centuries prior and how their lives are similar today, careers, families etc. Also interesting, this is told from the perspective of the husband. Interesting book but a little predictable and boring - there is a surprise ending!

like · see review

Nov 26, 2010 Mary Lou rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was calling out for 4 stars all the way through and the powerful ending notched it up to 5. Beautifully written book where the language did not interfere with the story, which was compelling (actually both parallel stories were compelling). Very hard to put down, so I rarely did.

1 like · like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Chrisanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, book-club

Nancy Woodruff's themes of love and passion sparked my interest from page one. The delicate balance between family and career rarely exists for any of us and, in this story, one woman's desperate attempt to strike such a balance led to a tragic end. Ms. Woodruff expertly captures the lure and thrill of live theatre. I was fascinated by the fictional Georgie and how her persona was entwined with the real life of the woman she portrayed on stage, Dora Jordan. Excellent!

1 like · like · see review

Jun 19, 2013 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A gorgeous book about marriage, motherhood, professional ambition--and all the ensuring conflicts and contradictions. Nancy Woodruff's writing is so honest and compassionate and wise--you feel like you're hearing the whole terrible story from you best friend.

like · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been subsisting on a diet of romance novels... which My Wife's Affair was NOT. It was tender and brutal and felt very real. But it was BLEAK and it made me CRY. (Thanks very much Molly G. for this little does of reality. Like some kind of intervention! Jeesh!)

like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Emilie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Best lines:
Best to remember that life is lived not just in phases but also in layers.

I had not managed to learn, either from Shakespeare or from life, that as long as we can say, "This is the worst," we have not yet met the worst.

like · see review

Jul 20, 2012 Amblingbooks.com marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, psychology

A smart, sexy novel about a woman's search for her former self on the London stage.

Listen to My Wife's Affair on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.

like · see review

Mar 03, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting and unique interweaving of the plot with the one-woman play. Nancy Woodruff did a commendable job using a male narrator. Although it was rather slow in parts, the ending was a shocker and will stay with me for some time.

like · see review

Jun 09, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, literature

a really interesting take on infidelity and the toll it takes on a family, as told by the husband who's been cheated on. it's a painful, raw story, and the shocking twist at the end will send you reeling! a great read!

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 14 15 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (8)

More editions...

Genres

Contemporary

2 users

European Literature > British Literature

2 users

Relationships

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Nancy Woodruff

Straight to Soulless ...My Journey to Gay: Part 1 & 2

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About My Wife's Affair

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from My Wife's Affair [With...

“(Georgie) Why is it that you always want to run after the one that goes off in a huff, and push away the one who is clinging to you?” — 8 people liked it

“(Peter) If you don't share the lows, it seems you might stop sharing the highs as well.” — 6 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: My Wife's Affair
avg rating	preview: My Wife's Affair Goodreads rating: 3.63 (235 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8183770-my-wife-s-affair?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355094774l/8183770.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8183770-my-wife-s-affair?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]My Wife's Affair by Nancy Woodruff[/url]

My Wife's Affair

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website