The thing about Liane Moriarty is that her earliest books were her best. Her last two novels were enjoyable and both hit the best-seller list fairly quickly, but I feel that they lack something, some quirkiness or uniqueness, when compared to The Hypnotist's Love Story or What Alice Forgot. Maybe it's just me, or maybe I should be judging them on their own merit instead of comparing them to her previous books! I always feel bad when I'm disappointed, but I'm not THAT disappointed. I liked this novel, the story of three couples enjoying a barbecue when an "incident" changes everything, but something was frustrating me throughout.
Sam and Clementine Hart are a couple with issues and two adorable little girls, Holly, age 6, and toddler Ruby. Sam has recently landed his dream job, but finds himself bored and floundering, wondering when his new employer will realize that he is producing nothing and fire him. Clementine is a cellist, nervously preparing for the audition that could change her whole career. Sam and Clementine, devoted and loving parents, are as different from each other in temperment and habit as two people could be, yet they make their marriage work, or do they?
Erika is Clementine's best friend, or at least that's what they call themselves after years of being forced together by Clementine's overbearing mother, Pam. Erika's mother is a hoarder whose out of control collecting left little room or energy to provide a clean, flea-free home or decent clothes for Erika, who is now a very uptight, OCD adult married to Oliver, an equally rigid but loving man who grew up with alcoholic parents. Erica and Oliver live next door to boisterous Vid and his breathtakingly attractive (and also very nice and generous) 2nd wife, Tiffany, and their 10-year-old daughter, Dakota. When Vid decides to throw a spur-of-the-moment barbecue at his over-the-top home, he invites Erika and Oliver and asks them to bring the Hart family, who have been invited for tea at Erika and Oliver's house so they can discuss something "important."
Moriarty leads up to the "incident" through short chapters defining the couples, their marriages, and their friendship interspersed with other chapters titled "The Day of the Barbecue" This might be what bothered me. As with another novel I read recently, I kind of wish this one had been laid out differently. Maybe the reveal of the "incident" was a little bit too slow. I can say, though, that the characters and their relationships were interesting and well-defined, the story overall was good, and the ending was satisfying. I will always recommend Liane Moriary's novels. Just because it wasn't my favorite doesn't mean it won't be yours. The potential is definitely there!
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