Love Match by Mary Malone, Monday 16 October

[claire]

So girls tonight we talk about the wonderful Love Match by first time published author Mary Malone. It will start around 8pm but if you can't make it please feel free to leave your comments.

see you tonight

[Shirley]

Hi girls, I'll get started and talk about some of the things I liked about Love Match. I got into the book really easily - from the minute I picked it up, I found it so easy to get into the lives of the characters. The personalities and day-to-day lives and problems of the main characters were clearly delineated in the first few chapters, and the story developed from there.
I also loved the setting - I thought it was great to read a book by an Irish author that wasn't set in Dublin (much and all as I love Dublin). It helped to give the book a unique identity.
Tina was just fab - she was a very convincing character. I was rooting for her all the way through. The lotto win couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

[claire]

Hi Shirley

I loved the book, like you said it was real easy to get into and hard to put down! I loved Tina because she was to me a very 'real' person, a stay at home mother, who loved each and every one of her kids, a husband she was mad about, a little over weight and worried what everyone thought of her. I could se her walking accross the footbal field at the begining.
The singel mother, 'yummu-mummy' cant think of her name, was it Cathy, was very spoilt, didn't like her much nor they way she came on to Ray.

The setting was great and I loved the footie matches being a footbal mother myself!

[Shirley]

I was so glad Ray didn't succumb. I think I would have lost faith in human nature if he had! Tina was such an everyday, normal woman, the kind of woman we all know and love and have bits of her in ourselves as well. If it happened to her, it could happen to anyone, I felt!

[claire]

looks like it's just you and me at the mo Shirley

What did you think of Ray calling Cathy on the moblie all the time, well not all the time but you know what I mean. I don't know what he saw in her at all. BUt I felt sorry for her with the way her mother was but I couldn't believe that she never worked a day.

There were times I would have liking to hear more about Jennifer but on the other hand I don't think there was more to say about her either.

And where Tina lived, my God the neighbours were terrible, stuck up lot. Now that I see around here too! Great idea Ray being a Milk man, not one you read about often. Ad their kids were great, very real, I could just imagine it all myself happening

[megan]

I agree Claire, I could see Tina walking across the football pitch at the beginning of the book and I liked her the best of all the characters. She was the most real to me. I didn't think much of her husband Ray. I thought he was very disloyal to have intimate chats with her friend Claire. I know he didn't take it any further than that, but even so I thought it was a great betrayal to Tina. And I hated the way Claire flirted with him too. The way she put her hand on his chest in the pub, and chatted away to him in the bath! Tina would have been far better off without either of them. Claire, wasn't in my opinion, a real friend at all. And I would hate to be married to Ray. There are more ways than one to betray your wife, and I think he most definitely did, even if that didn't reach the physical side of things.

In the end I loved that Tina bought Claire's beautiful family home. She so deserved it.

[megan]

I have to add - that I couldn't believe that people liked Ray! How? Doesn't Tina deserve MUCH better?

[Shirley]

I was just screaming at the book "DON'T RING HER RAY!"

Yeah, I think Jennifer kind of took a back seat to Tina and Cathy, even though Jennifer's story was probably the most shocking of the three. Tina was such a strong character, and I felt that what was going on in Jennifer's life was probably reflected in her personality - her husband's behaviour made her withdraw into herself, and as a result, we didn't get to know her as much. Or at least, that's how I felt about Jennifer. I really felt bad for her, but I didn't feel like I got to know her as much as I did Tina. With Tina, I felt so bad for her when Ray started ringing Cathy, and I felt that I was more worried about how she would cope. Maybe it's because Jennifer had her family behind her, and I thought to myself that she would be ok no matter what while she had them - they obviously cared about her a lot. Poor Tina seemed to be the carer, but not someone that people looked after.

[sMurphy]

Hey,
I'll join ye for as long as my little boys will allow!

Like you both, I loved the book - it was just so easy to get into the characters. I hate books that land you in it at the beginning, and you have to flick back and forth trying to figure out whose who! Mary did such a good job with the characters that it made sense from word go.

I have to add that I really liked Cathy too - yes she was spoilt, but she had to learn to start fresh and adapt to her new situation... which she did manage to do. Also I don't think she would have ever done anything with Ray, but her confidence was a bit shot after all the personal stuff she had been through, and I think she just needed an ego boost! Perhaps!!

Anyway I hear little feet so I;ll run but will try to get back on soon again.
Hugs
R

[claire]

That was great that they bought the big house, she so deserved it. I couldn't get over the carry on of them either but like Shirley said he didn't sucumb. I glad for once it didn't lead to an affaire.

But that's the thing with mobiles, you don't know who is talking to who or sending messages. It's easier to flirt with someone now with all this moderen stuff. They same with e-mails and chat rooms.

[claire]

shirley said:

Poor Tina seemed to be the carer, but not someone that people looked after.

that's it in a nut shell. She was the one that could cope with anything

[megan]

Do you girls think it is okay what he did? Would you not mind if your husband rang one of your friends for intimate chats? I would be hugely hurt by the whole thing, and would most probably dump the two of them! I find this fascinating and great material for discussion - thanks Mary!!!
Oh and i now realise that I had Cathy's name wrong!

[megan]

by the way, the more I read this book, the more I liked it, and didn't want to put it down! It gathered momentum like a snowball!

[Shirley]

Well, I would go nuts if I found out my husband was up to those capers!

[claire]

I did like Ray, he was so suited to Tina, and I so did not want him to ring Cathy. I think it is something that any one of us could fall into, without seeing any harm in it. I would be very upset with Hein if I was to find out something like that, that he was talking to another woman, although upset is not quite the right word, I'd flush all his phones down the toilet if I ever found out something ike that. But how and ever, it seems to be the thing these days that people are always looking out for something better, a little bit more excitment, when it is up to them to keep it in their own relationships

[sMurphy]

Yes I agree Megan, I didn't like what Ray did, and it was a huge betrayal. I would be so hurt if it happened to us... yes, I totally agree with you! But I can't blame Cathy for it all, Ray's motive was more dangerous than Cathy's, I feel and he did initiate more than she I believe, and with worse intentions...

[Shirley]

And you know as well what the great thing about this book was (well, one of the great things)? We know it's as good as it is because we know Mary put so much work into it. Do you know what I mean? Like, we know that Mary put her heart and soul into it, and reworked it, re-edited it, manoeuvred it until she was fully satisfied with it. It wasn't just sloppily rushed out the door. And you could really see all the work that went into it when you read it - it was structured well, it had good pace, etc. I really appreciate that in a book.

[Shirley]

As for Ray, I think he made a huge error of judgement in flirting with Cathy, and I wasn't too impressed by Cathy getting a little thrill out of it either (but I was glad the narrative voice was honest to us about that - it would have been worse if the narrative voice had said she was disgusted and then we continued to see her reacting to Ray's behaviour). But I was glad he had enough sense to realise that his marriage was the important thing.
In a way, I'd love to know what happened to Ray and Tina after the end of the book. You'd wonder if he was fully happy in his marriage....was this a blip, or was he losing interest in Tina? Was he just having a mad moment tied into mid-life crisis lunacy? What caused him to feel this way, and did it resolve itself or was it always at the back of his mind? Or did he fully realise how lucky he was to have such a great woman and just get on with his life?

[claire]

beinfg on this forum I can see all the work that goes into a book and this was one hell of a gret first book. I can't wait to read anothe one by Mary. But I would rather wait till she gets it right than have her rush something out for the sake of it

[claire]

I think it was just a blip, I have to believe it was just a blip. I can't take it if yet another couple give up and get divorced!! Like the way oonagh feels about afaires!

[Oonagh]

I loved it I want a SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!

[claire]

your wish shall be granted

hiya Oons great to see you made it

[megan]

Yes, it flowed really well, and the structure great - I agree.

But back to the Ray and Cathy thing!! I agree with you Rowena, it wasn't all Cathy's fault at all. I lay the blame more on Ray. He is Tina's husband after all and promised to be loyal to her.

Claire, I can't see how anyone could "Fall into that and not see the harm in it" - well, I know that men are prone to do it a lot - they convenienly turn off thier brains when they fancy a woman other that their wives. A number of married men have come on to me (I'm sure you have all had the same experience), and I have known thier wives! How dare they do that behind their wives backs, and especially when I know her? It's so disloyal!

[Oonagh]

yeah sorry i was late was talking to my parfents who arrived in the door at 8.

[sMurphy]

Yeah that would be interesting Shirley. Maybe he was just feeling insecure with his "new" position in life, and fearful of the changes that it would bring. The stress of winning such an amount of money, and the strain on their relationship due to their conflicting approaches, caused that little wobble. I really would love to think that Tina & Ray lived happily ever after in that beautiful house in Kinsale. And i think he would have regarded his brief flirtation as a silly thing that he regretted, and it made him realise all the more how great he and Tina were together.

[megan]

I think it's great when a book provokes discussion like this,and when readers see characters differently. It means the characters aren't all black and white. They are much more complex than that, as we are in real life.

[sMurphy]

I have to add also that I liked Cathy's character/storyline because of the relationship with her mother and its development from Cathy treating her mother like the child, to a more even keel where they had an adult-adult relationship! Also loved the clothes bit - there was a little boutique in a village where my Mum used to shop years ago, and she always picked up the lovely things there - the shop & shop owner in Mary's book reminded me so much of it... it was a real blast from the past. Something I hadn't thought about for a while. I used to love clothes shopping with my Mum when I was a kid.

[EmmaH]

Im working late and just stumbled across this - ive been so busy lately i didnt even realise it was up for discussion, but here's my view anyway:

A good sign for a great read for me is when you get that lovely cosy feeling when you open it. I remember feeling the same about Maeve Binchey's earlier novels and Patricia Scanlan too - like you really know the characters and are rooting for them all the way. I was driving home from work one evening and had a feeling of looking forward to something but couldnt remember what. Then i realised it was the next few chapters of Love Match and I took the book into the lving room and read away as the kids played around me. I havent done that in ages so well done Mary. Looking forward to the next one!

Im going to throw a spanner in the owrks by saying I DID like Ray. He was tempted, as Im sure many men are, and he showed a bit of human weakness by having private chats with Cathy but when it came to the crunch, he didnt take it any further which proves how much he loved Tina. i think it was a one off and Id doubt Ray would ever let that happen again. (I hope not!)

[Oonagh]

Well Girls I finished the book this morning. It was a great gripping read I was hooked! It was not out of my sight yesterday! I really warmed to all the female characters. All three female characters were going through some problems. I really enjoyed it Mary. Well done girl. Can I be a little critical I would love more on the solictor and Jonathan so maybe a sequel could be done!!! Just an idea for ya Mary I would definetly buy it! I loved Shane Tina and Rays son he was adorable in his own right!
Girls this is one book you must get this summer it wont disappoint. I was in Mahon today and i saw it and it was signed by Mary in easons. I already cant wait for your next book Mary!


I wrote this after i read. it was cool it was set in Kinsale

[claire]

i have so much going around my head at the mo on this topic I just can't get it written down!