In The Consequences, the sequel to 2013's The Affair, Colette Freedman picks through the bloody aftermath of a discovered liaison. There are three players--the wife, the husband and the mistress--and each has a chance to tell his or her side of the story.
When we last left this dysfunctional trio, they were reeling from a humiliating confrontation as Kathy affirmed her love for her cheating husband, Robert; he insisted he wanted her back; and the devastated mistress, Stephanie, took the high road, agreeing to give Robert up. For many readers, the story could simply end there, but Freedman takes it a step further.
As Richard and Kathy struggle to rebuild a marriage where there is no trust, Stephanie learns she is pregnant. This proves to be the making (and undoing) of all of them. Freedman fleshes out her characters thoroughly, giving readers a chance to identify with each one. There are no villains here... and no angels, either.
What's so refreshing about The Consequences is that Freedman doesn't pigeonhole Kathy as a pampered ice queen or Stephanie as a calculating slut. Both are fine women who've made mistakes; both are portrayed sympathetically (though the lonely, anxiety-ridden Robert gets shorter shrift as he struggles to do what's right). Just deserts will be served before the tale's shocking conclusion, leaving readers in suspense as they puzzle over which woman Robert will ultimately choose. --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend