An unexpected divorce can destroy a man's life. Or it can be the start of a new journey. Follow along with Bill as he struggles to adapt to the changes caused when Anne utters those dreaded words "Bill I want a divorce."
Size: 176 KB (34,692 words)
Genre: Fiction
Sex Contents: No Sex
Tags: Ma/Fa, Heterosexual, Cheating, Slow
Review by rvbuilder [other reviews by rvbuilder]
Reviewed: - (Review Updated: )
If I had one complaint about this story, it would be the fact that this is the writer's one and only contribution to SoL, and future work is doubtful, given the posting date of December, 2006. That being said, I would very much like to read anything else this author cares to post.
Bill is a hard-working architect with two preteen daughters and a wife (Anne) who suddenly blindsides him with a divorce. The reason is as old as the hills, and dealt with multiple times on this website: she's having an affair and wants to be with her new man. Bill, of course, did not see this coming and can't figure out why. As frequently happens elsewhere, Bill's friends and family all offer him advice, up to and including the famous BTB scenario. He could do that, of course, because the "other man's" wife has photographic evidence of the infidelities. But reason prevails and Bill is able to suppress his righteous anger and feelings of betrayal, attaining a more cordial relationship with his ex in order to lessen the impact of the divorce on his daughters.
Life goes on, and Bill discovers that he can enjoy a rich and varied dating life while sharing custody of his children. At one point he comes very close to marriage. Bill treats us to a lot of philosophizing about interpersonal relationships, some of which I can relate to in my own life. My favorite is his musing about how anybody can be comfortable in a relationship based on cheating. Both parties KNOW their significant other has cheated on a spouse before, and once that line is crossed...
This is a very thought-provoking story which will strike chords in anyone who has gone through a divorce, especially one where infidelity is at play. Later in the story, Bill and Anne converse about events and feelings leading up to the divorce, and beyond. Each gains an understanding of the other's position to a certain degree. At this point, I should stop describing things because I don't want to give away the story. SPOILER ALERT: Don't read the author's blog until you've finished the story.
This writer seems to have captured the essence of a fairly amicable divorce situation which comes across as believable from both protagonist's points of view. This is more of a character study than an erotic story, so if you're looking for graphic sex scenes, you won't find them.
As for grades, the basis of the plot is tried and true, but the way the story comes out is not quite the usual. I saw very few technical (grammatical) errors, and those did not in any way detract from the story. This one appeals to me even though it's not particularly romantic in the sense of burning love/lust, but more of a slow simmer. It's not too long and I promise you will be glad you took the time.
