About book The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1994)
This is probably my favorite Jilly Cooper book, even if it isn't one of her most famous ones. It's just so funny and sweet and with a creeptastic undertone and I adore the protagonists.Lysander Hawkley is gorgeous and ridiculously nice. He's also not the sharpest tool in the drawer, can't read or write in any coherent matter due to dyslexia, and is incapable of holding down a job or even function much in real world due to just losing interest and not keeping track of anything. Luckily, his fed-up friend finally finds him a job Lysander can hold down - the job of the title of the book. A particular town near to London is a favorite living space for many of the England's rich and famous and, as it often goes, many of the rich wives are neglected by their husbands, either for work or for mistresses. So Lysander becomes the man who gets hired by these ladies to get their husbands back - by pretending to be these ladies' devoted admirer etc - as Lysander is naturally nice to people and very attractive, that is an easy easy job for him. (Sex is not included in the purchase package, but usually happens anyway). And then he meets Kitty Ranaldini. Kitty is plain, chubby, Cockney and married to the most appalling man ever (I actually think he's the only monster in all of Cooper's books). Ranaldini is a famous conductor who married Kitty when his previous wife left - Kitty was his very efficient secretary and he didn't want to lose her services. He doesn't love her or like her, treats her like dirt, and so does everyone else in his entourage (Kitty is expected to book hotel rooms for Ranaldini's mistresses, etc). The same is true in town - her 'friends' pretty much use her to arrange their lives and make their parties more pleasant and never think about her wishes twice. Lysander is not particularly interested in Kitty but he does feel sorry for the way she's being treated and eventually they become friends. Oh, and then one of his former clients hires him for Kitty to bring Kitty's husband back, etcetcetc I think it is no surprise to say they fall desperately in love?It all sounds like a plot of a romance novel (well, perhaps a lot tawdrier version of one) but it's not really - it's cynical and funny and actually pretty biting, with a lot of spotlight on characters who are not the main two (various wives, Ranaldini and his entourage etc). I think it's my favorite of her books because it's rather a character piece and also because I just adore the two protagonists, who are both ridiculously nice (Lysander especially reminded me of a puppy) and also total misfits - despite his looks and upper-classish background, he is just as much of an outsider as she is. They are both too naive for the creepy creepy games people play around them (the only scene in all of her books that freaked me the hell out was in this book and involved Lysander at Ranaldini's party and ugh) and rather unsuited for the real world alone (together, they do fill in each other's gaps - she is as impossibly nice as he is but very practical). Basically, it's hilarious and darling and with some dark dark undertones that nonetheless do not overwhelm.
This is the fourth in the Rutshire Chronicles, and the only one in the series I hadn’t yet read. And it is by far my least favourite. This book is nothing but sex. Lysander, hopelessly gorgeous and in desperate need of cash, is persuaded to ‘pretend’ to date married women to tempt their cheating husbands back home. Usually it’s successful, but usually there is little pretense behind Lysander’s relationships either. Randaldinni makes his first proper appearance, but I found I detested him even more in this book than I do in later books. And the knowledge that he dies two books later on didn’t placate me. He’s just such a horrible little man. But what really made this book less interesting to me is that for most of the book there wasn’t any other plot besides the sex. At least in the rest of the series there is opera, or show jumping, so there is some drama outside of who’s bonking who. I’m glad I read this one only because it tied together the older and newer books but that’s it. I’d say it’s the book I’m least likely to re-read.
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Lysader Hawkley a gorgeous young man who cannot resist anything in trouble,be it an ill treated animal or a helpless mistreated woman he had to help them all,oftentimes getting himself in trouble.He finds himself at 22 dealing with the death a a mother he adored,out of work,drinking to much and in debt.His friend Ferdie comes up with a plan for Lysander to get paid for making these husbands jealous.They go to ritzy Rutshire and set Lysader loose.The problem is he falls in love with the women whose husbands he's supposed to be getting back and the become very fond of him.But one man the is truly evil his name is Rannaldini and he is married to a very plain but sweet woman named Kity who he takes advantage of very badly.Lysander falls in love with her and she with him but Rannadini will do anyting to keep the apart.
—Meryan
Only Jilly Cooper could write about sex using the analogy of an otter frolicking on a riverbank and joyously plunging into... Anyway, perhaps addressing the fact that her previous books were called rather racy, this book is all about sex. Some romance, a fair amount of deception, and lots of bantering betweek sparky characters. And just one or two ponies.The characters are engaging, and despite both Rannaldini and Hermione being grotesque caracatures, utterly believable. You become drawn into their world and need to know what happens to them, helped by the fact that the book makes space for an ensemble cast of familiar old friends.However, I did feel that this wasn't the best Jilly Cooper I've read, and it was slightly overlong, but nevertheless an enjoyable, easy read.
—Vicky
I bought this book after watching the film and fell in love with the lead character. You really need to read all the other books that revolve around these characters. Although each book stands on its own, reading the other volumes help expand each of the characters and you will end up understanding why certain characters are the way they are in this environment. It is based on the horse crowd in UK and takes in a concert pianist and his troubles and other offshoots such as a self-made millionaire with a common touch, wives who don't feel they measure up and others that feel they are too high up on the totem pole to even entertain the lower characters. It is filled with sexual romps, cheating husbands, misunderstood children, naive women, etc, etc. A little bit for everybody written with the usual Jilly Cooper, tongue in cheek, humour. I never thought I would read anything about the polo or horse crowd but find these books very entertaining and great for reading at any time.
—Val
