Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon (Harper Collins 2007)

It was really the cover that drew me to the book. It looked fun and witty. And of course, the "International Bestseller" didn't hurt either. This a story about a mistress who decides as her man finally leaves his wife after their 4-year affair that she doesn't want him anymore. But she can't figure out how to get rid of him. 

I was quite put off by Helen's wishy-washy, immature decision-making that led her to carry on an affair with another woman's husband. Her best friend begged her to stay away from him, but she didn't listen. So now here she is, four years later, still just the mistress, in a secret relationship with her boss. Most of her friends have grown apart from her, she doesn't have much of a social life, and she doesn't even get to have full rights to her boyfriend because he's married to someone else. And she's nearing forty. She finally realizes her discontent as Matthew shows up at her door with all his stuff to announce that he has left Sophie, his wife, and he will be moving in with her. So they can finally be together just as she's always wanted. And she had wanted that. Before.

Now work is miserable as she hears the catty remarks of her gossipy coworkers about the husband-stealing bitch that wrecked Matthew & Sophie's marriage. Only they don't know it was Helen. Yet. And her best friend is immersed in her own wedding planning and so is unavailable to be Helen's sounding board. So Helen goes it alone to try to get herself out of a sticky situation. She tracks down Sophie and as "Eleanor" ends up liking her rival immensely and is disgusted by her own behaviour. So Helen leads this double life as Eleanor and is constantly "walking a tight rope" to try to keep her two lives separate and not reveal that she is the woman who stole Sophie's husband. To further complicate matters, Helen "as Eleanor" finally meets a man more her age and they share a mutual instant attraction. The problem is that it is Matthew's son from his first marriage.

The ridiculous situations that Helen gets into as a result of her deceptions are laughable and you just want to hide your face in your hands for her. You can't help but hope that despite everything, Helen will learn to find her own happiness.

Back Blurb: Helen loves Matthew. She's sure of it. Otherwise, why would she have endured years as his faithful mistress? Years without a full night spent together, years of waiting to be called "the Mrs."? But when someday becomes today, and Matthew leaves his wife, Sophie, Helen suddenly realizes she isn't so keen. Matthew is mopey and messy - and impossible to get rid of. So Helen comes up with a hilariously disastrous plan that turns happily ever after on its head. Now that she's got the guy, she has to get rid of him. And find herself in the process.