Married Sex

Kornbluth’s debut novel starts off astonishingly smart and sexy but ends a little unevenly. David is a divorce lawyer who has been blissfully married to Blair, a Barnard dean, for over 20 years. Despite continually seeing the worst aspects of marriage, David and Blair keep theirs lively. However, charismatic photographer Jean Coin upends their world when she propositions David to be her lover for six weeks. David adheres to a deal he made with Blair years prior: if an offer came their way, it would have to involve both of them. They have two initial threesomes, but then a shocker muddies the whole situation, causing David to reevaluate his marriage. The eroticism of the mature marriage between David and Blair is intoxicating and delightful—a departure from the sedate, sexless midlife marriages that readers often find in literature. Coin’s appearance, however, signals a return to familiarity in the genre. Coin lacks motivation or depth, appearing merely to be a destructive force in their relationship and not much else. In addition, there are some believability issues with Blair’s motivations. Though some parts feel contrived, readers will appreciate the intimacy of the writing, both in its depiction of marriage as well as the New York City setting. [em](Aug.) [/em]