“Exquisite.“--MinneapolisStarTribune-“Brilliantlyobserved.“--People,PickoftheWeek“Abeguilingnovel,deceptivelyeasytoread;beneaththesurfaceswimdisturbingandage-oldquestionsaboutfreedomandfate.“--HilaryMantelFromthebestsellingauthorofLateintheDayandThePastcomesacompulsivenewnovelaboutonewoman’ssexualandintellectualawakeningin1960sLondon.1967.WhileLondoncomesalivewiththenewyouthrevolution,thesuburbanFischerfamilyseemstobelongtoanolderworldofconventionalstability:pretty,dutifulhomemakerPhyllisismarriedtoRoger,adevotedfatherwithacareerintheForeignOffice.TheirchildrenareColette,abookishteenager,andHugh,thegoldenboy.Butwhenthetwenty-somethingsonofanoldfriendpaystheFischersavisitonehotsummerevening,andkissesPhyllisinthedarkgardenafterdinner,somethinginhercatchesfire.Newlyawaketotheworld,Phyllismakesachoicethatdefiesallexpectationsofherasawifeandamother.Nothingintheseordinarylivesissoordinaryafterall,itturnsout,asthefamily’supheavalmirrorsthedramatictransformationofthesocietyaroundthem.Withscalpel-sharpinsight,TessaHadleyexploreshercharacters’innerworlds,layingbaretheirfearsandlongings.Daringandsensual,FreeLoveisanirresistibleexplorationofromanticlove,sexualfreedomandlivingoutthetruestandmostmeaningfulversionofourselves-anovelthatshowcasesHadley’sunrivaledabilityto“putonpaperaconsciousnesssovisceral,sofullyrealized,itheightensandexpandsyourown“(LilyKing,authorofEuphoria).
