An Unsuitable Match

By: Joanna Trollope

Narrated by: Samantha Bond

Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

An Unsuitable Match, by number one best-selling author Joanna Trollope, is an a uplifting story of love, family and second chances.

Dealing with one's own emotions is one thing. Facing a parent's roller coaster of a love life is quite another....

Rose Woodrowe is getting married to Tyler Masson - a wonderful, sensitive man who is head over heels in love with her. The only problem? This isn't the first time for either of them, and their five grown-up children have strong opinions on the matter....

Who to listen to? Who to please? Rose and Tyler are determined to get it right this time, but in trying to make everyone happy, can they ever be happy themselves?

©2018 Joanna Trollope (P)2018 Macmillan Digital Audio

Critic Reviews

"Nobody writes about family tensions better than Joanna Trollope." ( Good Housekeeping)

Captivating

One reviewer wrote that she felt Johanna Trollope was her personal novelist, and that's just the way I feel. Her characters and their situations and emotions are very real to me. I love her style of writing.
Samantha Bond does an incredible job of reading this book.
Usually I just listen to books while walking or driving. This one I had to finish just sitting around because I had to know what happened.

Charming characters, absorbing story, excellent narration

Through deft character development, before I knew it I was thoroughly invested in the ‘match’, unsuitable or not. I was quite charmed by the children, and especially the precocious 4-year-old Grandson Jack.
Perfect, unobtrusive narration, speaks so well for the main character, Rose, but also for the others, male or female. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Sober read

I usually read Joanna Trollope when I want to hear realistic domestic situations and I’m rarely disappointed. And, as such, I learn more about myself by identifying with the characters at some point. This is not a fairytale, love conquers all story. It’s a growing up story.

Disappointing. Characters were spoilt and entitled

Usually an incisive writer I didn't find a single character, or the way they behaved, likeable. The characters were entitled and behaved in a predictable way.

Rose and Tyler have found love in their sixties...

Rose has been on her own for seven years since her husband left her for another woman. When at the age of 63 she meets the tender, super-loving Tyler, she feels entirely loved for the first time. Tyler adores Rose, to him she’s the most wonderful woman ever. He buys her an amethyst engagement ring and extravagant bouquets of flowers, wants them to buy a cottage in the country, raise hens and live happily ever after. So what’s the problem?

The ‘children’ – all grown up with lives and relationships of their own - are up in arms. “Oh Mum, we’re worried for you, you must see a solicitor, Oh Mum, sell the house? OUR house?? What about the money?” And so it goes on. Trollope is brilliant at emotional nuance and relationships. I find her characters’ endless meals at home, restaurants and coffee bars with their details of wildly expensive ingredients flown in from across the world available only in West London, and the litany of bottles of wine and cocktails served out at any hour which can be afforded only by the wealthy, tedious and irritating. But Rose’s position, excited and truly adored for the only time in her life and so wanting her children just to wish her happiness, is deftly created and subtly developed.

I can’t comment on how the situation unfolds without spoiling the story but enough to say that Trollope’s ability to create the ramifications of family problems caused by a mother who has always dedicated herself to her children’s well-being seizing the chance of happiness, for once just for herself, is masterly.

The voice of Samantha Bond the narrator is a bit too cosy for me, but she’s excellent at making the dialogue – of which there’s a great deal – totally realistic and absorbing.

Okay read but bit depressing

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Probably not, I found the story a bit depressing. I liked the narration though, Samantha Bond is the best part of it.

Has An Unsuitable Match put you off other books in this genre?

No

life is not what you plan

JT catches a glimpse of life from a different perspective. A Very satisfying read indeed.

enjoyable story

found this very easy to listen to and the characters lives interesting and the narrator expressed the personality of each one well. the story probably could be called a little obvious but I enjoyed listening nevertheless.

Nothing happens...

Will entertain you for a few hours but don't expect much..lots of talking but nothing happens

Not up to her usual standard

Very different from Joanna Trollope’s usual offerings. A litany of whinging & whining, with no real plot or character development. I couldn’t empathise or care about the fate of any of the characters, some were not at all credible, more like cartoon figures. Very disappointing.

Depressing story

Family angst unexplained. Disappointed and bewildered, as characters actions never explained clearly. Could not recommend.

Disappointing

I normally love Joanna Trollope books but very disappointed with this one. Did not understand the undertones going on which lead to this strange story. Not helped I might add by Samantha Bonds strange accents.