BRITAIN in the 1990s was a great place to be; the economy was good, success seemed to be everywhere and those who gained the most were the young trendy couples in business.

This story is about four friends who seem to have everything they could possibly dream of; Caroline is about to get married to the man of her dreams; Harriet is happy with her dependable partner Will; Izzy, her husband, James, and two children live in a beautiful home where she can indulge in her creative cooking and Stella is in an unconventional marriage with her rock star husband and beautiful son.

But then the recession begins and life suddenly seems fall apart. How do you hold on to everything you took for granted when it all seems now to be slipping away and controlled by the lives of others?

Shame brings secrets and, what at first is a small lie, suddenly becomes a much bigger part of life and what was only a few months ago a beautiful existence, can suddenly become a worst nightmare.

Jessica Ruston has written an enthralling novel that explores the many sides of friendship and marriage. While we become emotionally sympathetic to all the characters, the author brings suspense into the actions of everyday life that we all identify with.

What starts as a comfortable piece of ‘chick lit’ suddenly becomes a tense drama that will have you staying up reading until you reach the final page.