The Perfect Happiness

Angelica Lariviere is living in London and seems to have it all: a handsome French banker husband, two adorable children, devoted friends, and a successful career as a children's book author. Then she meets Jack Meyer at a dinner party, and her world turns upside down. They hit it off immediately, and the flirtation advances from words to deeds. Things really heat up on a trip to South Africa, where Jack owns vineyards and Angelica is on a book tour. When she returns home, she begins to realize how rich her life is and what she would be risking by following her desire. This run-of-the-mill female midlife crisis novel has few surprises and even the ending twist will be caught early on by any reader who's paying attention. While Montefiore's supporting characters sparkle, her leads are dull, especially in their pseudophilosophical repartee. Cuckolded husband Olivier becomes more interesting as the story progresses, but Angelica and Jack fail to set off any sparks. (June)