Losing It

The eagerly awaited third novel from Jane Asher. A man who has everything falls for a girl who has nothing going for her, and gradually finds the tables completely turned on him. Charlie Thornton is, as far as he knows, happily married to Judy, with three grown-up children and a successful career as a barrister. So how on earth does he become drawn into a relationship with Stacey, a very fat and unhappy young girl who works on the checkout of his local supermarket? His wife is at first amused by his interest in helping this girl, then increasingly alarmed as the girl blossoms under the attention, losing weight and gaining in confidence, finally embarking on a passionate affair with the by-now obsessed Charlie. As Stacey's world improves, Judy Thornton is outraged to be displaced, and Charlie finds his own confidence and fortunes on the slide. Can a balance ever be regained?