Review of “I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You.”

Robert Haddon is a British artist living with his wife of 7 years, Anne, in Paris.  He has started to feel the proverbial “itch” that so many have described at this point in a marriage.  Robert and Anne have a 5 year old daughter whom Robert takes care of while his wife practices law at a firm in Paris.  Robert feels that his life has become routine and mundane.  He is even bored with his art career when the only things he can manage to sell are some oil paintings which he has no real passion for.

So when Robert meets Lisa Bishop, a sexy, American journalist, he is susceptible to her invitation to “dinner.”  When Robert begins his affair, Anne becomes suspicious and guesses that he is engaging in extracurricular activities.  Much to Robert’s surprise, Anne does not immediately kick him out and divorce him, even when she finds out the details of his affair.  However, their relationship is a far cry from what it was and Robert wonders if they can ever regain the happiness they once had in their marriage and in their life together.

There were several times throughout the book that I just wanted to shake Robert because he was acting like a complete ass.  But the thing is that he knew he was acting like an ass and he couldn’t quite figure out how to climb out of his funk.  This made for some funny and entertaining inner dialogue. The book also includes a couple of hilarious exchanges between Robert and a gay couple, Dan and Dave, who buy one of Robert’s oil paintings.  Their attempts to get him to meditate and drink Kombucha (a fermented tea) are comical.

There is also a serious side to this book which explores the themes of love, fidelity, redemption and forgiveness.  Anne is an intriguing character and the reader never quite knows if can ever forgive her husband for his infidelity.  It is hard to successfully execute witty writing that is also thoughtful but Courtney Maum has done it with resounding success.  I highly recommend I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN HERE WITHOUT YOU to anyone who is married, in a serious relationship, or is contemplating a union with another human being.

Up next is my review of “Euphoria” which has been on many “must-read” summer lists.  What are you reading this summer?  Leave a comment below!