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The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous

Lysander Hawkley combined breathtaking good looks with the kindest of hearts. He couldn't pass a stray dog, an ill-treated horse or a neglected wife without rushing to the rescue. And with neglected wives the rescue invariably led to ecstatic bonking, which didn't please their erring husbands one bit. Lysander's mid-life crisis had begun at twenty-two. Reeling from the death of his beautiful mother, he was out of work, drinking too much and desperately in debt. The solution came from Ferdie, his fat, fast-operating friend: if Lysander was so good at making husbands jealous, why shouldn't he get paid for it? Let loose among the neglected wives of the ritzy county of Rutshire, Lysander causes absolute havoc. But it is only when he meets Rannaldini, Rutshire's King Rat of Rutshire and a temperamental, fiendishly promiscuous international conductor, that the trouble really starts. The only unglamorous woman around Rannaldini was Kitty, his plump young wife who ran his life like clockwork. Soon Lysander was convinced that Kitty must be rescued from Rannaldini at all costs, even if it means enlisting the help of the old blue-eyed havoc maker: Rupert Campbell-Black.

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Top Reviews

The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous
I listened to the Audible version of this book read by Sherry Baines and I can thoroughly recommend it.
This modern morality tale is my favourite Jilly Cooper novel so far. People may be surprised to hear the word morality associated with one of the Rutshire Chronicles, aren't they often described as 'bonkbusters'? However, as many of the wrongdoers here are punished or corrected and some even reformed I think morality tale fits the bill. The central charac...

The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous
I listened to the Audible version of this book read by Sherry Baines and I can thoroughly recommend it.
This modern morality tale is my favourite Jilly Cooper novel so far. People may be surprised to hear the word morality associated with one of the Rutshire Chronicles, aren't they often described as 'bonkbusters'? However, as many of the wrongdoers here are punished or corrected and some even reformed I think morality tale fits the bill. The central character is Lysander Hawkley, the drop-dead handsome shambles of a young man who can't help being kind and adorable whilst he runs through money as if there's no tomorrow and along the way he charms every female he meets. On seeing him approach, the men rush to guard their wives.

Jilly cleverly pokes fun at the social mores of a small village and the wider world whilst creating luscious word pictures of glorious gardens surrounding the homes in the stunning countryside around the village of Paradise. The scene where Georgie Maguire meets Lysander's father is a classic piece of comic writing. Jilly always makes everything so vivid.

There are so many wonderful characters in these pages. Kitty Rannaldini, Georgie Maguire, Marigold, Ferdie all of whom Jilly paints with a deft brush of sly humour and compassionate insight. Then there's the sad eco-obsessed and sanctimonious Rachel Levitsky who is more topical than ever in our eco-deluded times.It's such a delight as Jilly pokes fun at it all.

Add in our old favourite Rupert Campbell-Black later in the story and really, what more could we want? Lysander's interactions with Rupert are hilarious and touching by turns. Jilly Cooper is a quite masterly manipulator of the English language.

It's an ideal holiday read, even at 733 pages. I promise you'll race through it in no time, it's so entertaining.

By Francina Bergnaum

Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Lots of characters to love and some to hate. I've ordered the next book already

Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Lots of characters to love and some to hate. I've ordered the next book already

By Christina Johns

The second hand hard copy, apart from. Slightly yellowing pages (it was published in 1993), is in good condition. I have only read the frontispiece so far, and seen Jilly Cooper's photo on the back cover. A stark warning for uninhibited bonkers!

The second hand hard copy, apart from. Slightly yellowing pages (it was published in 1993), is in good condition. I have only read the frontispiece so far, and seen Jilly Cooper's photo on the back cover. A stark warning for uninhibited bonkers!

By Carin Barrows

This novel deals with the story of Lysander, a handsome young blood (are there any ore kind in JC's books) who is lovely, kind but hopeless in matters of business. Desperately struggling following the accidental death of his mother he is convinced into trying his hand at making errant husbands jealous so that they return from their philandering to their wives.
It also deals with the ups and downs of several relationships and introduces Rannaldini the handsome and terrifying conductor.
Well ...

This novel deals with the story of Lysander, a handsome young blood (are there any ore kind in JC's books) who is lovely, kind but hopeless in matters of business. Desperately struggling following the accidental death of his mother he is convinced into trying his hand at making errant husbands jealous so that they return from their philandering to their wives.
It also deals with the ups and downs of several relationships and introduces Rannaldini the handsome and terrifying conductor.
Well worth reading and far better than most of her subsequent books.

By Milda Konopelski