Book Review: ‘Under The Table: A Novel’ Is A Great Romantic Story

Zoey Sullivan has fled to New York City to live with her older sister Ruth. She has been having problems with her husband Derek in Cleveland and wanted a divorce. Derek asked her to wait a year and has been working on himself to try and save the marriage. Zoey doesn’t think it can be saved. She starts hew own catering business and gets clients and is becoming successful. Then she gets a job offer from Tristan and this changes everything.

Tristan is rich, smart, good looking, sexy, nice, he cooks and very naive. He is the ultimate boy next store. There doesn’t seem to be a thing wrong with him. He grew up sheltered on an island and decided to come to the US to change his life. He has a bad experience in Las Vegas and has now settled in New York. He hires Zoey to cater a dinner for him. He pays her very well and they get along very well.

They soon become good friends and Zoey takes him out shopping, clubbing and introduces him to things in NY and today’s culture like Rock Band. They’re both attracted to each other but don’t act on it or admit it at first. She is still married and Derek keeps calling and wanting her back. Then there’s Ruth who likes to party and always getting into trouble. She tries to push Zoey to get back with Derek.

When Tristan and Zoey finally give into their passion it’s electric. They can’t get enough of each other and haven’t really dissected where it might be going. Then out of the blue Derek shows up in Zoey’s living room and pleads his case. He’s changed and wants her back. Stunned and confused Zoey decides to give him another chance and sends a text to Tristan. As charming as Derek is Zoey suddenly realizes this might not be what she wants and has to make a decision of what she wants and try to figure out if things are too late for her to fix.

Just a beautifully written story of a woman starting over and reinventing her life. Zoey has to take stock in her life and figure out what she wants and also make her sister Ruth finally grown up. Her relationship with Tristan is magic and he might be one of the best characters all year in any book. Just too good to be true. It’s a great love story as well. Add it all together and you have one great novel.

You can pick it up in stores on Tuesday, April 16 from William Morrow.