Slip of the Tongue by Jessica Hawkins appeared on my computer screen, and I decided to read it for one reason: the small print on the cover caught my attention. In case you cannot read it, it states: "Her husband didn't want her. The man next door would give up everything to have her."  

These few words made an imprint upon my mind. I was captivated and, even suspecting an affair would take place, I wondered about the emotions involved in the story, how the author would deal with such a sensitive subject.

Slip of the Tongue introduced me to the seemingly abandoned marriage of Sadie and Nathan Hunt. I soon picked up on the fact that Nathan seemed to be avoiding Sadie at every available opportunity, so contrary to the behavior he used to exhibit. From what Sadie shared with me, Nathan sounded like such an all-around good guy; it made me wonder why his behavior changed in the blink of an eye.

I witnessed the moment when Sadie was outside of her apartment door and met Finn Cohen, a man who recently moved into the building. His first words to her were unexpected: "Hello again." I can understand why the words confused her; as the story unfolds, the reason these words were spoken is revealed.

Without giving the details of the story away, I will state that the emotions shared in Slip of the Tongue made the book. I could imagine how each of the three main characters felt throughout the various stages of the story. 

I could easily visualize how I might feel if my relationship seemed to be abandoned by my partner. I could equally imagine how I would feel if I was the one constantly giving and making sacrifices while my partner always seemed so willing to take from me.

As for feeling attracted to a forbidden person, few people would be able to honestly claim that their eye has never been drawn to another's beauty, characteristics or personality traits. That being said, not everyone travels the path these characters have embarked upon.

The story is beautifully told, is rich in setting and characterization. The ending was rewarding, though I had no idea which way the author would go, which relationship would be chosen. I must admit to wondering what's happening in the characters' lives now.

As much as I enjoyed the story, reading Slip of the Tongue by Jessica Hawkins was a huge leap away from my normal reading material - not because of the emotional elements of the story, but because of the graphic sexual scenes contained in it. It is definitely not for sensitive readers and could bring negative memories to the forefront for any woman who has been sexually abused.

If you would like to take a look at some of the reviews for Slip of the Tongue, or feel you might be interested in reading the story, please visit its page on Amazon.