Freya and Joe’s marriage has fizzled its way to the end, but for financial reasons, and to support their daughter in her final year of school, they decide they need to keep living together for six months.
They know it won’t be easy, but for Joe at least, it provides creative a struggling sitcom writer, he has found his new project. Why not write about his own situation? And the network loves it.
There is just one problem - Freya doesn’t know.
Can Freya and Joe navigate the six months together and might they find out something new about their relationship? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
Not Moving Out was a realistic look at the changes that can happen within a marriage, particularly after being married for a very long length of time. The last eighteen months of Freya’s and Joe’s marriage had felt like a strain for both characters–Freya feels that Joe doesn’t want to put in the work and effort to improve their relationship, while Joe feels like Freya isn’t giving him the benefit of the doubt. I appreciated how they are coming at it from different perspectives, with valid points on either side, but it’s obvious something drastic has to happen in order for this marriage to be salvageable.
Freya comes up with a temporary solution: To separate internally, in their home, while waiting out their daughter’s last year of school. Freya will take the primary bedroom, while Joe will make room in his office. And they’ll both try their best to be respectful to one another in the meantime, until they can officially divorce. As can be imagined, the time spent apart while still under the same roof proves to be off putting and awkward, and that scenario also felt realistic. Having done something similar myself, it’s strange how the person you pledged to spend the rest of your life with becomes almost like an acquaintance, and I really felt that for Freya and Joe.
A subcurrent plot is Joe’s fledgling career. One of the catalysts that has led to the separation had been Joe’s need to put his career first, so when the suggestion to write about his experiences with Freya becomes a reality and an option, he jumps at the chance, with minimal reservations. They always say to write what you know, right? Only, the longer Joe goes without talking with Freya about his latest project, the harder it gets to come clean with her. And the more he writes, the closer he feels to her, reliving many of the reasons he fell in love with her to begin with.
I could appreciate Not Moving Out. A near-constant thread and lesson that is presented for both characters is to not forget who they were before the marriage. So often, people no longer remember who they were, or the types of hobbies or interests they had before, often choosing to go with their partner’s choices, or thoughts and ideas. Which only later serves to make them feel like they no longer know who they are. I felt that more with Freya, but there are glimpses of that for Joe, too. The big question is whether the two of them are meant to stay together, or if it’s better to be apart. And maybe the separation will help them figure it out. It was an eye-opening experience!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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Jon grew up in England and studied English Literature at Middlesex University, London, before travelling the world and meeting his American wife in Australia. He now lives in California with his wife, two kids, and a dog called Pickle, where he writes full-time and drinks far too much tea.
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