“THE PERFECT COUPLE” by Elin Hilderbrand

First, I saw the Netflix trailer for the new series “The Perfect Couple,” and then I decided to read Elin Hilderbrand’s book of the same name.
This book made perfect sense to me because there are no ideal couples, no matter their financial situation or love story.
Life presents us with various situations from which we all have to learn. It is up to us what we choose to learn.
I liked that all the characters from the book, men and women, had the capacity for introspection. They accepted their lights and shadows and didn’t judge themselves.
This should be something we should all strive for.

Celeste is the future bride, and together with her parents, Karen și Bruce, “they are a small, insular cluster of three.”
“Celeste didn’t ever feel the need to impress. She was comfortable with who she was.”

Benji is the future husband, and his parents, Greer and Tag,  organized his wedding to Celeste.
“It’s his wedding day! His parents have gone to enormous effort and expense to make this wedding unforgettable and now it’s all for naught.”

Merritt is the bride’s maid of honor, and she is also Celeste’s best friend:
“Tag waves as he strolls past the pool, taking a long, appreciative look at Merritt, who is wearing a black bikini with a complicated web of straps across the back. The bikini is possibly meant to reference bondage and inspire any man who looks upon the suit to wish for a pair of scissors to snip the straps and get to the luscious body underneath. However, the suit, with its web, also reminds Tag of a spider. A black widow, he thinks.
Merritt is dangerous. He needs to stay away.

Tag is fifty-seven years old, likely more than twice the girl’s age. He tries to banish her from his mind and instead focus on everything he already has–a satisfying, if stodgy, career; a beautiful, accomplished wife; and two healthy sons, both of whom are finally starting to get the hang of adulthood.
Tag has a five-bedroom prewar apartment on Park Avenue, a flat in London, and this spread in Nantucket.

Tag takes Merritt’s number but makes no plans to see her again. It’s a one-and-done, a weekend fling, which is how he likes to keep things with other women.
There have been half a dozen or so over the course of his marriage, one-or two-night stands, women he never sees or thinks again.
His behavior has nothing to do with how he feels about Greer. Or maybe it does.
Maybe it’s an assertion of power, of defiance. Greer entered the marriage with more money and higher social standing. Tag has always felt a touch inferior.
The prowling around is how he balances the scale.”

Kindle, 2024