OPEN MINDED

A rom-com highlighting the intricacies of exploring ethical non-monogamy.

Holly and Fliss have plenty in common: the two women are young, white, straight millennials living in London, working steady jobs, and enjoying loving relationships with their long-term partners. Holly, a fashion design assistant, has been with her boyfriend, Will, for nearly a decade. When he plans a rare date night, she feels nearly certain he’ll propose. To her dismay, she leaves dinner ringless and damn near devastated—Will wants to open their relationship. Holly feels “like [she's] just been hit in the back of the head with a really fast, hard ball.” She finds the prospect of dating other people repulsive, but agrees to try it temporarily. On the other hand, Fliss, a translator, can’t imagine committing to monogamy. Her and her boyfriend, Ash, have been open for the entirety of their three-year relationship, and it works well for them. She’s taken aback when Ash asks her to close their relationship—she enjoys having the freedom to make new connections and sleep with whomever she likes—but, as she loves Ash, she agrees to give it a shot. When Holly and Fliss meet by chance in a restaurant bathroom, they strike up a friendship and agree to guide the other through their new relationship dynamics. What does and doesn't make relationships ethical and healthy is a critical question posed in this novel. Seager presents plenty of realistic depictions of the tension and even turbulence that can rock a relationship when one partner desires monogamy and one doesn't, especially when faulty communication burdens the relationship further. “He’s magnificent,” Fliss thinks of Ash, “but can he be everything I need? Can anyone?” The writing tilts young—this is Seager’s first novel for adults—but Holly and Fliss are charming protagonists with impressive force of character. Their stories demonstrate that it's unwise to elevate monogamous romantic relationships over all other forms of connection, including friendships, which can be just as precious.

A worthwhile read for those interested in open relationships.