Two People by A. A. Milne
Published in 1931, this understated novel follows a couple, Reginald and Sylvia through some changes to their lives. They live in the country and enjoy the life they have. Reginald is forty and Sylvia is twenty-five and they've been married for six years, which is somewhat more common an age difference in that time period. Reginald admires Sylvia for her beauty and kindness and they are well-suited in their physical relationship. When Reginald writes a book, he finds a publisher and then is a bit astonished when it does very well, becoming a talked about novel and made into a play. This success takes them to a rented house in London for the season, and they find themselves meeting new people and interacting in different worlds than they've been used to. They spend less time together, and while they enjoy themselves, there are moments where they worry about their relationship.
Through a series of incidents, Reginald begins to see that Sylvia is also smart and observant and he finds even more to love about her, but he worries about whether he is still appealing to her.
I really enjoyed a side story that emerges at a dinner party of a missed opportunity for love for their host and how they seem to be the only ones who notice something about the story.
Wry with a dry humour, this novel was a satisfying and surprising read.
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