The Marriage Gap Year

Emma and Rob have been married for 26 years. In the middle of an awkward trip to IKEA, Emma tells him she is no longer happy. She describes decades of boredom and stagnation, and says she wants work that matters, real connection, some thrills and a more passionate sex life.

Rob sees the marriage differently. It has flaws, but he is loyal, steady and has always provided, so he cannot see what is missing. Emma, a communications manager, proposes a last-ditch fix: a Marriage Gap Year, twelve months apart with no calls and no texts.

The year does not match the picture Emma had in mind. Real life outside the marriage is messier than the polished version she imagined. As the months pass, both of them start to recall who they were before the kids, the jobs and the endless responsibilities.

The story moves between bustling Melbourne and the beaches of San Remo. It is a romantic comedy with a funny, frank and sexy tone, and it also takes in friendship, work culture, feminism and masculinity. The question that drives it is whether a marriage can survive a year of silence.