The seven-year itch is a much discussed phenomenon. Couples in monogamous relationships can be prone to contemplate extra-curricular activities around the same time in their marriage – most often around the seven-year anniversary.

I once thought I had the seven-year itch but it turned out to be cystitis.

In Elizabeth Scott’s Free Pass, proactive Melanie has a solution to inoculate against the dangers of the seven-year itch: she proposes a free pass. The rules are simple – a one-time-only free pass for a fling with a stranger. As well as trying this experiment with her own partner, Thomas, she also mentions it to her friends Cherisse and Debra, suggesting that they try the same approach with their partners Wesley and Gordon.

And so the story is set for a hot and steamy romp through the suburban world of couples daring to do things they haven’t done since being single. Each of these pairs has a different approach to the whole idea, and all of them are equally exciting and well developed.

For those who haven’t encountered Elizabeth Scott’s writing before, she is the extraordinary author behind such celebrated titles as Spin the Bottle and Naughty Housewives. Scott brings existing relationships to life with a natural understanding of human nature and the canny ability to transpose these details onto the page. With Free Pass she has excelled herself as she brings three couples to life and takes the reader on a whirlwind journey of passion, pleasure and painful discoveries.

The idea behind Free Pass – the suggestion that many couples think about sex with strangers – is one I’ve often heard discussed whilst researching my non-fiction titles on swinging [Swingers: Female Confidential] . There seem to be few couples who have never thought privately, “What if…?” Elizabeth Scott’s fantastic new title shows what happens to three couples who take that idea one step further.

For those who like their erotica grounded in the romance of reality, Free Pass is a story that will take you to the seldom-seen corners of grown-up relationships.

Ashley Lister

Free Pass by Elizabeth Scott
(New American Library; December 2008; ISBN-10: 0451225031)
Available atAmazon.com / Amazon UK

© 2008 Ashley Lister. All rights reserved.