The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous

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The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous: A Short, Easy-to-Understand Version

The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous is a 1993 novel by British author Jilly Cooper. It’s part of the Rutshire Chronicles and tells a funny, spicy story about love, marriage, and jealousy.

Plot in simple terms:
- Lysander Hawkley is a good-looking man with no steady job. His friend Ferdinand comes up with a plan: wives hire Lysander to make their unfaithful husbands jealous, hoping the husbands will fall back in love with their wives.
- Lysander moves to the village of Paradise in Rutshire. He becomes a personal trainer for Marigold Lockton and, through his charm, helps spark her husband’s jealousy—while also getting involved with Marigold.
- He also helps the famous singer Georgie Maguire win back her husband. Georgie’s daughter Flora ends up liking Lysander.
- In the same village, the famous conductor Roberto Rannaldini is unfaithful and frightening to his wife Kitty. Kitty and Lysander fall in love, and Kitty eventually escapes from Rannaldini by fleeing on one of his horses.

Characters:
- Lysander Hawkley
- Ferdinand Fitzgerald
- Roberto Rannaldini
- Rupert Campbell-Black
- Georgie Maguire
- Kitty Rannaldini
- Flora Seymour

Reception:
- The novel came out to mixed reviews. Some critics liked its humor and entertaining mood, while others criticized its lack of originality and some explicit scenes.
- Maeve Binchy praised it as a “happy feckless romp.” Natasha Walter of The Independent found it addictive but faulted its portrayal of women and its sexual content. Polly Toynbee was disappointed, and the book sparked various opinions about Cooper’s style.
- The book is noted for its playful tone about adultery and marriage, and it has a fan base that includes readers who enjoy light, saucy romantic fiction. It has also been referenced in discussions about Cooper’s work and bonkbuster fiction.

Adaptation and legacy:
- In 1997, a TV miniseries was made for ITV Anglia, with Stephen Billington as Lysander, Hugh Bonneville as Ferdinand, and Rhona Mitra as Flora.
- In 2016, the production company FilmWave acquired rights to the Rutshire Chronicles, and a 2024 adaptation of Rivals followed in the same vein of adapting Cooper’s works.
- The story has lingered in popular culture as a notable example of Cooper’s style—humor, romance, and a heroine who challenges some traditional expectations.

Publication details:
- Published in 1993 by Bantam Books in the United Kingdom.
- Written in English as part of the Rutshire Chronicles, set in 20th-century England.