Syl is in her late forties, and she has been married to her husband, Greg, for over twenty years. Their daughter, Avy, is in college. Greg owns a small chain of hardware stories, and Syl volunteers twice a week at a local thrift shop called “Comfort Critters,” where she is friends with the manager, Lydia.
Greg is acting different – he is withdrawn, having headaches, and is working late into the night six days a week. Syl starts to suspect that he is having an affair, but she hesitates to confront him about it. Lydia, who is younger than Syl and has a spicier sex life, gives Syl some pointers on how to keep Greg happy in bed (and presumably keep Greg from straying). Syl balks at Lydia’s sex advice, but she does make some sexual advances on her husband. Things do not seem to work out – either a phone rings, a family member bursts through the door, or Greg has a headache.
When it is clear that things are not improving between Syl and Greg (Greg is becoming even less communicative), Syl’s belief that he is having an affair is strengthened. Lydia is having similar marriage problems, and the two help each other do some sleuthing on the other’s behalf. Meanwhile, Syl is receiving attention from a single and charming local veterinarian, who wants Syl to meet for coffee (and perhaps more). Just when it seems that things cannot become more complicated, Avy drops out of college to play in a Goth band. When will Syl’s problems ever end - and when will she find out what is going on with Greg?
Sex, Lies & Cellulite is a light read although it focuses on the heavy subject of infidelity. Author Renee Roszel does a good job of creating the main characters. The sex scenes are too graphic for my taste, but other diehard romance fans may enjoy them. The ending wraps up too neatly and quickly compared to the time devoted to Syl trying to figure out what Greg is up to, but overall, the book is an entertaining read and a nice, temporary diversion from daily life.