When it comes to infidelity I always thought it's a black and white issue: you can maybe (maybe!) forgive, but you can never, never forget. It's grounds for the end of a relationship, no matter how many years and how much love has been invested.

But R.E. Bradshaw's _Before It Stains_ is so well-written and so compelling (with fully fleshed out characters you grow to care for) that Stephanie and Mo's story made me wonder if it might be possible to sew it all back together once the seams rip apart.

Though certainly not ground-breaking (infidelity has long been the topic of many a novel and some parts remind me of the first season of The L Word when Bette cheated on Tina and they worked on rebuilding their relationship) _Before It Stains_ is so earnest and touching that you can't help but root for Stephanie and Mo to get back together. It's not every writer that can make you do this!:) ( )