Gone are the days of taking a new boyfriend home to your mum and dad and discreetly leaving the room so that the trembling, lovesick young man on the sofa can be grilled about his intentions. These days, the ones to impress are your friends.
When a new partner is introduced into my friendship group, they become the main topic of conversation among the rest of us. Did they hold their own at the pub? Are they compatible with our best pal? Are they, well, good enough? For many of us, it’s our friends who set the highest standards for us, our friends who know us best – and who could end up spending many a holiday and night out with us and our new partner for decades to come. But what happens when our friends and a new love interest just don’t click?
