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katykelly's review
4.0
3.5 stars, but I'll round up.
I think of Mike Gayle as a rough equivalent to Sophie Kinsella (sorry if either of them takes unbrage at this!). Both are very good at narrating a young(ish), middle class woman/man, in a dilemma of a family/relationship story, with humour, warmth and pathos. There aren't many books or authors that take this tone and type of tale from a man's perspective, so I was looking forward to trying this.
I'll do my best to include no spoilers, so plot points here are roughly those covered on Amazon.
Joe Clarke works as a journalist, he's moderately successful, with a beautiful wife he adores and two wonderful children. Life is good. Yet one morning, after a night out and a confused mugging, he wakes up in the bed of his paper's new intern, with no idea what happened to get him there. Should he confess to his wife? Can he live with the guilt?
In the midst of his family drama, Joe starts seeing the ghost of a recently-deceased former girlfriend, who swears he didn't have an affair. Is he going crazy?
The story itself, I enjoyed. I liked Joe, though the lovey-dovey scenes with gorgeous wife Penny actually made me want him taken down a or for two! Some of his decisions seemed a bit unrealistic (would YOU confess to an affair you didn't even remember having?)
And of course, Penny reacts to the news of the affair as you might expect - she leaves him. Suddenly the content but slightly bored family man loses it all. And realises what he had. But can he get it back?
The relationship story, how it affects the kids, how the relationship changes, what happens when other new partners appear on the horizon, I liked.
It was the crazy ghost that didn't hit the spot. Huh? The dead controlling girlfriend is telling him there wasn't an affair? It felt beamed in from another book. Even if I use my Kinsella comparison, in Twenties Girl there's a ghost, but she's integral to the story and a part of it all. Here, the ghost appears very rarely, has little character and just annoyed me. It didn't seem to fit the type of story this is. Why should she be there?
The minor characters were fab though - Joe's Divorced Dad feature, of dads and their kids, brings a triumvate of eccentric and loveable dads into Joe's life unwittingly, who chivvy him through his trials and lighten the tone, whilst bringing up issues of divorce, custody and parental rights.
I would have liked to rate this higher. It will make a good TV film/short series. It's going to be a good summer read but wasn't as satisfying as I was hoping for.
Review of a Lovereading.co.uk advance copy.
I think of Mike Gayle as a rough equivalent to Sophie Kinsella (sorry if either of them takes unbrage at this!). Both are very good at narrating a young(ish), middle class woman/man, in a dilemma of a family/relationship story, with humour, warmth and pathos. There aren't many books or authors that take this tone and type of tale from a man's perspective, so I was looking forward to trying this.
I'll do my best to include no spoilers, so plot points here are roughly those covered on Amazon.
Joe Clarke works as a journalist, he's moderately successful, with a beautiful wife he adores and two wonderful children. Life is good. Yet one morning, after a night out and a confused mugging, he wakes up in the bed of his paper's new intern, with no idea what happened to get him there. Should he confess to his wife? Can he live with the guilt?
In the midst of his family drama, Joe starts seeing the ghost of a recently-deceased former girlfriend, who swears he didn't have an affair. Is he going crazy?
The story itself, I enjoyed. I liked Joe, though the lovey-dovey scenes with gorgeous wife Penny actually made me want him taken down a or for two! Some of his decisions seemed a bit unrealistic (would YOU confess to an affair you didn't even remember having?)
And of course, Penny reacts to the news of the affair as you might expect - she leaves him. Suddenly the content but slightly bored family man loses it all. And realises what he had. But can he get it back?
The relationship story, how it affects the kids, how the relationship changes, what happens when other new partners appear on the horizon, I liked.
It was the crazy ghost that didn't hit the spot. Huh? The dead controlling girlfriend is telling him there wasn't an affair? It felt beamed in from another book. Even if I use my Kinsella comparison, in Twenties Girl there's a ghost, but she's integral to the story and a part of it all. Here, the ghost appears very rarely, has little character and just annoyed me. It didn't seem to fit the type of story this is. Why should she be there?
The minor characters were fab though - Joe's Divorced Dad feature, of dads and their kids, brings a triumvate of eccentric and loveable dads into Joe's life unwittingly, who chivvy him through his trials and lighten the tone, whilst bringing up issues of divorce, custody and parental rights.
I would have liked to rate this higher. It will make a good TV film/short series. It's going to be a good summer read but wasn't as satisfying as I was hoping for.
Review of a Lovereading.co.uk advance copy.
beckboo88's review
2.0
you can tell the author once wrote for Cosmo magazine. it is written with Cosmo readers in mind I feel (I do read it on occasion) not a bad book but I had guessed the end by about a quarter of the way in and by the time I had finished it I was disappointed that the ending had been exactly as I guessed. abit predictable. a good beach book where you don't really have to think much but abit simple for my liking
planetpammy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
crhollins's review
SO DULL. BORED ME TO DEATH. Absolutely no motivation to read more than one chapter a night. No idea where this was going and although half way through, I actually don't care to find out. Beyond over the moon to be starting a new book. So disappointed as i adored another book of Mike Gayle’s, ‘Seeing other people’ was like it was written by someone else! Would not recommend
mazza57's review
4.0
Mike Gayle is one of my go to authors when I am in a reading doldrums. His books are generally easy reads and this is no exception. Joe Clarke an ordinarily happily married guy is tempted by a younger colleague into a one night stand and then his life begins to unravel. OR did It ? as events become more complicated by the appearance of an ex girlfriend's ghost. Gayle does storytelling 101 with the best of them.
carls2112's review
4.0
Mike's writing always keeps the pages turning and is ever so relatable - another great read that I couldn't put down!
Slightly "out-there" considering his usual style and I'm not sure the ghost aspect of the story was the right angle but the message and moral of the story was excellent in a sliding doors kind of way.
A definite summer page turner and if you like his other books you won't be disappointed (although its not up there with the to-do list or turning 30/40)
Slightly "out-there" considering his usual style and I'm not sure the ghost aspect of the story was the right angle but the message and moral of the story was excellent in a sliding doors kind of way.
A definite summer page turner and if you like his other books you won't be disappointed (although its not up there with the to-do list or turning 30/40)
casacostello's review
4.0
Another great read from Mike Gayle. I'm liking his books as they are from the perspective of a male protagonist. So often, I find my self frustrated with female characters as I cannot relate to them or they don't seem realistic - I'm obviously never going to be a man so don't find the same pressure to relate.
My one irritation was when friends of the couple immediately took the wife's side when they split up. Are people really so awful to leave someone high and dry after a mistake? Can't have been very good friends in the first place.
My one irritation was when friends of the couple immediately took the wife's side when they split up. Are people really so awful to leave someone high and dry after a mistake? Can't have been very good friends in the first place.