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R J Gould
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Darren, Andrew and Mrs Hall: A humorous tale about the ups and downs of relationships (at the Dream Café series) Kindle Edition

by R J Gould (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 137 ratings
See all formats and editions
A tale of two husbands, two wives, and the woman in between.

It is a June day and the rain is lashing down as Emma and Andrew move into the house of their dreams in an affluent London suburb. Two doors down, a dejected Darren and Kelly are downsizing into their new home.

The women are hitting it off straightaway whereas Andrew, a teacher and poet, and Darren, an alarm systems installer, are at loggerheads from the word go.

When Emma and Kelly decide to take breaks away together – to a spa, a countryside retreat, the Scottish Highlands – their men feel abandoned. Their animosity reaches boiling point, with loyalty to their wives fully tested when Mrs Hall moves in as their in-between neighbour. But who exactly is this woman and what game is she playing?

The wives return from a stay in Scotland to discover that a lot has changed and things can never be the same again. Are their marriages robust enough to survive?

[This stand-alone novel is part of the ‘at the Dream Café’ series]

What the book reviewers say about Darren, Andrew and Mrs Hall

“A wonderful read that draws you into the characters’ worlds immediately. You feel as if you live on the street with them and are watching it all unfold.” TBHonest

“A brilliant story that hooked me, rich and vividly told.” Beyond the Books

"A look at how relationships change, told in a sensitive and realistic way with humour and thoughtfulness." EmmabBooks

"Another insightful and entertaining read from an author who is fast becoming a firm favourite." Lilac Mills, Author

“I enjoyed the focus on real-life issues that are often present in relationships and go unsaid.” Chic Lit Central

“Highly recommended if you are after a character-driven, light and humorous story.” Webreakforbooks
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  1. Part of series
    at the Dream Café series
  2. Print length
    324 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    March 29, 2023
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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There are 4 books in this series.
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Bundle price: Kindle price
$11.97
Bundle price: Kindle price
$16.96
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A brilliant story that hooked me, rich and vividly told." BeyondtheBooks reviews
"Another insightful and entertaining read from an author who is fast becoming a firm favourite." Lilac Mills, Author
"A look at how relationships change, told in a sensitive and realistic way with humour and thoughtfulness." EmmabBooks reviews
"A wonderful read that draws you into the characters' worlds immediately. You feel as if you live on the street with them and are watching it all unfold." TBHonest reviews
"A fun, humorous, well plotted book which I think anyone would enjoy." NutsReadsBooks reviews
"I enjoyed the focus on real-life issues that are often present in relationships and often go unsaid." ChicLitCentral reviews

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BW9NDRYG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (March 29, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 29, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 324 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 137 ratings

About the author

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R J Gould

R J Gould

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

R J Gould is a rare male member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association, writing contemporary fiction about relationships using a mix of wry humour and pathos to describe the tragi-comic life journeys of his protagonists. He has been published by Headline Accent and Lume Books and also self-publishes.

Before becoming a full-time author he worked in the educational and charity sectors. In addition to his addiction to telling stories, he has somewhat milder addictions to playing tennis, watching film noir cinema, completing Wordle and eating dried mango slices.

R J Gould lives in Cambridge, England.

You can connect with him at www.rjgould.info, on twitter and Instagram @rjgould_author, and on Facebook at RJGouldauthor

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
137 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Joyce C.
    5.0 out of 5 stars truth be told
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is a feel good book. Through the ups and downs I just wanted to see where these couples were going to end up. It ended just like I wanted it to.
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  • Sara Steven
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2023
    Darren, Andrew and Mrs. Hall reminded me of The Odd Couple, but with actual couples. Emma and Andrew appear to be the more “posh” couple, considering that both characters are teachers and Andrew is a published poet. Affluence appears to be a lot more important to them, more-so Andrew, which is why it’s a tough go for him in meeting Darren. Darren and his wife, Kelly, are a lot more down-to-earth and blue collar. This doesn’t deter Emma and Kelly from becoming instant friends, yet it provides a ton of issues between the men. It doesn’t appear they have much to bond over.

    Both couples have been married for a very long time, their relationships feeling stagnant. It’s a big reason that the women decide to embark on trips together, where they can commiserate on shared experiences within their marriages. It was fun to see what would become of Andrew and Darren. If they might set aside their differences and forge a friendship while the wives are away, or not. That sentiment would come and go often within the book. When Mrs. Hall moves in between their houses, there are glimpses of The Seven Year Itch and Grumpy Old Men sprinkled within, particularly when both men try to gain the attention of the attractive woman who has sparked an interest in them both. Is this a sign of things to come?

    I felt the author did a great job of staying true to the characterizations. There’s a scene where Andrew and Darren get into a fight, and when Darren takes things too far, involving a poor outsider who had nothing to do with it, his response is to immediately insist on not apologizing, because it’s not his fault–it’s Andrew’s fault. Yet, later, when Andrew needs help, Darren is right there to do all he can for his “friend.” This is the sort of repeated pattern we see from Darren throughout the story; he comes off as a very rigid, unforgiving person, yet he’s there for those he cares about without any hesitation. Each character has their own set of do’s and don’ts and who they are and won’t be, and it stays consistent. Even if it’s to their own detriment.

    There were some interesting moments shared between the women, too. I wasn’t sure at times where things were going with Emma and Kelly, particularly when they would go on their trips. It felt like there might potentially be something more there, so that was a twist. Ultimately, I enjoyed the gentle turbulence shared between the couples, focusing on real-life issues that are often present in relationships and often go unsaid.
    One person found this helpful
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  • paws.read.repeat
    4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2023
    I received an advance review book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

    This is my first book by this author and won’t be my last. The plot of this book had me curious and it did not disappoint. The writing style is easy to read and flows nicely. This book is engaging from start to finish and will keep you thinking about it long after the book ends.

    The characters are well developed and full of depth. The writing brought each character to life and I felt like I could see the story play out in my mind’s eye. This book explores relationships through good times and bad. I enjoyed the dynamic between the couples and the wives friendship was endearing. I can see why they became fast friends.

    I look forward to reading more from this author!
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  • Annette Johnson
    4.0 out of 5 stars Relationship woes
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2023
    This book was about relationships, male and female.
    I was only half interested in the story. I didn’t really care for any of characters. They all seemed more interested in doing their own thing most of the time. I thought it was just an ok book
    Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the early copy
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Rowena
    5.0 out of 5 stars RJ Gould did it again
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Brilliant story we'll rounded characters really enjoyed it but then I'm biased I love all his books
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  • Ahsokasanity
    4.0 out of 5 stars Who's Mrs Hall
    Reviewed in Australia on November 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I know a title shouldn't give away the story, but I sure was confused for about a third of the book - until Cecilia was brought in!
    These books are more soap opera than romance. This one only covered about a year, but it felt like aeons. The setting is entirely realistic (but being Aussie, I had a little trouble teasing out the set up of the town/suburb) & the distances)
    Emma & Kelly were fun, and their relationship issues were totally relatable. Men who don't seem to show any passion at all (Andrew) and those engrossed in their own ego (Darren), so thank goodness for Mrs Hall.
    I liked this book better than dream Cafe, I think purely because I got into the rhythm of the story writing.
    On to book three, The American Woman
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  • k
    4.0 out of 5 stars ENJOYABLE
    Reviewed in Australia on April 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    An easy to read novel, with good editing and very human characters, warts and all… and there is a surfeit of warts!
    I get the impression the author really gets a kick out of writing these stories, tossing up personality stereotypes for analysis ( even the use of the name Darren is priceless), and I sense he oftimes has his tongue firmly planted in his cheek!
    Report

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