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R J Gould
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Mid-life follies: Humorous romance bursting with home truths Kindle Edition

by R J Gould (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.9 out of 5 stars 248 ratings
“A tale of self-doubt, adultery and forgiveness shot through with humour and compassion. A most enjoyable read.” David Lister, The Independent

Liz has no idea why she walked out on Hugh. Hugh has no idea why Liz walked out on him. Is she having a midlife crisis? Should he be having one, too? Oh dear - marriage! Just when you think life is sorted ...

When Liz flees their comfortable family home in Cambridge after twenty-three years of contented marriage, a baffled Hugh is left to figure out why his wife has abandoned him.

A succession of twists and turns are preventing a restoration to the normality that the couple increasingly crave as their children, parents and friends discover that immaturity is not solely the preserve of the young.

A satirical novel about the fragility of even the most robust relationships.

“Warm, witty, poignant…characters that stay with you.” June Flath, author of A Secret Affair and Lost and Found

“An insightful and enjoyable novel about relationships and life’s changes. Lovely!” EmmabBooks

“Modern life is captured in a completely recognizable way, the style is accessible, vivid and entertaining. Best bit of fiction I've read on this theme.”

“Laugh out loud funny and completely moving at the same time.”
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  1. Print length
    341 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    January 15, 2020
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B083XYXBL6
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 15, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 341 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 248 ratings

About the author

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R J Gould

R J Gould

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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

3.9 out of 5 stars
248 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one mentioning it's a quick read that keeps them turning pages. The humor receives mixed reactions, with some customers appreciating it while others find it lacking.

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EnjoymentHumor
3 customers mention "Enjoyment"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one mentioning it's a quick read that keeps them turning the pages.

"Enjoyed and was dismayed at all of the miscues and misunderstandings for this pair through this life transition...." Read more

"...If you are someone who is looking for a non-violent, pleasant book with a smidgeon of humour, clean romance ... then this book is definitely worth a..." Read more

"The novel is very humorous and engaging- an enjoyable and quick read, I romped through this book and quickly shared it around to friends and family...." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"2 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's humor, with some appreciating it while others find it lacking.

"...someone who is looking for a non-violent, pleasant book with a smidgeon of humour, clean romance ... then this book is definitely worth a read...." Read more

"...Fab, I'm in. This book, though? Not so much. It's dry British humor - again, normally great by me - that fell flat...." Read more

"The novel is very humorous and engaging- an enjoyable and quick read, I romped through this book and quickly shared it around to friends and family...." Read more

"...The lack of humour of course needs to come under the bad as well, as I was really expecting more - perhaps it's more down to my unrealistic..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • G. M. Hudson
    5.0 out of 5 stars charming
    Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    A lovely and insightful read on relationships and aging, how what is expected can go off into the ditch quite suddenly and take time to right itself.
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  • Al Snyder
    4.0 out of 5 stars Coming of age
    Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyed and was dismayed at all of the miscues and misunderstandings for this pair through this life transition. Sometimes our emotions are so complex we need just pause as they defy description or understanding. Even by ourselves, let alone those closest to us.
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  • Mary van Ede
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not too sure how I felt about this book...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I received this book for free and am reviewing it voluntarily.

    I am writing this review, to not give away any spoilers.

    The tagline on the book states: Humorous romance bursting with home truths

    Let's start with the good ...

    As a 48 year old, I found that I identified with Liz to a large degree, which gave me a connection to her character. It was interesting to see how she digested all that was in her life, and all the new things that she discovered about herself as she went through what she did in the book. All this made her more human, and was part of the reason why I think I managed to connect so strongly with her.

    Kiera on the other hand, made me fearful of what I had in store when my daughter turns 17 or around there, so I suppose I connected to some degree with her too. The shenanigans that she gets up to in the book, and how she related to her parents, had me shaking my head in disgust that it was allowed. Again I think the author did a good job there in getting the reader 'involved'.

    I struggled to find the proclaimed humour in the book though, even though I am a huge fan of the dry Brit humour. Granted, there were a few instances where I did laugh out loud, so that is why I am putting this under the good part.

    There were times where I was so frustrated with the characters and their lack of communication that I wanted to scream, this is good because I think that is what the author was trying to convey.

    The jumping between characters, which usually drives me a bit cray-cray, was actually well done in that it gave the perspective of the same event from different people, which was interesting to see. As from the reader you have a perspective and have seen from both points, and then the characters perspectives paint that event in a totally different light. This also added somewhat to the humour and simultaneous frustration. Even though it seems that this might belong under the bad, it was actually good and worked quite well.

    As for the bad ...

    I wasn't terribly invested in the book, and finishing became somewhat of a small chore, as the book has a really slow pave, but I really wanted to see if issues were resolved and what happened, so I did persevere - and was glad in a way that I did.

    The lack of humour of course needs to come under the bad as well, as I was really expecting more - perhaps it's more down to my unrealistic expectations, then on the author. However, when the tagline specifically mentions humour, I suppose that is creating an expectation? I'll leave you, the reader, to create your own opinion on whether or not their was sufficient humour.

    I think my biggest criticism was the lack of humour and I didn't really connect with any of the other characters.

    In conclusion, I feel that the book delivered somewhat on the tagline, as there were plenty of home truths and overall, the book was an enjoyable Sunday read, nothing to heavy (compared to what I generally read), and just enough to keep me turning the pages.

    If you are someone who is looking for a non-violent, pleasant book with a smidgeon of humour, clean romance ... then this book is definitely worth a read.

    If, as a reader, you are looking for a page-turning, thrill a minute roller coaster read ... then this is definitely not going to be worth your time.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Donna B
    5.0 out of 5 stars This was a very good book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2020
    I liked how it kept me glued to the book the entire time
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  • arthur levene
    4.0 out of 5 stars a book that nearly everyone's life experiences!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The novel is very humorous and engaging- an enjoyable and quick read, I romped through this book and quickly shared it around to friends and family. Looking forward to the next new novel from this author.
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  • Goth Gone Grey
    3.0 out of 5 stars Lacking humor and romance
    Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Normally, I love books with flawed characters in tough situations. Double mid-life crisis with a splash of surly teenager for color? Fab, I'm in.

    This book, though? Not so much. It's dry British humor - again, normally great by me - that fell flat. It's a moment of crisis in a marriage made worse by fleeing, miscommunication, lack of communication, and lies. Home truths? Perhaps, but not engrossing reading, and not sympathetic characters.

    The writing flips between viewpoints, often overlapping to show both views. I really liked this style as life is so subjective. The husband's mid-life crisis takes the form of panicked worrying about life, as shown in this example:

    "How come I didn’t know Kiera had a boyfriend and Liz did? Was keeping me in the dark coincidental or a deliberate ploy to counter my potential disapproval? At least Kiera was willing to let me meet her boyfriend which had to be a plus. She’d be able to come to the party, another positive. But sleeping together? My daughter, only seventeen years old, surely too young and I couldn’t be the only father who would think this. What did Kiera know of all the risks – pregnancy, STDs, falling madly in love and being dumped? Had Liz covered these dangers?"

    I was given a copy for review purposes.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • ScienceBee
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dark comedy...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020
    The description of a humorous story about midlife was intriguing, since I, a midlife, could use a bit of humor right now. I found the book to be sad though. Hugh gets into a few situations that could feel comedic, but overall he is just bumbling through life. I found Liz to be insufferable - unwilling to communicate her needs and then resentful and angry when they weren’t met. Both made mistakes - Hugh through inaction, and Liz through her choices. His tale was all too reminiscent of real life. The realness of the situation did make this a good read, albeit a bit draggy.

    I received a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars A very realistic mid-life crisis
    Reviewed in Canada on January 25, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This tales of a long married couple re-assessing their marriage at the point of retirement is well-written. I like the relationship with the young adult children. Their dalliances whilst apart seemed entirely possible and not contrived. The back of forth point of view between husband and wife in alternating chapters was a nice idea.
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  • Safari Plum
    4.0 out of 5 stars A couple of laughs
    Reviewed in Australia on July 13, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Was a good story about coming to grips with the aging process and our mortality. A couple of small laughs, but I wouldn't label this as humorous. RJ Gould is a good writer and kept me engaged. For some reason it felt longer then it's 253 pages.
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  • Bookmarked Reviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars A funny and perceptive tale of marriage
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    My husband has recently embarked on a project of semi-retirement and is rattling about the house, making himself sound and look indispensable. Trying to understand my semi-retired spouse, I reached for Richard Gould’s Mid-Life Follies. I was intrigued by its premise: Hugh retires from many years in education, ready to sail into the Golden Age of idle pleasures in life. Instead, he finds himself in thralls of mid-life crisis brought about by some unexpected developments. It seems like his wife Liz is having second thoughts about their marriage.
    The story takes us through their life together, both from his and her perspective while in the present time, they battle with doubts, temptations and mistakes, and the reader travels with them to see whether their marriage is strong enough to overcome them all. This book reminded me of Us by David Nicholls. Just like Us it dissects relationships at a stage when it is no longer about impulses and more about self- and mutual discovery.
    Mid-Life Follies is witty (there were moments where I laughed out loud) as well as insightful and reflective. The characters are real – the sort of people you may have met and would find easy to relate to. They are well-fleshed out and multi-dimensional.
    I really enjoyed this story and will read more of Richard Gould. All in all, a funny and perceptive tale. Highly recommended.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I gave this book 4* .The reason I didn't give it a 5 was that it ended very suddenly. Story revolves around a couple who suddenly find themselves thinking ' what's next ' and the mayhem that follows .It's an enjoyable , and at times funny read .It's a case of can they sort out their marriage , pick up where they've left out or have things gone too far.
    There's a good mixture of love , life , death , family and friendships .This is only the 2nd book I've read by this author but look forward to reading more titles.
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  • Lindsay Fursland
    5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, entertaining and so believable!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Mid-life Follies is the best book so far by this author. He nails with comic clarity the behaviour of parents ambushed by mid-life crises, and the effects on their children and friends. The twists and turns of the plot draw you in and the warm, insightful characterization makes you care about the people in this novel. The structure of alternating viewpoints, one chapter from the husband's point of view, the next the wife's perspective on the same events, allows the reader inside the characters' heads and makes you understand them and identify with them. Modern life is captured in a completely recognizable way, the style is accessible, vivid and entertaining. Best bit of fiction I've read on this theme.
    Report

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