Book giveaway: Learn Love in a Week by Andrew Clover

[RachelMumsnet]

If you're a fan of Helen Fielding or John O'Farrell you may want to apply for one of 50 copies of Andrew Clover's novel, Learn Love in a Week. This is a hilarious and sharply observed novel about modern marriage, relationships and family.

Andrew Clover is a writer and comedian best known for his 'Dad Rules' column in the Sunday Times. Find out more and apply for a copy. Once you've read the book, join the discussion and post your thoughts up on this thread.

Yes, it's really funny. Great holiday read. Best attempt yet at capturing the daily grind and bringing humour to our everyday muddle. I disagree that it's full of cliches. All very true and honest yet light. I'm taking it to my book group. xx

MaisyMoo123 did you get the Tigers in Red Weather I posted to you?

Finished the book today. Thought the female characters were all totally unappealing and self-absorbed. Quite liked Malcolm but on the whole I thought the book was poor. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone and it certainly isn't laugh out loud funny. Really sorry - I don't like to be so negative but it just didn't do it for me

I am still enjoying this book and giggled while reading it out in the sunshine today. Thank you Mumsnet.

I think as a light hearted holiday read it worked. As I was reading I was hoping to engage more with the characters. Arthur, to me, was the most interesting character and it was pleasant change to focus on the male voice in this genre.

I seem to have read a different book to some of you. Fair enough, it?s pacey and conversational, but I thought it was scattered with ideas and great writing. ?It takes ages to get them out of the bath. They sit there like infant trade unionists, refusing to budge.? ?Interesting fact, most religions were founded by parentless people...? Since Bridget Jones, I haven?t read a book that was so light, yet so clever. I loved the way the action melded with the Learn Love advice. Did anyone else find it seemed to fit their week? I started on Monday. I felt irritated by my boyf, like Polly, felt tense at work, like Em. Sure, the story then spun off in other directions. I didn?t end the week in a big climax at a posh party with a swimming snake. But I finished it last night, and felt inspired and loving. Yes it?s funny. But I also found it passionate, absorbing, and very wise. I can?t imagine a more perfect summer read.

I am about half way through , I am quite enjoying it and the references to everyday life are raising a smile from me. So far I am feeling quite sorry for Arthur but the two female characters aren't particularly appealing. It is a light read which is perfect to dip in and out of which suits me fine with having my own 3 children I don't have that much time to sit and read without interruptions.

First of all, thanks for my copy. I was really looking forward to reading this as I haven't read a really funny book for ages, but unfortunately it wasn't as funny as I hoped it would be. The bits involving Arthur were the funniest and some bits did really make me laugh. But other parts I felt were a bit predictable and I found it hard to like the female characters. Arthur and Malcolm were both very likeable and I did find it interesting to read about family life / arguments from different points of view.
I especially liked the descriptions of family life with the children e.g. refusing to get in the bath then refusing to get out, all speaking at once so you can't concentrate etc. They were the best and funniest bits of the story.

I finished this last night. Overall it didn't really grab me. Entertaining in parts but I didn't really care about any of the characters. Polly in particular I found really unsympathetic. James Hammond didn't even have a superficial charm that made you understand why Polly was attracted to him. Having said that bits were funny and I too liked the infant trade unionists!

Well, I finished this last night, that is the fastest I have read a book since DS was born so that has to say something.

I agree I found Polly's attraction to James Hammond unconvincing but there were definitely some really interesting thoughts and very funny bits in there. I really liked some of the descriptions of family life, not just with his children but also their parents. I found Arthur and Malcolm very likeable and it was interesting to get that viewpoint coming across for a change. Also, I have recently separated from DH albeit for different reasons (no other people involved) and some of the stuff about separation etc really resonated with me.

I dont know what I was expecting from this book but found that as I got further into it I got more hooked! I was trying to read it at every opportunity this week and even my hubby commented that it must be good! It was a nice, lighthearted read that I didn't have to think too much about! Thanks very much :)

I enjoyed Learn Love in a Week. Seemed to be suffering a bit of an identity crisis - part comedy, part self-help, part serious drama. It was not as funny as I expected from the cover reviews but there were a few places where I snorted with laughter. The observation of a family and long term relationship was insightful. The story is told from three points of view and I found the constant change of narrator a bit irritating, but that's probably a personal view.
OH had the idea from the title that it was some sort of saucy instruction manual and was very disappointed!
Overall a good lighthearted read.

I was really looking forward to this as a light easy read, but never really got hooked. I've read it a few pages at a time and ended up feeling like I was trudging through it. I didn't really like the female characters - polly especially just seemed so selfish and mean to Arthur. Expected mre really funny bits too but felt like all the best jokes were in the blurb on the back.

Thank you for my copy of the book.

I enjoyed it in a nice, easy read sort of way but I actually didn't warm to any of the characters. However, I will look out for further books by the author as I liked his way of writing.

I really like the book. Its a light hearted, fast and fun read. I found that I could relate a little part of each character to some point in my life and there are quite a few comical scenes that make a sitcom easy to envisage.

I finished reading this last night. Unfortunately I can't say that I really enjoyed it. I got bored with it but battled on hoping that it might improve. Sadly I was wrong. No laugh out loud moments for me. I know others have enjoyed it, but it wasn't for me.

I enjoyed my free book (thank you MN). Looking at life through each characters observations on the daily nitty gritty of family lifving. Perhaps predictable at points but you still wanted them to realise what they had before carelessly throwing it all away. Made me cringe at times and laugh at others. A good read that makes you appreciate what you have. Worth a read I would say.

Thanks very much for the book, even though I can only give it a lukewarm review.
I'm a great consumer of light-hearted fiction, but found this one frustrating. I would quite happily have banged the heads together of the frustrating & unlikeable female leads, was irritated by Malcolm and couldn't really understand the appeal of James, other than Mrs Merton stylee "what first attracted you to the millionaire businessman?". Maybe I was just jealous of James' amazing ability to pick up loads of freelance work as soon as he put his mind to it!
However, some of the descriptions of family life really struck a chord, capturing with humour the day-to-day reality of childcare. I particularly liked the offspring refusing to get into their bath, then negotiating like trade union leaders to avoid coming out again.

This was a funny book, and I really wanted to read to the end. It was an easy read, but some it was rather unbelievable! However, I thought was entertaining. I wouldn't really read it again though, I donated it to the charity shop, but still good for light reading.

I saved this book (the first I have "won" which was a lovely surprise) to take on holiday, but I am afraid that I was disappointed. I laughed a couple of times over the first few pages, but then became rather irritated by the characters and storyline (even allowing for the usual predictability of this type of novel). It was a very easy read and I did finish it, but it went straight into the hotel's book exchange afterwards.