Can men and women ever be 'just good friends'?
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Rob Brooks has been in a long distance relationship for some time when his girlfriend manages to persuade him to move to Manchester. Rob is apprehensive because he will have to leave his group of male friends. Nevertheless he goes. As Rob works from home and doesn't really know anyone he has difficulty making new friends (despite his girlfriend making him go on 'man-dates') until he meets a girl called Jo at a party. He instantly feels a rapport with Jo and what could be wrong with being friends with someone of the opposite sex?!
Like Mike Gayle's other books, this rattles along at a good pace and is quite easy reading. There are some wonderful observations made and it deals with a time-old question in an entertaining way. If you have read other Mike Gayle books and have enjoyed them, you'll be on safe ground with this one.
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Enjoyable
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I've read a few of his now and enjoyed them all. 4.5 stars would suit this nicely. It's difficult to tell if he aims his writing at men or women because he captures both gender's personalities and behaviour so well.
Rob is having a tough time, he loves his girlfriend but the move to Manchester from London is a scary prospect. He eventually gives it a go but struggles with how to make friends. Had he not been working from home it might have been easier but without the office then it is that bit harder - although he could've always joined a local gym or something similar. He eventually meets the perfect mate to do all the things with that he was doing with Phil back in Manchester - but she's a girl. In steps Jo, everything he wants in a mate but can't really have because men and women can't just be friends, can they?
The novel dips in and out of Jo's and Rob's perspective so makes for regular changes during your reading. Is it possible for men and women to be 'just good friends' or does there always have to be an element of sexual attraction between them? Quite interesting as I've had a couple of male friends and when I moved away they didn't keep up the contact whereas a woman would have. Good exploration of social stereotypes and the gneuine difficulties people face when they move to be with their partners. It is very well-written and hugely entertaining, this novel is easy enough to read in one sitting. The characters are so realistic and the discussion between his girlfriend and her friends is very true - they are all convinced that Rob must be in love with Jo, otherwise why would he want to be friends with a girl? It made me wonder how I would react to it. I look forward to reading one or two more by Mike Gayle.
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Wonderful
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Brother of newsreader Philip, Mike Gayle is that unusual male writer who can write chick lit for women that men love to read too... and I've loved every one of his previous books. This one tells that story of Rob, a bit of a commitment-phobe, who finally ups sticks and moves to Manchester to be with his girlfriend, only to find himself friendless and feeling too old to make new ones. Until he meets Jo. Why Mr Gayle's books dont feature higher up in the bestseller charts I have no idea - he's great, and if this is the first of his books you read - go and buy all his others immediately.
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Hmmmmm
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I'm a Mike Gayle fan - I read his stuff as soon as it comes out and usually enjoy it. It's good to have this kind of story told by a bloke! I enyoyed this one too - it does what Mike Gayle does best in gently helping us see the pridicaments relationships get into. I have to say though that I don't think this is his best. Two reasons... first I think he borrows an idea from his earlier book 'Dinner For Two' - in the way the main character keeps an important piece of personal information from his partner, thus causing 'the problem'. Second... I don't think Ashley's character was developed far enough. We didn't love her enough for us to be satisfied with the outcome of the story in general.
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Can a man and a woman be `just good friends' ?
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Whether a man and a woman can be `just good friends' has been the subject of maaaaany a heated discussion. I'd side with `unfortunately, not past puberty'.
Here Mike Gayle tackles this subject with his usual light, humorous and very insightful touch and reaches the same conclusion, but so much more gracefully than most of us did at the Union bar. And no-one gives a better insight into the working of the male brain like Mike Gayle!
The only letdown in this book was Rob's girlfriend who is so sickeningly, annoyingly, cloyingly nice (borderline perfect) it just not realistic... particularly disappointing as Mike Gayle's characters are usually so true to life.
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