Lucy is a 42 year old English teacher, who is divorcing her ex husband due to his addiction problems. Joseph is a 22 year old aspiring DJ with a part time job in a butchers shop. A romance develops between them after Lucy asks Joseph to babysit her sons. They fall in love, but it’s not without its complications, as there is not not only generational gap, but also race, class and economic differences. The novel is set in 2016, against the backdrop of the Brexit referendum and its aftermath, where these differences highlight issues of national and personal identity.

I love Nick Hornby’s writing, and fans of his previous novels will not be disappointed, as Just Like You touches on many of the same themes. Joseph is a fairly typical Hornby male character, a little clueless about relationships and in some respects his own worst enemy. I could see the thread linking High Fidelity and Juliet, Naked with Just Like You in the depiction of Joseph’s DJing, which includes some music geek moments. There are also some very funny moments, I can’t think about eyebrows in the same way now.

Both the main characters are well drawn and seemed psychologically real to me – I was rooting for them and couldn’t put the book down. The supporting characters were also realistic and rounded. My only criticism of the book was my suspicion that Lucy’s ex, Martin, had to be an addict, in order to ‘allow’ her to be with a 22 year old man, instead of someone her own age, lest she be an ‘unlikeable’ female character.

The importance of Brexit, and the social divides revealed by the referendum is a beautiful counterpoint to Lucy and Joseph’s relationship. I felt that Hornby dealt with the themes of race, equality and politics sensitively. The novel is set in liberal North London, and I would say this shows in its politics, but Hornby does so with self-reflection and humour. Meanwhile, unlike Brexit, the novel achieves a redemptive and hopeful ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

As a History and Politics teacher, as well as a hopeless romantic, the concept of this book drew me in - an unlikely coupling set during the backdrop of the Brexit/Trump Debacle of 2016.
We see Lucy, a recently separated forty-two year old teacher with two children, drawn to Joseph, a twenty-two year old lacking direction. The book attempts to deal with various contemporary issues: the obvious age-gap, racism, class divide and political ideologies. The two main characters are likeable and I found I got through the book quickly. I adored Lucy's children and loved the humour they injected.
However, I feel that the book started off strong and then fell a bit flat. The relationship lacked any passion and fed into stereotypes e.g. turning the comment about a wanna-be DJ knowing alot of singers into a race issue and making Jospeh seem to act like a teenager just to highlight the age gap, despite him being a full-grown adult of 22. The book clearly leans more towards a Remainer viewpoint, which is fine, but it represents those that chose to Leave as sheep, following along with what they have heard without feeling the need to question it, whilst representing the Remainers as those with college level educations. I felt a bit cheated by the ending. It just skipped over an important plot point like it was nothing.
Overall, it was an easy read and I liked how it highlighted the many ways we can be divided in today's society, some more obvious than others.
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Penguin Viking in exchange for a fair review.

"She was sleeping with someone who had been wearing nappies in the 1990s." That self-realisation comes really quite late in this book for the heroine, although it is of course a novel about how you don't need such self-realisations when you've got love. The sentiment is a fine one, although the book has to throw curveballs into the success of the relationship before it can be suggested the moral can be proven correct. I really liked the age-divide relationship, and its representation really works. This side of life seldom gets a proper look, and so it's nice to see it done so well, and so affirmingly. So why was I not really a major fan of the book?

For one thing, it's the nature of those curveballs, and the first major one is, er, Brexit. Yes, and there we were seeing 2016 as the start time of the novel and wondering how and why we'd travel through the years between then and now. It is, of course, as any liberal author could only provide, a completely one-sided remainer approach to Brexit – "look everyone, Brexit can derail a relationship, ya boo at Cameron and Farage!!". For another thing, the book is not happy with an age-divide, it has to have a career-divide (he dithers from butcher's to leisure centre to bedroom composing, she's a solid and successful teacher), and it has to have a race divide, in that he's second-generation Black and she's, er, a "grey ting".

So lots of enduring discussions of race is needed, and not just that. I would have loved it if I thought the comedy here was against all the pussy-footing people scared shitless of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong situation, but it's clearly not. This is a whole generation, this book tells us, where the worst that can happen to one's existence is to make a faux pas. Oh, or Brexit. This is, at least, not the most implausible thing about the book – after all, there's the sheer ridiculousness of her allegedly not having any prior intent at all by going to the butcher shop's Saturday lad and asking if he knows of any decent baby-sitters. It's not like she's a solid and successful teacher, at least, and would have NO EARTHLY WAY to know of sound and reliable teenagers to employ as such.

So my appreciation for this did rely on my appeal for, and my personal experiences with, the age gap relationship. The comedy of manners side of things, where the humour is given, is a reasonable time-passer, even if it's not a society I'd ever want to be in. And in preaching to his fellow remainers, Hornby will have either reinforced their collective little bubble, or put his foot in it and turned 51% of his audience away. But I was happy enough to spend some time with this book, for its brisk movement through the relationship of two generally likeable characters.

But I'm also still stuck with the kids' list – I know we start with Shaqiri, but only by mis-spelling Azpilicueta did I get any further...

A well-written and thought-provoking romance from Nick Hornby. I don't think that I have previously read one of his novels, though I have seen "About a boy" more than once. I am pleased that this lived up to all the hype about both the author and the book. I will definitely be reading more of Nick Hornby's novels.

Just Like You by Nick Hornby

This is the story of the relationship between Lucy and Joseph, set in London against the backdrop of the Brexit referendum and its aftermath.

I loved this book so much. Nick Hornby covers issues of race, gender, education, class and so much more in a brilliant story which is tender, poignant, funny and so timely. I'm in awe of how the author succeeds in making every character absolutely authentic, even though they are all from such different backgrounds. And big love for Lucy's boys - really enjoyed the scenes with them!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Viking for the ARC of this book.

I really wanted to like this book especially as I enjoyed the author’s previous books. However, I struggled with it, especially at the beginning. I found the characters, especially Lucy, unrelatable with little depth. The dialogue between the two main characters didn’t ring true and I wasn’t convinced by their relationship. Saying that I did finish the book and I think the premise was incredibly interesting.

I enjoyed this novel very much and would recommend it. Lucy, a teacher in her 40s, who is separated from her husband, falls in love with Joseph who is 22 and works part time in a butchers shop. There are some wonderful moments and some really classic dialogue, which often made me laugh! The whole novel feels very skilfully written and the author deals with interesting contemporary issues including Brexit. It’s a hopeful story but a realistic one. Entertaining!

I really wanted to love this book by the excellent author Nick Hornby but just didn’t really care enough about the characters and didn’t believe in their relationship. Set against a backdrop of the Referendum and Trump’s election success didn’t help. No denying that it was well written but I am unaffected by it.

Hornby's writing always feels familiar and great to pick up his new book and read more of his writing. Just like You is the unlikely relationship of twenty-two year old Joseph and mother of two Lucy. Following the story of how they meet, their differences and everything that brings them together. The book also covers race, Brexit and different cultures. Characters felt familiar and it was an easy read to follow their relationship.

Thanks for the early chance to read Just Like You by Nick Hornby.

I enjoyed this book. 40 something Lucy is single again with 2 young boys. She is starting to date again with little success. When she asks the assistant in her local butcher's shop to babysit, little does she realise what is about to happen. Joseph is 22 and black, and, against all odds, he and Lucy fall in love. This is the story of their developing relationship, exploring issues of the age difference as well as race. This is a very enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

I am a big fan of Nick Hornby’s writing; it’s comforting and homely. I’ve been reading him since I was young and always gravitate towards his books. I’m not normally a big reader of romance but if the story has a good plot, strong characters and is relatable it’s something I can get on board with.
Just Like You is set in 2016, it’s the referendum in Britain. Brexit is coming. Joseph, who is in his early twenties, starts to babysit for Lucy, who is in her early forties. They get along better than expected and form a relationship, despite the 20-year age difference.
I’ve seen a lot of criticism around Lucy and Joseph but ultimately, I liked the two of them! They were real, they were trying to make their relationship work and I really enjoyed the normality of them. They were normal people you could relate to.
This was a heart-warming book that covered such important topics, Brexit (which I’m sure everyone is sick to death of), addiction, breakdowns of relationships, racism and class. There was a lot covered but it was all done so well.
Overall I really enjoyed Just Like You, it was a pleasant read that could easily be picked up and put down when you wanted. It wasn’t difficult to read and was enjoyable.

This book is Nick Hornby doing what he does so well. A simple story line with beautifully detailed and developed characters. Given the current world situation when I was reading it and the escalation of fairness and race discussions it provided a thoughtful insight into several still contentious scenarios in our "modern" society.It was a pleasure to read and would make a fantastic, engaging and discussion creating book club read.

A story of a romance between an unlikely couple. He is 22 and black, she 42 and the mother of two and head of an English department in a school. They seem pretty mismatched in many ways and there are several ups and downs in their relationship. The book is thoughtfully written and tackles issues such as culture (due to colour, educational and age differences) in an believable way. Lots about what Joseph and Lucy expect others to think about them as a couple, sometimes their fears come to pass other times not The story takes place around the time of the Brexit referendum and the US election. I felt this was a bit manufactured, yes it was topical and the different viewpoints are explored a little, but not enough in my view to make this a meaningful addition to the story. Yes , taking the differences between this couple into account, the people around each of them have different viewpoints on these issues. I am not convinced that the way these were handled worked that well.
I have read quite a few books by Nick Hornby and was glad to be approved to review this one. I have read better books by this author, but as always he has provided a good read and food for thought. Some loose ends have not been tied up (What happened to Emma ?!!) but life is like that, I suppose
Thank you to Net Galleyfor the ARC in echange for an honest review

A disappointing read. I wanted to like this book but just couldn't get into it. The characters didn't seem to develop, remaining one-dimensional. As an artist, I didn't like the clash of pink and yellow on the cover either, in fact it put me off the book. Shame.

This is the first Nick Hornby novel I’ve read in a while, although I’ve certainly read most of his more famous work. I couldn’t quite put a handle on why I’d stopped reading him, but I definitely enjoyed this new work.
Lucy is a white school teacher in her forties who’s getting over a breakdown in her relationship with an ex- who’s addictions seem to have been the cause of many things. Meanwhile Joseph is a young black Londoner who holds a few different jobs and comes from a different world. He lives with his mum, and leads the sort of generally flighty lifestyle that you’d expect the average 21-year old to lead.

Lucy and Joseph cross paths in an upmarket butcher where the Saturday queue runs out of the door, and where patrons might spend three-digits on their vital cuts of meat.

The novel is a story of how these two seemingly very different worlds collide and what kind of relationship might be possible between a couple separated on so many levels. Added to this is the 2016 setting against the lead-up to the Brexit referendum. While neither of these two characters are especially politically aware, the two-sides of the Brexit are an added layer to what’s going on in Lucy and Joseph’s own lives.

As you’d expect with a book from Nick Hornby, there are some very funny lines with Joseph’s thoughts perhaps providing some of the best. When he meets a man with a dog named Senna, we’re told that, “Joseph guess that he’d been named after Ayrton Senna, because this guy was the sort of a***hole who liked Formula One.” On another occasion he finds himself confused by eyebrows: “He didn’t know what function eyebrows were supposed to perform, but whatever it was, they weren’t there to be looked it. So if you ended up looking, it seemed to him that something had gone wrong.”

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and despite any preconceptions you might have about the situation, it all feels very real and believable. Indeed the political naivety of some of the characters is perhaps the most unbelievable, although I think Hornby fairly nails the thinking of some parts of society during that Brexit campaign.

Thanks to the NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

Nick Hornbys new novel “Just Like You” is enjoyable, as ever Hornby is ever to create likeable characters and put them in testing waters. It did however feel like a bit of a tick box exercise and that he was going through the motions. It deals with Brexit, class, race, sex in familiar tone and the book never really broke out of a safety net.

I doubt Hornby ever needed to change gears when writing as it all seemed very heartly and used his undoubted talent for characters but it was going through the motions in what felt like a familiar scenary. Interesting characters came and went and drifted on the outskirts the two main characters but there was never enough there to become fully hooked. It was an enjoyable read because without trying Nick Hornby is able to do so but its not particuarlly memorable and since its his first novel in a number of years, I had expected more.

I have been a fan of Nick Hornby books since I was a teenager, so I had to request this one. Thank you @netgalley and thankyou @nickhornbywriter
Overall I enjoyed this book. At times I struggled to like Lucy as a character but it didn't make my reading experience less enjoyable. Lucy a 42 year old mother of two has recently separated from her Husband. Contemplating spending her life alone or settling for something acceptable, when she ends up falling in love with a 22 year old black man called Joseph. Not only are the separated by age and race but the differences of their lives. Lucy's life seems stable, grown up and has her head screwed on, whereas Joseph holds down multiple jobs and doesn't know what he believes in. Set in the run up to voting for Brexit; the characters collide and navigate their relationship, political views, racial ignorance and also their 20 year age gap. In true Hornby fashion you follow the couple through their ups and downs with Brexit and many other topics as an important backdrop to their love story. And how many things can seperate us, the people we love, the people we have loved, race and beliefs. Not just from people we know but also strangers. Everyone picks a side to vote for Brexit, for Trump's election in America and for relationships that don't conform to people's norms. Nick Hornby will always be an auto buy author for me, and I will definitely be buying this when it gets published to add to my Nick Hornby collection.

I think I have read most of Nick Hornby's books. We are a similar age and I feel a bit like I have grown alongside him. #JustLikeYou is a novel of it's time. Set during the Brexit referendum it accurately describes the turmoil and differences that were set off by the 'Leave' decision. (Although a staunch Brexit supporter might say this is not the case and that the portrayal is the view of a London Liberal - which is what I am, so I was quite happy!)
The referendum is just the backdrop to a story that is about family, love and relationships. Lucy falls in love with a man 21 years her junior. She is white and he is black. While realistic about the difficulties, they follow their hearts. Told from both Lucy and Joseph's perspective, it is an enjoyable story. I am probably too cynical to have been completely convinced, but I enjoyed the journey of their relationship.
Thank you to the publishers, #Netgalley and Nick Hornby for the opportunity to read and review this warm-hearted book.

I *love* Nick's books and even did a little sequel when I saw I had been approved for this title. Since finishing it, I've brooded on it and I think this is an example of a good book, not a great one. For one thing, I think the blurb sets it up to be a very different book than the one we are given.

While there's a lot to like in this tale of an unlikely romance, it feels like it's spread across too many genres to make it a book that could be beloved. It's not quite a romance novel, although the relationship is what moves the novel along (although drifts along may be a better verb choice) there's social critique and examining off societal expectations from class to age to Brexit.

I really cared for the characters and wanted to know what would happen to them, the alternating POV chapters was a great choice for developing them both and our connections to them. However both leads feel too much like archetypes and their depictions are weirdly superficial.

The best way of summing up how I feel about this book is that I enjoyed it at the time, but stopped thinking about it as soon as a I finished. A nice and easy read, but not one that lingers after reading.

A story about a relationship where age, culture and upbringing all play a part.
Lucy is 41, a middle class teacher separated with two young boys. She meets Joseph, a 22 year old, working behind the counter at the butchers. The book tells the tale of how they want to be together but struggle against social conformity and expectations of family and friends.
It is set against the backdrop of Brexit and how they both voted and what expectations they have.
I struggled to warm to the style of writing, however the story was good and kept me interested.