The absurd Life of Barry White by Rob Harrisis a quirky, feel-good comedy about Barry White Jr., a 44-year-old underachiever whose life takes a wild turn after a lucky bet. Set in a small Welsh village, the story blends humor with heart as Barry stumbles toward unexpected growth. Funny, relatable, and perfect for fans of offbeat character-driven tales. Great audio quality and narrator

Full disclosure - I read this because my uncle’s name is Barry White and I couldn’t resist. With that being said, I did enjoy it. It takes pretty serious topics and handles them with care in the form of humor. While Barry is going through it, it’s an enjoyable story and it felt real which was fantastic.

Very funny and light hearted comedy. A good break from the typical books I read. Well written and enjoyable. Enough spice to fit into some of my usual reads but the comedy aspect was great.

I went into this expecting a quirky, funny read, but unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. First off, Barry wasn't really a heartwarming, loveable character, which I felt this book needed him to be so as a reader you were rooting for him. Secondly, the humor side was lacking for me. There were a few laughable moments, but not what I was expecting. The last 25% did pick up and showed Barry's growth and learning from those in his life, which made the ending enjoyable. The narrator's voice seemed perfect for Barry's character.

I enjoyed this audiobook, and found the ultimate resolution to be fitting. I thought the audio quality was decent, and I enjoyed the actors in the audiobook. I would recommend to anyone that enjoyed stories like "failure to launch".

absolutely loved this novel, especially as an audiobook as the narrator was such a perfect fit!
it‘s rare to have so many extremely lovable characters in one book, each with their own quirks, issues and qualities. despite addressing some quite serious topics, this is a very uplifting novel, that will move you and warm your heart but also make you laugh out loud. barry‘s voice is so unique and authentic that i was invested in the story from the first minute of listening. would highly recommend!

Barry White is a guy we all know, the typical underdog, doesn’t love his job but is decent at it. Barry White is a great friend to all. I liked that Barry was in his 40’s, his character was brilliantly written.

This book had me laughing out loud, smiling and turning pages. The story line was simple to follow and witty.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this book prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so glad I listened to the audiobook for this one. The narrator was fantastic and sold the story so well.

I was initially drawn to the book because of the Welsh connection and it didn’t disappoint at all. I thought it was going to be a humorous book with lots of laugh out loud moments.

In many ways it was - there was plenty of humour but there was also a lot of deeper content that touched on everything from gambling, mental health, family secrets. All of which were covered with humour and seriousness in just the right balance.

Overall I would say this book turned out to be more than I expected in such a good way. I would highly recommend.

Engaging, entertaining, and well-narrated. A recommended purchase for collections where offbeat litfic is popular.

Barry White is a loser. He drinks too much, he is over weight, lives with his mom, works a job he’s not good at, and gambles away every penny he can get his hands on. His life is going no where, and he’s already in his 40s. But one gambling win sets his life in on completely different path.

I will admit that I struggled with this audiobook at the beginning. The Welsh names and and accent were a bit tricky, and honestly Barry wasn’t all that likable of a character. He made me cringe! But as he began to transform, I began to really enjoy this story! Barry, at the core is a good person and was beloved by his community. It was so heartwarming, and I definitely recommend the story! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for this one!

The Absurd Life of Barry White is a slice of life, general fiction book. It seemed like it was going to be kind of cozy and light hearted but actually had a little bit of tragedy in it. It wasn’t as funny as the blurb made it seem and also wasn’t as absurd as I was hoping. I kind of guessed what would happen and overall I wasn’t a huge fan of this. I felt like nothing really happened until the last 25% of the book, and the beginning was just a lot of set up for Barry’s character. I didn’t find Barry or really any of the other characters to be loveable. It seemed a little too long for what the book was trying to do. I thought the narrator did a great job with the character voices but there wasn’t as much to the story as I was hoping.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Rob Harris for this ALC

"The Absurd Life of Barry White" by Rob Harris is listed as general fiction, humor, and satire. I don't think I laughed once. Barry White's life is absurd, and it was a waste of time to listen to it. There is very little drama or story to it. I didn't like it.

He's an overweight, unhappy, drunk man about 40 living in Wales with his mother. He's also a gambler, and he hates his job. He is a kind person, and he loves his mother. He wins some money and gives it all away. That's it.

Characters - 3/5
Writing - 2/5
Plot - 2/5
Pacing - 2/5
Unputdownability - 1/5
Enjoyment - 1/5
Narration - 2/5 by Iain Batchelor
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 16/8 = 2 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Rob Harris for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I tried to get into this book, but I could not get through it. I did not like the narrator or the way the story was read, and it made it hard for me to listen to.

This book had me laughing so hard I almost peed myself!

Barry White does as little as possible, working from home doing the bare minimum while his mother takes care of him. He's an obese man in his 40s and still living at home. He has issues with gambling and spends all his money making the worst bets.

The narrator was brilliant, I could not have picked someone better. The things Barry gets himself into and his internal monologue had me in stitches.

I think it might just be the best audiobook I have ever listened to. The characters are all great and the storyline was simple but clever.

If you need a good laugh, this is your next book. It has to be. You won't be sorry

5 stars

Barry White Jr. is a down on his luck 44 year old man who still lives at home with his mother. He is a content creator for a logistics firm but to add a little spice to his life, he places bets. One day, lady luck is on his side and he wins big.

What would you do if you came into alot of money? Barry has to ponder this and figure what to do with all his money.

This was a light, fun read.

The Absurd Life of Barry White was such a charming tale.

I loved this story of an underdog. I loved that he was baffled when luck seemed to favour him, showering bounties he didn't want suddenly.

I didn't know what to expect from this book but I was smiling all through.

I truly enjoyed reading this one!

What a splendid book! Lighthearted, refreshing, and thoroughly funny. Throughout the book, I couldn’t help but want to shake some sense into Barry White Jr., all the while laughing at his antiques and those of his friend. If you are in need of good chuckle accompanied by a slight cringe at ridiculous situations Barry finds himself in, this is a book for you.

I listened to this and really enjoyed it only to find it is not set for publication in the US yet. I hope it does get published in the US. I think it could find an audience here,

I give the book 4.5 stars. I received a free ebook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. I like fiction. I liked the idea of a character who's life isn't in order. Honestly, most of our lives aren't perfect.

The book started out slow for me. I thought it was a book about Barry's absurd life. The book turned into Barry's journey. I got to see how the character grows.

The narrator had a good voice. He changed his voice at times. You felt the narrator was with you

The book had good character development. It is probably a make or break for me, when I read fiction. Some of the silly characters became so real to me. I gained empathy for the characters, as the book went on .

The audiobook wasn't too long of a listen. There were a few times I did relisten to a part, because I was a little confused. When I relistened, I got it

I look forward to reading more from the author. I am thankful to the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this fun but important book.

The Absurd Life of Barry White is a funny, light-hearted story, that often times reminded me of Ted Lasso. Going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but Barry’s character quickly grew on me; he’s endearing in his own quirky way. The plot is filled with humorous moments and absurd situations, creating an easygoing narrative that never takes itself too seriously.

As for the audiobook, the narration is solid and adds to the overall enjoyment of the story. However, I did find the pacing to be on the slower side. This wasn’t a problem for me, though, as I comfortably listened at 2x speed, which is faster than I usually prefer, especially when the narrator’s accent differs from my own. Even at this increased speed, the narration remained clear and engaging, making the experience enjoyable from start to finish.

If you’re looking for something that’s both entertaining and light-hearted, with a lovable but offbeat protagonist, The Absurd Life of Barry White is a great choice.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.