The Rest of Our Lives

Such a great book that explores what else is out there and who am I? It shows it’s never to late to start over and find yourself

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits

Tom drops his youngest daughter Miri off at university and just keeps driving, visiting various people along the way but with no real plan. But he can't run forever, he has to face up to his health issues and his wife, who had an affair 12 years ago and whom he intended to leave once Miri left home.

Loved this! I read it ahead of many others that are being published before it, mainly because my youngest has just left for university too. I absolutely loved it - the perfect mix of funny, poignant and thought-provoking. Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

What struck me about this novel was the similarity, of narrative style, with Raymond Carver. I say that as a compliment, of course. And that style carries the reader through this quest type story, of Tom, whose wife, Amy has in the past had a affair, their son has left home, and their daughter is off to college. The question being asked, really, is what do you do when that happens - when you're left to live with the person who's betrayed you? There is another question running through this story, though, and that's Tom's illness, which other characters are concerned about, but he brushes off. As he travels alone, visiting old friends and his brother, and finally his son, there is a sense that he's reliving the past, perhaps even saying goodbye, and this adds to the mystery of his illness. In the end, we find out what's going on with him, and yes, the ending does ask the question, what will we do with the rest of our lives?

I'm tempted to say this is the best novel I've read this year, in fact, I'll say it. It really was the best novel I've read this year. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Nobody tells you what an intense experience loneliness is, how it has a lot of variations..."

Let me start by saying I didn't know what to expect from this book. A Jazzy cover, a title implying a romance, few reviews online for me to pre-empt a narrative. None of that mattered when I jumped in to this book.

Following the life of protagonist Tom as he drops his daughter at college and takes himself on a long trip across country meeting friends of old and strangers at basketball courts - this novel plunges straight into male mental health and what it's like getting by when there's nobody there who knows what's happening inside your head.

I freaking loved this book for how matter-of-fact and easy to read it was whilst simultaneously touching on deep topics and the tragedy of your life passing you by.

Highly recommended if you want to read something real and something that will resonate.

What a powerful tale; a really unexpected treasure. This is the story of Tom and his quest to find himself. It’s such a simple premise; he’s reached mid life, there’s a health concern and he’s living with the memory of betrayal by his wife, Amy, some years earlier. He drops his daughter off at university and instead of going home, just keeps driving. It’s part road trip as he seeks out old friends and reflects on his future. It’s observant, poignant and I suspect it’ll strike a chord with many. What happens in the empty nest home? The kids have gone and over a decade or two, relationships change. Will Tom and Amy have a future together? What are the ties that bind and how easy is it to break bonds? This is reflective without being claustrophobic and too introspective. Very well written and totally absorbing. Really enjoyed this.