Dave Harding's got a wonderful wife, a beautiful home, and a job he could do in his sleep...
So no one is more surprised than Dave when... read full description
reviews
Aug 30, 2009
The
rated it: 
Welcome to the world of male chick lit a.k.a. “dicklit” in Danish.
This is actually my first time reading this kind of novel written by a man, and tell you what? It ain’t bad! As a matter of fact, reading this novel is healthy for the mind and soul *cough* now that you sort of able to figure out what’s inside a man’s head in a certain situation.
This novel is light, simple and divided into one-to five page “chapter” with a title – reflecting the simple minds of a man. The w More...
This is actually my first time reading this kind of novel written by a man, and tell you what? It ain’t bad! As a matter of fact, reading this novel is healthy for the mind and soul *cough* now that you sort of able to figure out what’s inside a man’s head in a certain situation.
This novel is light, simple and divided into one-to five page “chapter” with a title – reflecting the simple minds of a man. The w More...
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Mar 29, 2011
Hil
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It's been many years (about 12?) since I read My Legendary Girlfriend, and I remember that I really enjoyed it and thought fondly of it for years, but now I can hardly remember what it was about. I also read The To Do List a few years ago and was less excited by that (but that was more fact than fiction). I was hoping that my opinion of him hadn't changed beyond repair and I'm happy to say that I loved this book and was quite gripped by the plot, not having known anything about it beforehand.
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Aug 01, 2011
I got 'My Legendary Girlfriend' free with a magazine when I was 17, to this day I marvel at my luck! I loved Will's losernish, I loved the fact that he was still suffering from teenage angst at 26, I loved (and cringed) seeing my soppy self in him.
'Dinner for Two' is loveable for quite different reasons, but it sings of Mike's near omniscient understanding of relationships and how people get things wrong.
While 'My Legendary Girlfriend' will always be the most well-thumbed Mike Gayle book I own, More...
'Dinner for Two' is loveable for quite different reasons, but it sings of Mike's near omniscient understanding of relationships and how people get things wrong.
While 'My Legendary Girlfriend' will always be the most well-thumbed Mike Gayle book I own, More...
Jan 11, 2012
Sheu
rated it:
At first, the idea of reading short chapters (between two to five pages long) was a good one. Eventually, it became a chore because you want the book to finish soon so you can start on a new one instead of being stuck with the same one. I managed to finish the book anyway.
One thing I liked about the book was its typical British humour. The running jokes between the main male character Dave Harding and the other characters (his wife Izzy, his friends Stella, Lee, Trevor, and Jenny, his More...
One thing I liked about the book was its typical British humour. The running jokes between the main male character Dave Harding and the other characters (his wife Izzy, his friends Stella, Lee, Trevor, and Jenny, his More...
Jan 30, 2012
Birgit
rated it: 
This is the second book by Mike Gayle that I read and once again it's a great male version of typical chick-lit. I don't know whether there is a term like bloke-lit, but as far as the content and fun goes it is just that. Once again he offers both male and female readers a fantastic read which gives insight into the male mind and he peppered the story with his well known light hearted humor.
So, boy finds out he has a daugther soon after his wife looses their first child. Trying to be a fat More...
So, boy finds out he has a daugther soon after his wife looses their first child. Trying to be a fat More...
Jul 28, 2011
Tammy
rated it: 
A story about a guy who loses his job and starts writing an advice column for a teen magazine, where he eventually gets a letter from a young girl claiming to be his daughter. Great book, always wonderful to read Mike Gayle's writing because he shows situations from a man's perspective that is perfectly believable. Loved this one (not that it comes as a great shock, I love all his books)
Sep 21, 2011
Agi
rated it:
Every time I read Mike's book I dream about such a man like the main hero. Well, too late:))) But anyway, it's not bad with mine:)
Mike Gayle always draws brilliant characters, very warm and very real, just like every one of us. They have the same problems like we have, with work, with children, with their personal lives and are coping with them like normal people. No fairy tales, no cinderellas, no princes... In this book I couldn't actually understand what Izzy's problem with Nicole is, s More...
Mike Gayle always draws brilliant characters, very warm and very real, just like every one of us. They have the same problems like we have, with work, with children, with their personal lives and are coping with them like normal people. No fairy tales, no cinderellas, no princes... In this book I couldn't actually understand what Izzy's problem with Nicole is, s More...
Nov 21, 2008
Angie
rated it:
This is the third book I read by Mike Gayle. His books are always funny and you feel with the characters.
This time, it is about David who works as a journalist for a music magazin, and music is his life. But there is his wife Izzy, who works also for a magazin. They are a lucky couple until Daves company has to fire him, because of a to low readership.Izzy offered him to write some columns for her women magazin. At the beginning he is sceptical but it turns out, that the women like More...
This time, it is about David who works as a journalist for a music magazin, and music is his life. But there is his wife Izzy, who works also for a magazin. They are a lucky couple until Daves company has to fire him, because of a to low readership.Izzy offered him to write some columns for her women magazin. At the beginning he is sceptical but it turns out, that the women like More...
Jan 17, 2012
Nathan
rated it:
A ladlit book whose central angst moment wasn't what I expected. Huzzah! Bit of a shame about the rest of it, though. This one was a bit of a throwaway even by Gayle's standard. Still, easy to write, easy to read. No challenge. Rated PG for some adult themes. 3/5
Aug 15, 2010
Dani
rated it:
This is the book that many girls dream of -- an emotional relationship story written by a man and told from a man's point of view. The short chapters (some of them only a page long) remind me of how my own husband speaks, brief and to the point.
Aug 08, 2011
Unashamedly sentimental, but light and quick read. Finished it at one go on a flight and enjoyed it. If you like books that appeal to your sentimentality, this is the one for you.
Sep 29, 2011
Sally
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Some nice light reading for the garden on a warm day when I needed to be required to engage no brain cells. This fitted the bill nicely, and had a happy ending. Perfect
Mar 26, 2008
Karschtl
rated it:
The book reminded me a little of Tony Parson's "Man & Boy" and a little of "About a Boy" by Nick Hornby. Both times it's about a man and a boy, obviously. Here it is about a man and a girl, but apart from that not really different.
I wonder how much of it is autobiografical, since the physical description of the 1st person narrator fits perfectly to the photo of Mike Gayle on the back cover.
The language is simple English, really easy to read and understand. Therefo More...
I wonder how much of it is autobiografical, since the physical description of the 1st person narrator fits perfectly to the photo of Mike Gayle on the back cover.
The language is simple English, really easy to read and understand. Therefo More...
Jan 04, 2012
Ann
rated it:
I liked the story, its told by the male point of view and that was a nice change. Happily married man finds out that he has a teenage daughter from a long forgotten night. Well told
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Mar 31, 2010
Judy
rated it:
A very entertaining story, amusing but with a serious thread running through.
Chicklit written by a man!
Chicklit written by a man!
May 08, 2011
Ramazah
rated it:
It's like watching a recently released romantic comedy. Only with some extra emotions. Loved it!
Feb 01, 2010
Anna
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I seem to be having a Mike Gayle phase. Sort of chick lit written by a man, with a male main character.
Apr 13, 2009
Greg Allan
rated it:
Lad Lit with a heart. I could see myself in the main character's shoes.
Feb 13, 2008
Jen
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I like this book, except for the plethora of music references. Reading this book was like hanging out with that guy who is always trying to one-up you by knowing the coolest band or talking about that one vinyl ep that no one ever know about. And frankly, if you're going to do that, you should do it right. Jeff Buckley's song is "Everybody Here Wants You" not "Everybody IN Here Wants You." I also thought it took a while to warm up and found some of the dialogue a bit forc
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Feb 02, 2012
Shell
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Cant actually remember reading this - though I am sure that I did at some point! Like Mike Gayle so I am sure that I enjoyed this
Jan 24, 2012
Jennifer
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Dave used to write for a music magazine, a job he loved but has recently lost interest in. So he isn't heartbroken when the magazine folds so he goes looking for a new writing gig and finds one as an "agony uncle" at a teen mag. Initially, he thinks writing at a teen mag. is a bit silly but really gets into it before long. In a twist, he finds out he has a teenaged daughter and she wants to meet him. He realizes that he really wants a child and this girl is wonderful.
Sep 17, 2007
Joanie
rated it:
Cute concept, a guy writes an advice colum for a teen magazine and he receive a letter from a young girl claiming to be his daughter. He has no clue he's a father but the story checks out and he begins a relationship with her (hiding from his wife at first) and it goes from there. Some parts were good, others were annoying. I didn't like the guy's wife much but she came around a bit in the end.
Oct 17, 2008
Stephanie
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This was an excellent book. It is the opposite of traditional chic lit novels in that it is written from a mans point of view and he desperately wants a child. Dave finds out, by being a teenage magazine columnist, that he has a daughter he never knew about. It is a great story that kept me on my feet and always wanting more. It was a great quick read.
Apr 27, 2008
Rachael
rated it:
Dinner for Two is about a music journalist who goes to work for a teen magazine. He answers letters from teen girls and 2 months in to he job he receives a letter from a 14yr old girl who claims to be his daughter. The book takes place in London and is about Dave's relationship with his wife Izzy and his daughter Nicola.
Feb 01, 2010
Kate
rated it: 
After a lot of hectic studyig, I fancied a nice easy read, unfortunately this novel was too easy. The narrative just plodded through the protagonist's life and wasn't gripping in any sense. I was hoping that the ending would be good but I can only describe it as being mediocre.
