How to Have a SHIT Relationship

by J. L. Dent

Midway through taking a dump on his compost loo, disenfranchised loner Liam is confronted by Daniel Bloomberg, the local aristocrat. They couldn’t be any more he’s a Tory, Liam’s a lefty; Daniel’s a southerner, Liam’s a northerner; Daniel’s rich, Liam lives hand-to-mouth; Daniel’s indirect, Liam’s straight-forward. But they’re both men, they’re both lonely and they both carry wounds.
Thirty-something Maya seeks connection through polyamory. She hasn’t had sex for forever … or at least four weeks. Then along comes Troy to one of her Conscious Movement dance evenings. He’s edgy, blunt, scary, perfect for scratching an itch. That is until he gets the insane idea they’re in a relationship.
Troy’s trying his best to go straight, do the right thing. He’s in therapy, goes to an anger management group, and has a direct line to God, but is this enough to stop him from going back to his old ways?
Meredith’s life has become dull and boring, rather like her husband. They don’t talk, they never play, and sex, well the less said about that, the better. And if only she could get rid of the irritating gardener!
Set in 2014 between Surrey and London, the fateful Brexit referendum on the horizon, five Britons become inextricably linked, each searching for something more meaningful to add to their existence, but to change their lives they need to do something terrifying – change themselves.

402 pages, Paperback

Published August 11, 2024

About the author

J. L. Dent was raised in a working-class home in Leeds and has lived in communes, squats and the street. His interest in countercultural movements inspired a period as a stand-up punk poet and performance artist. Dent is currently a psychotherapist and writes in his spare time. He lives in Stroud with his teenage son. How to Have a SHIT Relationship is his debut novel.

Reviews

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down, laugh out loud funny, and insightful too!
I really enjoyed this book. The fact that the author is a psychotherapist shows, with humour grounded in astute observations of the crazy ways us humans can be, and many touching moments of insight into what makes even the most unsympathetic of characters become the people they are, and do the things they do. I couldn’t wait to find out how the lives of these disparate people would collide. How they would meet. How they would relate. And what would happen when they did. Their intertwining journeys were a hilarious and exhilarating, yet compassionate, ride through terrain from everyday-tragic to heart-warming. And I came out the other side pondering deeper truths: What kinds of wealth really make for a fulfilling life; How compelling it can be to stay within the walls of our own prisons; What power we do have to liberate ourselves; And the extent to which, whenever us humans relate with one another, we can’t help but be changed by the experience. A very funny, while also quite touching, read.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read! From the first page we are drawn into an engaging story with interesting characters. We see how they develop and impact on each others lives. This is expressed with humour and emotion. The characters have depth and feel very real. Having grown up in North London it was interesting to see it depicted so accurately with recognisable characteristics. There are no goodies and baddies on this take. Characters we are less drawn to or who are more objectionable develop and we understand what brought them to that point in their lives. A really good read!

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to believe that this is the author's first book. The characters have depth and many aspects I could relate to (either in myself or other people I know). Each chapter focuses on the perceptions of one character, so we really get to know their inner workings... interesting style. The plot is gripping and often kept me reading longer than intended. So this isn't a good bedtime read if you need to get off to sleep at a specific time! The depiction of the uk conscious dance scene is hilariously accurate. Don't be put off by the title... it's positive connotation is revealed eventually.

[Robert Giddins]

Just finished reading this book which i thoroughly enjoyed. Suffice to say.....i always looked forward to picking it up to carry on reading it. Always a pleasure to find a book that does that. The characters and character 'types' were captured perfectly and descriptions about so many different things were beautiful. Can't recommend it enough

[Helen Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read - I couldn't put it down. I love how this book shows people from all walks of life, in a non judgemental way - it gives true yet gripping stories from different characters.