Barney: A hilariously awkward love story

by Guy Sigley

Is love for awkward people too?

Get ready to meet Barney, the lovable, socially awkward underdog who just managed the near impossible - getting himself fired from the public service.

Desperate for work, Barney lands a private sector role with a small PR firm that has a suspicious lack of clients and is run by a man who wears Hawaiian shirts to staff meetings. The one shining light is Gloria. Fierce, devastatingly intelligent and with a brutal sense of humor, Barney is mesmerized from the moment they meet.

This charming, laugh-out-loud love story takes you on a whirlwind journey through Barney's misadventures as he navigates the social minefields of work and romance. Whether it's his hyper self-awareness or his awkward attempts at winning Gloria's heart, Barney's story is relatable and endearing, reminding us that there's a bit of Barney in all of us.

With an unforgettable cast of characters, Barney offers a perfect blend of humor and warmth that will leave you smiling long after you turn the final page.

Perfect for anyone looking for a light, feel-good book; dive into Barney and discover why readers are captivated by this charming tale of social missteps, office antics, and the elusive quest for love!

Genres: Humor, Fiction

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2016

About the author

Guy Sigley was born to parents who were both in the entertainment industry.

Guy studied Law and Arts at Deakin University but soon found out that excessive study really got in the way of reading fiction. After eventually graduating with a double degree, Guy started writing after being inspired by his favourite authors.

As well as being a writer, Guy is a podcaster. He experimented with two seasons of the music and 90s-themed, The Guy Sigley Show, and is now in his fourth year of hosting The One-Eyed Dog podcast with his twin brother, Dave, and great mate, Smitty, all about the Western Bulldogs AFL club.

Guy has coached junior soccer and netball, having never played either game, was a committee member of the local soccer club, dabbles in goal umpiring, and enjoys an occasional stint on the boundary.

He lives in Melbourne with his wife, who is a doctor, three children and a ragdoll cat.

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been meaning to read this for a little while and finally got around to it. I liked the characters and it was an engaging and easy to read story. Would definitely read more from Guy Sigley in the future

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was going to give this three stars, but then I read this line - "Gloria chose a restaurant so platonic, married couples leave in separate cabs". Abd as if that moment, the book started acting as a four-star read.

I did enjoy this book, it is lighthearted and fun just as it promises to be. It was especially easy to relate to Barney's experience because I have just quit an advertising agency myself, and having spent two years in the area, I can testify that Guy Sidley does not lie - funny enough to say this, but even the immense distance between where I live and Australia does not present a lot of differences in the experience of working in advertising. Every little ridiculous, unorthodox and even ugly thing that Barney experiences working in communications is really authentic to the experience. I found that very interesting about the book.

So don't hesitate, it's a fun read. I might have to add though that I got the book in exchange for my unbiased review. I hope this indie book makes it!

[Matthew Sigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

All nepotism aside (the author is my brother) Barney is a great read. Characters you feel empathy for, laugh out loud moments and an engaging plot that keeps you guessing at what Barney is going to put his foot into next. I've tracked Guy's progress from his first novel One Man's Journey through to Barney via several unpublished works and he has definitely arrived at his own style. Looking forward to the next instalment!

[Aoife O’ Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barney: A novel (about a guy called Barney)

4 stars

“I have no interest in physical contact with strangers, but just being around people makes me feel like there might be a bit of hope left in my otherwise hopeless existence.”

Barney’s down a job and feeling more than a little bit lost in his strikingly ‘normal’ existence. Follow him as he changes careers (albeit unwillingly) and tries to find his footing in his unfamiliar new environment, honestly you won’t regret it. Guy Sigley’s writing is easy to read yet strikingly clever, he had me from the opening paragraph. I was immediately pulled into the hilarious antics of Barney’s internal thoughts, you’ll understand what I mean if you read the book.

Barney is a light-hearted and loveable character who is down-right hysterical with just the right amount of quirky. Brilliantly written as he is his co-characters pale quite a bit in comparison to him. They were all too…similar- it seemed at some points like everyone was on the same wavelength, except for Barney. Almost as if the writer was trying to emphasise just how ‘different’ Barney was. It didn’t work for me unfortunately, instead I felt like the vast majority of minor characters were two dimensional robots with very few distinguishing features. Gloria our leading lady managed to break away from this mould every now and again, although she’d inevitably slip back into old habits.

As far as I’m concerned this is a pretty minor complaint though because the text, much like its main character, is light-hearted and fun. It’s about learning to be exactly who you are and not what you think society wants you to be. About growing up and realising that you are responsible for your life, your words and your actions and you can’t blame everyone else all of the time. It’s a comedy that reminds you that life can sometimes be pretty damn messy and mean, but that laughter is always the best medicine.

It isn't a novel that's going to have you thinking too deeply about things but it is a book that will bring a smile to your face, a chuckle to your ears and a tingle to your heart because you can’t help but fall in love with this novel about a guy called Barney.

Best to approach this one similar to how Barney approaches life: slightly optimistic and exceedingly merry.

*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in the hopes that I would review it. All of the above opinions are completely and honestly my own and without influence.*

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I could give this 3.5 stars, I would. A quirky, amusing, quick read about a guy called Barney.

[Mahua · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the new fictional authors I ve discovered whose books I would like to read more. The character is as close to P.G. Wodehouse's character of Bertie Wooster as is possible in contemporary writing, albeit sans Jeeves's character and the royal backdrop.
The protagonist is Barney Conroy who is a marketing communications professional but is a socially awkward person. The comic situations which arise because of his awkwardness is hilarious and totally worth your time if you want to read something on a lighter vein.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lighthearted fun and easy read, full of constant humour and a tone of slight irony and heavy on the hyberbole! But thankfully (unlike The Rosie Project / The Rosie Effect, to which this has been compared) this book doesn't take itself too seriously. Barney is easy to like and sympathise with. The cast of supporting characters are varied, but not so extensive that you can't keep track; and Sigley does a good job of giving each of them a distinctive personality of their own. This was just the right length and managed to hold my interest. I'm sure this would make a great TV movie or mini-series. Meanwhile, I look forward to reading the sequel.

[Ruairí Gildernew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Quite a good, light hearted read. The trials and tribulations of Barney's professional and personal life will keep you turning the pages with a smile on your face. Perfect holiday read.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book and found it to be a funny, light read that's certainly entertaining. Barney is a socially awkward, hilarious man who tries to be everything he is not. When he is forced to resign from his public service job, a series of events are set into motion that will lead him to push himself outside of his comfort zone. Barney's inner monologue was both hilarious and refreshingly honest (and my favorite part of the book). There were a few moments where I found myself laughing out loud as I read the story. There's not much depth to the book and it did loose me a little towards the end, but it was an easy, enjoyable read nonetheless. I would be interested to read more from this author.

[Alexei · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am trying to get into comedy at the moment and I think this book is perfect for that.The book made me chuckle occasionally and it was a really pleasant read. There was moments where I was cringing, and often this puts me off, but otherwise it was pretty good. Some lines were very well written. Plus some good gags there too.
Overall, I would recommend it. I did enjoy the read I am tempted to read the second one as well.
My only criticism, and it is a small one (I promise) was that [Barney] is meant to be germophobic yet there was only a few sparse references to it. His social awkwardness was clearly visible, so I felt G.Sigley could have perhaps emphasised the germophobia, for example; bringing alcohol gel with him, brushing the keyboard at work. Little things like that.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to make of Barney in the beginning, as he really was very socially inept, and I spent half the time cringing on the sofa at his latest foot-in-mouth episode.

However, as the book continued, I found myself intrigued by him, and desperately wanting him to find his HEA. I laughed out loud at times, and then further on, Guy Sigley made me thoughtful as he took Barney on his journey.

It's not a deep book, being a comedy, but it has enough depth to have made me care about the character, and, I really enjoyed it.
Looking forward to more of Guy's scribblings.

I received an ARC of this for my honest opinion.

[Jim Tacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barney is a funny, easy to read story about one of the most socially awkward people ever to see the light of day. He’s only ever one sentence away from a social disaster and his ability to put his foot into his mouth given the slightest opportunity leads to some entertaining encounters. I particularly like his hyper self-awareness, which the author employs in a witty way. The overall tone of the story is warm and likable as Barney tries to win Gloria’s heart. There’s probably a bit of Barney in all of us. However, that same self-awareness had me questioning the believability of the story at times and his self-obsession made it difficult to like the character from start to finish.

[Randy Tramp]

I found this book, light and easy to read. The plot was simple, with few surprises. The reason I rated this book a four was because of the character, Barney. He's comical and fun to be around. I enjoyed the wit Guy used in bringing this character to print.

Barney is a person who is socially awkward. His inner dialogue is real and that's why I enjoyed the book.

I read this book because of Jase Rosenburg's interview of Guy Sigley, http://jaserosenburg.com/interview-wi... Jase used the word hilarious and I agree with him.

[David Kuriny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, excellent, light-hearted read that makes you grin and then cringe throughout the entire story. I really enjoyed the descriptive imagery and the introduction to Australian culture. A couple of things stood out to me: the writing style being absolutely marvelous, the use of incorporating Barney's countless hours of TV watching into several allusions throughout the novel, and the good, moral principles taught throughout.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read new material by the author.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! First good book of the year. Like all my favorite books, this is a little off-beat. It's the story of Barney, a public sector ad man who gets fired from his cushy government job and ends up at a small private firm with no accounts. That's ok. His real dream is to become a standup comedian, though he's only attempted it once with terrible results. Add to this, a love interest who is always out of reach, a famous t.v. star mother, and corporate spying, among other things, and you have a very entertaining book.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an Australian humour story. I won't go into the story itself because the blurb and other reviewers take care of that.

It's not a laugh-out-loud story, but it will keep you entertained. It didn't catch me enough to give me the urge to buy the next books in the trilogy.

Maybe a 3.5 stars.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was really good. The fact that Barney tries to survive on his own without his friend to help him kinda cracks me up a bit. I see very much potential in this book, and I wish Guy good luck writing more in the future.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book. I really enjoyed it.

[truenorth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. Humorous and clean.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book - finished it in day and then rushed back to the bookshop to buy the next 2 in the series.
It was funny, witty and heart warming. Lots of laugh out loud moments. 10/10.

[Abhishek Naik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great one-time read for the tickling humour.

A short, hilarious, light-hearted read. Some things are extremely cliche, some of the jokes seem forced, but overall, the plot is nice and warm, and you'll ending up laughing out loud plenty of times.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read and hilarious. Very true to life and all the funnier for it, Clever, precise observations that catch you off guard.

Barney dreams of success as a stand-up comedian but needs a full-time job for the foreseeable, at least. Against all odds, he lands a job in a start-up company mainly due to his famous mother. Can he hold onto it and also make a good impression on Gloria?

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting series ooener

Barney's life isn't going great. No job. No prospects. And then his luck seems to change. A rip-roaring tale of self discovery ensues. Great fun and worth a read.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. It was a great page-turner having me chuckling and squirming the whole time.