The Life of Reilly

by Paul Burke

Sean Reilly seems to have his life lovely family, beautiful house and lucrative career as a voice-over artist. But he craves the sort of romance and affection that he no longer receives from his wife. When she sets up home in Kent without him he wonders why, once married, women want men to change and hate it when they don't? Whereas men never want women to change and hate it when they do.

Lucy Ross, 'caught single' after a career development sends her long-term boyfriend into paroxysms of jealousy, is also looking for romance. She doesn't want Sean to change - she just wants him. Full stop. So could the life of Reilly be sorted after all?

Genres: Fiction, Romance

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 2007

About the author

His advertising work has won him almost every award in industry including campaigns for Barclaycard, VW, PG Tips, British Gas and Budweiser. At the same time he pursued a parallel career as a DJ on radio, in clubs and has worked for LBC, GLR and Heart 106.2. He has also written for the Guardian, Tatler and The Sunday Times.

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought this book on holiday as I’d finished my other book sooner than expected. I bought it in a second-hand shop and I can see why it was abandoned there. It’s very lightweight and devoid of anything worth reading about. The plot is thin and the characters unlikeable and unbelievable. The stereotyping of the political world is hackneyed and sloppy, as is the portrayal of anyone born north of the home counties. Men really don’t wear flat caps or go round saying “Eee, lass.” There is similar stereotyping of people who are gay and a patronising attitude to Catholics, practising and lapsed, along with the usual old chestnut about aids being spread because the Pope condemns the use of condoms. The Pope also condemns pre- and extra-marital sex, so the condom issue is a red herring. The dismissal of characters who are less than beautiful physically is cheap and the bias in favour of the Conservative Party and the jokey attitude to not paying taxes are infantile. Next time I go on holiday I’ll pack more books.

[Asiem | असीम · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearing the house of books - #4

Picked this up in a secondhand bookshop in Choolaimedhu, Chennai, while I was doing my undergraduate degree (I think this was in 2012). Well, this shall now be passed on to another secondhand bookshop, where hopefully, someone who appreciates this more than I did will pick it up.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A romantic comedy featuring voiceover artist Sean Reilly, suffering in a loveless marriage, and Lucy Ross a journalist who unwittingly gets herself elected as a local MP. I found I liked Lucy with her naive, unambiguous approach to politics, and as such the book was a refreshing, humorous, insight into the workings of the political sphere. I found the ending somewhat abrupt and convenient, but it made sense to a point.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really relaxed read. I loved the storyline and there were plenty of times I laughed out loud. Definitely recommendable!

[Chivon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.1 out 5. Light easy fulfilling read.