Mike Gayle

'His most accomplished and moving novel yet' Lisa Jewell 'Emotionally high-voltage' Metro From the author of The Man I Think I Know *** Strangers living worlds apart. Strangers with nothing in common. But it wasn't always that way... Kerry Hayes is single mum, living on a tough south London estate. She provides for her son by cleaning houses she could never afford. Taken into care as a child, Kerry cannot forget her past. Noah Martineau is a successful barrister with a beautiful wife, daughter and home in fashionable Primrose Hill. Adopted as a young child, Noah never looks back. When Kerry contacts Noah, the sibling she lost on the day they were torn apart as children, she sets in motion a chain of events that will change both of their lives forever. By turns funny and moving, Half a World Away is a story that will stay with you long after you read its final page. *** Readers love Half a World Away! 'These are people who matter, situations one can believe. Most readers will find themselves caring very much. A life-affirming read.' Vine 'It isn't easy, it is heart-wrenching, but, oh, is it worth reading. I can't recommend this book highly enough.' Vine 'How have I not read a Mike Gayle book before? I want to give this book all of the starts in the universe. I cried my eyes out at the end. It is touching, heart-wrenching and thought-provoking.' Netgalley 'This story is raw and beautiful and sad. It puts lots of things into perspective and makes you think about what is important in life. Beautifully written, easy to read and will certainly bring tears to your eyes. A must read.' Netgalley 'This is a beautiful, beautiful book. It's about family, about class, about love, about choices and sacrifice. It's about letting go and learning to hold on. It's optimistic and heartbreaking and funny and emotional. It's the kind of book that will stay with you, long after you finish it. Buy it, read it, love it - and hang on to those tissues, you'll need them.' Netgalley Authors love Half a World Away! 'Mike Gayle has such a talent for delving into hearts, minds and contemporary issues. Half a World Away is supremely poignant, uplifting and heartwarming in equal measure - as well as being a real page-turner.' Sophie Kinsella, author of Surprise Me 'Mike has a prodigious talent for writing completely relatable characters who draw you into their world and tug at your heart strings. Half a World Away is an absolute triumph and a joy to read. Once again Mike tackles complex and thorny issues with a confident and compassionate hand.' Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things 'Half a World Away is heartbreaking and beautiful, full of poignant moments and characters you fall for from page one. I couldn't put it down.' Libby Page, author of The Lido

The heart-warming, heart-breaking Richard and Judy Book Club selection

Half a World Away

From the bestselling author of The Man I Think I Know comes this heart-warming novel of family, friendship and human connection. 'Hubert Bird stole my heart' Beth O'Leary, author of The Flat-Share and The Switch 'Lovely, emotional, uplifting' Libby Page, author of The Lido In phone calls to his daughter in Australia, widower Hubert Bird paints a picture of the perfect retirement, packed with fun and friendship. But Hubert Bird is lying. Something has made him turn his back on people, and he hardly sees a soul. So when his daughter announces she's coming to visit, Hubert faces a race against time: to make his real life resemble his fake life before he's found out. Along the way Hubert renews a cherished friendship, is given a second chance at love and even joins an audacious community scheme. But with the secret of his earlier isolation lurking in the shadows, is he destines to always be one of the lonely people? 'The kind of book you will want to press into the hands of everyone you know and tell them to read immediately' Press Association 'Flits between the present day and Hubert's early life as one of the Windrush generation. Heartbreaking, yet also uplifting' i Paper 'Tender, humorous and uplifting - reading this is the uplift we all need' Women's Weekly

A warm, life-affirming story from the author of the Richard and Judy bestselling Half a World Away

All The Lonely People

As seen on ITV in the Zoe Ball Book Club 'Beautifully written, thought-provoking and completely charming.' Ruth Hogan 'Mike Gayle is the king of touching, human stories, and this big-hearted book is his best yet' Heat, 5* This is the stunning new novel from bestselling author Mike Gayle, for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. A powerful and bittersweet story of an unexpected male friendship and an unlikely love story, a thought provoking storyline told with Mike's distinctive wit and insight, touching on issues which affect us all. This uplifting tale reminds us of the simple courage at the heart of every human being. Ever since The Incident, James DeWitt has stayed on the safe side. He likes to know what happens next. Danny Allen is not on the safe side. He is more past the point of no return. The past is about to catch up with both of them in a way that which will change their lives forever, unexpectedly. But redemption can come in the most unlikely ways. Look out for Mike's new novel, Half a World Away, available to pre-order now! ******************* Praise for The Man I Think I Know 'Beautifully written, thought-provoking and completely charming . . . reminds us that the everyday things we take for granted without realising how precious they are, can be snatched away in an instant with catastrophic consequences' Ruth Hogan 'That rarest of things; a moving, beautifully written novel about male friendship . . . I absolutely loved it' Lisa Jewell 'Mike is always wise and wonderful, but this is a whole new departure for him - read it!' Jenny Colgan You'll be both laughing and on the edge of tears with this brilliant read' Fabulous magazine ******************* Readers are raving about this book! 'This is one of those books that is tugging on your heartstrings one moment and has you laughing out loud the next - another stunning plot line and narrative from Mike Gayle.' 'I loved the narrative and I left this novel feeling totally uplifted . . . I now feel like there is some hope in the world!' 'This book is sad, funny, quirky, touching, heartbreaking but - and this is going to sound totally cliched and corny - life affirming.'

A feel-good, uplifting story of the most unlikely friendship

The Man I Think I Know

Museum of Ordinary People

The Museum of Ordinary People

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 he hears his own biological clock start ticking. Loudly. Unfortunately, his better half, Izzy, has no nine-month plan for fat ankles or a credit line at Baby Gap. With even worse timing, the music magazine Dave writes for folds. Desperate for work, he's forced to become an advice columnist for a teen magazine. But he's about to get a serious wake-up call. Wading through letter after letter of adolescent angst is the last thing Dave wants to do, especially since he could use some help dealing with his own. But one letter is about to make all his little problems disappear -- and replace them with one big one. The letter is from a teenage girl named Nicola. But she doesn't need advice about boys, or friends, or the latest fads. She's looking for her father, whom she's never met. She's looking for a man to call Dad. She's looking for Dave.

Dinner for Two

All the Lonely People

This work tells how on the eve of his 36th birthday, author and journalist Mike Gayle picked up a pen and contemplated his life. In less than 24 hours he would be officially closer to 40 than to 30. Gripped by a determination to sort out his life, Mike wrote a list of all the things he has meant to do but never got round to.

The To-Do List

Turning Thirty

Benjamin Duffy is a stand-up comic/temp who, like many men in their late twenties, is forced to face the eternal question: "To commit or not to commit?" After four years of biding her time, Benjamin's girlfriend has proposed, issuing an ultimatum that sets Benjamin's head spinning. He knows that Mel's the one for him, but should he swap his stellar record collection and fridge full of beer for dinner parties and trips to IKEA? Maybe if Benjamin could swap "till death do us part" with "renewable on a four-year basis" he'd be happy, but the choice-as far as Mel sees it-is all or nothing. Now or never. Mel or no Mel. So after a lifetime as Mr. Irresponsible, does Benjamin have what it takes to become Mr. Commitment?

Mr. Commitment

Obsessing about an ex-girlfriend who broke up with him three years earlier, Will Kelly fantasizes about reuniting with Agnes and breaking up with his clingy current girlfriend, Martina. By the author of Mr. Commitment. Reprint.

My Legendary Girlfriend

Matt is looking forward to turning 30, his whole life is finally sorted. But on his birthday his girlfriend makes a shocking confession, and unable to cope, Matt moves back with his parents. Back with the friends he hasn't seen for 10 years, he realizes life isn't as simple as it used to be.

When Rob's girlfriend asks him to leave London and live with her in Manchester not only will it mean moving cities, it'll also mean leaving behind his best mate in the entire world. Believing that love conquers all and convinced of his ability to make new friends, Rob takes the plunge. Six months in, and yet to find so much as a regular drinking buddy, Rob realises that sometimes making friends in your thirties can be the hardest thing to do. With drastic action needed, his girlfriend puts an ad in the classifieds for him. Three excruciatingly embarrassing "bloke dates" later, Rob begins to truly despair. Until his luck changes... There's just one problem. Apart from knowing less than nothing about music trivia, football, and the vital statistics of supermodels, Rob's new friend has one huge flaw... She's a girl.

Brand New Friend

Daisy Buchanan

Christopher Brookmyre

Barney Farmer

Kathy Burke

24 Stories

Bridget Jones meets High Fidelity in this hilarious story for anyone who has ever been dumped, had to dump, lived in dodgy rented accommodation, or search for love in the 90s.

A compelling and emotional novel, for fans of Jojo Moyes and Jenny Colgan. 'With a style similar to David Nicholls, Gayle's writing is incisive, lyrical and very beautiful...It's impossible not to fall in love with the Hope family' Irish Independent Tom Hope is broken. Ever since his wife Laura died he hasn't been the same man, and definitely not the same father. Luckily for Tom his mother-in-law Linda is around to pick up the pieces and look after his two struggling daughters, Evie and Lola. But Tom getting arrested on the first anniversary of his wife's death is the last straw for Linda. In a last bid attempt to make Tom reconnect with his daughters she takes drastic action and leaves for Australia. With two fast-maturing daughters Tom has to learn how to accept his responsibilities and navigate the newly discovered world of single fatherhood - starting immediately. With only himself to rely on, will Tom fall back into grief or finally step up and be the father his girls need? Mike's new novel, The Man I Think I Know, is out now!

The Hope Family Calendar

En halv värld bort

Number One Bestselling author Mike Gayle explores beach basics for the broken-hearted in his new romantic comedy WISH YOU WERE HERE.

Wish You Were Here

From bestselling author Mike Gayle, a story about exes and how to get over them. Or not.

Reuben thought he’d spend the rest of his life with Beth, until she broke his heart six months ago. He’s not even remotely over her, so he’s devastated to hear she’s getting married—this weekend.

Now he’s faced with the ultimate what should he do on the day of the wedding? Grieve? Disrupt the ceremony? Or do everything in his power to pretend it’s not happening?

Enlisting the help of his friends, Reuben is all set to mark the occasion with distraction on a grand Ferraris, champagne, and a VIP box at the races.

But on the morning of the Big Day, Reuben gets a phone call that not only derails his elaborate it may well change his life completely…

Amazon Short Reads 

The One That Got Away 

Mike Gayle: emotions you'll never forget, stories you'll want to share Helen and Ben parted as heartbroken 18-year-olds and went their very separate ways.Twenty years later, mother-of-two-teenagers Helen is still in Manchester, a part-time primary teacher, stunned by the behaviour of her love-rat husband. In an old T shirt and scruffy jeans, she feels at the lowest point in her life.And suddenly, impossibly, Ben is standing on her doorstep. Tired maybe, lonely even, but clearly still the world-famous, LA-based multi-millionaire rockstar he has become.Can you ever go back?For Helen and Ben, so much has happened in the years between. But just to sit in the kitchen for a while and talk - that would be nice.Before the world comes crashing in.Friendship, love, heartache and hope collide in this unforgettable emotional journey, from the author of Half A World Away. Praise for Mike Gayle . . . 'Mike Gayle is so good at writing relatable characters going through big challenges'Sophie Kinsella, Daily Mail'Mike Gayle's writing is wise, compassionate, and prone to making you cry'Sunday Express'Accomplished and moving'Lisa Jewell

Mike Gayle

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