Loved the structure - following Casper everyday over the course of a week as his life changes so dramatically from finding that one 'item' in his wife's bag.

The premise of this novel is deceptively simple: how does a marriage survive an event that rocks it to its foundations? We experience this through the husband's, Casper, eyes. Casper is a mild-mannered high school teacher married to Jane. What makes this novel so riveting is its structure and pace, its intense exploration of emotions and psychological states and the beautiful, direct writing. We go through what Casper goes through. The emotions are visceral; the ramifications ripple throughout his life as he psychologically breaks apart. This is an insightful look into a good marriage showing how easily it can fracture despite best intentions.

Thanks to the publishers for allowing me a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

"Just Another Week in Suburbia": big events in an ordinary man's life. The story is from Casper's viewpoint, his thoughts and emotions, as he begins to suspect that his wife Jane is being unfaithful and also that his friend Beth is being abused in her marriage. There's no huge plot twists (which I liked - getting a bit over the massive/shocking/surprise twists) - what's happening in Casper's life is enough of a torment for him! His conflicting feelings and his actions over the week are completely believable to me. 

I liked the writing style, honest and uncomplicated. (I'm always partial to an Aussie 'voice' too!)
A good read!

Just Another Week in Suburbia is Les Zig’s first novel. It begins with Casper Gray literally stumbling on evidence that Jane, his wife, may be having an affair. He can’t bring himself to ask her, so he stews about it, leaving him distracted and absent in ways that lead him into some poor judgments at the school where he teaches. A colleague, Beth, is in a crisis in her relationship, wanting her lover Roger to fish or cut bait. He suspects the friendly neighborhood drug dealer might be harassing one of his students. His bullying neighbor is threatening his dog and the neighbor’s wife is, perhaps, making a pass at him. And his anniversary is coming up. He does not know what to do, so he doesn’t do much.

Casper is a nice guy. He’s a good husband, a good friend. He cares about people and loves his dog Wallace who happens to be my favorite character. He has a week from hell, including run-ins with several angry men, his supervisor, his friend’s lover, his neighbor, and the drug dealer.  However, he is very passive. He is like most of us, thinking of what we want to say, what we should have said, but not saying it. Will any straw ever break this camel’s back?



I wavered between sympathy for and impatience with Casper in Just Another Week in Suburbia. He makes poor choices at school, allowing kids to smoke, to make out, and perhaps buy drugs because why? Is it because he dislikes his supervisor or because he doesn’t want to be unpopular? Or is it just too much bother? He sounds like someone who is a good teacher, but desperate to be liked rather than respected. However, when it all comes to a crisis, he finds he has unsuspected strength.

There is some catharsis that I enjoyed. There is a scene with the neighbor that made me happy, though honestly, the trouble with the neighbor is partly his fault through his neglect to reinforce the dirt under his fence with some chicken wire so his dog can’t get out. There are some important ideas in this story. What does trust mean? Can trust be restored? What is happiness? What makes a relationship work? Can you choose happiness? The story is a bit light to carry so much weight though.

Just Another Week in Suburbia was released September 1st. I received an electronic e-galley from Pantera Press through NetGalley.

Just Another Week in Suburbia at Pantera Press
Les Zig author site

Casper has an average marriage, owns an average house, works an average job, and has average friends. In short, he lives an average life. It's a life he has envisioned turning out any number of ways, but in none of those daydreams did he ever picture a glow-in-the-dark condom, that he would NEVER wear, inadvertently falling out of his wife's purse. Setting him on an immediate road of "what if" scenarios, this small object is the precipice that sets the tone for the rest of the book. 

Did Jane, his wife, buy this condom so she could have an affair? Was she already having an affair? If she is having an affair, what will he do when he confirms it? The stress of not knowing and feeling incapable of truly confronting his wife with his fears causes Casper to go off his head a bit. Nothing much, yet a distraction here and there add to difficulty at work. This in turn causes Casper more stress, and none of it leads to anything good.

Just Another Week in Suburbia reads like a suburban introspective. From the outside everyone's lives probably look pretty much the same. Cookie cutter facades never really giving an accurate portrayal of the genuine lives behind closed doors. This debut novel is sure to please readers with its relatable yet entertaining storyline and raw emotions.

Note: One complaint I've seen other reviews mention is that the lead character is such a wimp, borderline pathetic even. This fact is very true and in a way it does make it hard to like him. Stick with him though and give him a chance.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the review opportunity.

Caspar Gray, secondary school teacher, lives in a bland suburb of Sydney, happily married to Jane but kids haven't happened. Caspar and Jane are approaching their seventh wedding anniversary, about to add the seventh annual photo to mark the occasion.

But Caspar knocks Jane's handbag over and a condom falls out. Since Caspar and Jane are trying for a baby, this is a bit of a surprise. So over the period of a week, Caspar goes from denial, to paranoia, to free fall. Watched by his students, his colleagues, his neighbours and his dog Wallace, his life unravels.

At first, the writing feels a little clunky. It's a male book: written in a blokey, jokey way. This can come across as a bit crude and slightly immature - in a kinda Beavis and Butthead way. After a while, though, something clicks and the reader starts to empathise with Caspar. He's actually quite a complex character who is a good mate, a loving husband and soppy for his dog. But he is also pig-headed and quite willing to cut off his nose to spite his face. The other characters are less complex and only really seem to exist when Caspar is in the room. 

Les Zig successfully conjures up the places; the residential areas, the pub with the TAB, the shops with the drug dealer. And he does atmosphere with the tension ratcheting up and up as the novel progresses.

This is an interesting and compelling read; I'll be interested to see where Zig goes next.

I must admit, when I first started reading this book I didn’t know what to think of it. My first thought was ‘oh great, this whole book is going to be about a guy complaining about his boring life’. And usually with books like that I tend to toss them aside from boredom, but something about it kept me intrigued.

Casper is just your average Joe. He has a beautiful wife, decent job and a great suburban community that he lives in. The book follows Casper through what was suppose to be just another normal week but one day he finds something that starts a domino effect of disasters for him and what he thought was his perfect life. By the end of the book you’ll be rooting for one of two outcomes but be surprised by what actually does happen.

The more I read the more invested I became. I feel as though Les Zig made this book less about the storyline and more about getting people to think. By the time you finish this book you will be questioning everything. Whether it’s about your own relationships, career, or even general happiness.

Les Zig's novel Just Another Week In Suburbia may have spanned a week but honestly I don't think you'd want to live through a week like this one too often.  I'm quite sure it would have been a stand out week in the life of Casper Gray and his wife Jane.   Sure it contained much of the typical, mundane suburban lifestyle we know and love; wanting to sleep through the alarm,  running late for work, his dog Wallace causing issues with the neighbours,   the big decisions of what's for dinner and so forth.     Nonetheless I was caught up in the tension that resulted from an accidental discovery of a condom in his wife's handbag.   From the moment of discovery his suspicion goes into overdrive and it's hard to come back from there.  He  questions everything, about his wife, about them as a couple and about himself as a man and husband.   He know's he's a pushover, hates that he's a weak man,  wonders if maybe he's too boring for her.      Meanwhile, his worrying is blowing everything out of proportion.   It's causing him to have issues at work, his mate thinks he needs to trust her.  His female colleague and close friend is having relationship problems and wants to confide in him, and to cap things off he's been suspected of inappropriate behaviour towards one of his female students.   His mind was a very busy and worrying place to be.     But, was it all in vain or was there a basis for his concern?    I simply had to keep reading to find out.

I enjoyed the book.   Les Zig is a good story teller and he had my attention throughout.   His characters were believable, many were likeable, others not so much,  some a mix of good and bad.    It made me consider trust, wonder how much you can really know a person, made me think about how easy it is to find yourself on a downward slippery slope of self destruction, and whether the way back from bad situation is in our own hands.

Thanks to the author,  Pantera Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable and easy read - perfect for holiday reading. I read it for Netgalley. The plot moves at a steady pace and conveys how one ordinary man's world unravels in a short space of time. It raises the question of whether one might ever be able to forgive what seems like the ultimate betrayal or whether one settles for less for fear of losing everything. Ultimately, the protagonist settles for the latter. I did feel that some of the sex scenes were gratuitous and added little to the narrative. This is an adult read.

It's rare to find a book about something as banal as "just another week in suburbia" but once you're done with Les Zig's tale, you'll come to think about whether there is such a thing as a normal week. Just another week in suburbia follows Caspar Gray, a high school teacher who is about to celebrate his 7th wedding anniversary with his wife. Through the course of the week Caspar has to face little challenges and surprises that all build up to a huge crescendo on Friday, and his life comes crashing down around him. Caspar has to spend the weekend battling through a haze of confusion and decide what is really important to him to be happy. A beautiful and honest look at marriage, adult friendships, and how our inner monologues can affect our outer lives, Just Another Week in Suburbia had me hooked right until the very end.

I received this book free from Netgalley. I was very intrigued reading the blurb about the book and wanted to read it. It was a little slow to start, but I was enjoying it--wanted to see what would happen. That being said, the main character is just so "weak" appearing to me that I stopped reading it about 60 through. He was always getting "hard ons" for women, but then is obsessed with the thought that his wife may be cheating on him. I really wanted to like the book and really liked the premise, and the writing was good, but the main character was just too unlikable for me. Perhaps this was intentional and I just didn't stick around long enough.

"Just Another Week in Suburbia "is definitely Not "Just another Book "! It starts off setting the scene, describing the 2 main characters, Casper and his wife Jane and their beloved dog Wallace. You are not sure exactly where the story will take you, it lulls you into a false sense of domestic security until a particular event sparks off a roller coaster of emotions, that draw the reader in and relates to many of us, who are struggling with relationships, It explores the meaning of love and marriage and takes a good look at human strengths and weaknesses.A page turner and a must read !

Can you trust someone unconditionally? 

Casper Gray was a very interesting character to read about. He is married to Jane for almost 7 years. They have the type of life people would expect you to have - a house in suburbs, mortgages, savings, jobs, a dog. But was it a happy life to lead? Was it the right life to build? 

The night Casper finds a condom in Jane’s purse changes everything. He starts to question his entire life. After being with someone for nearly a decade, you build a life for each other. There are common friends and family and Christmases together. What would you do when the life you once knew ends? And does it have to end?

We all have these moments (more often than not) when life gets crazy, when everything is happening at the same time, making it difficult to cope. Casper was going through a very hard week and it was an intense journey through 300 pages!

Another thing that was important for me is that the various intimate scenes did not feel disgusting to read about. Yes, it is an adult book. Yes, you can see that it was written by a man. But the choice of words and settings didn’t make me wrinkle my nose in disgust, unlike some books did. I appreciate that.

Just Another Week In Suburbia, is a provocative highly amusing debut by Les Zig. The story is set in an unnamed Australian city, where Casper Gray taught English at a local high school, he was an ordinary yet very insecure and timid married man that had no choice—he had to “Man Up”!  For Casper, this would not be an easy task, as he confronted outside situations and uncontrollable forces that shaped his life.

Casper was distressed and shocked after a neon colored condom fell out of his wife’s handbag— he and Jane had been trying to have a baby, he agonized several days over how he would confront her. He and Jane had a happy solid marriage, it was unlikely she would have an affair—or would she? Casper needed an outside perspective, yet who would he talk too that wouldn’t tell Jane? He finally opted to meet his womanizer buddy Luke in a pub for his opinion. 

Beth, a friend and art teacher from school, confided in Casper that she was contemplating leaving her dead end relationship with her boyfriend Roger. When she called in sick the next day for work, Casper reluctantly filled in for her class.  As a hobbyist, Casper drew and sketched.  In class, he quickly drew Bianca, a beautiful student, and discovered he enjoyed the creative connection with fellow student artists. Later, the school administrators grilled Casper on his whereabouts during a specific time frame, producing Casper’s sketch of Bianca and another suggestive drawing as proof of his  inappropriate interest and conduct involving a student. In the extremely stressful situation it didn’t help when Jane didn’t return his calls or texts as he tried to reach her about the incident. Casper couldn’t help but wonder where she was, as he went to check on her whereabouts.

Casper’s next door neighbor Vic was an obnoxious bully. When Vic threatened the safety of Casper’s little dog Wallace, Casper was pushed to the limit! By this time readers just want Casper to say or do anything to defend Wallace and/or his sense of masculine pride! Yet the backstory involving Wallace is only a tip of this well written and realistic storyline of manhood and marriage.
**With thanks and appreciation to Pantera Press via NetGalley for the direct e-copy for the purpose of review.

Well, I hate Jane. I went through the first part of the book basically thinking this guy is WAY overthinking everything. The whole condom debacle. Then I guess I understood where he was coming from, it was a small suspicion that came from the lie he caught her in (the fact that it was for Sarah but she only found out about the guy Sarah was dating recently). When it was revealed that it was actually true, I was just like Casper, in the sense that I was expecting it to be a mistake of some sort or that he blacked out and imagined it. This guy has clearly had it tough, and so has she but to cheat on someone 5 times that you claim to love? Les Zig did a fantastic job making us hate this woman. I gasped out-loud when he walked in on her and Kai. I was cheering when he went over to Kai's place (not the drinking and driving part though) and then was also very saddened by the fact that Jane chose this guy who lives in squalor (essentially) over him. I could sympathize with how inadequate he felt because there really didn't seem to be anything better about this guy rather than the fact that he wasn't her husband.

I'm not really sure how I feel about the end. I understand that they had been together for a very long time and that she's pregnant but I feel like they will never be able to make it work. I feel like Luke was absolutely correct about the fact that this will just eat away at him no matter how much he tries to forget it. This might just be my personal view on it as I find it would be impossible to forgive someone for not only doing it but also lying about it and letting Casper apologize for his suspicion.

In conclusion, people suck! This book was a good read though, nice and quick and of course I loved Wallace!

This is a well researched and well thought out book, delving into normal lives, such as ours.  I felt at times a ittle lost in the story but ovverall rnjoyed reading the novel.

A contemporary story of a marriage gone wrong, smack bang in the middle of every day suburbia. The story starts off slowly. You get a glimpse of an ordinary man, living in an ordinary house in an ordinary nondescript suburb. This could be any one of us which makes the premise of the story at once credible and relatable. You start to squirm when things start to go wrong about half way through this book for Casper Gray. When Casper starts to suspect infidelity you know things are going to go down a slippery slope, insecurity doubt and paranoia set in and you know it's going to be a bumpy ride. Casper doesn't always make the right decisions and seeing some of the ramifications of his poor choices is hard to watch. You do kind of feel sorry for him so you want a good outcome but you also believe he's too far gone in his self pitying and self destruction especially when he experiences a mini breakdown, he's on the edge. The book is gritty and shows the ugly side of marriage and the potential pitfalls but I did enjoy the realness of emotions displayed.

The book had a decent premise, and I did enjoy the main character. However the plot seemed all over the place. A problem would be introduced and then a problem would be solved. The secondary characters were very superficial. I started to skim as the story went on. I was hoping for more.

I picked up Just Another Week in Suburbia looking for a light and entertaining read to distract from the heavier concerns in the real world.  This may have lead me directly into a Catch-22, because I found the "first world problems" of Casper, the protagonist, to be overly worried.  There were a few moments where the plot drove the writing through, but overall, I found the short, brusk sentences to be abrupt and couldn't find a flow to the reading or a hook to latch on to the characters.

Starts off very well, and makes you want to read on to find out what happened. The main character unfortunately weakens about two thirds in and becomes less believable. 

The book picks up in the last third. Overall an enjoyable read.