I voluntarily read and review an advanced copy of Twenty-One Truths About Love. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of a kind! The list format was the most original idea I have ever seen attempted in a novel. It is amazing how well it worked. A timid man who found his spine, Dan was a character with whom it was easy to relate. Again, I am impressed and amazed at how emotions, conversations and actions were conveyed through lists alone. This was a great storyline to begin with, made all the more interesting by the list format. (I could maybe see a series following other characters...since I would hope that Dan's life will calm down a bit now!) VERY COOL!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Matthew Dicks for the ARC!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

I really wanted to like this book, but I gave up after the first few chapters.  It is written in lists.  The main character writes lists, but I felt annoyed after the first chapter of lists.  I wanted a bit of story telling.  I admire the author's creativity, but the list format does not really work for a novel.  I've read novels that were entirely of letters, but those you are able to get a story out of.

This is a unique way of imparting the philosophy and memoir of a very talented author. Dicks manages to engage the reader and deliver a solid plot with lists, and more lists! Yet there is a cohesion and plot line within this unusual delivery system.

We read lists about Dan’s transition into fatherhood and a new career (?) as a bookstore owner. The reader understands his complicated relationship with his wife, his child, his father, his wife’s dead husband, amazing to learn so much from these lists.

Bravo, such a clever way to produce a fascinating novel.

Thanks Netgalley for such a great read

Twenty-One Truths About Love is an extraordinary way of telling a story but not in typical story form. It is humorous yet gives an inside view of the author's feelings about his marriage, life, and career. I read this book straight through as the humor was so addicting.

Such an endearing book! I was sure that reading a book written in list format would drive me crazy, but it was quite the opposite. Dan is an infuriating narrator, and I promise that you will want to reach through the pages to slap him across the head more than once in this book. But, you will find the predicament Dan finds himself in to be relatable and his strategy for solving his problems hilarious. I can't wait to read more by this author!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Now this book is adorable. I absolutely loved the storytelling through listmaking - how inventive and clever! I also felt as though Dan's internal monologue was brilliant, his stream of conscious entirely relatable, and that the book was overall enchanting. It's a quicker read, and definitely lighthearted. I highly recommend this - especially to those that often don't find that they like reading - this will surely draw you in!

This was a very cute idea and I am very fond of lists - however I found it very difficult to read this way.

This was a lovely and surprisingly sweet book. The list writing style of writing was unique and captivating. The narrator was honest, reflective and I felt pulled along on his journey and rooting on for his strange successes. It was touching, insightful, and captivating. Thank you for allowing me early access to this novel.

Daniel Mayrock is struggling to find his way as a man, a husband & a potential father. His story is told entirely in lists...lists he makes himself as a form of therapy. I loved getting this perspective on a character, his lists show his sense of humor & his feelings of inadequacy through his own personal thoughts. Funny, sad, uplifting but always relatable. A must read!

I received this book "Twenty-one Truths About Love" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. I thought the concept of the book was different. Not sure I really liked it. I will say it was okay. Since it was a different type of book I will add the star to make it 2 stars.

1. I love lists
2. I love books
3. I loved this unique style of story-telling
4. I love quick reads
5. I thought I knew how the book would resolve
6. I was wrong
7. I didn't enjoy the ending
8. Everything wrapped up in a perfect little bow
.
.
.
(Slight spoilers below)
8. I don't appreciate people getting away with things with no consequences
9. White Male Privilege

I loved the concept of this book - a story written completely in lists. And the format did work to tell a story. But the narrator’s pessimistic tone and self-defeating actions wore on me and made me feel annoyed not sympathetic towards him. I couldn’t finish the book.

I think this is going to be one of those love it or hate it books for many people. I am in the love camp because the concept was original and I will always appreciate an author that isn't afraid to be creative and different. When this effort is well-executed, even better. Matthew Dicks gives us a flawed hero and unveils him in all his imperfection throughout a series of lists, that are sometimes mundane, sometimes funny, other times thought-provoking, and even heart-breaking. I feel like this book will be best enjoyed in paper format; there is something about ebooks that makes we want to speed through, and this is the kind of book that forces you to slow down in order to enjoy it. I also see this book as a great option for book clubs: with all the lists, it begs for discussion whether it's about the isolated pieces or the story that unfolds.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll answer a couple of questions a potential reader may have about this book: first, is it really written entirely in the form of lists? Second, why lists? Well, our narrator, Dan, was seeing a therapist before the book takes place, and the therapist wanted Dan to keep a journal as a therapy tool. Dan didn't want to keep a journal, and the compromise was making lists. He no longer sees the therapist, but the list-making stuck. His lists often border on journal-ish entries, which is why this works. Also, it's not a bad idea- the thought of keeping a journal has always intimidated me, though I've always wanted to keep one, so I may try this instead. But I digress...
Dan is kind of an idiot. He's not horrible, but he's not the most likeable person either. What he is, however, is very human, and very relatable. He's in his late thirties, has quit his teaching job, and opened a book shop, which isn't doing as well as he tells his wife it is. He lives in fear that he'll never be as good as his wife's deceased first husband, and lives in the shadow of his successful brother. His father left when Dan was a child, and he hasn't spoken to his father since, which understandably messes with his head. He worries about the family finances constantly, while keeping their financial problems a secret from his wife, trying to think of ways to make money without her knowing about it. Then his wife becomes pregnant, and he gets desperate- what will he do?
I ended up really enjoying this book- it's a quick, easy read, it's funny at times, and at times makes you want to either smack Dan upside the head, or hug him and tell him things will be okay (sometimes both). The characters are surprisingly well developed for people who only appear on lists, and Dan does grow, despite remaining an idiot for much of the book. The format of the story is unusual, but it totally works here. A kind of addictive read, hard to put down, but easy to pick back up if you do.

WOW! This was such a fun "story" to read! Matthew Dicks' character Dan lives his life through his lists, and those lists all added together compose a delightful tale of a man, his self-esteem, his marriage, his family, and his friend. I have never read a book written in such an untraditional way, and I loved it!

This story will appeal to all who identify with those that are struggling a little bit with past decisions made, and wondering how to cope with the life ahead of them. This is a story of love and friendship. It would make a great vacation read, as it's easy to put the book down after reading several lists, and pick it up again without having to reread.

I was given an advanced readers copy in exchanges for my honest review. This book, or list, was the strangest thing I have ever seen and I loved it!! A book about a husband, trying to protect his wife from the down and puts about life, work and money becomes a strange book you absolutely can not put down. Daniel has decided to open a bookstore and after his wife, Jill, gets pregnant he sees the money flying out the window. He meets some rather interesting characters through his adventures and becomes a dad to a beautiful little girl who he would give the world. Not a conventional book at all but I could not put it down! Great jon!

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of the novel. This was a different style and genre for me. It was an at times humorous read wading through the lists. Many of the lists had real life issues underlying the self depreciating humor. This was an ok read for me overall.

I received an ARC of this novel from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in exchange for my review. When I first looked at the description of this story told in lists, I wasn't thinking that it would be a style I would enjoy reading-boy was I wrong! OK, so this story is completely told in lists that our main character, Daniel Mayrock has created. When I first started reading I thought maybe there would just be a few lists at the beginning and then a narrative would break out-nope-this book is totally written in lists. The lists are painfully honest, at times hysterical and heartbreaking and they always left me with the impression wondering how Matthew Dicks was able to write this?
It was so totally creative and unique that I ended up reading many of the lists aloud to my husband and we would both laugh at how honest and funny they were. Do Not miss reading this one! Suspend your doubt that a book of lists could tell a story. The story they tell is fantastic. This will be my most recommended book for next fall!

Lists tend to be rather orderly, but life generally isn't, which is demonstrated through the narrative crafted from one man's lists in Twenty-One Truths About Love: A Novel by Matthew Dicks.

Dan Mayrock writes lots of lists, with many of them including Jill, the wife he loves, his despair over their finances, particularly as it relates to viability of his newly opened bookshop, and his thoughts on starting their family. When their savings dwindles to nearly nothing, Jill becomes pregnant, forcing Dan to either confide in Jill about their monetary situation or find some way to do something about it. Opting for the latter option, Dan frantically researches ways to make a large amount of money quickly, without seeking input from friends or family. Devising an outlandish plan alongside a stressful development in Jill's pregnancy, Dan manages to succeed at his caper, only to experience instant regret, leading him toward a better way to cope with life's difficulties.

An ordinary story with extraordinary elements was conveyed in an unconventional manner in this novel. The lists, by nature and by the specifics of what they contained, created an intimate feeling while reading this story, making it easy to relate to - some of Dan's opinions are spot on with some I have. I both did and didn't enjoy some of the repetition of list items throughout the development of the narrative; the recurring lists were helpful to demonstrate growth in thinking but some of the repeated information felt a bit less intentional and perhaps was an oversight in editing (along with what I'm assuming was a file issue from NetGalley where two months were transposed in the text). The major plot point of the story slowly built to an explosive execution, but the wrap-up of this was far too quick and contained no real consequences, which seemed too unbelievable in comparison with the rest of the narrative.

Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

1. Daniel (Dan) Mayrock is not always a lovable narrator, but he is scarily relatable at times.
2. His wife Jill is likely a saint.
3. Dan’s love of books is charming; his lack of research before opening a book shop is not.
4. Matthew Dicks created a compulsively readable novel with a unique narrative format with Twenty-one Truths About Love.
5. I’d like to write all of my reviews in list form moving forward.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the writer, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.