Twenty-One Truths About Love had me cracking up from page one. From the very first list, Matthew Dicks had my undivided attention. I was in no way prepared for a book comprised entirely of lists, but it was truly a fantastic read.

This piece contained so much humor and wit. Who can say we haven’t all shared the same sentiments around football and Highlights magazine? It was all so raw; I had a great time diving into the mind of a fellow overthinking people-pleaser. I’m so glad that Dan took a chance... even though it may not have been the sanest choice. I love the message that no matter how much time has passed, you can always make a change and take another path through life.

There was also a strange The Catcher in the Rye type of vibe that I felt while reading. Not sure why, if it’s from Dan thinking so many people are idiots or because I’m recalling The Catcher in the Rye wrong, but the energy was definitely felt by this reader.

The only hiccups for me was the structure of the book. Because it was completely formatted by lists, I was starting to grow weary toward the final third of the book. It was a hilarious and relatable story, but I think the difference in structure just made me need take a couple breaks to reset.

Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful read. Thank you so much for this ARC! A more comprehensive review will be available on social media closer to the date of publication.

3.5 / 5 ⭐

This book caught my attention when I discovered it was written entirely in the form of lists. At first I thought - so how does that make a story? I just didn’t see how a book full of lists would allow for an engaging and fulfilling read. But when I entered into Daniel Mayrock’s world and his compulsion for making lists about anything and everything, I was pleasantly surprised.

Through lists such as:
Shopping List
Texts from Jill
5 Problems with lying
Facts about marriage
Proof I’m stupid
Ways to keep Jill from getting pregnant
Reasons I opened a bookstore
15 Truths about Peter
Dinner with Mom
I learned all about Dan, his marriage and all his insecurities.

Dan is a teacher but quits the security of his job to open a bookstore called A New Chapter. Things aren’t going so well for Dan. Now he stresses over finances, and he still competes with Jill’s first husband, Peter, who is dead. Jill wants to get pregnant, but Dan is worried. See his dad wasn’t around for him so what kind of father will he be? And he hasn’t told Jill about their financial woes.

Even though Dan is insecure and doesn’t always make the best decisions, he will do just about anything for the family he loves. But first he must make a list of pros and cons.

Honestly, this isn’t the type of format I would choose to read, but it did work. Some of his lists were just silly, like “places I urinated today,” but others truly made me LOL. As the story unfolded, I was utterly amazed at how invested I was. I needed to know how this turned out. Would Jill and the baby be okay? Is Dan going to pull off his crazy idea to bring in some money?

And for me, the best part was the lists of books. Dan owns a bookstore and he loves books. Therefore, he makes lists about books to read, what not to read, and things said by bookish people. One of my favorite comments was: “It’s hard to hate a person with a book in their hand.”

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC for review

Publish Date: 11/19/19

This book was not what I was expecting it to be. I got bored while reading it, skimmed a lot, and then gave up without finishing it.

I was a little worried that a book consisting entirely of someone’s lists would get annoying, boring, or make it hard to connect to the characters or story; so, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t the case here at all. Through his lists of just about every subject, Dan’s personality comes across loud and clear, as does his relationships with family, friends, and people he wishes he didn’t have to be around. Despite the absence of traditional prose, there were plot threads that carried throughout, and also just random, amusing lists thrown in. I also loved that occasionally his lists would be book recommendations, a few of which I added to my TBR list. I found this book so charming, as well as funny thought-provoking and markedly touching. As an added bonus, I flew through it, as many of the lists are short and can be read very quickly.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

An obsessive list-maker myself, I was intrigued by a novel written entirely in lists. Although the writing style was a neat concept, it got tedious after awhile and I found myself being slowed down by having to reread a lot.

I enjoyed the freshness of this book and the way it was written. I thought the lists help to show the quirkiness of the main character. I do wish that there would have been some prose throughout but that is just a personal opinion and I understand that the lists are what made the story. It was a good book.

Daniel Mayrock took risks when he left his teaching job to open a book store, when he married a young widow, and when he cut his father out of his life; but does he have the guts to take any more risks? This is the general theme of Matthew Dicks’ Twenty-One Truths About Love. Nothing too remarkable. What is fascinating about Dicks’ book is how it is written: The story is told via a series of lists. Much like the epistolary novel or novel in verse, this economical format is also surprisingly effective at telling a story. It even lends a bit of mystery: Why so many days without a father? Why is Dan keeping tabs on cars in a parking garage? Is Dan a reliable transcriber when he quotes the people in his life? The onus is on the reader to flesh out the narrative and fill in the blanks, resulting in a surprisingly well-developed story.

This book was written in a cute style - lists, but the content of those lists was not always on that path. As the book starts you think you are going to read about a simple love story. Bit by bit you are given glimpses into the authors life and his struggles. As we see we Daniel Mayrock begin his plan, the panic and loneliness are felt within these lists.
The list style of this book may not be for everyone as it can be hard to be enveloped in the writers universe, however I found it to be a new and refreshing take.
This book is a great summer read with enough twists to keep the reader engaged while maintaining a approachable writing style.

This novel will appeal to many readers for its unique format and endearing love story but I found it a bit of a slog to get through. Writing an entire novel in lists was interesting at first but got rather tedious after awhile. I think it would have been a more interesting read if the lists were integrated in with scenes. Many quotable lines and insights but it's like a one-trick pony on repeat. That said, I read it to the end and enjoyed.

How I feel about Twenty-one Truths about Love:
1. I chose to read it because of the cover- who can resist a stack of books?
2. I wasn't sure about the unique format of a novel told only through lists
3. I realized that the lists were an ingenious way of expression a male perspective in what is essentially a romantic comedy
4. I really loved seeing Jill through Dan's eyes and in a way that is very authentic
5. I enjoyed getting to know the other characters through the lists, especially Bill- what a rich character!
6. The book was unpredictable and I really appreciated that- I thought it was headed one way and it went a totally different direction
7. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes rom coms with heart and depth
8. I highly recommend this book to readers who normally don't like rom coms because this is a unique story
9. I thought it would be fun to write my review as list (and it was harder than I thought it would be)
10. I really need to read Matthew Dicks's backlist (and I love that he is an elementary school teacher!)

Book Description
1. Daniel Mayrock loves his wife Jill…more than anything.
2. Dan quit his job and opened a bookshop.
3. Jill is ready to have a baby.
4. Dan is scared; the bookshop isn’t doing well. Financial crisis is imminent.
5. Dan hasn’t told Jill about their financial trouble. He’s ashamed.
6. Then Jill gets pregnant.

This heartfelt story is about the lengths one man will go to and the risks he will take to save his family. But Dan doesn’t just want to save his failing bookstore and his family’s finances—he wants to become someone.

1. Dan wants to do something special.
2. He’s a man who is tired of feeling ordinary.
3. He’s sick of feeling like a failure.
4. Of living in the shadow of his wife’s deceased first husband.

My Thoughts
I have to say I was skeptical about this book. After all, my life is one big list, broken down into daily manageable( ha)tasks, that often end up moving from one list to another. Could a book written entirely in list form captivate me or just plain annoy me? Well, I can honestly say that it grabbed my interest almost from the first page and never let go.
Dan owns a bookstore and isn't making much money. He is in debt and when his wife Jill wants to start a family, he is determined to figure out a way to make everything work. The book chronicles his fear of failure as well as his many plans to take care of his family. I laughed along with Dan and was touched by his views on what it means to be a man. Twenty-one Truths About Love is uniquely written and I managed to push aside a few of my lists to finish. If the book description appeals to you, I would recommend taking a chance on this originally written book.
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.

Twenty-one Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks, 352 pages.
St. Martin’s Press, 2019. $27.
Language: R (149 swears, 135 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NO
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Making lists is how Dan copes with and processes the world around him. He makes at least one new list every day, recording everything from silly ideas to finances to his insecurities. When Dan’s wife gets pregnant, these lists reflect his thoughts -- and the desperate measures he will take to provide for his growing family.
The unique idea of telling a story completely through lists is what made me want to read this book. At first, the novelty of it was enough to keep me reading, but, at some point, I stopped caring. I didn’t want to read useless lists and wonder where the story was. As I continued reading for the sake of finishing for this review, there was a shift that happened somewhere about three-fourths of the way through the book, and I started enjoying the story again. Maybe it was that I had finally gotten used to how the story was being told and could read between the lines better, maybe Dan had grown on me, or maybe the plot actually picked up -- or a combination of all three. In the end, I liked the book, but I feel like I had to slog through a lot to get to that point of enjoying it. This book is marked “not to buy” and “low appeal” because I don’t think teenagers are the most interested audience for this book. The mature content rating is for mentions of vaginal sex, oral sex, orgasms, and masturbation as well as talking about sexual organs; the violence rating is for discussion of gun violence and bomb threats.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

In his unconventional, hilarious, and sometimes touching newest release, Matthew Dicks offers readers an entire novel written in lists. I couldn't quite wrap my head around how exactly this would make for a readable novel, but it was truly brilliant! I winced many a time as Dan and his prolific sailor mouth described his frustrations, guilty pleasures, lies to his wife, and outlandish plan to make money, all in a series of obsessive lists that help him get through the day. I think Dicks' ingenuity and the novel's readability will skyrocket this fun narrative to the top of the charts.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

https://mamasgottaread.blogspot.com/

Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks
1) Dan used to be a teacher.
2) Dan now owns a bookstore, A New Chapter.
3) Dan’s wife Jill is a widow.
4) Jill used to be married to Peter, who died.
5) Jill wants to have a baby.
6) Jill has a dog, Clarence who Dan doesn’t like.
7) Dan has no friends.
8) Dan has a brother, Jake.
9) Dan’s father left his life when he was a kid.
10) Dan’s mother is a crazy mess who judges Dan.
11) Dan’s bookstore makes no money.
12) Dan has five employees including Steve, who Dan likes, and Kimberly, who Dan does not like.
13) Dan is an insecure husband.
14) Dan is going to be a father.
15) Dan is afraid to be a faher.
16) Dan is afraid of losing Jill.
17) Dan is afraid of losing his business.
18) Dan has a plan.
19) Dan meets a friend, Bill.
20) Bill is a Vietnam vet with no family.
21) Dan makes lots of lists.

I loved Twenty-One Truths by Matthew Dicks! I have never read a story told entirely in lists, and truly did not believe that I could be so engrossed in a story told in this manner, but I was completely hooked almost from the beginning. Dan is a bookshop owner who is drowning in debt, whose savings are rapidly depleting, and who is facing rising expenses when he and his wife, Jill, begin their family. Dan has a plan, though. Actually, he comes up with multiple plans, none of which really work out for him. I loved this story because it gives a man’s perspective on being a man-what it means to be a husband and father, what it means to be a friend, and how to ask for help when you *think* the world expects you to have the answers. It was a refreshing and unique look into a man’s life. And the fact that Dan owns a bookshop and loves books just made me love this book more. Every month, A New Chapter, Dan’s bookshop, recommends books that I have now on my to be read list.

If you love books, movies, Star Wars, or love stories, you will love Twenty-One Truths About Love! Thank you to the publisher for the advanced e-book for an honest review! #netgalley #twentyonetrythsaboutlove

I enjoyed Matthew Dicks’ Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend because it was different from anything I’d read before. Dicks manages to surprise and delight once again with his newest release, Twenty-one Truths About Love, a novel in list form penned by anxious dad-to-be Daniel Mayrock.

When Daniel quits his job as a teacher to follow his dream of opening a bookstore, he’s confident things will go well. But he soon learns running a business is expensive, and not everyone is as passionate about books as he is. Thus begins Twenty-one Truths About Love.

Stressed about the store, his wife who’s desperate for children when Daniel would really maybe rather not, and how he’ll make enough money to support this theoretical child, Daniel turns to his handy notebook to consider ideas about people, family, money, bank robbery, and more.

With honesty and wit, Daniel gives readers a glimpse into the mind of a would-be dad struggling with his ability to take care of his family. He makes some memorable friends along the way and eventually realizes that his wife doesn’t expect him to be the perfect man and he’ll never be the perfect father — but both these things are okay.

“A person is more than a person. A person is the promise of everything that person can be.”

This is a must-read for any would be parents (mom or dad), and an enjoyable foray into the mind of a good man for anyone else. I laughed, cried, and was unexpectedly blown away.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm on the fence with this book in terms of giving it 3 or 4 stars, mainly because I found the list writing style a little gimmicky - even though in the end it perfectly fit Dan Mayrock's voice and personality. I had to get nearly halfway through the novel before I really connected with Dan, his wife Jill and his day-to-day life pressures, which accelerate when he finds out his wife is expecting their first baby. While I did appreciate many of his humorous and spot-on observations about people and family, it all just felt a little too light and wrapped up a little too neatly for me. And his personal adventure/solution to his problem (I don't want to give away more details) was just too far fetched and also too quickly resolved given his many lists filled with angst related to this "solution." It's a fast read and I'm sure some will love Dan's keen observations and lens through which he sees life, love and his world. In the end I will compromise at 3.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The format of this book was extremely original and interesting and I was impressed with the author's ability to tell an entire story in lists. Parts of this book were hilarious and other portions made me choke up. Sometimes the author included obscure thoughts in his lists that I, too, have had. I enjoyed this book, particular how it all came together (loved Bill!) but I must admit that there were times I got a little tired of reading the lists. I'd love to read a book by this author told the "regular" way. He has a great sense of humor.

Though it took some getting used to, i actually like the list format if the book. I always love looking deeper into things instead of having the writer TELL me everything as if I'm not smart enough to infer. The lists were intriguing and full if character inferences.
And yet....i found the book lacking. My issue was that i had no sympathy for the narrator and didnt really like any if them.
It is possible that the list format negated making connections to the characters....
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks is the story of Daniel Mayrock, told through his lists as he struggles with his failing bookstore, his inability to tell his wife, Jill, about their financial future and her desire to have children. He is a man at a crossroad in his life. He knows that he loves his wife. He regrets opening the bookstore and quitting his job to do so. He takes great risks to save his marriage, to do almost anything for love, but he is a man who wants to do something out of the ordinary, to be special and to deserve happiness. Will he be able to do all he dreams? Will he come clean to his wife about their finances? Will they be able to have a family?
Twenty-One Truths About Love is told in an interesting style. A style I had not heard about, so I was intrigued and decided to give it a chance. While it was hard to read, it was like getting deeper into the mind of the narrator in ways I haven’t seen before. I applaud Mr. Dicks for taking a chance on such a unique idea. However, I discovered I did not like Daniel. I had no sympathy for him whatsoever and some of his comments in his lists were annoying. That was the beginning, as I read and as I saw his struggles once Jane does get pregnant and he sees his worst nightmare coming true, he realizes that success and happiness comes in different forms. There were times I wanted to scream at the book, “TELL HER!” but I also see why he fears telling her. In the end, it is a book about a man struggling to make a life for himself and his family and struggles on how to do it. If you are interested in new forms of storytelling, I recommend Twenty-One Truths About Love. If you aren’t, its best you leave this one alone.

Twenty-One Truths About Love
will be available on November 19, 2019
in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Mr. Dicks does not disappoint. I read his "Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend" a couple years ago and I liked it very much. The same about Twenty-one Truths About Love. What I really like about this story was getting to know the MC. Dicks beautifully portrays life as it is when it comes to relationships, obstacles, professional issues, personal achievements. Mental health matters and it was very special to see that in a book. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.