Thanks to NetGalley and Faber books for an advance copy. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work for me. I found it neither particularly engaging nor well-written. The characters felt underdeveloped, and their backstories lacked the depth needed to make their actions resonate. I think the story could have been more compelling with greater insight into Tom’s choices over the years, his internal struggles, and the growing emotional distance between him and Amy that ultimately felt insurmountable. I also would have liked to see more of Amy’s perspective, her efforts to mend the relationship, and what led her to make the decisions she did. The premise had a lot of promise, but the narrative didn’t delve deep enough to fully realise it.

Tom is at a turning point in his life. He drops his daughter at college and just keeps driving. As he visits people from his past and resolutely ignores his declining health, he reflects on his life, regrets, and relationships. What follows is a rambling and meandering narrative full of middle-aged angst, nostalgia, and self-discovery, which had me fully invested in the journey (both emotional and physical) and where it was taking Tom.

The Rest of Our Lives was an interesting read. I've read many novels centred around women reaching middle-age and reassessing life choices, perhaps finally putting themselves first after lifetimes of familial duty. But this is one of the few that looks at this time of life from a male perspective.

Tom has just dropped his daughter off at college, and with no real plan, he just keeps driving. Many years ago, his wife had an affair and he made a promise to himself that he would leave the marriage when their daughter left for college. Reconnecting with old friends and family, he reflects on his relationship with wife Amy, as well as his childhood and his own experiences and feelings about fatherhood.

The trip is ultimately brought short when he has a medical episode, and is persuaded by his son Michael to get checked out. After being told his health problems were Long Covid, further tests reveal something far more devastating.

I initially felt dissatisfied by the somewhat abrupt ending of the book, but upon reflection, I think it was a perfectly pitched conclusion. Not everything in life is tied up neatly, and so it is in this book. It almost read as a novella, an intimate portrait of a man somewhat lost and wandering in an attempt to reconcile complex feelings he doesn't know how to express.

I definitely read far more books with female protagonists and so it was interesting to get inside the mind of a man reflecting on his life. Tom was someone I felt had so much more to say, and I wanted to know how his diagnosis affected his relationships with his wife and children. Yet at the same time, leaving us to wonder, means we, the reader, get to use our own imagination to fill in the blanks.

This was beautifully written, a road trip of sorts by a middle-aged man at a crossroads in his life after his daughter goes to university. Does he go back home, to the wife who betrayed him years ago and with whom he's stayed married, or does he just keep driving? It's no spoiler alert to say he keeps on driving - but does he make the best of things with his wife?
The writing style was like someone speaking to a friend, telling them a story, and was very readable and relateable.
Things happen on the trip, as he meets family and friends along the way.
The ending was inconclusive for me, and I felt a bit frustrated and cheated by it, so am giving it three stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance review copy of this novel.

While The Rest of Our Lives starts with a compelling premise, a man reconsidering his life choices on a cross-country journey, the novel ultimately feels like it meanders just as aimlessly as Tom Layward’s road trip. Markovits has a clear grasp of tone, and his writing can be quietly observant, but the emotional stakes often feel muted.

Tom is a man burdened by resentment and indecision, but rather than evolving, he seems stuck in a loop of half-hearted self-reflection. The road trip structure promises discovery and change, yet each encounter feels frustratingly static. Old friends and family members drift in and out of scenes with little impact, and the novel’s introspective moments rarely land with the weight they seem to be aiming for.

There’s a sense that something deeper is being explored, family, identity, midlife regret, but it’s often buried under layers of detachment. For a novel about defining moments, very little feels defined. Thoughtful in tone but sluggish in pace, this one may resonate more with readers who enjoy stories heavy on atmosphere and light on resolution

This is an enjoyable novel that takes us on a journey with Tom, a middle aged man who feels he has reached a turning point in his life. We meet Tom as his daughter, Mari, is about to leave home for university. There's clearly a lot of tension in his home life, that has deep roots.

Tom's wife Amy had a short-lived affair some years previously, and Tom had told himself that, when Mari left home, so would he. Amy is clearly aware of this on some level and is growing more and more on edge as the time approaches. But Tom clearly has no idea what he actually wants to do. So instead of going home after dropping of Mari he embarks on a drive to visit various other people in his life, with no end destination in sight.

I really liked the way the novel is written. Much of it feels very 'free flowing' - almost like we're basically reading Tom's inner monologue. There isn't a rigid structure, which makes it interesting to read. He jumps from one issue to another and back and forth in time as he tries to make sense of his life. It helped the novel to feel quite intimate, almost as if we are inside his head.

The characters and their relationships with each other are very well done. In Amy I could see a reflection of someone I know and dislike - she is judgemental, uptight and manipulative. Her relationship with Mari is strained. Amy seems preoccupied with how things seem to other people and focuses on appearances instead of her family's wellbeing.

For instance, seeming to make comments that send the message that Mari needs to watch her weight. Amy also tends to see other people's behaviour as being driven by herself instead of seeing them as people living their lives how they want to - such as interpreting Mari's piercings as a way to 'get back' at Amy.

It seems that what she's really upset about is the fact that she isn't able to control Mari's decisions and behaviour. For much of the time her character traits make her come across as an unpleasant person.

But then of course, we all have some of these traits to greater or lesser degrees, and one strength of the writing is to make us recognise these things in ourselves. Another strength is making Amy into a sympathetic character at times despite her flaws - we can see that she's basically an unhappy person who seems to be pushing those close to her away.

Tom has a better relationship with Mari (Amy would say because he isn't a 'parent' and avoids difficult conversations). But he has a more strained relationship with his son Michael, despite the fact he likes spending time with him.

Tom also has opinions that many disagree with, to such an extent he's been asked to leave his job as a teacher. The clash between more conservative opinions held by some older people and more progressive ideas is a constant theme, as is his poor state of health.

I think the book gives us just enough information to allow readers to have some leeway with how they perceive the characters. I would probably have liked a more 'definitive' ending and for a bit more clarity on where his relationship with Amy will go in the future. But I still really enjoyed the book and will recommend it.

You know some books just aren’t for you from the start, and sadly, that was the case for me with The Rest of Our Lives by Benjamin Markovits. I really wanted to love it, but it didn’t live up to its potential.

The story feels disjointed, more like a chaotic journal than a novel. It’s a patchwork of promising moments and disconnected thoughts that never fully form a cohesive narrative. Factual inconsistencies and a lack of grounding description made it even harder to stay engaged, especially when combined with unnecessary tangents that added little to the story.

The portrayal of women was especially frustrating. Male characters had depth, but the women came across as erratic, confused, and lacking nuance, missing a real opportunity to explore emotional complexity.

The storytelling did improve toward the end, offering glimpses of insight into life, relationships, and what really matters. But by then, it felt too little, too late.

If this hadn't been an ARC, I likely would have DNF-ed it. There’s a great story hidden underneath, it just needed stronger structure, editing, and more thoughtful character development to shine.

This is a nicely written book with an interesting premise, but for me it wasn't a spectacular book. I didn't feel like I really got under the skin of the characters or understood what made them tick, and there were elements of the book (such as the focus on basketball, which to be fair I have zero interest in) that I found jarring and took me away from the main themes of aging and loneliness. I think this is a matter of personal taste though, as I really lean towards writers who have a lyrical, poetic style, whereas Markovits is far more straightforward in his writing.

I found his main character of Tom frustrating, particularly in his seeming refusal to take any responsibility for himself or his health. Although I must admit I know plenty of men who avoid seeing doctors at all costs, something about Tom's lacklustre approach to himself and his own wellbeing just ended up grating on me. I also found that the pacing of the novel dragged a bit.

I think plenty of people will get more out of this book than I did. I enjoyed moments of it, but I don't think its memory will linger for long.

This was strange book for me. Certainly not what I expected but, it turns out it was better than I imagined.
Tom is assessing his life now that the youngest child has headed off to college. Twelve years earlier his wife had had an affair and he’d decided that once the children were grownup he’d leave her. But life has a habit of throwing a few curve balls into the equation and for Tom it’s his health that changes things for him. After dropping said daughter to her college he just continues driving, in his mind he’s going to catch up with his son and some old friends, which he does, but to the detriment of his health.
This is not my normal type of story but I did enjoy it greatly. My advice is sometimes the unexpected stories are worth the chance.
For me this is a 4⭐️story. Many thanks to #NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

This book was interesting enough to hold my attention while I was reading but I didn’t immediately want to keep picking it up!

Overall it was a good read

This is the story of Tom, who has waited for his youngest child, Miri, to go off to college before leaving his wife. She had a brief affair years before and Tom set himself a target date to go.

When he gets the chance to drive Miri to college alone, a day’s drive away from home, he finds that he’s not ready to go back and just carries on driving, deciding to drop in on his younger brother, his college sweetheart and his former college roommate.

Having recently been put on sabbatical for taking a strange case of discrimination, he’s got no real reason to go straight home.

Tom’s not been feeling quite himself lately either…

This is an absolutely fascinating story. So minutely detailed and told as though this is a close friend sharing their day - every thought and observation is shared.

Tom had an idea in college that he wanted to write a book about travelling across the US and playing pick up basketball and writing about the people/players he met along the way.

I have no knowledge of basketball at all, or of the US college sports programs, and much of the geography, music and sporting references went completely over my head, yet I found myself absolutely next to him in a diner, in the car with him as he drove along the streets and sitting courtside as he played with strangers he met along the way.

When we finally find out what’s wrong with Tom, and his wife Amy comes to join him and their son, the ending is abrupt and perfect. I miss Tom.

Definitely not the story I was expecting or imagining but this richly described narration was immersive and strangely charming. It’s worth every second spent reading it.

It took ,e a while to get into this book but it was more interesting when Tom makes good on his bargain with himself and leaves his wife. He had decided , when learning of his wife’s affair, he would leave her when his daughter went to college. I felt this was a cruel thing to do as although he had been wronged he did not tell his wife his plan. So many differing emotions experienced by Tom on his journey. Overall I thought he was too self indulgent

So good. Manages to explain how distant events can continue to do damage decades later but gives the reader enough hope that there are new possibiities round the corner.

A middle-aged man discovers that his wife has an affair. Although their marriage has been in trouble for quite some time, he decides to do nothing until all his kids leave home for college. Finally, the day came.
This could have been such an emotional, reflective story about broken love, broken hopes, and shattered lives. The empty nest syndrome, combined with betrayal and devastating loneliness, sounds like a perfect recipe for a bestseller. Unfortunately, what we have here is a mess. Thoughts, memories, and countless unimportant dialogues made me lose interest at the beginning of the book. I decided to keep going, hoping that the book would pick up. DNF at 45%.

This book really grew on me quickly and I didn't expect to resonate so strongly with the main character or to become so invested in his life. Its a lovely thought provoking take on mid life. On what is next, on how the bodies we always relied on don't seem as strong as they were, on the possibility of changing from what you thought the rest of your life would look like . Tender and both heartwarming and wrenching, stick with this book, I found it a slow burn but from about a third of the way in, you'd have to wrestle it from my hands.
Recommend wholeheartedly.
4-4.5

The Rest of Our Lives follows Tom, who drives his 18-year-old daughter to college in Pittsburgh - and then keeps driving. Various aspects of his life are not going to plan and he drifts himself into a road trip to try and escape. Years earlier when his wife had an affair, Tom had decided that when their youngest child left for college he would leave the marriage - and that moment has now arrived. But it's also arrived at a moment when he's just been suspended from his job after his students complained about the politics of his law class, and he's got a health issue that he's busy ignoring but from the descriptions you get of it, he really shouldn't be.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this from the blurb - it could have been a Rich People Problems novel but it's actually more of a mid life crisis novel. Tom's in denial about his health, doesn't want to tell his wife about his work situation or to deal with the underlying issue in their relationship so he finds an excuse to up and run. He doesn't seem to have anyone in his life that he can talk to properly about things, so you see him find excuses for what he's doing to the people he meets - right up until the point that he can't any more. It's not a long book, but it's got a lot going on and leaves you with some things to think about as it deals with male loneliness, morality and mortality. It doesn't have the level of resolution that I get from my regular reads of mystery and romance - but I enjoyed it never the less and it's a thought provoking read that I think would work really well for book clubs and people who like to read book-club type books.

I struggled with this one I’m afraid. I found the writing style clunky and just didn’t invest in or earn to the main character. One I didn’t finish.

So by the end of this book I can honestly say I’m not interested in either basketball or someone’s mid-life crisis. The unlikely scenario of just keep driving didn’t work for me either. I’m too much of a realist I think.

I have enjoyed Markovits’ previous fiction and did enjoy this new novel. It’s a book that takes the reader on a journey with its protagonist, Tom, as he travels across the USA, from his New York home, to California.

From the outset, it is clear that Tom is struggling: his wife, Amy, had an affair years before and Tom always owed to leave her when Miri, his youngest, went off to college. Also, Tom is sick - there are many repeated references to his symptoms but he dismisses them. They come to a head when he gets to his son’s in California. What is a little implausible is how he leaves NY to take Miri to Pittsburgh and then keeps driving.

I like the way Tom visits people (often impromptu) en route: old friends, lovers. It’s a little unrealistic, I think, how far he travels through the book. Admittedly, readers aren’t privy to all of the places he drives though but it seems too quick in terms of distance. Amy is not a nice character - Markovits doesn’t paint a positive picture of her. But at the end, the family all come together to be with Tom as he starts his treatment.

I did like this but it feels too British in style to be in the voice of an American. I realise that the writer is British-American but the character isn’t. However, perhaps this isn’t important.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Different and thought-provoking!

Tom Layward's wife had an affair. It was several years ago, and they seem to have moved past it but when he drives his youngest daughter to university, he remembers that he promised himself he would leave the marriage when she left home. So, after dropping her off in Pittsburgh, he keeps going with a vague idea of visiting people from his past while ruminating on his health and career issues . . .

I realised whilst reading this one that I actually don't read a lot of novels from a male point of view unless they are thrillers, so this was a real change. Well-written and thoughtful, it certainly made me ponder the situation Tom found himself in, and I was eager to see where it was going. A good read, and one I'm happy to recommend. For me, 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.