The narrator (Tom) is in reflective mood ¨When our son was twelve years old, my wife had an affair with a guy called...¨ and so starts this funny-sad unexpected road novel (from the salubrious Scarsdale one hour from New York, to Los Angeles via Pittsburg, Las Vegas...) in which the narrator is trying to figure out ¨the rest of our lives¨ The title is apposite, its richness of meaning becoming progressively clear (I won't spoil the fun). We are hearing a rather dispassionate selective account of our Tom´s life - how his youth informed its development (its possibilities, delights, privileges; its failures, claustrophobias, compromises). In his mid fifties, our narrator is in silent crisis (relationships, work, health) and the story he tells, a monologue attentive to the voices of others, observant of his surroundings (American towns, sport, places, rooms described pithily), quite self aware he thinks yet blind spots abound. He is seeking an alter ego in all the old friends he visits, yet fails to find that interlocutor to whom to open his heart (great metaphor!) who would ease his ultimate bewilderment and deep loneliness. It is a character study which I found intriguing, entertaining and emotionally poignant and where writing style and narrator did convince me. Very much well worth reading.

To be fair, this isn’t my normal favourite genre of story. Whilst I was reading it, I was willing it to be finished. It’s not that it’s not well written but it just wasn’t for me. Having said that, I got to the end and it was a satisfactory ending.

The blurb for this sounded interesting so as I have never read anything by this author before, I was curious to read it , I did enjoy Tom’s journey into his past and wanted to see if you excuse the pun where it we as going to take him, as the story continued, it began to feel like his swan song and as the ending was left to the reader’s imagination as to what came next, , I hope that the next chapter in their story was a continuation of his self discovery.

A fast flowing read that makes you feel that the author is speaking to you. He takes you through how he coped with his wife's affair, staying as a family until their daughter goes to college. When he takes his daughter to her college he then drives off to connect with friends from his past. He is overlooking health issues throughout this time. He meets up with his son and then his health catches up with him.

I struggled a bit with this book, as it seemed rather rambling. It introduces a lot of characters and stories that don’t seem to contribute much to the plot line. It is very much a road trip type novel, which dips in and out of the past and present, as the main character, clearly at a crisis point in his life, tries to figure out what direction the rest of his life should take. It does introduce a number of relevant themes, which add to the reflective nature of the novel. It is very much about a middle aged man trying to come to terms with aging, with changes in the world around him and the future, or otherwise, of his marriage. However, towards the end, when the protagonist begins to discover more about his health issues, the writing becomes very powerful and moving. Is it the very thought of our own mortality that brings life into such strong focus? I found the ending very compelling and strangely uplifting, as if it is only when we are faced with major challenges that we begin to truly appreciate what we have and what we stand to lose. A powerful ending to a well written and thoughtful novel.

Tom is at a cross roads, children grown up, a marriage that is going through the motions, and there are serious health concerns in the background. He goes on a road trip to work things out and there's a lot of reality of how life is at this stage. I didn't fully connect with Tom or other characters but it's a different, thoughtful read.

This story follows Tom on his journey of self reflection, and what to do with his future.
Tom is married, has been for decades. He found out his wife had an affair and vowed to leave after their daughter left home.
Well, it’s now 12 years later, Tom has dropped his daughter as University and now is wondering what to do.
He starts driving and just keeps going, from coast to coast across America he drives.
Using this time for reflection & contemplation, we the reader are taken with him.
This is a thoughtful and thought provoking read. I think I was able to relate more being a parent myself, with 2 children at University. What does come next?
This isn’t a fast paced, thrilling read so if that’s what you’re into, I’d probably avoid this one.
But otherwise, I found it a well paced, enjoyable read, and would recommend it to certain friends/readers.

Tom has always told himself he would leave his wife when their youngest child left for College, after she had an affair twelve years earlier. The story is told through the thoughts of Tom, in the stream of consciousness style, and sees him take a long road trip after the college drop off. He visits old friends, his sibling and his son, and tells stories about each. The reader can see from the start that there is clearly a health issue that Tom is facing, and as the story progresses, more details are fed through Tom's thoughts.

The book wasn't what I thought it would be, I found it hard to focus on the story when it didn't feel like it had a lot of purpose. I liked getting to know Tom, but the other characters were all too fleeting to form any really impression of. Overall, not for me.

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits is a poignant exploration of aging and the intricate dance of long-term marriage. With nuanced prose, Markovits delves into the complexities of shared lives—sacrifices made, compromises reached, and the quiet regrets that accumulate over time. The novel captures the paradox of a life both deeply lived and yet tinged with a sense of what might have been, offering readers a compelling meditation on love, endurance, and the bittersweet beauty of a shared journey through life.

The Rest of our Lives by Ben Markovits is the story of Tom, who after dropping his eldest of at university, just keeps driving, meeting people along the way, with no plan. It sounds like it could be a meandering read, but Markovits imbues Tom with such warmth that it is very easy to warm to this novel and be dragged along for the ride. A fine novel which I breezed through in one read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Thank you to the publishers for my ARC copy.

I liked this but didn't love it. It was moving in parts and is basically a reflection on life and family and fearing the future. Perhaps it would have resonated with me more if I was a parent, but I didn't personally connect with the characters and on that part I found the book quite slow.

The Rest of Our Lives begins with the promise of Miranda July’s All Fours — a middle-aged man drives from the East to West coasts of America in what appears to be a mid-life crisis — but what follows is somewhat quieter and more contemplative.

Tom always said he’d leave his wife after their daughter Miri left home. So now that he’s dropped her off at college, he needs to decide what to do with the rest of his life. He’s lost his position as a law professor after his students complained about his politics and is considering representing a basketball player in a controversial lawsuit about racial discrimination. He’s also suffering from a strange set of symptoms which may suggest long Covid, but he’s refusing to accept that he’s past his physical peak, still insisting on running, swimming and shooting hoops. So when Tom decides to visit an old friend rather than returning home to his wife, his whole future is up in the air.

This is a gentle, thoughtful novel, but it didn’t quite land with me as a reader. Although the subject matter is universal — middle age, illness, marriage breakdown, children becoming adults —, the writing feels distinctively American, full of references to basketball, college and US geography. Tom is also an unsympathetic protagonist, and while his self-pity and passivity are no doubt intentional, they become quite tiresome after a while. The most moving parts of the novel involve Tom’s interactions with the other members of his family, which present a more empathetic, well-rounded and authentic portrait of family life.

While I acknowledge I’m probably not the target audience, I’d still recommend this book for fans of quiet but powerful literary fiction and for readers at similar life stages themselves.

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits

Starting life at University is a significant milestone, especially when it is your younger child. Suddenly your house is different. This is a time for Tom to reflect on how difficult it was, coming to terms with his wife, Amy’s affair many years earlier. How he held his family together till their daughter left home. After taking her to her student digs, Tom sets off on a road trip, visiting people, places and memories, whilst noticing deteriorating health; a middle aged rites of passage. His story is like a metaphor where life itself is all about enjoying the journey, rather than looking at the destination,which is aging and frailty.

A book about male teenage angst may be familiar, but male middle age does not automatically come with the knowledge of how to navigate it.

#docs.reading.room

Intensely lonely, nostalgic and reflective, 'The Rest Of Our Lives' will leave you feeling hollow after finishing it. I will say, as I was reading this book I didn't feel so emotionally attached to the main character, Tom, even though he shares all of his life experiences in a vulnerable and unfiltered way. I grew fonder towards him as the book went on and by the end I genuinely felt a sadness for what he was and is going through.

This book is written like an internal monologue, an endless stream of Tom's consciousness. It almost feels biographical, some details shared are so menial I find it hard to believe his character is a work of fiction. Reading this book felt like watching a documentary play out, especially as it builds up towards the end.

I would compare this book to the movie 'Ladybird' in some ways which is quite funny as that's one of my favourite films and this book is defo not up there with my faves at all (even though I did enjoy it) !! It seems to master the 'nothing happens' genre in a way that isn't boring for audiences. It gives a glimpse into the realities of someone's everyday life - even if they aren't relatable to you personally.

I feel an emptiness and nostalgia after finishing this book. It is extremely reflective and raises a lot of questions about morality and mortality. Not something I would usually go for but I would say overall I enjoyed it ! some parts did feel a little slow which is a let down as it is a shirt book but I would said the majority of it is well paced - so much distance happens within the books timeline.

Thank you to Faber and Faber, and NetGalley for this arc !!

**All opinions are my own !!**

This is a new author for me, but the book sounding very appealing in its description and the cover made me curious.
The story follows Tom, his wife and their children and covers some very heavy subjects, including affairs, health, friendships, aspirations, grown up children, mental health-at times it goes pretty deep. You realise pretty much straight away that the story is being narrated by Tom, so you get all of his thoughts first hand. I personally enjoyed this as I felt it made for a deeper insight into him as a character. It allowed you to feel exactly what he was feeling and at times I questioned in my own head whether or not I would respond in the same way. Tom is on a “road trip” after taking his daughter to college. This is a spontaneous decision, but one that really adds weight to this whole story.

The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits was a compelling read.

Tom Layward has been married to his wife Amy for years. He discovers that she has had an affair but they agree to stay together for the children and until their daughter Miriam turns eighteen years of age. One can only imagine how that betrayal festers over the years and eats away at a person and a marriage.

Tom drops off his daughter Miriam at College and rather than going home. In a snap decision he just keeps on driving. This is after all the point in time that he agreed to stay married to his wife. The revelation is that he doesn’t need to go home. So he uses the time to revisit his past and people from the past on this sort of road trip.

It was fascinating read into the complexities of marriage, sacrifices, compromise, regret, a life lived but not also not lived.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher, Faber & Faber, for making this book available to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What a powerful tale; a really unexpected treasure. This is the story of Tom and his quest to find himself. It’s such a simple premise; he’s reached mid life, there’s a health concern and he’s living with the memory of betrayal by his wife, Amy, some years earlier. He drops his daughter off at university and instead of going home, just keeps driving. It’s part road trip as he seeks out old friends and reflects on his future. It’s observant, poignant and I suspect it’ll strike a chord with many. What happens in the empty nest home? The kids have gone and over a decade or two, relationships change. Will Tom and Amy have a future together? What are the ties that bind and how easy is it to break bonds? This is reflective without being claustrophobic and too introspective. Very well written and totally absorbing. Really enjoyed this.

"Nobody tells you what an intense experience loneliness is, how it has a lot of variations..."

Let me start by saying I didn't know what to expect from this book. A Jazzy cover, a title implying a romance, few reviews online for me to pre-empt a narrative. None of that mattered when I jumped in to this book.

Following the life of protagonist Tom as he drops his daughter at college and takes himself on a long trip across country meeting friends of old and strangers at basketball courts - this novel plunges straight into male mental health and what it's like getting by when there's nobody there who knows what's happening inside your head.

I freaking loved this book for how matter-of-fact and easy to read it was whilst simultaneously touching on deep topics and the tragedy of your life passing you by.

Highly recommended if you want to read something real and something that will resonate.

A bit of a slow start, but the light & easy writing style kept me reading till the end, so I would say high points for engagement.

Would have loved a bit more closure on a few side stories, but I have to live without.

Overall, enjoyable.

What struck me about this novel was the similarity, of narrative style, with Raymond Carver. I say that as a compliment, of course. And that style carries the reader through this quest type story, of Tom, whose wife, Amy has in the past had a affair, their son has left home, and their daughter is off to college. The question being asked, really, is what do you do when that happens - when you're left to live with the person who's betrayed you? There is another question running through this story, though, and that's Tom's illness, which other characters are concerned about, but he brushes off. As he travels alone, visiting old friends and his brother, and finally his son, there is a sense that he's reliving the past, perhaps even saying goodbye, and this adds to the mystery of his illness. In the end, we find out what's going on with him, and yes, the ending does ask the question, what will we do with the rest of our lives?

I'm tempted to say this is the best novel I've read this year, in fact, I'll say it. It really was the best novel I've read this year. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.