BOOK REVIEW
Sex, Lies and Chocolate Cakes - Steven Morris
I read this book immediately after finishing Shuggie Bain. I needed something easy, quick, and light-hearted to help with my feelings of heartbreak and loss from the previous read. I read the tagline "A Delicious, Laugh Out Loud Comedy" and wanted to give it a whirl. It's a novella which is exactly what I needed. A short read to cleanse my palette and prepare my mind for what's to come.
BLURB
After accidentally exposing himself to his son's girlfriend, and realising that because of his overhanging stomach, she couldn't actually see anything, Eric Baxter decides it's time he went on a diet. Unfortunately, due to an exercise allergy, and an eating obsession, it isn't going to be as easy as he first thought. Throw in a battle of wits with his neighbour's cat over toilet rights to his garden, a son who lives in the shed and dreams of being discovered on the X-Factor, a stroppy teenage daughter with a Wayne Rooney fixation, a wife who doesn't want to sleep with him anymore, and an amorous work colleague who does, and you have all the ingredients to Sex, Lies, and Chocolate Cakes: A Deliciously Laugh Out Loud Comedy.
Sex, Lies and Chocolate Cakes is the first book in the Sex, Lies series. The hilarious tale of taxi driver Eric Baxter's daily struggle with life, love, and his ever expanding waistline, as he tries to come to terms with middle age and the difficulties of parenting and family life. A funny light summer holiday read about dieting, weight loss, love, lust and romance that'll have you laughing from the first page to the last.
MY REVIEW
This novella is written in diary form, spanning around a month. It's a snapshot of the life of Eric, a middle-aged taxi driver, father of two teenage kids, and husband to Helen. I enjoyed the diary writing style and the fact that it's written from the male perspective. Eric is a guy in crisis. The poor guy has some unfortunate luck (when I say that, I mean he gets into some unfortunate situations that have nothing to do with luck and everything to do with poor decision-making and lack of communication, but that are hilarious nonetheless. I felt for him, we've all been there).
The diary entries are funny (especially his anecdotes about the neighbours cat, and his sneaky diet fails) and conversational, making them easy to relate to. I didn't particularly LIKE Eric though, I felt that he was whiny and self-entitled, and didn't want or care if things turned around for him. He didn't seem to be putting any effort into changing things, just moaning about it and blaming everyone else. This is what we do in diaries though, we let our inner demons roam free without any social filters. The writing style also restricted any development of the other characters in Eric's life, as they were only presented based on small interactions and Eric's highly biased view.
I'll admit though, I did laugh out loud. One line in particular "My wife may have a pubic region so untamed, David Attenborough could film a documentary about it, but at least she can see hers without leaning over" had me snorting so hard I had to explain myself to the people in the room with me. One thing that disappointed me was that it ended very abruptly, feeling unfinished. I wanted to know what happened after his unexpected guest knocked on the door. This would have helped to close the story more clearly, however, this is the first in a series of novellas where the second one picks up exactly where this one leaves off. This could have worked better as a standalone full novel.
I'd read the next one if I were in the same situation, needing a quick, funny pick-me-up after a hard-hitting read.
This book has a unique writing style and some endearing qualities and is definitely funny and lighthearted. I enjoyed it for what it was and my rating only reflects my connection with the characters and my preferred reading style. It worked well in the context in which I used it but didn't grip me or pull me in, it just didn't have enough time and was just starting to find its pace. As a reader, I prefer to have the plot completed in the book I am reading, even if it's part of a series. Harry Potter, for example, each book has a specific storyline that ties into the bigger plot, but the individual story is brought to a close for the most part in each book. This one felt like a part book that ended in the wrong place and this is the main reason for my low rating.
Have you read this novella, or the series? Is it worth reading the rest of them to get to the end of the story? Let me know what you think!
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