The most uplifting story of the summer – about Andrew, who has forgotten how to live, and Peggy, who helps him remember…
Smart, darkly funny, and life-affirming, for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Something to Live For is the bighearted debut novel we all need, a story about love, loneliness, and the importance of taking a chance when we feel we have the most to lose.
“Off-beat and winning…Gives resiliency and the triumph of the human spirit a good name.” —The Wall Street Journal
All Andrew wants is to be normal. That’s why his coworkers believe he has the perfect wife and two children waiting at home for him after a long day. But the truth is, his life isn’t exactly as people think . . . and his little white lie is about to catch up with him. Because in all of Andrew’s efforts to fit in, he’s forgotten one important thing: how to really live. And maybe, it’s finally time for him to start.
“Roper illuminates Andrew’s interior life to reveal not what an odd duck he is, but what odd ducks we all are.” —The New York Times Book Review
About the Author:
Richard Roper grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon, before studying English at the University of Sheffield. He now lives in London, where he works as an editor. SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR is his first novel. It has been translated into 19 languages. He is @richardroper on twitter and instagram. He can also be found at www.richardroperauthor.com
My Review:
Contemporary books are NOT my usual genre as I tend to read crime and psychological thrillers, but when I was offered the opportunity to read Something To Live For as part of an online readalong with 65 other readers I happily joined in.
Some of my favourite books feature quirky characters (Eleanor Oliphant, A Man Called Ove, Elvira Carr) so I was intrigued to start this book having read the blurb.
Andrew works for the council in a job I didn’t even know existed – he attends the properties of recently deceased people who have died alone with no obvious next-of-kin and it’s his job to find either a family member and/or funds to pay for the funeral. He is a hard-working and dedicated employee who goes that extra mile because he also attends the funerals to ensure the deceased get a dignified send off.
Within a few chapters you soon realise that whilst Andrew is a nice person, he is also harbouring a rather large secret from his employers and co-workers… he told a little white lie at his job interview which has now snowballed into a massive whopper and he can’t get out of it without jeopardising his job and reputation.
This is a very quirky, character driven story which I thoroughly enjoyed. There were some lovely moments of humour and some really sad moments in this story and the overall pace and flow made Something To Live For a quick but entertaining read. Perfect for people looking for some entertaining escapism from their life right now.
