Marc Barrowcliffe – Infidelity for first-time fathers (07-016)

Marc Barrowcliffe – Infidelity for first-time fathers (07-016)

I read his first book because of the intriguing title ‘Girlfriend 44’, I enjoyed it, though I remember that it could have done with 50 pages less. Jill Mansell is raving on the backside of this book, ‘even better than his first’. I’m not sure.

The idea of this book, again, is very funny. Stewart Dagman is getting married and his fiancée is pregnant. Somehow, unexpected, even for himself, he finds himself with a girlfriend (younger!) on the side. To make matters worse, she also turns out to be pregnant.

This could be an excellent British movie, I can easily imagine Hugh Grant playing Dagman. The good thing about this book is that, in the middle part, every chapter changes the situation drastically, which makes you wonder what he is going to do, who is going to choose, but after a bit as well: what will happen next. As soon as a book manages that perfection, it is impossible to put down, one just has to read the next bit. Great story therefore.

But again, at three quarters, when one is longing for the end, the idea creeps up that this should be it. Not another turn of events, not another strange twist taken from the Benny Hill book of comedy, not more unexpected and therefore more and more unlikely events.

I’m afraid, my opinion of his first book duplicates to this one. Again the book could have (should have!) done with fifty pages less. I believe I’ve seen a third title on Amazon already, (just checked: number four is ready as well, waiting to be published) so hopefully this advice will be used before writing book number five. Barrowcliffe, you’ve got great idea’s, a great sense of humour, but know when to end a story. It would make your books so much better.

Number: 07-016
Title: Infidelity for first-time fathers
Author: Mark Barrowcliffe
Language: English (UK)
Year: 2001
# Pages: 402 (2656)
Category: Fiction
ISBN: 0-7472-6815-0