Review: Mr Commitment by Mike Gayle

Synopsis

Duffy is engaged. He accepted Mel's proposal. But the trips to Ikea, dinner parties for couples and talk of babies are giving him itchy feet and now he's not sure if he can say goodbye to his extended adolescence and face up to that final walk down the aisle. How does he know if she's The One? Can he cope with responsibility? Does he have what it takes to become Mr Commitment? Because if he doesn't, he may just find that he's lost Mel, for ever.

After twenty-eight years of shirking responsibility Duffy's finally realising that he can't extend his adolescence forever. His low-paid temping job is threatening permanency. His gradually receding hairline is depressing him greatly. And if that's not enough, his long-suffering girlfriend, Mel, wants to get engaged.

Trips to Ikea, dinner parties with married couples and talk of babies, however, are giving Duffy cold feet. He doesn't have many worldly goods to share - apart from the remote control for his TV, the beers in the fridge and his record collection - but can he really put his hand on his heart and say 'I do'? He knows Mel's the one for him, so why is it he'd feel happier swapping 'Till death us do part' for 'Renewable on a four year basis'?

But the choice is: all or nothing. So after a lifetime as Mr Irresponsible does Duffy have what it takes to become Mr Commitment?

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Review 

A work colleague once told me a story of how she got her husband to marry her. She said she hounded him for years, begged him and finally he relented. She said it took courage, prowess and blackmail. In her mind that was the only way of dealing with a commitment phobic man. With this in mine I embanked on reading Mr Commitment with a mindset that Duffy, the main character would be allergic to all things commitment related. My colleague was right, when it comes to commitment phobic men, a little blackmail and courage goes a long way.

After his girlfriend proposes to him Duffy who is unsure of marriage begins to question his life and his dreams. His quest for answers takes him into night clubs and Ikea and with the help of his boisterous loving sister he matures and faces his responsibilities. This is a wonderful venture into the male brain.

Mike Gayle is a wonderfully funny author.  It's no secret that I am obsessed with Mike Gayle. His books have the ability to make me laugh unreservedly. He is the type of author who has mastered humor whilst dealing with everyday issues. I've read many reviews who refer to his books as male chick lit. I'm not quite sure how that works but I don't think this is any way chick lit. This is funny, well written, contemporary fiction and to call it anything else would be insulting to the author and his readers.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a funny read and wonderful characters.