23 Feb 2021

MELTING IN THE MIDDLE.

 I can't tell you how excited I am to be bringing you not only my first book review of 2021 but my first Blog Tour. Ably hosted by the wonderful Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources, the other participants of which can be found via the Blog Tour Schedule further down the post.


MELTING IN THE MIDDLE by ANDY HOWDEN.

Genre: Comic Fiction/ Uplit

Publication Date: 28th November 2020

Estimated Page Count: 425

Standalone Novel

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1800460643

A story of redemption, second chances - and chocolate – amid the madness of modern life.

For Stephen Carreras, life is in turmoil. His career with Britain’s worst chocolate company is heading for the rocks when it’s taken over by US confectionery giant Schmaltz. He’s just turned forty, he’s messed up on marriage and is struggling to keep a toehold in the lives of his monosyllabic teenage children.

Then he meets Rachel, who dances to a very different beat. She challenges him to do good among the carnage that surrounds him. But to do so, he must confront his past and work out all over again what really matters…

FIRST SENTENCE: Part One, Chapter One ... Stephen Carreras gazed into his screensaver.

MEMORABLE MOMENT ... The original Mr Hamish Grimley, his portrait staring down at them stern and moustachioed from the nicotine-stained walls, had no doubt sat here, plotting with his fellow dour Scottish Presbyterians to feed chocolate to the working class poor ( Pg 172)

MY THOUGHTS ... Forget a story of redemption and second chances, a self confessed chocoholic, I was hooked the minute I read the word chocolate. 

Seriously though ...

'A life in turmoil, monosyllabic teenage children' ... and a possible romance; one that by the sounds of it might have a bit of a difference to it or at the very least wouldn't be one of those 'Insta' love affairs, there were so many things about this book that led me to believe that I might enjoy it ... and enjoy it I most certainly did.

The company he works for, Britain’s worst chocolate company having been taken over by  American confectionery giant Schmaltz, his working life changed almost beyond recognition, things can go one of two ways for our protagonist Stephen Carreras ... but which?

Whilst there was a more than decent plot that took a look that was at once both humorous and yet decidedly disconcerting at the modern rat race, for me the pleasure in Melting in The Middle lay in the the fact that, character driven, I loved the exploration whether they be work colleagues, teenage children, ex-wife or new love interest between Stephen and the various other factions.

A humorous read with memorable characters, long-listed for the Exeter Novel Prize, Melting in the Middle is a literary comedy about redemption and second chances, played out amid the madness of modern life; if you're in the market for just such a novel to pass away the hours, this is it.

ABOUT ANDY HOWDEN ... Born in Yorkshire, Andy Howden read English at Sheffield University before a career in marketing, including working for a multi-national company in London and Paris. This novel was long-listed for the Exeter Novel Prize as ‘funny, poignant and uplifting’ and sprang out of a MA in Creative Writing at St.Mary’s University in Twickenham. Andy lives in South West London with is wife and has two grown up children who have left home but fortunately keep popping back to see him.

FOLLOW ANDY HOWDEN ... ~ www.andyhowden.com ~ FaceBook ~ Twitter ~

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE ... ~ 20th February: Eatwell2015 ~ Insta - @duckfacekim09 ~ Jazzy Book Reviews ~ 21st February: Lilac Mills ~ @mummy_life_and_books ~ sharon beyond the books ~ 22nd February: PAJNewman ~ Northernreader ~ Rincón de Joss ~ 23rd February: Felicity Grace Terry ~ Storme Reads A Lot Ceri's Little Blog ~ 24th February: Damsel In The Bookland ~ Lisa's Reading everywhere and nowhere ~ 25th February: Books Are Cool ~ B for bookreview ~ Readingbooks_itsafamilything ~ 26th February: Mrs Brown’s Books ~ @wendyreadsbooks on Instagram ~ @rozierreadsandwine ~

7 comments:

Kelly said...

This sounds like it has a lot of good things going for it! I'm glad the book for your first official review of the year was a pleasurable one. :) Hoping that's setting a precedent for the rest of the year.

Suko said...

Felicity, I'm glad you enjoyed this novel. This book sounds like my cup of tea, preferably read while enjoying some good chocolate on the side. Lovely review! :)

nightwingsraven said...

Felicity,
I am glad to read your first
official review and first Blog
Tour for 2021. Thank you for
your enthusiastic- and as always
honest review. I will keep this
book in mind.
Raven

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Felicity,

It is good to know that you have got some of your reading / blogging mojo back and I hope that you have managed to get treatment to help sort out your anaemia and vitamin deficiencies. Some warmer weather and the prospect of being able to get the odd day out in the fresh air, is surely going to help too!

This is definitely not a book I would even look twice at, if I saw it on the shelf at Waterstones, however like yourself, I was hooked on the word 'chocolate', then completely reeled in by that excellent premise and finally landed by your enthusiastic review. I have found myself reading much more outside of my comfort zone of late, and I have to admit, really enjoying myself.

Thanks for sharing and I hope that you have both now received your first jab :)

Yvonne xx

LL Cool Joe said...

Sounds like an interesting book, probably not one I'd read, but I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Gina said...

Sounds like this one was a lot of fun...and now I'm craving chocolate! :)

Literary Feline said...

Did you say chocolate? That would hook me too. This actually sounds like a lot of fun. I am glad you enjoyed it, Felicity.