Book info

• Title Having A Lovely Time
• Author Jenny Eclair
• Year 2000
• Genre Contemporary

Meet the Dobsons and the Jamiesons: two ordinary families on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Joe Dobson left his wife and kids when his young girlfriend Nina discovered she was pregnant. Now he feels like a cliche and Nina feels like a drudge, swapping her wild nights out with friends for mild nights in wiping baby sick off the carpet. So when Joe announces that he's booked a week's luxury holiday in Italy, Nina is thrilled - until she realises Joe's kids Saul and Tabitha are coming along for the ride. Meanwhile Guy Jamieson is sure this will be his last family holiday; he plans to leave his wife Alice on his return. Guy is a high-powered advertising director, and Alice - with her elasticated skirts, inedible mince suppers and unshaven legs - just doesn't fit his image. But Alice has a secret plan of her own: to have another baby...

Thoughts

I loved the previous Jenny Eclair book I read so had high expectations coming into this one. I don’t think it was quite as good but it still a really quality work. There’s something about the way Eclair writes that really sucks you into the detail, the human-ness of these characters, and really just how hideous most human beings are - both alone and to each other. The only thing that annoyed me about this book is that it felt like there was going to be a bigger connection between the two families than there was… or that is to say, that it would have more of an impact on the story. But still, a really good read.

Rating: 3 / 5