Nick Spalding's "Old Boys" is a comical and uplifting trip through the ups and downs of midlife crisis and rediscovering friendship. Spalding's trademark wit and accessible storytelling make this tale a pleasure to read from beginning to end.
The plot centres on four middle-aged pals at a crossroads in their lives, who faced with the boredom and stress of their daily routines, embark on a crazy and funny trip to reclaim and rediscover the joy of youth. "Old Boys" takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of hilarity and self-discovery, from ill-advised exploits to uproarious mishaps.
Spalding's exceptional skill at crafting witty dialogue and amusing circumstances is one of the book's best features. The characters' conversation is crisp and full of smart one-liners that will have readers laughing out loud. The author's comedic timing is flawless, delivering punchlines with pinpoint accuracy and creating moments of pure hilarious gold throughout the story.
This novel's characters are superbly fleshed out, each with its own quirks and foibles that bring dimension to the plot. Spalding develops a distinctive ensemble that readers will cheer for and identify with from the beloved but ignorant protagonist to the eccentric and unexpected supporting cast. Their camaraderie and friendships are touching, reminding us of the enduring power of true companionship.
Furthermore, "Old Boys" touches on universal issues that will appeal to readers of all ages. It delves into the fear of ageing, the longing to recover lost youth, and the importance of accepting change while cherishing the memories and ties that have shaped us. Spalding manages to insert genuine moments of meditation and introspection beneath the layers of humour.
While "Old Boys" thrives mostly in its lightheartedness and humour, some readers may find the plot predictable or the humour occasionally depending on common comedy tropes. Spalding's creative writing and talent for developing sympathetic characters, on the other hand, compensate for any little flaws, offering an enjoyable reading experience altogether.
Finally, "Old Boys" is a lovely adventure that will leave readers smiling from ear to ear. In this humorous tale of midlife hijinks and the enduring power of friendship, Nick Spalding's talent for comedy storytelling shows through. "Old Boys" is a beautiful choice for a laugh-out-loud book that provides a break from the routine.

This is my fourth read by this author and he never disappoints. Being a classic rock fan I was thrilled to read a book about a classic rocker. The group may have been fictional but many real group names and their songs are mentioned so it was like a trip down memory lane and I was tickled pink about that.

This was such a refreshing change after a dark thriller and a sad World War II book, a palate cleanser if you will. It was such a funny read and exactly what I needed. Even though the book is humourous the bare bones of it deals with some hard-hitting subject matter. There is depression, death, old age, drug use, divorce and mid-life crisis...but Spalding manages to portray it in a realistic yet funny way so it softens the blow. I like how the author gives a glimpse into how the male mind works and why they behave the way they do.

I felt a lot of emotions reading this, at some parts I felt like crying and at others, I was laughing out loud. It was so sad yet hilarious in equal measure...it was also very thought-provoking. If ever you want a life lesson with some good laughs mixed in Nick Spalding is an author I highly recommend.

An easy and enjoyable read; funny as hell at times. Ridiculous at times in equal measures.

It’s well written and interesting to see Will, the protagonist, character develop. He starts as an overly cautious old-before-his-time worrier who is crippled by the fear of something going wrong.

He’s reunited with his father - the antithesis of Will - and very slowly his father’s carefree approach to life starts to change the way he thinks - and lives.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy.

This was a cute book and I loved reading it!

What a fantastic book! I could not put it down, it made me laugh, cry, then laugh again! I could picture myself as a friend in this world, say observing what is going on. A must read.

Nobody does ‘ordinary bloke gets into hilarious scrapes on a chaotic life changing journey’ better than the legendary Nick Spalding; add a difficult reunion with a wayward (but loveable) estranged rock star dad, some ultra cute animals, and a generous dollop of romance into the mix and it’s a winning formula for Nick’s latest feel-good novel.

I loved every minute of it.

Thanks very much to everyone concerned for allowing me to read and review the advance ‘Old Boys’. I will highly recommend it.

This book focusses on Will, whose mother died four years ago and who feels he is old and has become very risk averse. The book I just finished before this one (Dinner with the Schnables by Toni Jordan) also had a theme of man in his mid forties in crisis. That one was more clever and nuanced. This one is a Nick Spalding book, and that means it was quite good, quite predictable and quite fun. Because I can't help but see everything with a gendered lens, I kept wondering if the approach to the band members' wives, particularly the constant references to their breasts, was misogynistic, and then i realised it was just puerile and juvenile. So, a romp, with some serious musings on life, relationships and the point of it all.

I thought Nick Spalding's writing was great. The book was very humour driven but he could also write the sad parts really well. It kept me interested throughout the book. The pace never died down and I read through it quite fast.

I had never read a book by this author before but I will definitely be doing that after reading 'Old Boys'! It's a great book and I can't wait for people to read it in June!

I DNF'd this book at 14%, which I nearly never do. The narrator was just too abrasive for me. This was my first foray into Nick Spalding, and I think that I perhaps was not the target demographic for his work. I truly just could not empathize with Will and, in fact, I think I hated him a little bit. I am fairly certain that I was SUPPOSED to hate him, but it was honestly to the point that I dreaded trying to pick the book back up because reading his whining, meandering inner thoughts was such an arduous task for me.
I seem to be in the minority with my review, and I really wish I had enjoyed this one, but it just wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this one, I do appreciate Nick Spalding's sense of humour! Some very poignant scenes here too as father and son reconnect and both of them get more appreciation of the others experiences of the past.

This is a difficult one for me to review, as I feel very conflicted!

I'm a long term fan of Spalding, but I have found his later works quite hit and miss - and for those which are 'misses' I've found them to be full of irritating characters and not much impulsion.

At first, Old Boys certainly felt like this and I was rather inclined to put it down for good, but I pushed on. It is well written and, when the story kicks in (and doesn't just feel like the protagonist whinging) I found myself with a new found enjoyment of the story.

Definitely one to push on with - but at the same time, not one of his strongest works.

Funny but poignant at the same time. This book will have you laughing and crying in equal measures. A good story with great characters.

Old Boys
by Nick Spalding

I Loved this book so much. Will Fairweather is sad, scared of everything and death. His father is old, a drummer, and wild, He teaches Will to forgive, trust and live again. I felt this book so much. I will read every book Nick Spalding has written. Funny, heartfelt, and brilliant.

After the sudden death of his mother, Will is scared of everything. He’s aware that he’s middle aged with back pain and a sense of impending doom. When his wife Audrey suggests a separation period, Will is forced to shack up with his wayward, absentee father, Red, who also happens to be the drummer of a world famous prog rock band. What follows is a stream of misadventures involving rhododendrons, segways, a llama and a whole lot of laughs.

- This book is brilliant. So heart felt and so so funny. I couldn’t stop laughing at Red’s exploits and Will’s attempts to calm his father down.
At first, I hated Will! Although I empathised with the loss of his mother, I felt for Audrey and understood why she made the choices she did. There are a few moments in this book that get you right in the feels. I love the way this book encourages you to make the most of your life and to love your loved ones with all you have. A real heartfelt, funny novel.

This is the eighth Nick Splading book I have read and I have really enjoyed reading all of them. They provide light relief from the Crime and Psychological Killer books I mostly tend to read. For me this was the best book by Nick Spalding I have read so far with the usual humour driven from an imaginative mind but also showing some human emotions of the central characters. The plot moved along beautifully and led to a conclusion that leaves this reader wanting to continue reading the next phase of the lives of the remaining characters but perhaps as this is not likely I will content myself reading some of the other books of Nick Spalding that I have already purchased but not found time to read yet.

This is a story about strained family relationships, forgiveness and giving second chances. It's well written and easy to get into.
Will Fairweather is a middle-aged man who is struggling with his life; in the middle of a divorce, with work at a standstill and he's not really sure what he wants to do, or how he fits in.

When he receives a call from his father Red, Will reluctantly agrees to move in with him. What Will doesn't know is that Red has recently been diagnosed with cancer and wants them to reconnect. Spending time with Red, Will realises that there is much more to his father than he thought.

All in all, it is a heartwarming and amusing story showing that there can be good in life!

What a fabulous book! Totally adored Will and this book was packed to the brim with equally adorable characters. A great story that really tugs on your heart strings.

Thank you so much to Netgalley the author and publishers for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I simply adore all ofNick Spalding’s books. He writes not only with great humour but also great depth of understanding of the way people think and behave.

I loved everything about this new book, it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s true to life, it’s slightly ridiculous, it’s an easy read and overall it leaves you feeling joyous.

It’s a book you won’t forget in a hurry and one you want everyone to read as you know it’ll enrich their life just that little bit and in a world that is currently throwing a heap of crap at us all, isn’t that what you’d wish for everyone?

Old Boys is a contemporary comedy about a middle-aged man reconnecting with the rock star father he hasn’t seen for thirty years. I’d read a few books by this author some years ago, and found the first ones hilarious, but then started to find them a bit repetitive. I was in the mood for something light hearted, though, and a book about an ageing rocker is always going to tickle my fancy. While I didn’t find it particularly funny, I liked the character evolution, the message, all the musical references and the heart warming ending.

Will Fairweather’s wife has had enough of his moping about, worrying about getting old, and refusing to do anything fun. When she asks him to move out for a trial separation, he doesn’t know what to do, and with limited options of where to live, he is forced to move in with his eccentric father Red, the wild drummer with legendary 70s rock band Holy Moly. Red wants to make up for all the years he missed of his son’s life, but Will finds it hard to forgive, despite his father’s increasingly nutty antics. Can Will rediscover his inner teenager and learn to live again before it’s too late?

This is told from Will’s first person present perspective, and for most of the book he’s a rather annoying sad sack - I really felt for poor Audrey. Then he has to learn to live with Red, who I confess would drive me nuts, but their interactions are the heart of the book, even if the humour was rather too slapstick for my taste. The bittersweet last quarter was the part I liked best, as Will and Red finally start to communicate and understand each other. I also loved Holy Moly and kinda wished they were real as their songs sounded awesome! Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK. Old Boys is published on June 15th.

I love all Nick Spalding’s books and this was no exception! Enough laughs to balance out the storyline and a few tears were shed at the end! Such a beautiful story with some really lovely characters as well as some crazy ones! I would definitely recommend this and I will certainly be buying it when it’s released and look forward to reading it again xx