The Flip Side is the perfect read to escape the world for awhile. The plot is engaging, the characters relatable and easy to connect with. A nice summer read.

Would you let the flip of a coin make all your decisions for a whole year? One flip, heads or tails, one choice or another…

That’s the premise for James’ debut novel The Flip Side which follows Josh and his fate-deciding fifty pence. After proposing to his girlfriend and being brutally rejected, Josh finds a fifty pence and decides to bestow upon it the power to make all of his decisions; because all the ones he’s made alone have ended terribly. What follows is the story of Josh, his fifty-pence, a girl, Van Gogh’s sunflowers, pigeons, and a road trip with Jesus.

For a debut novel this is a blinder. James’ humour is present from the first page to last and the pages are alive with the wonderfully drawn characters. The protagonist, Josh, is funny, instantly likeable and I was rooting for him from the beginning. The situations he finds himself in after flipping the coin are hilarious and, at times, very moving. There’s a lovely balance between the genuine laugh-out-loud humour and serious, heart-warming scenes.

I devoured this book in a few hours and couldn’t put it down, it was compelling, paced perfectly and had a cast of characters I became hugely invested in. It is really refreshing to read a genuinely funny and warm romantic novel that is told from the point of view of a male character. It’s been a long while since I’ve read one of those! The book is infused with such astute and witty observations, situations and characterisations that make the whole book so brilliant.

The Flip Side is a laugh-out-loud, heart-warming romantic comedy that will leave you pondering whether you could ever leave fate up to the flip of a coin…

A really light hearted, fun read. This book reminded me a little of Nick Spaldings books and had lots of humorous bits in. A lovely story for modern times with lovely characters throughout.

This novel was great fun and like a breath of fresh air. Very funny and engaging from the start, it follows the adventures of a young man who’s just had his heart broken, lost his job and, feeling that too much of his life is characterised by bad decisions, decides to let a coin toss make decisions for him. The central character is very likeable and full of self-deprecating humour. There were also several laugh-out-loud and heart-warming moments in the novel making it a delight to read.

The flip side by James Bailey was such a fun and great story to read.
I enjoyed the writing, the characters and the overall life experience of Josh with his turning point in life when the decisions he has to take aren’t quite the best thing he ever has done in his life.
I loved the banter and how reliable the situations are, how sometimes he left a downhill moment to take over his life and how the author has managed to show both sides of the coin with the good and bad things that can come from that fear of taking each chapter as it comes.
I highly recommend this book and it’s just perfect for the long summer nights.