Mr. Commitment

Rating:
Summary: Hilarious!
Review: "I think about kids about as often as I think about how nice it would be to set fire to all my savings, scratch my furniture, wear patches of sick on my suits as a fashion statement and invite unemployed psychopatic dwarves to share my life." (pg. 62)

If you think that's funny, or know (or have dated) someone who has said the same thing, then this book is for you. I found it hilarious, and was oddly able to relate that statement to my ten month old son. Duffy is a likeable character and even though he acts stupid much of the time, you can't help but pull for him. I really liked this book!

Rating:
Summary: Mr. Commitment
Review: Comedian Mike Duffy has been with his girlfriend, Mel for 4 years and counting. While Mel is ready to take their relationship to another level, Duffy sees nothing wrong with leaving things as is.
This is the first time that I have read a British "chick-lit" novel not only written by a man but starring a hero instead of a heroine, and I must say Cheers to Mike Gayle!

After Mel proposes to Duffy, he says yes. But even still, she knows deep down that he doesn't want to get married. So she gives him an ultimatum - unless he can commit to her as a husband and not just a boyfriend, then there is no chance in them getting back together. Duffy thinks he can handle it - maybe even change Mel's mind and convince her that things are fine the way that they are. Time moves forward, and Mel is the first one to start seeing someone else - this has Duffy sick. He obsesses over this situation and slowly but surely he begins to realize how in love with Mel he is... But is it too late? Has Mel already closed her heart towards him? You'll have to read to find out. I will tell you that I was a bit surprised at the end. Gayle really had me going.

This is a definite must read. A cute and hilarious story that also tugs at your heart.


Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!
Review: If you haven't already read Mr. Commitment then you are missing out! Mr. Commitment is a great novel that will keep you turning the pages. I read this book in a few days even though I was only reading at night. The fact that it was written by a male author made it more interesting to actually read about the way the male mind works. The only thing I didn't really like about the book was how much British language was used because I didn't understand some of it. But overall the book is awesome!

I definitely recommend adding it to your collection!

Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!
Review: If you haven't already read Mr. Commitment then you are missing out! Mr. Commitment is a great novel that will keep you turning the pages. I read this book in a few days even though I was only reading at night. The fact that it was written by a male author made it more interesting to actually read about the way the male mind works. The only thing I didn't really like about the book was how much British language was used because I didn't understand some of it. But overall the book is awesome!

I definitely recommend adding it to your collection!

Rating:
Summary: Rightful picture if male pshycology
Review: Mr. Commitment is a gorgeous novel by Mike Gayle, it's protagonist is Duffy, a 28 year old man who reaches the dramatic moment of getting finally engaged whit his girlfriend. Duffy isn't enthusiastic at the idea of being committed and his girlfriend breaks up with him.You can find Duffy's story a common one, but the way it is told makes it a truly pleasant reading; the reader is pushed to read on by the desire of knowing how the book develops even if, in fact, is pretty intuitive. So what is the alchemy that forces the reader to read on? The answer is simple: the writing skills of M.Gayle,his ability at giving a vivid portrait of every day life.
You find yourself (I'm referring especially to male readers) surprised when you discover how much you can identify with the protagonist.
The people around the main character are also carefully characterized, and they provide a coloured "cast".
The result if this element mixture is a narration brilliant and well done as a comedian monologue; light and never boring, full of original and interesting inventions, sometimes sharp, always ironic.
After so many "Bridget Jones" we finally have an absolutely rightful picture of mail psychology... because: who isn't Mr. Commitment?

Rating:
Summary: Perfect!
Review: That is the first word that came to my mind as I finished Mike Gayle's `MR. COMMITMENT'. I never imagined that I would describe a chick-lit novel written by a man as being "perfect" but `MR. COMMITMENT' truly was just that. Mike Gayle did not fall short in any aspects of this book, the plot was well though out, it was not totally predictable, the characters were all well developed and he did not rush the ending, the book made me laugh out loud at times and brought a tear to my eyes at others. All of these things together, in my opinion, make for an ideal book, one that you just don't want to end.

`MR. COMMITMENT' gives the reader a hilarious yet touching view of relationships from the male perspective. The story of comedian Ben Duffy begins when his girlfriend of four years Mel wants to take their relationship to the next level and get married. They are twenty-eight years old and know each other inside and out so in her opinion marriage is the next logical step. However, marriage is the furthest thing from Duffy's mind. He loves Mel more than anything in the world but he doesn't fee that he can commit to anything more that two weeks together at a vacation resort. So when Mel brings up marriage Duffy wants to be able to commit and knows that it is indeed time but just cant bring himself to make a lifelong commitment to Mel. So they decide to go their separate ways after which Duffy soon realizes that his fear of commitment may have cost him the love of his life.

I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did but Ben Duffy's journey into the land of adulthood was completely absorbing and getting the story from a male perspective was a refreshing way to shake up the genre a little bit. Mike Gayle is definitely giving chick-lit icons such as Ms. Green and Ms. Fielding a run for their money! Well done Mr. Gayle!


Rating:
Summary: The Mysteries of the Male Mind
Review: There are several questions about men that women have been struggling to answer for some time. Why must they always hold on to the remote control? Why can they only talk during commercials, even when they are watching reruns? Why do they hate shopping with us? What exactly do they do in those electronics stores for hours? Why wont they commit? Mike Gayle gives a little insight in his book, Mr. Commitment. This is the story of Ben Duffy, and young comedian struggling to come to grips with his commitment phobia. His girlfriend, Mel, is ready for marriage, but is he?

This book was a big surprise to me. I really didnt expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I tend to usually read only female authors. I identify with them more, but this book was just what I needed. It was great to get the male perspective on relationships. Men and women will never fully understand each other, but it's nice to know that we all have the same doubts and worries. I will definitly be looking for more from Mike Gayle.

Rating:
Summary: A fun read
Review: This is a fun read. The pace of the book cracks along, as the lead character, a struggling, if not bubbling 28 year old, works through a failing relationship owing to his inability to `commit' to marriage to his true love.

Gayle has the right knack of making a very simple plot into an engaging read. It is very easy to sympathize with the main characters that in the main are believable, and developed. The writing style is fun and precise.

It's great that Gayle has successfully put a male viewpoint into this popular fiction genre.

Rating:
Summary: Commitment Phobic
Review: What a funny and entertaining novel. After four years of dating,
Ben Duffys' girlfriend, Melanie, proposes marriage to him. The only problem is he's afraid of commitment. This novel is for
anyone who is afraid of the M word-marriage.

Rating:
Summary: Eggs and Bacon; Involvement and Commitment
Review: What's holding Duffy back from swapping "I Dos" with Mel, his girlfriend of 4 years? A receding hairline, low-paid temping job or plain cowardice?

As he turns 28, he realizes that Mel's the one for him but he'd sooner make toasts and channel surf than take trips to IKEA and talk bout babies. Meanwhile, it's either all or nil for Mel.

So for all the love that she showers upon him, could he gather his stand-up comedian act together and trade 'Renewable on a four year basis' for 'Till death do us part?

Deemed 'unputdownable' by She magazine, Gayle's second and annoyingly successful attempt at documenting life's more painful moments comes across as uproariously blunt.

His concoction of child-like innocence and sagacious wit results in a frothy mix of precise observations that poke fun at life's countless flipsides.

So when all's said and done, the messy portrait that is life writ large becomes a work of art and readers are left sunny-side-up and in need of less optimism.