British author Richard Cunliffe works in sales and marketing, a fact that allows him to live throughout England and Ireland, gathering stories from a large realm of exposure. ALL THESE NEARLY FIGHTS is his debut novel. He lives in Derby at present.
Richard’s experience in sale offers him in depth insights on the role and the life of a salesman – in the case of this novel the salesman is a car salesman. For a snapshot of Richard‘s way with words, the following opens the book ‘ Jimmy Harris just doing his job - It’s no surprise when Ann and Rob ask for a few minutes alone to discuss the deal I’ve just put to them. It’s normal for punters to want privacy at this stage, and I’m happy to give Ann and Rob the usual two options. Either they can remain at my desk while I make myself scarce, or the pair of them can decamp to the comfier chairs in our waiting area. But then Rob says they’d like to talk outside for a while, and I reply that they must be bonkers. It’s starting to get dark out there, and the temperature will be dropping fast. But they’re pretty insistent, and so I let them go, telling them to come back whenever they’re ready, but preferably before one of them gets hypothermia. Promising to be quick, they get up from my desk and make their way out to the car park. I keep track of them through one of the big showroom windows, and when Rob lights a cigarette I finally realise why they were so keen to head outdoors. Mentally, I take my hat off to the bloke. Back in the old days, when I used to smoke, I wouldn’t have lasted this long without needing to spark up. I go through my inbox while waiting for the two of them to return. After deleting a swathe of junk, I reply to a bloke who wants more info about the Impreza on our forecourt, and I acknowledge the complaint of a recent punter who reckons the car I sold him had a nail in the spare. I then forward the complaint to Graham, our sales manager here, asking him what he thinks we should do about it. (“Tell him to do one,” will be Graham’s likely response, although he’ll probably soften his stance if I put in a word before going home.) Ann and Rob are still outside by the time I’ve finished emailing, and so I use up a few more minutes tidying my desk. After clearing away some paperwork, I take the wrapper from my sandwich through to the waste bin in the kitchen. Back there I find Cheryl from Accounts, filing her nails and humming a tune while waiting for the kettle to boil. Cheryl’s normally good for a laugh, and I get her giggling by repeating the joke that Graham told at this morning’s meeting.’ He places us in Jimmy’s psyche and prepares us for the changes that will follow.
Richard has concocted a plot that is so very contemporary and sums it well in the synopsis – ‘Crafty car salesman Jimmy Harris has bucket-loads of money, but also has more than a few problems on his plate. This one-time Jack the Lad happens to have won millions playing the lottery, but is yet to work out what he wants to do with his life or who he wants to spend it with. His biggest dilemma is whether to stay faithful to his gorgeous girlfriend, Charlotte, or try hooking up once more with Isabel, his feisty former partner with whom he feels he has "unfinished business". Then there's the question of whether he should still open up the car dealership he'd been planning with his best mate, Ash. And if Jimmy didn't have enough to think about, he finds himself about to hand over a load of money to someone he doesn't like on account of his slightly barmy ideas about fate, loyalty and kinship. Christmas is coming, and Jimmy needs to arrive at some decisions. Join him for five rollercoaster days in December as he begins to make his choices.’
The language and situations are raw and very well crafted – and this book teases the reader into ordering the sequel post haste. Grady Harp, August 18
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- A. SkudderReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 14, 2017
Careful what you wish for
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Terry TylerReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2018
Entertaining Lad Lit
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Chrissy FrostReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2017
Lottery Nightmare!
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - H.TaylorReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2018
Hard to put down
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Margot-Hi-5Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2017
Good entertaining reading for guys and girls!
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
