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R J Gould
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Nothing Man: A tender and humorous quest for a fresh start (Second Chances series) Kindle Edition

by R J Gould (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 323 ratings
One man in need of an overhaul. Two women determined to drag him there.

Neville Watkin’s life is so dismal surely things can’t get any worse. Yes they can, because his wife leaves him, he loses his job, has a car crash and ends up in hospital.

Feisty Laura, the other party in the car crash, befriends him and sets out to turn his life upside down. For reasons he struggles to understand, Caroline, her equally feisty mother, seems to like him. Rather a lot.

All in all things are looking up, but is Neville courageous enough to seize these new opportunities?

What reviewers are saying about Nothing Man:

“More than a feel good read, it’s a feel great read.”

“Interesting, funny, sad and so very enjoyable.”

"A wonderful observation of life that’s uplifting, humorous and realistic."

“There is a wonderful realism and humanity to the book.”

“Utterly refreshing throughout.”

“Addictive, well written and full of memorable characters.”

“A book that leaves you with a smile on your face.”

“An absolute gem told with the perfect amount of humour and emotion.”

“A completely unique funny, heartwarming contemporary novel.”
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  1. Part of series
    Second Chances series
  2. Print length
    313 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    14 Mar. 2021
  6. File size
    818 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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 See full series
There are 4 books in this series.
  • Kindle Price:
    £8.97
    By clicking on the above button, you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of UseSold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.

From the Publisher

Nothing Man
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08YZ813VZ
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 14 Mar. 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 818 KB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 313 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Second Chances series
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 323 ratings

About the author

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R J Gould

R J Gould

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R J Gould is a rare male member of the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association, writing contemporary fiction about relationships using a mix of wry humour and pathos to describe the tragi-comic life journeys of his protagonists. He has been published by Headline Accent and Lume Books and also self-publishes.

Before becoming a full-time author he worked in the educational and charity sectors. In addition to his addiction to telling stories, he has somewhat milder addictions to playing tennis, watching film noir cinema, completing Wordle and eating dried mango slices.

R J Gould lives in Cambridge, England.

You can connect with him at www.rjgould.info, on twitter and Instagram @rjgould_author, and on Facebook at RJGouldauthor

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
323 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book thoroughly entertaining and true to life.

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ReadabilityAuthenticity
5 customers mention ‘Readability’5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly entertaining.

"...Really enjoyed this book. Thoroughly entertaining." Read more

"Great book..." Read more

"Loved this book and didn’t want it to end...." Read more

"A Great Read...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Authenticity’3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the authenticity of the book, finding it true to life, with one customer noting it provides insight into life.

"Loved this book and didn’t want it to end. A true to life male mid life crisis for Neville who revolves between a state of utter misery and happiness..." Read more

"...A bit like real life. A feelgood story that we can all sympathise with." Read more

"Absolutely loved this book so much insight into life." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Mary
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and funny
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 March 2021
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Loved this book and didn’t want it to end. A true to life male mid life crisis for Neville who revolves between a state of utter misery and happiness, often in the same day. Very believable characters and I’d like to know more about them especially Laura and Dorothy and of course Neville. Would happily read a sequel or two as I didn’t want to stop reading. R J Gould has a very likeable sense of humour, never cruel, and very true to life, especially the countryside volunteers. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend to all. He has several other books all as excellent as Nothing Man, all well worth reading. Try them all you won’t be disappointed.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Lozzieloves
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable listen
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 February 2024
    Format: Audible Audiobooks
    This was a really good easy listen which I managed to finish in just a day. I wasn’t sure on the narrator at first but soon gelled with the voice.

    The main character Neville was so relatable and I love how he overcame a lot of negativity and found positivity.

    This is a good listen and I would recommend.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Highway Star
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2022
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I discovered this book by accident & I'm pleased that I did. I could sympathise with the main character as I had gone through the same things he had.

    Great characters, funny & sad at the same time. A bit like real life.
    A feelgood story that we can all sympathise with.
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  • Zac's Mum
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thoroughly entertaining.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 May 2021
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Neville doesn't have a lot going for him. He is in his 50's recently divorced and also recently redundant. He is a man stuck in his ways and there is only one way he is going which is downhill. That's until the day that he encounters Laura in a supermarket car park and through Laura he meets Caroline who is Laura's mum.
    Is it possible for a man who is going nowhere to change direction? You'll have to read Nothing Man to find out.
    Really enjoyed this book. Thoroughly entertaining.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Rowena
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Nothing Man
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 October 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Absolutely loved this book so much insight into life.
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  • Beyond The Books
    4.0 out of 5 stars A funny and light hearted story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 April 2021
    Format: Kindle Edition
    'Nothing Man' by R.J Gould is a story of one man in need of an overhaul with two women determined to drag him there.
    Neville Watkin's is having a bad time, he thinks. Until his wife leaves him, he loses his job THEN has a car crash and ends up in hospital. Laura was the person in the other car and she makes it her mission to sort him out after she befriends him. Laura's mother Caroline is as fiesty as her daughter is and takes a liking to Neville also. Neville has no clue what is actually happening, all he knows is his life seems to be taking a turn for the better. The problem is can Neville gather himself together to grab his chances while he can...or not?
    'Nothing Man' is a romantic and really entertaining adventure and RJ Gould has created a set of characters that stand out. Poor Neville is really low and finds nothing positive about himself or his life until the fateful day of the crash. He has no inkling of the impact that this one incident will have on his life at all. As the story unfolds and we see Neville forming friendships and meeting people who will help him create the change he wants. He slowly begins to feel like he can live again.
    It was lovely to see Neville grow and develop, rather like a flower in the sun. He started as a rather withdrawn man and eventually he came around. The other characters are equally as interesting and unique with their own part to play in this delightful and humourous book. I enjoyed seeing the impact each one had in the story.
    R.J Gould has managed to write a book that you get slowly drawn into and you realise you can't tear youself away, it immerses you so much, right from the off you are with Neville and then as time goes on his new friends too. I was really connected to these people in this story and thought the author balanced the humour and emotions perfectly. Now, I really just need to know what happens to Neville next!
    Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and R.J Gould for the copy of the book today.
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  • miss c j bowden
    4.0 out of 5 stars A contempory novel bound to get you silently chuckling
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2021
    Format: Kindle Edition
    Neville has been dealt a pretty crap hand. If I’m honest with you his life sucks and everyone else is passing him by. He’s miserable. He’s got a cold and there’s nothing is going right. He’s lost his job. He’s lost his wife. And he is about to lose his house in the settlement. Things couldn’t get much more crappy for him.

    Well, add in a sneeze that in that moment will drastically change his life, and well, crash him into another car. He ends up hospitalised when the most unexpected visitor comes to check up on him and hold out a hand.

    Little did he know that his story would suddenly gain more energy, more chaos, more life.

    * Nothing Man was a joy to read. It was addictive, well written and full of memorable characters. It was unexpected, sarcastic in places and reminded you of that Neville that you know.

    * I found the book to be a quick read: quicker than I expected as it’s not a favoured genre of mine. I was happily rooting for Neville and wanted him to discover a new leash of life rather than discovering another Boots employee to badger. He deserved happiness and something to go right.

    * The characters were a varied cast, they felt real and relatable. As an ex-retail worker, I am fairly certain I have served every single one in the past. Especially Neville, we had a few Nevilles. They reminded you of real people and that made me enjoy it even more.

    * I am so glad to have pushed myself outside of my comfort zone with this read. You never know what you might enjoy until you try.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Bonni Lincoln
    2.0 out of 5 stars sorry but so boring
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 January 2023
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Thousands of conversations….building mundane things and attempting to make them bigger than they were. Sorry, just boring, I don’t know how I finished, it, was so glad when it ended, which is so unlike me. Also, how did this guy have sooo much money to spend, his redundancy, bank pension and house sale would no way have funded his lifestyle.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • susan m.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable
    Reviewed in the United States on 12 November 2021
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I enjoyed this book. It’s nice to read about regular people who get (or make) a second chance. I liked all of the characters- they were all well written.
    Reading this book is like a lovely cup of tea
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  • Elisabeth Carey
    4.0 out of 5 stars A dreary, empty life takes a sudden, entertaining turn
    Reviewed in the United States on 25 March 2021
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Neville Watkin's life has never been spectacular, but over the last year or so, it's taken a real turn for the worse. He and his wife, Stella, have been distant for years. Now, she has moved out, and is divorcing him. Then he's laid off from his job at the bank--where he's been working since leaving school, thirty years ago.

    He really, really doesn't need the accident he has not long after, backing out of a parking spot, into the minivan of a woman and her two kids. The woman is yelling at him for his carelessness, and he can't really defend himself. Especially once his attempt to voice any defense at all ends in him passing out and collapsing at her feet.

    He wakes up the next day in a hospital, not very badly injured, and receives an unexpected visitor--Laura, the woman whose car he hit. His life is about to take a truly strange change of direction.

    Laura invites him to her house; they work on the insurance paperwork for their accident together. Neville figures that will be the end of it. It's not.

    After finding that he is very familiar with all the same old albums her mother likes, she starts encouraging him to get out of his funk and open up to the world. She introduces him to her mother, Caroline. They convince him to use his current free time and severance package from the bank to take a vacation for the first time in, well, ever, it turns out. They get him to buy a more current and more lively wardrobe. They encourage him to get outside more--and a newspaper article about a volunteer conservation group that's looking for more volunteers catches his interest.

    Caroline invites him to dinner.

    It's a strange, funny, heartwarming journey.

    Neville starts to rediscover some of the joys and passions of his youth, including the guitar.

    The conservation group doesn't see Neville as the boring guy with the job that is being taken over by computers; they see him as the guy who shows up for every conservation project, and has a background in budgeting and finance.

    He discovers along the way that he also has, when doing something he enjoys, interesting and creative ideas.

    There are some rough bumps for him along the way, of course. There are also some rough bumps along the way for me as the reader, but my advice is, when you hit them, keep going. It's worth the trip. Neville learns more about himself, more about those around him, and that even a bad mistake isn't necessarily all there is to a person.

    Recommended.

    I received a free electronic galley of this bookk from the publisher, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
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  • Beverly Jones
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Man
    Reviewed in the United States on 5 October 2022
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    I liked this book. Lots of ups and downs. Just goes to show you it’s not too late to be happy
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