Where There's a Will by Matt Beaumont

by Matt Beaumont

Alvin is a good man. He works with dysfunctional teenagers, and where everyone else sees apprentice career criminals, he sees hope. No-one has ever taught him to accentuate the positive; his mind is simply built that way. He adores his Karen and the children are the centre of his world. So when he finds that one of his few teenage success stories has wound up working in a massage parlour, he knows he has to help. He’ll pop in for a little chat – thats all it will be. But try telling that to anyone else. Karen’s not convinced, and maybe she has her reasons to be suspicious. Alvin finds that one mistake, arising from the noblest of motives, will propel events out of control. Now cast adrift, Alvin’s only allies are the teenagers everyone’s given up on. They’re great at supplying dodgy DVDs and ringtones – but can they help him get his life back?

Genres: Humor, Fiction

Paperback

First published December 18, 2006

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alvin is a man who always sees the positives in life, so when his life starts to fall apart, it’s a struggle to keep up his upbeat attitude.

This book was okay.
It had some funny parts to it.
I found it a bit boring and the characters really started getting on my nerves about halfway through.

[Judi Mckay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading group choice
Enjoyable reading with a good twist at the end. I’m really hoping that life in inner city schools isn’t that awful tho.


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[Val Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where There's a Will is a book that was chosen by our local book group as book of the month. It is not a book that I would have chosen but it does hit home about the cynical society we live in today. The main character, Alvin, is a good man. He works with dysfunctional teenagers, and although everyone else sees apprentice career criminals, he sees hope. No-one taught him to accentuate the positive but he does this naturally.

Alvin adores his family. His wife, Karen, and his children are the centre of his world. So when he finds that one of his few teenage success stories has wound up working in a massage parlour, he decides he has to help. He makes the decision to pop in for a little chat with the teenage girl but in his own mind that is all it will be. However, nobody believes him. Karen is certainly not convinced, and perhaps she has her reasons to be suspicious. Alvin finds that his one mistake, arising from the noblest of motives, will propel events out of control.

He has to leave the family home and Alvin finds his only allies are the teenagers everyone has given up on. They are great at supplying dodgy DVDs and ringtones. However, what Alvin wants to try to re-establish his life.

Although Where There's a Will is fairly readable nonsense, I found it got tedious two-thirds of the way in. It is probably saved from complete disaster by a few amusing moments that did make me smile.

Matthew Beaumont is a British novelist and former copywriter. Beaumont is married to novelist Maria Beaumont. They have two children and live in London, England. The author made his debut as a novelist in 2000 with the comic novel, e. The Novel of Liars, Lunch and Lost Knickers. I would not seek out books by this author.

[Feeling-bookish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting the 'e' brand of dark, cutting humor and compelling characters. A tad disappointed at not finding either. The humor is more subtle and darker; the pace is very leisurely; and worse, it's easy to predict where this is going. Consequently, I gave this book a quick read: beginning of chapter, end of chapter, last chapter. Maybe the cultural references and socioeconomic environment were lost on me, which is why the book didn't pull me in as I was expecting it to. The writing is very good, though, and I will definitely try Mr. Beaumont again.

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fairly readable nonsense, peppered with the kind of right-on Guardian-reading characters that you never meet in real life. Got that Nick Hornby self-congratulatory air about it, and gets tedious two-thirds of the way in. But saved by a few amusing moments.

[Lianne Ramsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book which really hits home about the cynical society we live in today. Completely comical and a real page turner

[Alan Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this - some great characters throughout the book and a series of unfortunate twists and turns - summing up modern life very well!

[Nanditha Kini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, sentimental, and a well written story. Love Matt Beaumont's style of straightforward, least descriptive writing, which leaves the reader's imagination wanting more!

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really nice book. I had a lot of fun reading it.