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Girl
A messy, juicy, decadent love story full of ’80s nostalgia.
With his spiky green hair and leather jacket, some people might find Guy Larsen intimidating, but his friends know that the boy they call “Nice Guy” wouldn’t hurt a fly. Then, one night in a club, Guy falls in love at first sight with an unhinged young woman who calls herself Girl—and Girl has a father she wants dead.
A razor-sharp, darkly comic novel set in the 1980s, Marky Watson’s Girl explores themes of obsessive love, found family, mental health, and moral ambiguity, all wrapped in a funny, exciting page-turner of a tale. Girl is a wild adventure full of unforgettable characters. Harrowing, hilarious, heartbreaking, and relentlessly romantic, this is a story for everyone who's ever made a bad decision because of love.
With his spiky green hair and leather jacket, some people might find Guy Larsen intimidating, but his friends know that the boy they call “Nice Guy” wouldn’t hurt a fly. Then, one night in a club, Guy falls in love at first sight with an unhinged young woman who calls herself Girl—and Girl has a father she wants dead.
A razor-sharp, darkly comic novel set in the 1980s, Marky Watson’s Girl explores themes of obsessive love, found family, mental health, and moral ambiguity, all wrapped in a funny, exciting page-turner of a tale. Girl is a wild adventure full of unforgettable characters. Harrowing, hilarious, heartbreaking, and relentlessly romantic, this is a story for everyone who's ever made a bad decision because of love.
331 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2025
3 people are currently reading
5284 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 1, 2025
3.5 ☆
Girl, by Marky Watson is for you:
●If you like wild, crazy rides.
●If you have fun memories of the 1980s.
●If you miss the music of the 1980s. The book provides a link to a playlist of all the music mentioned in its pages. BONUS!
●If you can see the humor in the serious condition of Bipolar Disorder. As a former psychologist I can!!!
●If you believe in the love between people.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am voluntarily leaving my opinions of this novel. Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads for this opportunity.
I was laughing out loud several times when reading Girl. The female protagonists, despite of, or simply because of, her Bipolar Disorder has put herself and the male protagonist into several unbelievable situations. The whole of there grand adventure is one disaster after another, but Watson is able to make the narrative hum with the absurdly funny.
The condition of Bipolar Disorder is a serious issue, and Watson is also able to convey how the disorder affects Girl and those who love her. The worry and stress Girl's actions take on her boyfriend/husband and family is palpable as you read their points of view. But, because of their love for Girl she is brought back from the brink of death and total destruction.
The last chapter seemed to be filler in order to reach the ending. The bulk of the chapter moved much too slowly. However, Girl was a novel that had me thinking long after turning the last page.
Girl, by Marky Watson is for you:
●If you like wild, crazy rides.
●If you have fun memories of the 1980s.
●If you miss the music of the 1980s. The book provides a link to a playlist of all the music mentioned in its pages. BONUS!
●If you can see the humor in the serious condition of Bipolar Disorder. As a former psychologist I can!!!
●If you believe in the love between people.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am voluntarily leaving my opinions of this novel. Thank you to the author, publisher and Goodreads for this opportunity.
I was laughing out loud several times when reading Girl. The female protagonists, despite of, or simply because of, her Bipolar Disorder has put herself and the male protagonist into several unbelievable situations. The whole of there grand adventure is one disaster after another, but Watson is able to make the narrative hum with the absurdly funny.
The condition of Bipolar Disorder is a serious issue, and Watson is also able to convey how the disorder affects Girl and those who love her. The worry and stress Girl's actions take on her boyfriend/husband and family is palpable as you read their points of view. But, because of their love for Girl she is brought back from the brink of death and total destruction.
The last chapter seemed to be filler in order to reach the ending. The bulk of the chapter moved much too slowly. However, Girl was a novel that had me thinking long after turning the last page.
April 18, 2025
I loved this fast moving book by Marky Watson! I had a hard time putting it down once I started it. Marky Watson combines wit, dark humor, and a very unique plot with interesting characters to create a must read. He also shows an in-depth understanding of the human mind and of complex emotions. I wanted to cry and laugh on the same pages. I highly recommend this book!!!
June 3, 2025
It's been so weird. I have read surreal, psychedelic stories too but Girl is something more, in a good way. I liked this crazy universe where Girl and Guy moved: love, violence, reality. Then the axis of earth seem settle and Guy grow up in a man with a life, a job, a daughter...and a father in law. How is strange the life. It's because of Las Angeles and Holiwood? where everything can became a film? However I read every page fast and enrapet.
May 24, 2025
The writing was a bit clunky at first, but this actually turned into a really good story.
October 27, 2025
Amazing page turner! From the first few pages I was hooked into the story and could not put it down. I read the whole book in one sitting. It’s a coming of age, twisted road trip, love story with so many twists and turns! The characters are straight out of the 80s punk/alternative scene. This book was fun!!
April 18, 2025
Girl is a well written, funny, suspenseful, amazing ride with unexpected plot twits you won't see coming. Each character is complex and well thought out (and when I say character I'm also including the settings in which it takes place, which is like a well developed character all on it's own). This book is descriptive with vivid imagery that will stick with you long after you've finished it. Go ahead and read it, it will captivate you from the first line and you won't regret getting it.
April 28, 2025
Hello!
I wrote this book. Needless to say, I love it and I think you will, too! It's a fun, off-beat story of a weird girl (named Girl) and the guy (named Guy) who falls in love with her.
I hope you read it and have fun riding along with Guy and Girl on their adventures.
I wrote this book. Needless to say, I love it and I think you will, too! It's a fun, off-beat story of a weird girl (named Girl) and the guy (named Guy) who falls in love with her.
I hope you read it and have fun riding along with Guy and Girl on their adventures.
April 20, 2025
A Review of "Girl" (A novel by Marky Watson)
When I was taking writing classes, some 20 years ago, one of the things they tried to instill in us was a gut punch at the beginning. This will draw in the reader. Well, if nothing else, Marky Watson does this with splendid results in his novel, “Girl.” Without giving anything away, I should warn that there are a couple of minor spoilers ahead.
Girl is the story of Abby, who goes strictly by the name, “Girl” and her relationship with Guy Larsen. Yep, it’s Girl and Guy. This may sound corny, but the story is worth it.
After a chance encounter at a punk music venue in 1980’s LA, the two quickly become lovers and, much to Guy’s (and the reader’s) surprise, Girl talks Guy into murdering her father. Though the two attempt the crime, Girl’s father survives the attack.
Through a strange turn of events, Guy and Abby’s (Girl’s) father become allies, of sorts. Girl has some (obvious) mental health issues and Guy and Rudy (Girl's father) want to help her.
In a rapid fire meltdown, Girl bolts away from Guy, which leads to Guy's and Rudy's alliance. Rudy shares with Guy some of Girl's past which explains Girl's mental health and volatility issues. They finally track Girl down, but Girl still wants nothing to do with either of them. However, the three of them get yet another surprise.
I don’t want to give anything away, and when speaking of murder, it’s hard to classify the book as a comedy— but it is. This novel takes many strange twists and turns and is hilarious all the way through the romp. Let's just say this novel touches on life, death, relationships and the complications associated with mental health.
I highly recommend “Girl” written by Marky Watson.
When I was taking writing classes, some 20 years ago, one of the things they tried to instill in us was a gut punch at the beginning. This will draw in the reader. Well, if nothing else, Marky Watson does this with splendid results in his novel, “Girl.” Without giving anything away, I should warn that there are a couple of minor spoilers ahead.
Girl is the story of Abby, who goes strictly by the name, “Girl” and her relationship with Guy Larsen. Yep, it’s Girl and Guy. This may sound corny, but the story is worth it.
After a chance encounter at a punk music venue in 1980’s LA, the two quickly become lovers and, much to Guy’s (and the reader’s) surprise, Girl talks Guy into murdering her father. Though the two attempt the crime, Girl’s father survives the attack.
Through a strange turn of events, Guy and Abby’s (Girl’s) father become allies, of sorts. Girl has some (obvious) mental health issues and Guy and Rudy (Girl's father) want to help her.
In a rapid fire meltdown, Girl bolts away from Guy, which leads to Guy's and Rudy's alliance. Rudy shares with Guy some of Girl's past which explains Girl's mental health and volatility issues. They finally track Girl down, but Girl still wants nothing to do with either of them. However, the three of them get yet another surprise.
I don’t want to give anything away, and when speaking of murder, it’s hard to classify the book as a comedy— but it is. This novel takes many strange twists and turns and is hilarious all the way through the romp. Let's just say this novel touches on life, death, relationships and the complications associated with mental health.
I highly recommend “Girl” written by Marky Watson.
November 26, 2025
This fast-paced, funny, novel is set in the 1980's punk rock scene. And like the best punk (or rock) music...this novel starts with a raucous burst of energy and humor. But like the most enduring bands of that era, it resonates deeper and more meaningfully as it hurtles along! Marky Watson invites us along on Girl and Guy's funny, sad, memorable journey!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews