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Gary Got Goosed
Meet Gary Gander.
Gary is a middle-aged pizza delivery "boy" who has spent his whole life getting goosed by fate. The butt of every joke. A perpetual punching bag.
When a nightmare phone call on a typical Sunday throws him into a week of bizarre events and devastating revelations, Gary begins to question everything.
Life? Love? Work? Family?
The ominous sounds coming from his stomach?
Between navigating a reunion he wasn't ready for and trying not to punch his idiot boss in the face, Gary has finally reached his limit.
Is he going to stay silent forever, or is it time for Gary to let his voice be heard?
Dang it...
A poignant and hilarious exploration of life's mid-life curveballs.
Gary is a middle-aged pizza delivery "boy" who has spent his whole life getting goosed by fate. The butt of every joke. A perpetual punching bag.
When a nightmare phone call on a typical Sunday throws him into a week of bizarre events and devastating revelations, Gary begins to question everything.
Life? Love? Work? Family?
The ominous sounds coming from his stomach?
Between navigating a reunion he wasn't ready for and trying not to punch his idiot boss in the face, Gary has finally reached his limit.
Is he going to stay silent forever, or is it time for Gary to let his voice be heard?
Dang it...
A poignant and hilarious exploration of life's mid-life curveballs.
331 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 30, 2026
What a funny every day tale, where what happens to Gary is just so tragic and typical when things don’t go our way. Heartfelt, it had me laughing and cringing in equal measure. What a well written book and amazing debut, I look forward to reading more! JR, proud of you mate, well done
April 28, 2026
Gary Got Goosed is hands-down one of the most refreshingly different stories I’ve read in a long time. It follows Gary, an ordinary guy living a humble life, and the book splits neatly into two halves that somehow complement each other perfectly.
The first half plays out like an adult version of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day except the escalating antics are soaked in the kind of second-hand cringe that makes Meet the Parents so painfully hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud while simultaneously wincing for Gary as everything that could go wrong did, in the most entertaining ways possible.
The second half shifts into deeper dramatic territory, and I was genuinely impressed by how well the book balances sharp comedy with real emotional weight. The humor never undercuts the heart, and the heart never slows down the fun. It’s a rare combination that keeps the pages turning.
What truly sets this book apart is its heart. Gary isn’t some ambitious genius or larger-than-life hero—he’s just a fundamentally “good” guy trying his best, and that makes him incredibly relatable. There were multiple moments where I felt like the author had somehow spied on my own life; the everyday struggles, quiet disappointments, and small hopes hit way too close to home. My heart genuinely ached for him. In that way, Gary reminded me a lot of Dunk from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms—not the sharpest tool in the shed, but someone you root for fiercely because of who he is on the inside.
I also loved the writing style: short, punchy chapters with no unnecessary fluff. The story moves briskly, focuses on what matters, and makes this an ideal read while traveling or whenever you want something easy to pick up and hard to put down.
This wasn’t my usual genre, but Gary Got Goosed won me over completely. It’s funny, touching, surprising, and deeply human. I highly recommend it and already know I’ll be revisiting it in the future. A true gem.
The first half plays out like an adult version of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day except the escalating antics are soaked in the kind of second-hand cringe that makes Meet the Parents so painfully hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud while simultaneously wincing for Gary as everything that could go wrong did, in the most entertaining ways possible.
The second half shifts into deeper dramatic territory, and I was genuinely impressed by how well the book balances sharp comedy with real emotional weight. The humor never undercuts the heart, and the heart never slows down the fun. It’s a rare combination that keeps the pages turning.
What truly sets this book apart is its heart. Gary isn’t some ambitious genius or larger-than-life hero—he’s just a fundamentally “good” guy trying his best, and that makes him incredibly relatable. There were multiple moments where I felt like the author had somehow spied on my own life; the everyday struggles, quiet disappointments, and small hopes hit way too close to home. My heart genuinely ached for him. In that way, Gary reminded me a lot of Dunk from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms—not the sharpest tool in the shed, but someone you root for fiercely because of who he is on the inside.
I also loved the writing style: short, punchy chapters with no unnecessary fluff. The story moves briskly, focuses on what matters, and makes this an ideal read while traveling or whenever you want something easy to pick up and hard to put down.
This wasn’t my usual genre, but Gary Got Goosed won me over completely. It’s funny, touching, surprising, and deeply human. I highly recommend it and already know I’ll be revisiting it in the future. A true gem.
April 30, 2026
Wow. What a ride!
I was given the privilege of being an early reader (ARC) and have to say, I feel honored to have spent time reading this.
I laughed, I cried, I got upset with some of the characters and scenes. Some of it felt like part of my history. There's a lot packed in this novel!
-Gary really got on my nerves at first, given he was a relatable, people-pleasing, down-on-his luck pushover. He's the version of yourself you don't want to become; perpetually stuck in a rut. Regardless, you really can't help but cheer for the guy.
My favorite parts were scenes where Gary seemed to have moments of hope and also the lines of comedy that landed with me.
-Worth noting, and this might be a me thing, but there were some lines and themes that were funny in-concept but I found myself struggling to let myself laugh. Maybe I was too immersed in the story since I have also worked in a pizza shop delivering, struggled with beater cars, and even had to step away from a MMO that was consuming my life. Or maybe I just couldn't hear the tone right. I'm not sure, but I know I wasn't able to enjoy some of the laughs and I really wanted to, since I love comedy.
-I put the book down for a couple of days while I traveled and thought about what lens I should be reading the it through. I didn't really find one but I found myself able to enjoy it more anyway. I felt like the story gets even better past the halfway point, only ramping up until the end.
The stuff about death and a lot of the second half hit closer to home than expected. Was sorta therapeutic in some ways.
Overall? This book is great. It's not my go-to genre but I enjoyed it a lot, even with some of the laughs not fully landing.
Age-wise it likely even dips into YA 15+ territory due to a few higher-tier cuss words and a few themes like suicide.
I'm impressed with this debut and can't wait to read more from JR.
I was given the privilege of being an early reader (ARC) and have to say, I feel honored to have spent time reading this.
I laughed, I cried, I got upset with some of the characters and scenes. Some of it felt like part of my history. There's a lot packed in this novel!
-Gary really got on my nerves at first, given he was a relatable, people-pleasing, down-on-his luck pushover. He's the version of yourself you don't want to become; perpetually stuck in a rut. Regardless, you really can't help but cheer for the guy.
My favorite parts were scenes where Gary seemed to have moments of hope and also the lines of comedy that landed with me.
-Worth noting, and this might be a me thing, but there were some lines and themes that were funny in-concept but I found myself struggling to let myself laugh. Maybe I was too immersed in the story since I have also worked in a pizza shop delivering, struggled with beater cars, and even had to step away from a MMO that was consuming my life. Or maybe I just couldn't hear the tone right. I'm not sure, but I know I wasn't able to enjoy some of the laughs and I really wanted to, since I love comedy.
-I put the book down for a couple of days while I traveled and thought about what lens I should be reading the it through. I didn't really find one but I found myself able to enjoy it more anyway. I felt like the story gets even better past the halfway point, only ramping up until the end.
The stuff about death and a lot of the second half hit closer to home than expected. Was sorta therapeutic in some ways.
Overall? This book is great. It's not my go-to genre but I enjoyed it a lot, even with some of the laughs not fully landing.
Age-wise it likely even dips into YA 15+ territory due to a few higher-tier cuss words and a few themes like suicide.
I'm impressed with this debut and can't wait to read more from JR.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I just finished J.R. Montarbo’s fantastic debut fiction novel, Gary Got Goosed. It had me riveted from start to finish.
The story follows Gary, an introverted and socially awkward 40-year-old man living the life of someone in their early 20s. He works as a pizza delivery driver, lives in a duplex, drives an old car and stays up late playing an online role-playing game like World of WarCraft, but with the acronym of Hot:Dog, which I loved. The novel follows an awful week in his life.
Gary is easy to root for, and Montarbo’s writing is fluid and easy to follow. The pacing is excellent, with no wasted words. We get a lot of Gary’s inner thoughts as he struggles to reconcile what he really feels and suppresses versus what he wants to say. Montarbo excels at these inner thoughts, as things many of us wish to say but don’t. Gary is very relatable, and I suspect we’ve all either experienced similar situations he goes through or know someone who has.
The story is bittersweet as we follow him along, hoping he finds the courage and conviction to become the man he wants to be and reaches the potential we, as the readers, see in him.
There are moments that will make you laugh and moments that will make you cry. It’s a credit to Montarbo’s skill that the scenes effortlessly flow between these emotions, taking the reader on a poignant and very human story.
My quibbles are few with this book, but I’ll note them here. Don’t go into this book expecting a laugh out loud comedy. There are humorous moments with embarrassing situations we can all relate to, but because we are so invested in Gary, often I felt sorry for him. In this way, it reminds me of the Ben Stiller comedies of the late 90s and early 00s, like There is Something About Mary, Along Came Polly and probably best of all, Meet the Parents.
My biggest issue is the ending. It ends fairly abruptly, and although there is a resolution for Gary, it leaves much unanswered. I acknowledge this is a personal taste and know that life is not neat and clean. We don’t always get things wrapped up nice and tidy, but I would have liked to see a couple more chapters to really button things up. You may find the ending is perfect.
There was also one plot thread that I felt was a bit contrived. It wasn’t implausible, but also not highly likely. It felt a little forced simply to give his obnoxious boss, Brad, another reason to abuse his power.
All that aside, I highly recommend this book! It’s a fast read and will leave you reflecting on many of the questions it raises about life, friendship, family, guilt, and faith. Which is a good thing. It gets a 5/5 for me! Can’t wait to read Montarbo’s next one.
The story follows Gary, an introverted and socially awkward 40-year-old man living the life of someone in their early 20s. He works as a pizza delivery driver, lives in a duplex, drives an old car and stays up late playing an online role-playing game like World of WarCraft, but with the acronym of Hot:Dog, which I loved. The novel follows an awful week in his life.
Gary is easy to root for, and Montarbo’s writing is fluid and easy to follow. The pacing is excellent, with no wasted words. We get a lot of Gary’s inner thoughts as he struggles to reconcile what he really feels and suppresses versus what he wants to say. Montarbo excels at these inner thoughts, as things many of us wish to say but don’t. Gary is very relatable, and I suspect we’ve all either experienced similar situations he goes through or know someone who has.
The story is bittersweet as we follow him along, hoping he finds the courage and conviction to become the man he wants to be and reaches the potential we, as the readers, see in him.
There are moments that will make you laugh and moments that will make you cry. It’s a credit to Montarbo’s skill that the scenes effortlessly flow between these emotions, taking the reader on a poignant and very human story.
My quibbles are few with this book, but I’ll note them here. Don’t go into this book expecting a laugh out loud comedy. There are humorous moments with embarrassing situations we can all relate to, but because we are so invested in Gary, often I felt sorry for him. In this way, it reminds me of the Ben Stiller comedies of the late 90s and early 00s, like There is Something About Mary, Along Came Polly and probably best of all, Meet the Parents.
My biggest issue is the ending. It ends fairly abruptly, and although there is a resolution for Gary, it leaves much unanswered. I acknowledge this is a personal taste and know that life is not neat and clean. We don’t always get things wrapped up nice and tidy, but I would have liked to see a couple more chapters to really button things up. You may find the ending is perfect.
There was also one plot thread that I felt was a bit contrived. It wasn’t implausible, but also not highly likely. It felt a little forced simply to give his obnoxious boss, Brad, another reason to abuse his power.
All that aside, I highly recommend this book! It’s a fast read and will leave you reflecting on many of the questions it raises about life, friendship, family, guilt, and faith. Which is a good thing. It gets a 5/5 for me! Can’t wait to read Montarbo’s next one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Gary Got Goosed” lingers. Unlike the stench that permeates Gary’s rundown hatchback, the depth of complexity with which Montarbo layers this story has me wanting to take another ride. This dysfunctional, deadpan rollercoaster, full of clever humor and unexpected heartache, made me double over laughing, and then reach for the tissues.
From old man cat Seamus’ litterbox, to goose turds by the pond, Montarbo serves up an indelible tour of Gary’s midlife collapse. The compounding mishaps, however outrageous, were anchored in the simple truth that sometimes life just gets away from us. Montarbo pulled me in, opened my heart, and convinced me to care about a man I’ve never thought of before.
More than that, he made me recognize that in another life, I might have been that man. At its core, this is a book about expectations: professional, social, familial, personal. How does it change a person, when those expectations aren’t fulfilled? How could it potentially transform a person when those expectations are exceeded?
It was a privilege to read this as an ARC reader. For me, this isn’t just a “heartbreaking comedy”- it is a look inside the mirror… where the wreckage becomes real. “Getting goosed” has a number of meanings, and Montarbo craftily touches on all of them in this comedic tale.
I was surprised, startled, “goosed,” a number of times throughout. But the thing that impressed me the most was how I was prodded, encouraged, “goosed,” to examine my own responses to real life mishaps, collapses, and relationships. I am deeply appreciative for Montarbo’s artful rendering- perfectly balancing the tension between farce and tragedy.
You might cry. You will certainly laugh. The best thing to do is read this book, and get goosed.
From old man cat Seamus’ litterbox, to goose turds by the pond, Montarbo serves up an indelible tour of Gary’s midlife collapse. The compounding mishaps, however outrageous, were anchored in the simple truth that sometimes life just gets away from us. Montarbo pulled me in, opened my heart, and convinced me to care about a man I’ve never thought of before.
More than that, he made me recognize that in another life, I might have been that man. At its core, this is a book about expectations: professional, social, familial, personal. How does it change a person, when those expectations aren’t fulfilled? How could it potentially transform a person when those expectations are exceeded?
It was a privilege to read this as an ARC reader. For me, this isn’t just a “heartbreaking comedy”- it is a look inside the mirror… where the wreckage becomes real. “Getting goosed” has a number of meanings, and Montarbo craftily touches on all of them in this comedic tale.
I was surprised, startled, “goosed,” a number of times throughout. But the thing that impressed me the most was how I was prodded, encouraged, “goosed,” to examine my own responses to real life mishaps, collapses, and relationships. I am deeply appreciative for Montarbo’s artful rendering- perfectly balancing the tension between farce and tragedy.
You might cry. You will certainly laugh. The best thing to do is read this book, and get goosed.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Gary Got Goosed is the debut novel from J.R. Montarbo, and I merrily gobbled this down over the course of two nights and enjoyed every page of it. Gary is a sorry sod, bless him, and he’s not having the best week (if he has ever had one in his life), so much so that William ‘D-FENS’ Foster would pity him. He is pure down-on-his-luck, and everything and everyone seems to be working against him. I just wanted to take him out for a nice, quiet pint and headbutt people for him.
One of the things I loved about GGG is how J.R. elevates the mundane. By that, I mean that Gary could be (and probably is/has been) any one of us. The problems he faces and must overcome are human problems, and realistic life experiences woven into a wonderfully told story. The juxtaposition between dialogue and inner dialogue is finely crafted and entirely relatable, and comical in its delivery. At times light-hearted, and at others leaning heavier, Gary Got Goosed is an emotional, humorous, and ultimately sincere delve into the human spirit, with a satisfying conclusion. Pure and thoroughly enjoyable, GGG is a great debut from J.R. Montarbo. I look forward to seeing what he delivers in his future novels.
One of the things I loved about GGG is how J.R. elevates the mundane. By that, I mean that Gary could be (and probably is/has been) any one of us. The problems he faces and must overcome are human problems, and realistic life experiences woven into a wonderfully told story. The juxtaposition between dialogue and inner dialogue is finely crafted and entirely relatable, and comical in its delivery. At times light-hearted, and at others leaning heavier, Gary Got Goosed is an emotional, humorous, and ultimately sincere delve into the human spirit, with a satisfying conclusion. Pure and thoroughly enjoyable, GGG is a great debut from J.R. Montarbo. I look forward to seeing what he delivers in his future novels.
May 2, 2026
Gary Got Goosed is not at all what I had expected. When I stumbled across JR Montarbo on social media, I figured, "Why not? That's some cute cover art!"
I spent 5 hours today entering the life of a man whose experience is nothing like my own on the surface. I closed this book relating to him in ways I had not imagined.
The characters drawn in Gary Got Goosed were so real that at one point I actually hugged my dog because I couldn't physically hug the character.
I was most impressed with the way Montarbo ushered the reader into the mind/feelings of several characters at crucial moments. It didn't feel disjointed or jarring. The point of view changes were effortless!
It's so easy to look at someone and immediately judge who they truly ARE- how they dress, act, work, socialize. Even those we've known for years.
After spending my day with Gary and all of his circle, I hope judge less. We need more of this in our world.
I'm also going to tip the pizza guy better in the future.
I spent 5 hours today entering the life of a man whose experience is nothing like my own on the surface. I closed this book relating to him in ways I had not imagined.
The characters drawn in Gary Got Goosed were so real that at one point I actually hugged my dog because I couldn't physically hug the character.
I was most impressed with the way Montarbo ushered the reader into the mind/feelings of several characters at crucial moments. It didn't feel disjointed or jarring. The point of view changes were effortless!
It's so easy to look at someone and immediately judge who they truly ARE- how they dress, act, work, socialize. Even those we've known for years.
After spending my day with Gary and all of his circle, I hope judge less. We need more of this in our world.
I'm also going to tip the pizza guy better in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh my gosh, this was such a beautiful, heart-wrenching, page turner!
I'm not easily emotionally affected by books, and this one got me.
Gary is so relatable, a bit of a dork, a guy with good intentions, but he has flaws, and he just wants things to be easy and stress-free. Poor guy, because in this story, things are the opposite. Gary goes through the wringer in a tale that offers laughs and heartbreak, giggles and uncomfortable moments.
Well-edited, well-written, and a fast-paced, easy-going story.
I found myself tearing up at the end, especially considering how close it mirrored a personal situation.
Thanks to the author for providing me an ARC copy!
I'm not easily emotionally affected by books, and this one got me.
Gary is so relatable, a bit of a dork, a guy with good intentions, but he has flaws, and he just wants things to be easy and stress-free. Poor guy, because in this story, things are the opposite. Gary goes through the wringer in a tale that offers laughs and heartbreak, giggles and uncomfortable moments.
Well-edited, well-written, and a fast-paced, easy-going story.
I found myself tearing up at the end, especially considering how close it mirrored a personal situation.
Thanks to the author for providing me an ARC copy!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is such a heartfelt, one-of-a-kind tale that I ended up flip-flopping on how to go about rating it. The main character is such a feckless (not to mention unhygienic) dork, and quite infuriating at times, but he also feels so authentic and genuine that you can’t help but root for him. Add in a proper jerk of a manager and some colourful workmates and family members, and you have the recipe for a very weird and wonderful pizza. Four stars for the execution, not bad at all for a debut author, and five for the emotional impact.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is such a heartfelt story that will have you laughing from the start, but then pull at your heartstrings. Gary experiences one setback after another, and he can't seem to find solid ground. If it's not his job, it's his family, his fickle decision making, or his lacking social skills. But when Gary experiences a profound loss, he's left questioning what really matters and also his own beliefs. I loved the realistic dialogue, the comedy (so many hilarious moments), and the messages about love, loss, and finding yourself. A very impressive debut from J.R. Montarbo.
May 13, 2026
We have all had that day where everything goes wrong, haven't we? However bad it was, I am sure that Gary could match it. He is a loser, but you will find yourself rooting for him to have a change in fortune. Lots of humorous scenarios ensue, full of the kind of awkward comedy that you would encounter in something like The Office. But the real surprise for me was how this novel transformed into something much more profound and poignant as it progressed. A genuine insight into the complicated family dynamics that so many can relate to. This novel has soul with a funny bone. Love it! 4.5 stars
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is hilarious from the start and keeps the laughs coming. What I found unexpected, as well as an excellent balance to the humor, is the narrator's soulful insight. Without spoiling too much, Gary is having a tough time in his life, and things begin unraveling on a bad day, and it is through this lens that the narrator slips in his lovely wisdoms that tie the loveable wretch that is Gary, to each of us. I may even read again, which is rare for me when it comes to comedy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book gave me all the feels! I had fun laughing at gary and his mishaps... getting annoyed with his coworkers ...then the tears. I did not expect for the heart punch to hit as hard as it did! Emotional and super fun rollercoaster! I am in your corner Goose!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews