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More Ketchup than Salsa Boxset
Ever dreamed of starting a new life abroad?
"Fantastic, hilarious, painful. Completely un-put-downable. Probably the best book I have read this millenium!"
"If you buy one book this year... get this!"
When Joe and his girlfriend Joy decide to trade in their life on a cold Lancashire fish market to run a bar in the Tenerife sunshine, they anticipate a paradise of sea, sand and siestas. Little did they expect their foreign fantasy to turn out to be about as exotic as a wet Monday morning.
Combining both the bestselling More Ketchup than Salsa & The Final Dollop, this box set brings you the whole story from start to finish, at a discounted price.
An hilarious true story exposing the wild and wacky characters of an expat community in a familiar holiday destination, the More Ketchup Boxset is a must-read travel memoir for anybody who has ever dreamed about either moving abroad, finding a job overseas or just wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side.
"A book full of laughter and tears."
"Fantastic, hilarious, painful. Completely un-put-downable. Probably the best book I have read this millenium!"
"If you buy one book this year... get this!"
When Joe and his girlfriend Joy decide to trade in their life on a cold Lancashire fish market to run a bar in the Tenerife sunshine, they anticipate a paradise of sea, sand and siestas. Little did they expect their foreign fantasy to turn out to be about as exotic as a wet Monday morning.
Combining both the bestselling More Ketchup than Salsa & The Final Dollop, this box set brings you the whole story from start to finish, at a discounted price.
An hilarious true story exposing the wild and wacky characters of an expat community in a familiar holiday destination, the More Ketchup Boxset is a must-read travel memoir for anybody who has ever dreamed about either moving abroad, finding a job overseas or just wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side.
"A book full of laughter and tears."
513 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2015
98 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Joe Cawley
9 books116 followersJoe Cawley is a travel writer and award-winning author published in many international newspapers and magazines such as The Times, New York Post and Taipei Times.
His first book, More Ketchup than Salsa was voted 'Best Travel Narrative' by the British Guild of Travel Writers and follows the disasters of a young couple seeking greener pastures abroad.
Joe currently lives in the hills of Tenerife with his family and an assortment of other wildlife. Although he loves his family dearly, he admits he gets most sense out of the guinea pigs.
His first book, More Ketchup than Salsa was voted 'Best Travel Narrative' by the British Guild of Travel Writers and follows the disasters of a young couple seeking greener pastures abroad.
Joe currently lives in the hills of Tenerife with his family and an assortment of other wildlife. Although he loves his family dearly, he admits he gets most sense out of the guinea pigs.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 17, 2015
Brilliant set!
This is a great value set of excellent books and you save loads-this is even cheaper than buying one book separately. 'More Ketchup than Salsa: Confessions of a Tenerife Barman' was one of the first books I downloaded in kindle format-I found it in the amazon 100 top free bestsellers and grabbed it. These are great books telling of Joe and girlfriend Joy's adventures changing their lives from working on a Bolton fish market to moving to a new life in Tenerife. Very witty, a very enjoyable read, his sense of fun really comes across. 'Even More Ketchup: The Final Dollop' completes the set. I'm currently enjoying this all over again!
This is a great value set of excellent books and you save loads-this is even cheaper than buying one book separately. 'More Ketchup than Salsa: Confessions of a Tenerife Barman' was one of the first books I downloaded in kindle format-I found it in the amazon 100 top free bestsellers and grabbed it. These are great books telling of Joe and girlfriend Joy's adventures changing their lives from working on a Bolton fish market to moving to a new life in Tenerife. Very witty, a very enjoyable read, his sense of fun really comes across. 'Even More Ketchup: The Final Dollop' completes the set. I'm currently enjoying this all over again!
February 16, 2016
Brilliant
This story is so well written I believed I was actually with Joe, David, joy and faith and all the other people in the smuggler's. Laugh out loud and sad at times. A complete page turner I couldn't wait til I was on my break or on the bus so I could read more. Looking forward to more books by this incredible author.
This story is so well written I believed I was actually with Joe, David, joy and faith and all the other people in the smuggler's. Laugh out loud and sad at times. A complete page turner I couldn't wait til I was on my break or on the bus so I could read more. Looking forward to more books by this incredible author.
February 10, 2016
An enjoyable light read
The joys and trials of 2 young couples who set out from England to fulfill their dreams will keep you entertained.
The joys and trials of 2 young couples who set out from England to fulfill their dreams will keep you entertained.
April 4, 2016
Enjoyed every page
Marvellous insight into life abroad, laughed & felt their heartache every chapter. A great lighthearted read, couldn't put it down.
Marvellous insight into life abroad, laughed & felt their heartache every chapter. A great lighthearted read, couldn't put it down.
November 1, 2024
Book #1: More ketchup than salsa: confessions of a Tenerifebarman
The first of the trilogy. Reminiscent of the sex lives of cannibals. Appeal is in the fantasy. We all have of running away and adapting a new life. Unfortunately, he has an obsession with making mean commentary and “jokes” about anyone who is not thin. This hateful banter is like land mines in an otherwise interesting book.
Book #2: Even more ketchup than salsa: the final dollop
Nasty. Talks about women and especially women who are not thin as less than human. This is repeated throughout his trilogy. Here’s one example:
“There were, however, some sights that even the most creative imagination couldn’t transfigure - the girls with the distorted mirrors. These size 20s had seemingly looked at their reflections and thought that by trussing themselves up tightly with bits of string and Lycra, they could fool themselves and others into thinking that a 20- pound turkey could disguise itself as a four-ounce quail.” Mean and prejudiced.
Book#3: Less ketchup then salsa: finding my mojo in travel writing
The appeal of his other books are, of course, all of our fantasy of becoming ex-pats and running a bar. The problem with this book, of course, is that he’s gained his audience but then now that he has failed at the bar he has absolutely nothing to say. I struggled to page 70 and then gave up. What a tremendously boring read!
The first of the trilogy. Reminiscent of the sex lives of cannibals. Appeal is in the fantasy. We all have of running away and adapting a new life. Unfortunately, he has an obsession with making mean commentary and “jokes” about anyone who is not thin. This hateful banter is like land mines in an otherwise interesting book.
Book #2: Even more ketchup than salsa: the final dollop
Nasty. Talks about women and especially women who are not thin as less than human. This is repeated throughout his trilogy. Here’s one example:
“There were, however, some sights that even the most creative imagination couldn’t transfigure - the girls with the distorted mirrors. These size 20s had seemingly looked at their reflections and thought that by trussing themselves up tightly with bits of string and Lycra, they could fool themselves and others into thinking that a 20- pound turkey could disguise itself as a four-ounce quail.” Mean and prejudiced.
Book#3: Less ketchup then salsa: finding my mojo in travel writing
The appeal of his other books are, of course, all of our fantasy of becoming ex-pats and running a bar. The problem with this book, of course, is that he’s gained his audience but then now that he has failed at the bar he has absolutely nothing to say. I struggled to page 70 and then gave up. What a tremendously boring read!
May 27, 2017
Not very keen. It just put me off going there on holiday.
This book had is good points but it wasn't very amusing and put me of holidaying in the Canary islands. I thought it would be more about the islands but all it was really about was a bad that served British food to tourists which is something that is not at all appealing to me. It was listed with grammatical errors, stupid comparisons and continuity errors. I didn't even particularly like the way main characters came over. How the niceness to the customers was all a facade and not genuine.
Random examples from my notes.
1) a sentence starts off talking about apple pies and finishes of calling them cakes.
2) letting a 14 year old work in the bar and drink and flirt.... very responsible not!
3)putting plates of food in an oven
4)"it's about as attractive as a hog in high in heels" ....a stupid comparison
5)stating that time share sellers get so drunk the clients have to help them back home (sounds unlikely)
5) and who has heard of glass washing up bowls?
6) any cranberry sauce at Christmas dinner needing pastry cases!
I could go on.
And the book is full of one of little stories and many are not at all amusing.
And there was stories lest unfinished. One about a spying man in a car and another about a secretive girl called Charley in one apartment. These were never explained.
This book had is good points but it wasn't very amusing and put me of holidaying in the Canary islands. I thought it would be more about the islands but all it was really about was a bad that served British food to tourists which is something that is not at all appealing to me. It was listed with grammatical errors, stupid comparisons and continuity errors. I didn't even particularly like the way main characters came over. How the niceness to the customers was all a facade and not genuine.
Random examples from my notes.
1) a sentence starts off talking about apple pies and finishes of calling them cakes.
2) letting a 14 year old work in the bar and drink and flirt.... very responsible not!
3)putting plates of food in an oven
4)"it's about as attractive as a hog in high in heels" ....a stupid comparison
5)stating that time share sellers get so drunk the clients have to help them back home (sounds unlikely)
5) and who has heard of glass washing up bowls?
6) any cranberry sauce at Christmas dinner needing pastry cases!
I could go on.
And the book is full of one of little stories and many are not at all amusing.
And there was stories lest unfinished. One about a spying man in a car and another about a secretive girl called Charley in one apartment. These were never explained.
September 12, 2021
Quite entertaining!
The book had me frequently laughing out loud. And while I enjoyed the humor, I also appreciated the insightful analysis of the characters' emotional ups and downs. The writing reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson. As an aside, I did occasionally find myself looking up British terms that were unfamiliar to this Californian :) That added to the pleasure of my reading.
The book had me frequently laughing out loud. And while I enjoyed the humor, I also appreciated the insightful analysis of the characters' emotional ups and downs. The writing reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson. As an aside, I did occasionally find myself looking up British terms that were unfamiliar to this Californian :) That added to the pleasure of my reading.
December 17, 2018
The story started well but then began to sink into meaningless meanderings. I hope the author has better luck with his sequels. In the meantime, enjoy the Canarian sun and be thankful he got out of the "bar business abroad" when he did.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews