Checking Out

by Nick Spalding

What do you do when the doctor says you could die at any moment? Well…after you’ve made a cup of tea, of course.

Nathan James is young, successful and has the world at his feet. Unfortunately, he’s also about to die—which ruins things somewhat. And now he’s staring imminent death in the face, Nathan is having to rethink some of his life choices very hard.

This means embarking on a hectic journey of self-discovery that includes, amongst other things, losing his dignity to an inescapable bean bag, suffering screaming nightmares about a monstrous potato, and getting up close and very personal with a bipolar donkey.

All of which is fine, but then Nathan falls in love with a charming girl called Alison, which is a really stupid thing to do. Because how can you give your heart to someone when it might be about to stop?

From Nick Spalding, the bestselling author of Fat Chance, Bricking It and Mad Love, comes a comedy about dying—which is easy—and living, which is most certainly not.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Comedy, Audiobook, Contemporary, Ebooks, Romance

313 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2018

About the author

Nick Spalding is an author who, try as he might, can't seem to write anything serious.

Before becoming a full-time author, he worked in the communications industry, mainly in media and marketing. As talking rubbish for a living can get tiresome (for anyone other than a politician), he thought he'd have a crack at writing comedy fiction - with a very agreeable level of success so far, it has to be said. Nick is now a multimillion seller. This flabbergasts him every single day.

Nick is now in his fifties - and is rather annoyed at the universe about it, because it gave him no choice in the matter. He's also addicted to Thai food and roast potatoes (not together), loves Batman and Warhammer, and has a dreadful singing voice.

***

Find out more about Nick and his books at www.nickspalding.com

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Affirmation
Checking Out, is an emotional roller-coaster ride of a story, from hilariously funny moments to tearfully sad inevitability. Life may be crashing down in one sense but in another sense, it is a keenly observed comedy, with witty dialogue that is hugely entertaining. The pace is relentless and at every turn, Nick Spalding is creating another hapless and amusing situation.

Nathan is a 33-year-old musician and composer and has lived a pretty affluent lifestyle over recent years since writing a winning tune, which earns him considerable amounts of royalty payments. His cursory life is just about to come crashing down when he is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour and a very poor prognosis.

What you discover from Nick's writing are vivid and observant descriptions of antics and situations that are just genius. He has an ability to make you laugh that transmits through the pages. The scene with Nathan and his new girlfriend in his home-recording studio is one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever read. I haven’t laughed that loud and hard since watching ‘Something about Mary’ for the first time. My wife and kids couldn't believe I could find something so funny in a book. So don't read this novel in public as you will be overcome with sudden explosive bursts of laughter.

The last third of the book takes a gear change and the atmosphere alters to a more serious tone. Not sad, just more searching, reflective and meaningful. Nathan needs to come to terms with his situation and his focus turns to leave a legacy. What can he do to leave his mark on the world and satisfy his conscience?

In a book with so much laughter, there is also a serious life-lesson to be emphasised – we all make a difference, we all leave a footprint, we all matter! Nathan goes to great lengths to understand what a life of meaning would entail and sets in motion events that will continue after he is no longer around. It is a remarkable factor in human interaction that we find humour in the saddest places. When it is managed in a sympathetic manner, conscious of the underlying heartache, it is genuinely a moment of escape in the gloomiest situations.

If you love slap-stick funny then you’ll absolutely cherish this! If you love books with a moral then you'll cherish this book. I would highly recommend reading it.

[Obsidian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please note that I got this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating of this book.

So I have pretty much loved about every Nick Spalding book I have read. There have been two misses for me, but for the most part he is always enjoyable. In his latest we follow 33 year old Nathan James who though he has about everything to live for (has a fat bank account and a hot girlfriend) is told that he is an inoperable brain tumor.

Spalding has Nathan going through some of the stages that you would see someone go through if someone died (hello Mr. Anger) as well as him trying to find meaning in his life by trying to find those left fortunate than him (the donkey sanctuary scene had me in hysterics). Ultimately though, Nathan realizes that no matter what he does, he eventually is going to die, he just needs to determine how he plans on living until that occurs.

I adored Nathan. Usually Spalding's book has a double POV. For this one we stay firmly in Nathan's head the whole time. What works though is though you may realize that Nathan is a little bit superficial (okay a lot) there is no maliciousness in him. So when he gets his diagnosis you do feel as much grief as the character does. When Nathan goes around breaking the news to his family and girlfriend, Spalding still manages to mix the absurd with the tragic so you will find yourself torn between tears of sympathy and laughter while reading.

The secondary characters were really good. Nathan's mother and her sculptures sounds like the stuff of nightmares. And heck at least Nathan realizes that his girlfriend though hot is terrible. There is another love interest in this one that I really did enjoy and thought worked well. I do wish that we had been able to spend more time with Nathan's cousin and her son, there seemed to be a lot going on there. Maybe Spalding will follow up with a second book since there are still some loose ends to follow up on in this one.

The writing was great. I had tissues nearby due to some sniffles, but also because I laughed so hard I cried three times while reading this book. The flow was great. Spalding tops off the top of each chapter with the month so you know how much time has passed. That is important cause a doctor Nathan sees initially mentions 6 months for him to live.

The book takes place in England. There are some mentions of Trump and his terribleness in this one, so apparently taking place in our current timeline. I did have a question about something though. Spalding via Nathan mentions at one point downloading the Uber app to his phone. I didn't think Uber could operate in England?

The book ends on a bittersweet note. I like that Spalding didn't try for some third act deus ex machina.

Please note that I read this book for The (Mostly) Dead Writer's Society 52 week challenge: March 12-18: Green cover.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for a light-hearted tale that reminds us to make the most of our lives for however long we have one. Spalding peppers this serious message with humor, even including hilarious slapstick (e.g., Pipsqueak the orange donkey with a personality disorder).

Nathan James has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor that will kill him. This 33-year-old man has been living a narcissistic lifestyle up to this point, and it takes awhile for him to change. However, he does eventually realize that the shallow life he has been living is no longer for him. Enjoy the humorous path that leads him to this realization.

[k · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot - 2
Writing style - 4
Characters - 1
Romance - 1

I have high hopes for this one but unfortunately, it failed to live up to my expectations.

For starters, the main protagonist is a douche. Sure, he has a brain tumour but geez, he is a misogynist.

I am sorry. Regardless of all the good things he did at the end, he is still a douche for me. I never thought I'll hate a lead this much.

He kept comparing his previous relationship to his present which is a big no-no. Just freaking movw on, okay?

The fact that he views his ex-girlfriend so low makes my blood boil. Sure, she surely was not girlfriend material but goodness, no need to say harsh things behind her back.

However, truth be told, I find the novel quite entertaining at the very beginning but it all changed as I get to know the male lead. Plus, all these dreams of his are totally not my cup of tea.

[P · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea how this book has accumulated a rating over 4 stars. It has caused me to lose a little faith in my fellow readers. This is ridiculous drivel.

[Izzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note to self. Books that cost £1 on Kindle Daily Deals are unlikely to be any good. Utter drivel.

[Tracy P. (Away for long wknd. Have a good one!=) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

[Raluca · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh

[Abigail Caulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was totally unexpected. So, this book isn’t normally something I would read, but I wanted to try something new, and I’m really glad I did. Even though this book was about a man called Nathan, who has just been told he is going to die and at times it’s really upsetting as you can imagine that doesn’t take away from the humour in the book. I found myself laughing at how funny the situations Nathan got himself into on the road to discovery.

I have never had as many emotions while reading until I picked up this book.

It was fascinating seeing how both Nathan and his loved ones dealt with the news of his illness.

I really did enjoy this book a lot. It was easy to follow and the story had lots of different things going on. I would recommend this book to people who don’t mind a sad story and enjoy humour 🙂

I haven’t read any of Nicks other books but after reading this I’m defiantly going to be adding some to my TBR shelf ASAP!

[Cristi-Lael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will read everything this guy publishes. I just enjoy his writing so much

[Mike Finn]

So now I know why Amazon offers to send you a sample of an ebook before you buy it. It's to prevent people like me from buying books like this. I'm so far off the target audience for the book that what should be making me laugh and grin is making me groan, page forward rapidly in the spurious hope that things might get better and then close the book, put my head in my hands and go, 'Why did I do this to myself?'.

Humour is like that. It works or it doesn't and for me, this doesn't. I'm sure people will find it funny. Possibly the same people who would choose to binge watch 'Top Gear' with their mates over a few bottles of beer with names like 'Sick Puppy Pale Ale' while sharing a takeaway delivered by some poor sod on a bicycle whose bosses claim he doesn't work for them but is actually a gig economy entrepreneur.

Our hero is a manboy who thinks he's reached the peak experience when his thrill-seeking see-how-crazy-I-am? I'm-deliberately-not-wearing-panties-under-the-Prada-dress-you-bought-me girlfriend unzips him as he drives his Porsche at 90mph along a motorway. I mean, does life get any better than that? Well, no, unless you're not a fourteen-year-old-boy fantasising about what you want to be when you grow up.

As you might have sensed by now, manboys don't bring out the best in me, so when this manboy learns that he has an inoperable brain tumour that might kill him at any moment, my response isn't 'How tragic. Poor thing. How will he cope?' It's 'Perhaps there is a God after all.'

So I'm setting this aside because I not only don't like the main character, I don't like who I become when I unleash my dislike of the main character.

[Misfits farm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nathan has a headache- one that won’t go away. When his words are not quite what he expected and no alcohol is involved, he decides he needs to see a doctor. It turns out that he has an almost unpronounceable brain tumour and may have anything from six minutes or 6 months or maybe even longer to live - or not. This is about how this affects his relationships with those around him- as well as of course how others deal with him- one refusing to believe his diagnosis- as well as how he is dealing with things himself. I didn’t quite know what to expect from this book in that it’s a sensitive subject- and found that it is very well dealt with indeed. A book that makes you think about life and how fragile we can be, whilst at the same time dealing with things with a smile and seizing the moment. Some very philosophical words, and so very true. Very well written, very enjoyable and one I would recommend. Carpe Diem and One life- live it.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan's life is going well - he has just received a big paycheck, is finally free from a career choice he regrets, and has a hot sexy girlfriend - then he finds out he has a brain tumor. He suddenly doesn't feel as free now that his time is limited. He goes on a bit of a bender, seeks help in various forms (most of which are funny), and finally determines to do something with the little time he has left. He gives to charity, ends up falling in love, and discovers that he was wrong when he thought he hadn't done anything meaningful in his life.

This was much different than Nick Spaulding's usual books. While we couldn't avoid the trademark toilet humor, this story had a lot more substance than some of his other comedies. I guess there just less to laugh at when facing a terminal illness. There were still some humorous parts, but the book is really about Nathan coming to grips with his life and impending death. I liked it.

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was great! What a fantastic Sunday read. Highly recommend for fans on The Rosie Project!

This emerging genre (“chicklit told from a male narrator/his life”) is becoming my go-to when I want a fun, change of pace.

I was grabbed immediately and looooved the narrator. This book has that perfect balance of page-turning curiosity as the drama unfolds with perfectly sprinkled LOL breaks. I actually laughed out loud! The humor is self-deprecating which only makes our narrator more endearing. I enjoyed this book so much.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never laughed out loud so much while reading a novel. This was a different pick for me, I am so glad I picked it!

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nathan is 33 years old. He's just sold the rights to a show he had created for a lot of money, his girlfriend is a gorgeous but vain model (and he's okay with that) and he's trying to figure out what to do with all his money. Then his doctor tells him he has a brain tumour and there's nothing that can be done. He could pass away at any time. Not the kind of news he wants to receive.

Unexpectedly he meets Allison and they fall in love ... except Nathan hasn't told Allison that he could drop dead at any second. He wants to find something worthwhile to do with what life he has left so sets out to figure out what that is which has interesting results.

This is the fourth book I've read by this author and I liked it. I liked the writing style ... it was funny and sarcastic. Despite the subject matter, the book is a comedy. It is written in first person perspective in Nathan's voice. The author is English and the story happens there so some of the references aren't common to North Americans. As a head's up, there is a lot of swearing and some adult activity.

I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/03...

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved it, some bits made me laugh out loud (a precious authors talent) thank you Nick Spalding!

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very unexpected story, all of Nick Spalding's normal humour is there and on the whole this is an incredibly fun book, but at the heart of it is a more serious medical condition, and a character, Nathan who has no idea how to deal with this life changing news.

For Nathan has been told he has a condition that means his death could he imminent, or he may be fine for ages. There is nothing the doctors can do, for him and he just has to try to get on with his life.

However this is not a deep emotional story, there is plenty to keep you smiling and laughing. He is the creator of a children's music sensation The Foodies who play their part, and we get to see some of their songs too.

The majority of the most memorable scenes involve sex, and not in a hot and steamy way, ina pure I can't believe Nathan is getting himself into these situations sort of way.

There are some fabulous characters, Alison who is a lovely girl and potential girlfriend, Eliza, his cousin and Calum her kid, who were really heartwarming, there is Alison's grandfather who although only a small part is easily very memorable.

However my absolute favourite character and scene that had me a laughing my head off is Pipsqueak, and that is all I am saying on that, if you want to know read the book yourself.

I absolutely love this author and Checking Out is no exception. It may have had deeper elements to it than I was expecting but still with Nick Spalding's excellence for comic timing, lightening the mood and generally fun storytelling.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Nikos Dunno · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure somebody could turn this into a script for a dramatic yet hopeful romcom, and I would happily spend a little over an hour to watch it and enjoy it. At its current format, however, the writing felt very convenient and stereotypical, and I struggled to finish it, even though it is a very easy read. I appreciate that books like this one have formed a genre and have acquired an audience of their own, but I simply don't belong in it.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I had to push through this one, having already put it down early on twice but I'm glad I persevered in the end.

This is full of Nick Spalding's usual dark humour, which is needed with the topic really and helps to make the book enjoyable despite the fact that we know Nathan's prognosis. I love the author's writing style generally, he is frank and to the point- there are no long monologues describing how the leaves move on a tree and that works perfectly with the book and Nathan's personality.

It's also a really quick read, I read all of it in a morning and barely stopped, this is again because the writing is so endearing.

As always, the book is funny and life affirming. It's an enjoyable read that makes you laugh, makes you think and makes you sad. If you've enjoyed anything by Nick Spalding before, you're sure to enjoy this one too.

[Guy Portman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan is a young, well-off musician with a gorgeous girlfriend, a sportscar and some exceedingly expensive bi-fold doors. He is also successful, thanks to his childish creation ‘The Foodies’; a collection of singing, dancing vegetables and fruit. Nathan’s life would be perfect were it not for the fact that he’s been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour and is going to die.

The dire diagnosis culminates in the musician questioning everything from his vapid relationship to his materialistic outlook on life. What follows are a host of bizarre escapades and misadventures entailing a deranged donkey, drama-performing elderly people, a bizarre cult, evangelical Christians and more besides. Along the way he falls in love.

'Checking Out' could best be described as a black comedy sprinkled with hope. Many will be drawn to its protagonist Nathan due to his wry wit and likeable personality. The book’s fast-paced, dialogue-heavy content appealed to this reader, and he would not hesitate in recommending it to all aficionados of the humour genre.

[Jaana Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story. The MC is a bit of a dick who does improve but I didn't find that it made him unlikeable. In fact I kind of liked him a great deal. But the majority of my rating comes from the fact that so many books claim to be funny. And never elicit any sort of humour response from me, not even a slight nose snort. This had me chuckling in so many places, I actually did find it humourous. A fun, funny read with a sweet message at the end about living every moment to the fullest because moments is all we have.

[Larry O'brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual with a Nick Spalding book it was very funny (and yes, toilet humor included) and easy to read. Given the very serious nature of the topic (i.e. death) the book does allow for some soul searching, and some re-evaluation of the important things in life. I liked the book, hence the four stars. However I do feel that the ending was a bit of a let down - I won't give away the plot, but in truth it would have been better with another chapter or two in my view.

[Connor McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is honestly one of the funniest things I have read in a long time, which is a strange thing to say about a book that tells you the main character is going to die pretty much straight away. How Nathan deals with his condition and the road he takes to his revelation at the end is hilarious and thought provoking. This is my first Nick Spalding book but definitely not my last.

[Laz the Sailor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quirky, funny, light-hearted, serious look at the possibility of dying before we're ready (and who is ever ready?). Full of delightful vignettes, all aspects of grief are explored with such open and off-beat humor that it is difficult not to chuckle aloud.

Love conquers all.

Read this.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Really like Nick Spaldings writing style, it’s just so easy and effortless. I enjoyed the morals of the story and also the lack of morals from Nathan!
However The Foodies just got on my nerves and made me cringe!

[Rupali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious take on a 30 something guy dealing with a terminal illness. Loved it! Reminds us that life is short and we must collect moments.

[Canadian With Books]

reviewed

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my god what an amazing book, honest, emotional, funny and just brilliant! the ending was unexpected but amazing! I almost wanna read it again straight away!

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the subject matter this book is hilarious!! Laugh out loud funny!