The Second Life of Nathan Jones: A laugh out loud, OMG! romcom that you won't be able to put down!

by David Atkinson

Getting hit by a bus was the best thing that ever happened to him… When one wrong step – and the poor timing of the number 19 bus – send Nathan Jones to the Edinburgh morgue his story should have ended…but then he went and woke up. Returned to real life Nathan finds a wife disappointed that he’s miraculously returned from the dead and an unshakeable attraction for mortuary technician Kat – the woman who brought him back to life, in more ways than one. Now, as his world implodes and Kat leads him down an unexpected path, Nathan somehow finds himself having the time of his second life… A hilarious, uplifting story of second chances, death defying hijinks and motorhome mayhem – Mhairi McFarlane meets Eleanor Oliphant !

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Ebooks

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2019

About the author

David Atkinson is an Edinburgh based writer. His first Romantic Comedy Love Byte published by Buried River Press (Joffe Books) was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelist Association award. The follow up book SQUEEZED was well received as was The Second Live of Nathan Jones, published by One More Chapter an imprint of Harper Collins.

His latest novel Future Proof has been notching up 4 & 5* reviews. Future Proof has already won the Page Turner Genre award (December 2022) and promises to be something a little different.

To sign up for author updates, newsletters, special offers and some exciting news, or if you just to say hello or ask a question please drop a quick email to: collectivecharmbooks@gmail.co

Reviews

[Lee]

Yikes. Just yikes. I had to DNF at 30% because there was already so much bad I couldn't handle it.

Nathan Jones life ended after he was hit by a bus that is where his story should have ended, but when he woke up in a morgue, he left everyone baffled. But, now his world has been turned upside down as his wife has left him to be the father to their three kids.

I didn't get in far enough to really judge the characters, but from what I saw none of them really left me with the good vibes that left me eager to support them. Nathan was adjusting to his life now that he was alive and now a single dad to three kids. He struggled, but was trying to make the best of what had happened to him. Laura, his estranged wife, was... hard for me to like. While I don't feel like anyone should stay in a relationship that has made them unhappy for so long she just consistently rubbed me the wrong way. Kat... I honestly don't know what to say about her other than she was just a no from me.

From the title of this book, and even the summary, I thought we would get Nathan's POV and maybe Kat's, but we also get Laura's which from that first 30% was completely unnecessary. The couple of chapters from her added nothing to the story. I don't know if the author was trying to make her more understandable or likable, but I didn't need those chapters at all. The chapters also weren't labeled. It could take a number of paragraphs or even a page before I realized whose POV I was in.

The dialogue shifted from moments of being believable to so forced it hurt, especially between Nathan and Kat. From the couple of interactions there were between them it was all so forced and insta-love (at least on Kat's side) that I wanted to scream. In their first interaction this is how her introduction goes:

'... What's your name?'
'Kat.'
'What, as in pussy? Sorry, that sounds rude.'

I'm sorry, WHAT??? There is so much about their interactions that didn't make sense. As Kat pulls him out of the morgue, she's not concerned that he had been dead and was now alive, she just thinks he's cute. When they meet up again, she continually ask him personal questions about his life which felt like a forced way for her to get more information about him. Information that she seemed to already known based completely on intuition.

There was another small scene that rubbed me the wrong way too. One of Kat's friends used to be fat. As the author talks about her losing weight, he talks about how these features that were previous hidden such as her blue eyes and blonde hair were now visible now that she was skinny.

There was so much in that 30% I read that disappointed and annoyed that that despite my best efforts I couldn't continue it.

[Nathaniel Moffett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, boy. What an absolute dumpster fire of a book, however like a lunar eclispse i just couldn't look away. It reads like the author had a messy divorce and imagined his own manic pixie dream girl in goth form, the ex wife couldn't be painted worse. Men should never write from the perspective of a woman, if I have to read "my bits twitching" or babes being used unironically again, I will personally tear my own eyeballs out. Don't fucking bother with this book.

[Giraffeonastick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing how the man gets exactly what he wants in the end.... disappointingly predictable.
Elements of this book were so obviously written by a man. And not well. I'm saying no more.

[Alison Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am trying to read books just now without looking at the genre or the blurb. So this was a lovely surprise. I expected it to be about the title character Nathan Jones, and focus on his personality and feelings. He was the focus, the centre of what was going on; marriage break up, new romance, custody battle; but there was so much more. From the minute Kat found him in the morgue she was the central character, and we learned more of her feelings and background. She was hilarious - I'd love to meet her parents, what good fun they sound, and obviously love and care for their daughter. Millie, the oldest daughter was a great character, she made me laugh out loud with her bagel test, and interrogations. Laura, Nathan's wife was a horror on the surface, but really just someone who wanted to live the life she would have chosen had she not become pregnant very young. She loves her girls, but she wants to pursue her career. Can she have both? I loved the romp through life that this became, and I devoured it in a couple of sessions. #nathanjones #netgalley #thesecondlifeofnathanjones

[Karschtl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 Stars

This book was funny, quirky and peculiar - but in a good way!

It starts off a bit like the 80s movie "War of the Roses". While the husband is having a serious medical emergency (and in this case is even believed to be dead!), the wife is not sad at all but thinks "mmmh, this freedom actually feels kinda good!".

At least this gives Nathan the chance to get to know his life-saver Kat a bit better. And discover she might be a better fit for him than his snobbish wife Laura. She, of course, doesn't react too well to the news that Nathan has stopped pining for her...

I liked the idea of the story, I liked the two main characters and I hugely enjoyed the banter between Kat and Nathan, but also between Kat and Hayley, Kat and her Dad, Kat and Sid... That was my type of humour! And Kat with her credo "Everyone needs nonsense in their lives to make up for all the serious stuff." My kind of girl!

[Lilly Schmaltz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Impluse and Killer Reads, and One More Chapter for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book. After seeing that it was similar to Eleanor Oliphant, I had really high hopes. I found the entire plot to be entirely unrealistic and a bit creepy. Nathan Jones was killed by a bus, but not really, and is found alive in the morgue by Kat. Kat begins her quest to date Nathan and not-so-subtly convinces (forces?) him to begin a relationship with her. Some of the dialogue was offensive and cringe-worthy. The plot had some depth... a loving father fights for rights to visit his children, but also included two women trying to convince him that they are worthy of his love.

What could have been a funny and quirky love story missed the mark for me.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did finish the book because I wanted to know what happened, I felt there were times where the story dragged on and other points where it moved too fast. This made the book feel a little choppy. I found that I was not too invested in the characters. I was hoping for a light hearted, funny book but I do not think the book quite hit the mark.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sheila Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the initial premise of this novel - died but survived to live again - but sadly it degenerated from potential interesting and quirky romcom into iffy chick-lit.

[RoloPoloBookBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Second Life of Nathan Jones by David Atkinson
Source: NetGalley and HarperImpulse
Rating: 4½/5 stars

Nathan Jones isn’t leading what most would call a stellar, totally fulfilling life, but it’s better than no life at all. Oh, Nathan knows his marriage is rubbish and his wife is a cow, but his daughters are delightful and being with them means everything to Nathan. Things aren’t perfect amongst the living but waking up in a morgue is even worse. Just ask Nathan Jones.

Kat’s never met a real zombie, but Nathan Jones seems to be just that, a real, live returned from the dead kind of zombie, but don’t call him that. Nathan Jones is also immensely attractive and from the moment she meets him, Kat is intrigued by the man who returned from the dead. Getting to know Nathan Jones isn’t going to be easy, but nothing worth it in this life is easy. Against the advice of her best friend, Kat sets upon a course that will bring her the greatest pleasure and the greatest heartbreak she has ever known in her life.

Nathan Jones thought dying and returning from the dead was the worst thing he was going to face in his, well, life. As it turns out, the worst thing he must face is the prospect of his wife leaving him and taking his beloved daughters with him. If it weren’t for Kat and her plan to know Nathan Jones, he would be completely alone and totally lost. Kat is unlike anyone Nathan Jones has ever met. She’s Goth (not punk!), wildly inappropriate, kind, generous, and the most delightfully weird person Nathan Jones has ever known. If Kat thinks it, she says it, if she enjoys it, she does it, and if she wants it, she goes for it. For Nathan Jones, Kat is a bit a refreshing, a breath of fresh air in a life (and death) that had otherwise become tolerable, at best.

Kat completely understands the mess she is getting herself into. Nathan Jones doesn’t come with baggage; he comes with a cargo plane filled with baggage. He’s not technically divorced, his girls are a consideration, and there is always the possibility he doesn’t actually like Kat. In short order, the last bit is answered, a trip to the zoo goes a long way in smoothing the path with the girls, and the first is just a volcano waiting to erupt. Yes, Kat is absolutely insane to even consider becoming involved with Nathan Jones, but something about him screams special and worth it, so Kat soldiers on.

The time Kat has with Nathan Jones is both exhilarating and turbulent. Nathan Joens’ wife has no intention of going away quietly into the night; in fact, Nathan Jones’ wife has every intention of living up to her reputation as a cow and looks to make life miserable for everyone, Kat included. As the cow’s plans unfold, both Kat and Nathan Jones are brought to the lowest point of their respective lives. Nathan Jones is on the verge of losing his girls for good and Kat is as heartbroken as she every could have imagined. With no real hope left, the two part ways and hope there comes a day when the pain isn’t quite so potent.

The Bottom Line: The Second Life of Nathan Jones is one of those books whose Goodreads star rating totally baffles me. I found this book to be smartly written, wickedly funny, and appropriately emotional. This isn’t just the story of Nathan Jones and his miraculous return from the dead, it’s the story of a group of people, some incredibly broken and misguided, crashing into one another and trying to make the best of it all. Every character is clear and full, the plot is a train wreck in the best possible way, and I simply couldn’t put this book down. This really is an emotional roller coaster of a ride that is tempered with a good bit of dark humor, sarcasm, witty banter, awkward moments, and a few naughty bits thrown in for good measure! In all, a fine read.

[Judy Christiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I read by this author. I definitely like his writing style. I loved his humor. Many times I was just reading along and then wham! I read a sentence that had me laughing out loud and carrying on, and it was a great feeling! I honestly do not laugh out loud often. I find things funny, but do not laugh. This book had me laughing so many times.

I love the quirky, odd characters. I love that they all have issues, but are dealing with them and have become the champions of their world. They have dealt with their issues and have become a unique people. They are flawed humans that do not always make the correct decisions and also carry their baggage with them, but they go on and for that, I adore them. While I do not agree with all the character's decisions in this book, it is a book of fiction, so I go with it and enjoy the story as it unfolds. One character is truly awful, but most stories need one villain, and that is Laura in this story.

Nathan (Laura's husband) is hit by a bus and is assumed dead and sent to the Edinburgh morgue where Kat works. She find him and sees he is fully alive, and also very cute and is taken aback by how strongly she is bonded to him in that moment.

The story is about second chances, friendship, forgiveness, betrayal and making the most of your life - whatever situation you happen to be presented.

This is a light-hearted book with many serious issues going on it in. I enjoyed this book so much.

I want to thank NetGalley and Harper Impulse & KIller Reads for allowing me to read the Advanced Reader's Copy. This review is my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the opening line, this book had me smiling. "Getting killed hadn't been part of Nathan Jones's plans for Saturday afternoon." As it turned out, Nathan wasn't dead, although waking up in the mortuary and meeting Kat certainly changed his life. Nathan is a bit nonplussed throughout the book first by almost dying, then by his wife leaving him, then really by all that happened in his family situation.

I really liked Kat and her friend Hayley, who were both misfits in their own ways when they were younger and this had led to a firm friendship which continued in adulthood. They were a great support to each other and made me laugh quite a lot.

Although there was a lot of humour in the book, there were some serious issues touched upon too such as the effects of a marriage breakup on the family. I really disliked Nathan's wife Laura who seemed to think she could do what she wanted and disregard everyone else's feelings.

The way the relationship between Nathan and Kat developed was unusual to say the least but I liked the idea of Nathan getting a second chance at life. Almost dying made him realise that his life wasn't all it could be but he really needed someone to encourage him to step outside his comfort zone and take risks. I have to say I really enjoyed the Edinburgh setting especially when Portobello got a few mentions! The Second Life of Nathan Jones is a quirky and light-hearted book which I found very entertaining.

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 37%.

I tried, guys. I really tried. It takes a lot for me not to finish a book, particularly one that I was given as a review copy, but I can't read any more of this.

Nathan died after being hit by a bus - or so everyone thought. He wakes up in the mortuary after some medical blip and is discovered by Kat. Rather than be freaked out by a dead body coming back to life, she comments on how cute he is? I know we're desperate Kat but please. And that's not even the creepiest part.

After having approximately 1.5 conversations with Nathan, Kat shows up out of the blue at his house, lets herself in, gets them drunk, cooks him dinner and makes rude remarks about how messy his life is. She also admits to having looked him up to find his address and heritage and whatnot. If I were Nathan I'd be running for the hills, calling the police and moving house. But he just goes with it. What the hell?

There were also a few scenes with Kat's best friend who used to be fat. The way this was discussed really irked me. I didn't save any quotes but it wasn't nice at all.

I'm really disappointed about this one, because the premise was so interesting and there was so much potential for this to be great.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

[Belladonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening line of this book had me intrigued and I was hooked. "Getting killed hadn't been part of Nathan Jones's plans for Saturday afternoon." Nathan was hit by a bus and pronounced dead and waking up in the mortuary where he meets Kat certainly changed his life. Nathan is a bit first by almost dying and then by his wife leaving him and their three daughters.
The writing was beautifully done with some funny lines and the dialogue being fast paced.
I wanted to love this book but sadly I didn't due to the fact that the only character I liked was Millie, Nathan's & Laura's eldest daughter. Millie was a very serious girl who was very perspective especially about her parents relationship and seemed almost the most mature person compared to her mum and dad.

I did find Kat to be a quirky and unique person but many times she was inappropriate like turning up at his flat when he did not give her his address and pushing him to do things that she wanted him to do.

I disliked Laura, Nathan's wife, like I get that getting pregnant so young wasn't in her plans but it did and overall I found her very selfish especially towards the end of the book.

[Sarahh Yeo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, this book is okay I guess. It’s not great and honestly I was just strapped for time and the cover looked cute so I grabbed it off the shelf. The premise is somewhat morbidly adorable but they really gotta step up on the editing of the book. Firstly, the blurb at the back of the book has grammatical errors. I wanted to write a new one and paste it over the existing one. Meanwhile there were many spacing issues in the dialogues inside the book that resulted in sentences that seemed to have ended because of this huge spacing gap, only to resume on the next line. This happened multiple times, it was quite annoying. There were also spelling errors and I actually couldn’t resist penciling in the correct ones inside the book because all these unnecessary jarring mistake really spoil the experience of reading. I pretty much skimmed through the second half of the book cuz it was kinda blah but I finally made it to the end. Don’t think I will be reading anymore of this author’s works.

[Jenny C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did unfortunately. The
Premise was good and I liked the main female ‘Kat’ who was a bit quirky and different from the usual women in this type of book, being a goth and working in a mortuary. This book felt like it should have more depth, one of the storylines being a divorce with children in the middle. But I didn’t think it went deep enough. The ex wife is so unlikeable I found her a little far fetched. Nathan is fine, but I’m not sure I’d have put as much effort into starting a relationship with him as Kat did.
There are some funny lines and the dialogue is fast paced and stays on the surface. Its a funny and entertaining enough read, but not one that I’d go back and read it again.
Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publishers for gifting me this copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I enjoyed this book more in the beginning than the middle and end. From the title I figured this book would be all about Nathan, but it is actually more about Kat which confused me. Kat was mostly the narrator and I found that a bit strange. Overall the story is fine but there are just too many strange things going on to really connect with the reader.

The terrible relationship between Nathan and Laura was barely touched on. Laura's actions after Nathan's accident were appalling sure but so were Kat's actions after finding Nathan. Creepy and inappropriate. I was expecting a cute and quirky read, but that was not what I got.

My copy was provided by NetGalley for review, all opinions are my own.

[Tams M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the beginning of the book a little confusing at times. The point of view is from three different characters but there is nothing to tell you who’s head you are in, so occasionally I would be a page into the chapter before working out who was talking. Later on it’s mostly from Kat so it’s much easier to follow. I thought the story was a little far fetched in places, and I must admit to skipping over some pages to hurry the story along. I was curious to see how the story would end though, so it did pull me in. If the synopsis had mentioned children I probably wouldn’t have read the book, and they really play a big part of the story so ultimately this book wasn’t for me but i’m sure it will appeal to plenty of others. Thank you #netgalley

[Fiona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nathan Jones is not living life to the full. In fact he is not living life to the half. Stuck in a rut with a bland marriage and job he gets hit by a bus and is pronounced dead.

However, Nathan Jones comes back from the dead. Not as a vampire or as a ghost (or a walker) he comes back as Nathan Jones. However, his wife has decided she quite liked the idea of life without her husband and moves to London with a new job.

The mortuary attendant Kat is no hand though and what follows is quite a nice love story taking in a very unlikely couple. The trouble with nice though is that it makes it hard to review.

There was a good premise but for me the novel didn't deliver. What good have been a funny, quirky love story just turned into a bit of a meander into the bland.

[Jes Cunningham]

I cannot think of an accurate rating to give this book— I think it really depends on what you expect from it. It’s a light, sometimes funny, romance. One character is a goth girl who works in a mortuary— she finds herself attracted to a man who should be dead, but surprise! he is not and she finds excuses to begin a romance. The books has sweet moments and they are both caring when it comes to the man’s daughters. But they are also often rather awful people, whom you have a difficult time cheering for— that can be okay; like I said, that tends to effect more personal feelings on the book. I would say if you like a romance and want a main character who is a little sassy and a little bit different, check it out at your library or look for a good deal on it.

[Jayasri Prasanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book is such a happy read for me. I loved reading every word of this book. When Nathan Jones is resuscitated from death due to some rare syndrome, how his life changes is the theme of the book.

The dry humour in the book is outstanding and I laughed out loud in many places earning weird glances. But who cares? The characters are funny and quirky and I imagined being in their company.

The author did a great job in writing these characters each with their own quirkiness. There is everything from love to disgust to weird monologues. This is such a light-hearted read for me in my most terrible time and I'm forever grateful for that. I recommend this book to all the humour fans.

[Slinkieb8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off really great but mid way things just took a dive
Felt like Nathan was a child that didn't know anything and his two mummies needed to guide and plan his life. One decides for him if they get back together while the other decides that he starts a new life with a new girlfriend. He just goes along with whichever has more of a pull like he doesn't know his own mind.
He loves Kat but he forgets all about Kat the second his mad exwife shows up and decides to 'take him back'.
Then he takes his sweet time returning to Kat and gives a very poor unfeeling apology for his appalling treatment of her. And Kat, bless her heart, took him back without a fuss.
Crazy!

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Second Life of Nathan Jones is an entertaining romantic comedy. Nathan gets hit by a bus and seems to be dead but comes back to life in the morgue. Kat, a goth girl who works there, discovers him alive and is instantly attracted. What follows Is a funny and heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, tale of second chances. If you enjoy romantic comedies, quirky humor, and stories about getting another chance in life, you will enjoy this book.

[Karen Fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was way better than I was expecting! Surprisingly cute, funny, and heartwarming! Even the clueless hero don’t annoy me while I was reading; I felt he was hapless, but charming. And I loved Millie! She could have easily gone the spoiled brat route, but they made her smart and the voice of reason; such a lovely surprise!

[Pam Devine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting way more than the book delivered unfortunately. Nathan doesn't seem particularly grateful for, or enthused about, his second chance at life. Two women fighting over him, one who seems like a nasty piece of work and the other who forgives him for being a nasty piece of work, mean that the rom-com elements feel a bit weird. Decent enough but not great.

[Lizbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and NetGalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book is laugh out loud funny! At times it's heartbreakingly sad and terribly human. Slow at times, but a good summer read.

4 out of 5 stars.

[Paul Eastley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nathan Jones. What a wimp he can be at times, "Especially towards the end of the book". Thats why I gave it a 4-star rating not 5. Look, it's enjoyable and made me laugh out loud a few times but perhaps I was looking for something as good as "Future Proof" and was slightly disappointed. Still a good read. Enough said, worth a look.

[RedKiwis · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I got around halfway through but unfortunately could not finish this book.

The premise is interesting - a guy gets hits by a bus and everyone thinks he's dead, but by some medical miracle he comes back to life. But there are a couple of issues that bugged me.

Firstly, the chapters flit between first person and third person perspective which becomes confusing and feels unnecessary. Secondly, the character of Kat is intensely annoying and pretty much harasses Nathan into a relationship with her. The dialogue between characters also feels unnatural, and I didn't manage to become invested into any of the characters despite being around 161 pages in.

[kieran james bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh out loud read!

A great read with a good story line that makes you really care about the main characters and what happens to them. Goes to prove you never can tell when love will strike!

[Nigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spirited page-turning romcom that can easily be digested in a few sittings. The characters are nicely drawn and if the scenario and meet-cute is a little far-fetched the whole piece is a good-natured and life-enhancing romp.

[Sophie Burrpott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish.

Felt very immature and bizarre. Thought I was going to get something quirky and deep. Instead got shallow and formulaic.

Tried to get a few chapters in, characters very unlikeable and things that really stood out as just unnecessary like "Kat. Oh as in pussy?" 🤮