I have liked all the novels I’ve read by Alice Peterson, and have been re-reading them recently. I discovered that although I had read ‘Monday to Friday Man’ in 2012, I only had it on my Kindle. I much prefer reading paperbacks, unless I’m travelling, so I checked ‘AwesomeBooks’ and was delighted to find a ‘Bargain Bin’ edition of this novel, which I immediately ordered.
The story is narrated by Gilly (pronounced Jilly) who is a young woman of 34 when we meet her. She lives on her own in London, after being dumped by her fiancé just a few weeks before the wedding, and she’s been thinking of moving out to the countryside. But she’s persuaded by an estate agent to remain in the city, at least for now.
Gilly has a job she likes in an antique shop, but it doesn’t pay much. So she decides to advertise for a lodger - not a permanent one, but a ‘Monday to Friday’ person, who needs a temporary base during the week but lives elsewhere at the weekend. She interviews several rather dodgy characters, but finally accepts a young man called Jack who seems very charming and is rather attractive too…
Gilly has a dog, Ruskin, and she walks him regularly in the local park. She’s become friendly with several other dog-walkers, and finds herself rather drawn to a new one called Guy. He has a fiancée called Flora who is currently travelling, so he’s not looking for a romantic relationship, But he and Gilly find they have a lot in common, and they quickly become good friends.
There are other people in the book - Gilly’s twin Nick and his somewhat rigid wife Nancy both feature, as do their daughters, although I’d like to have seen a bit more of them. She had a younger sister, Megan, too, who was born with a terrible congenital health condition that meant she didn’t live beyond the age of three - we learn a little more about Megan through the book, and how the grief of her loss hit their parents in different ways.
Alice Peterson, who has a serious health condition herself, often writes about characters who have physical, emotional or mental problems, and she does so with great sensitivity. I thought Megan was a beautifully drawn child, and the reactions of her family seemed very realistic. However, although her death was clearly a catalyst in the break-up of Gilly’s family, her role felt almost like an added-on sideline to the main story. The ways that Gilly’s various friends react to her memory indicate something of their personalities, but she doesn’t quite seem to realise that.
I found some of the minor characters rather forgettable; I never could remember the difference between her closest friends, nor some of the different dog-walkers. But that didn’t much matter. I’d like to have seen more of her father, too; his story feels a bit unfinished. But it’s a minor gripe.
‘Monday to Friday Man’ is basically a romantic story, charting Gilly’s search for a meaningful relationship, and also trying to find her passion. It’s well-written, with people who feel believable, and sufficiently fast-paced that it was quite difficult to put down once I had read the first few chapters.
Recommended if you like women’s fiction and are looking for a well-written light read.
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