Is there a genre for chick-lit for men? Story was decent and well-written but a bit formulaic. Would make a decent beach, holiday or commute read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

If I was to say to you, 'Listen you REALLY must read this book-it's about a man who works for the council, checking the houses of dead people for funds to pay for their state funerals and it's SO GOOD,' you would think I have lost my bookblogger mind.

The term 'life-affirming' is bandied about willy-nilly but this is exactly what 'Something To Live For' is. Andrew, the protagonist, lives in a narrative of his own making, keeping work and home firmly apart. For someone so invested in death he has one hell of a time living.

He makes model railways, keeps real life at arms length by interacting with fellow enthusiasts online, has an invented life which he talks about at work to keep his colleagues at bay.

But life will force him to engage with it whether he likes it or not-his boss suddenly decides that a 'Come Dine With Me' style bonding experience will be exactly what their office needs. So how is Andrew going to stop his real and make believe lives intersecting when everything is now at stake? And that is without his new co-worker Peggy who, against his better judgement, gets under his skin...

There is just so much depth to this novel that I resolutely refuse to believe it is a debut.

It's darkly funny yet so, so moving that you cannot help but be swept up in the rationale behind Andrew's lies and how he becomes trapped in them. There is a sweet and quiet dignity to the funerals he attends to make sure he at least sees off the people who are dying of loneliness. The stories of his clients are unbearably moving-sometimes not found for days, in one case, months, and the very notion that a person could have made such an insignificant impact on the world and its history is intolerably cruel.

In death Andrew and Peggy find the meaning of life and step by step Andrew finds his place in the world, and in doing, returns this to the dead. It's a beautiful meditation on social isolation, courage and grief, absolutely 100% recommended and with such a lovely finale that your breath catches in your chest.

And if someone could please stop cutting onions as I cannot see the keyboard clearly...

*recommended to read with copious amounts of biscuits, tea and tissues followed by checking in on friends and family that maybe you meant to ring but never had the time-make the time you don't know how long any of us have*

This is a very different book than I normally read as I fancied a change from the psychological thrillers . It was certainly an eye opener , very well written and a wonderful subject. Death and loneliness can be very hard when you are on your own and being an only child with no siblings it was probably a mirror of what my life could hold in the future . I would love the read more from this author in the future

Emotionally-charged, heartbreaking and yet uplifting at the same time, SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR by Richard Roper is a moving story that really got under my skin.

Andrew understands loss in a way that a lot of people do not especially because his job centres around it - working for the council, he searches for the next of kin for people who have died in council housing, and he organises their funerals and even attends them if they don't have anyone (though this isn't part of his job description). Andrew lives a very isolated life and the only people he has dealings with are his work colleagues who irritate him and a few people from his model train forum whom he has never met in person. He doesn't need anyone. Well, except for his fictional wife and children whom he accidentally created on the day of his interview and has had to keep 'alive' ever since. But when tragedy strikes and then Andrew actually makes a friend in the form of his new colleague Peggy, he may just be forced to face up to the reality of his life. And for the first time in a long time, Andrew might wonder if there could be something more for him if he was just brave enough to reach for it.

This book really hit me in the heart and my eyes filled more times than I could count which is a testament to the skill of Richard Roper in creating characters that burrow into your soul. Andrew is a loner who doesn't want or need anyone. He has an ordered existence which works for him and he goes that extra mile for those people who have nobody. Yet with this imaginary family that he didn't mean to create, he finds the life he wished he had which is truly heartbreaking and he wonders if he will end up like the people he discovers at work. I loved the friendship that sparks between Andrew and Peggy as she is everything he needed even though she has her own issues to deal with.

There are funny moments (the dinner parties! lol), moments of grief and sadness, and moments of solid friendship and love that will have you reading this stunning story in one sitting, and I would love to see this appear on my tv screen someday soon.

SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR by Richard Roper is a beautiful and thought-provoking story about life and what we make of it and I cannot wait for more from this talented author.

I thought that Richard Roper's book was a moving story of what may well be common alienation within families. Andrew's journey was a painful one and founded on experiences from childhood onwards. The collision with Peggy's life added complication but also potential salvation.

Framing Andrew's struggles through his work for the council dealing with lonely death's added to the poignancy.

I've been pleased to have read a number of very worthy new books recently and Something To Live For adds to that pile.

This book was provided as an advance copy by the publisher in return for an honest review.

I intend to review this book on Amazon on release on 27 June 2019.

Andrew works for the council, searching for the next of kin for those people who died alone. He's been in this job for years, collects model trains as a hobby and has invented a perfect family for the benefit of his co-worker's thanks to an awkward interview situation.
He seems content with this state of affairs until Peggy starts working alongside him. As their working relationship starts to blossom into friendship Andrew is dealt a life blow, and this combination of events makes him start to question his lifestyle choice. As he opens up to Peggy we learn of his childhood and how he has ended up so lonely and unable to let go of his imaginary family.
This is a book that deals with grief and what happens when you can't move forward from that grief. There are some genuine laugh out loud moments, alongside some slightly mawkish moments, but ultimately it is a real 'feel-good' book.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

This was an interesting book, very different to all the so called psychological books around at the moment, with apparent twists you weren't expecting. Something to Live For was a pleasant change. I did stop reading about two thirds of the way though as it seemed to plateau out and I wondered if it was going anywhere but am thankful that I picked it up again a while later.. What made it interesting was the revelation that there are people who work for our local councils who have to go round and sort out the homes of someone who has died without any known relatives. That nugget of information was brilliant. I'm not sure Cameron would have survived in any council department today but his stressed home life was spot on. I loved Andrew's dedication to his hobby of model railways and his interesting forum friends who saved his bacon at the end. What saved this book was the background of family life, his wife Diane and children David and Stephanie. I would recommend this book as a nice, gentle change from murder mysteries, it was very enjoyable.

Andrew lives alone surrounded by his model trains, he’s 42, single and works for the local council. His job is to inspect the houses of those who have died alone to ascertain if they have any living friends or family who will pick up the tab for the funeral or if it’s down to the local authority to provide the required ‘pauper funeral’. Andrew is a creature of habit, he avoids anything outside of his comfort zone with an almost military precision, and that includes people, his only social interactions take the form of an online model trains forum. Enter Peggy, a new addition to the department who Andrew sets about training in the way of house inspection. An unlikely team, but one that seems to work, they, against the odds form a friendship.

Andrew’s past is a sad and broken story of heartbreak and loss which has left him socially inept and not just a little flawed. And soon, the fragile world he has built for himself is in serious danger of crumbling:

“Have you ever told a lie so big that you felt there was no way out of it. That you had to just carry on pretending?”

Where to go from here? It’s now over to you to read the book. This is a tight, well put together novel, I loved both the lead characters, in fact if I ever died alone I would surely want an Andrew or a Peggy to have my back. Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is something both unusual and moving. We meet the main character, Andrew, at the funeral of an elderly man he didn’t know. For Andrew works for, ‘Death Administration,’ at the Council offices. In general terms, the department he works for, deals with, what were once known as, ‘Pauper’s Funerals.’ When someone dies alone, it is Andrew’s job to go into their home and attempt to locate enough money to pay for their unmarked grave, and, if possible, find contact details of a relative.

Andrew is forty two and his own family is a sister he rarely sees. After starting his job, he finds himself accidentally falling into a lie, which leads to his inventing a wife, and two children. In reality, he lives alone – his only friends the members of an online forum, who – like him – obsess about model railways. However, Andrew’s life is about to change with the arrival of new member, Peggy Green and the threat of his boss, Cameron Yates, that the members of his department, gloriously unwilling to participate, host dinners in a form of mortifying team bonding. Even more concerning for Andrew is that, rather than lawyer wife, Diane, and a large house, the members of his team – including unpleasant colleagues, Keith and Meredith – will be climbing the stairs to his dingy bedsit…

I really liked Andrew. Middle aged, quiet, and lonely; he is an unusual hero. As the novel progresses, and everything I have mentioned above, happens in the first couple of chapters, we learn why Andrew is living his isolated, rather unhappy, life. However, although this novel deals with difficult, and often sad, themes, it does so with humour and intelligence. Some of the scenes in this novel are so full of embarrassment, you can hardly read on, but you want to know what will happen to Andrew. Stuck in a tragic job, with unsympathetic colleagues and a well-intentioned boss, whose ideas are always unwelcome – who does enjoy team bonding exercises anyway?!

This would be ideal for reading groups, as there is much to discuss. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

Hilariously funny and painfully sad, it's brilliant. Turned the last page with a huge grin and tears pouring down my face. Absolutely going to feature on my Books of the Year 2019 list.

Good, easy read. I liked the character progression throughout the story. I also enjoyed the insight into "welfare" job which was interesting.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to young readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

If you enjoyed A Man Called Ove, 600 Hours of Edward or The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared then this could be just your type of book. Andrew works for the council in the death department. Yes really. He deals with the unfortunate souls who are found dead in their own homes, left alone and found by accident or default. He tries to track any relatives and finances and if there is no one then arranges the funeral- he even goes to them as often there is no one else to go. When he applied for the job five years ago, somehow he made up a family. A wife and two children which in the intervening period he wanted to put right but somehow the time was never right. Each night he goes home, not to the house of his stories but to a flat where his only companionship is his model trains. When Peggy joins the fold he finds in her something he has not experienced for a long time- friendship and he desperately wants to tell her the truth. I really enjoyed this. A story of a man who life and love was passing by due to what had happened in the past. Of being cautious and anxious and the belief that the only true person you can depend on is yourself. Of a vulnerable character learning that life can be enjoyed and people can make you happy and be trusted. An uplifting read to make you think about life and your place in the world and maybe of others who may not be quite so confident.
(rest of links as part of blog tour)

"Something to Live For" is an enjoyable, uplifting and touching book about grief, loneliness and friendship. Andrew lives a lonely, solitary existence, filled with work and chats on his forum for trains enthusiasts. He works as a council officer, visiting homes of people who died alone, looking for their next to kin or friends. But everyone at works believes that he is happily married, and lives with his wife and two children in a nice house - the lie told at the interview grew bigger and bigger, more elaborate and detailed, but is keeping Andrew happy. so there is no harm in it, right? It is only when a new colleague, Peggy, starts in his department, he realises that perhaps life is just slipping by.

This is a book about human relationships - families, friendships and day to day relationships with others that keep us grounded and connected. Andrew's job makes him acutely aware of what it means to to be lonely, but at the same time, he is afraid of changes, because that would mean dealing with a past.

Andrew and Peggy are such lovely, real characters, with their flaws, foibles and genuine care for other human beings, that you cannot help but root for them. I also loved that the author decided to make them older, each of them with their own baggage of experiences and problems. There is no magical solutions in this books - characters must make their own choices and their decisions, whatever the reasons behind them, will have consequences too. But it is also a life-affirming, genuinely heartwarming read, that reminds you that people are in fact, good, and that even if you do not realise, there is always something worth living for.

Love love loved this book! It kind of reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman), but with a male protagonist instead, which was fab. I think I found a new favourite genre! Andrew was a likeable, quirky character who I found myself rooting for almost instantly, and members of the 'supporting cast were equally as interesting and fleshed out. For some reason, one of the most engaging parts of the novel for me was Andrew's job: going into homes of deceased people and trying to find who their next of kin were/ if there were any. I don't know why, but I found it absolutely facinating, and it definitely added another layer to the already well-woven and intricate plot, as did the addition of Andrew's model train hobby. Highly recommended for those looking for a heart-warming read which deals sensitively with some serious subjects.

Something to Live For is the story of council worker Andrew. Andrew works in a department whose job it is to follow up deaths when people have died alone and don't seem to have any next-of-kin. He has the unenviable task of inspecting the properties of the deceased, which are often in the most foul condition, to sift through paperwork trying to find a hint of a relative or any evidence of money which can be used to pay for a funeral. The thing is, Andrew is more than a little worried that he may end up just like those people whose lives and deaths he investigates.

Andrew is such a wonderful character. For all he seems to dislike his job at times and especially some of his colleagues, you can sense decency and dedication within him. How often do we hear in the media the story of some old person, often an ex-serviceman, who has died alone and there is an appeal put out for people to attend their funerals? Andrew's conscience just won't let that happen for the people he investigates and although it's not strictly part of his job, he goes to the funerals to show respect for the dead. And yet we see his own loneliness when he goes home at night to his flat and his model railways. Andrew's home life is not what he has led his colleagues to believe and he doesn't know how he can ever tell them.

"Have you ever told a lie so big that you felt there was no way out of it... that you... that you had to just carry on pretending?"

Like a breath of fresh air, new colleague Peggy comes breezing into the office and quickly forms a bond with Andrew. He dares to hope that there may be more than friendship between them. However, he is terrified that his secret may get out and I really felt for him. The more lies he told, the more difficult the situation became for him to cope with. the friendship between Andrew and Peggy was so touching, the way they encouraged and supported each other through some very dark times.

It was heartbreaking to read about just why Andrew was keeping his secrets and the events in his past which influenced his decision. His relief when he finally came clean was palpable and it was cheering to see how people understood why he had done what he had done and supported him.

"I just wanted to feel normal... It started off so small but then... it sort of got out of hand."

Something to Live For is about finding whatever your 'something' is and that something will be different for everyone. What is the thing that makes your life worth living, that makes you get up each morning, that brightens your day? It is an emotional read at times, yet full of warmth and humour and definitely uplifting. I was so pleased to hear that the book has been optioned for a television series and I am so looking forward to watching Andrew and Peggy's story on the small screen.

This book was an absolute joy to read. I enjoyed every page of it. However this is one you have to read yourself and so I don’t want to say too much about the actual plot. I just think it would spoil the book. The story unfolds gradually and you should enjoy each delightful little bit of it as it unfolds.

It’s a book about loneliness, missed opportunities, sadness and loss. As the reader is taken through the story we soon realise it’s not just Andrew the protagonist in the story that lives a lonely life but there are so many people out there who live alone and don’t speak to anyone from one week to the next so that when they pass on, there’s no one to mourn their loss, no one to miss them or to even notice they’re not around any more.

Now that doesn’t sound like the most compelling of reads does it? In fact on the face of it, it really does sound pretty depressing. However it’s written with a great deal of humour. It is never disrespectful but there is much to smile and chuckle at along the way. Andrew works for the local council, I won’t say what his job is but the colleagues he works with feature in the book most of the way through, and in particular Maggie. Maggie and Andrew go out on jobs together and its through work that they gradually form a very close friendship. Their humour plays off one another to the great entertainment of the reader.

There are serious undercurrents to the story, not least the extreme anxiety and panic attacks that Andrew occasionally suffers. Sometimes the story will have you cringing at some of the things that Andrew says or does, other times you will be crossing all your fingers and toes that things go well for him. Sometimes you will definitely shed a tear or two, but there will almost always be something to make you smile and perhaps be grateful for the people in your own life. We do indeed all need something to live for.

I would give this book 10 stars if I could. 5 stars for making me laugh and brightening up my days and 5 stars for such a sensitively written book. To combine both humour and sensitivity is surely worthy of all those stars.

I thought this was utterly brilliant. I can't remember coming across such a funny and relatable male protagonist in recent reads. I thought this was compelling storytelling, sweet and emotional, full of heart and I loved how uplifting it was (despite the deep sadness that permeated the pages), how community is explored as well as the loneliness of dying alone and what we can do to live better and help people more. It has a spark to it which is hard to find.

Initially I was drawn in by the blurb about this book and was expecting something similar to 'A man named Ove' or the like.

Whilst this book isn't like it, I really enjoyed it nonetheless. Andrew lives an insular life and mainly interacts with his friends online who he has found through his love of trains. Throughout this book you are trying to piece together why Andrew has created a fictional family and gone to such lengths to maintain the pretence.

Andrew works for the council in a role that I had never even thought about as a job title and whilst reading this book it made me reflect on people who live alone and die alone. I hope that someone kind hearted like Andrew does exist for ensuring they receive the send off they deserve.

Andrew is a really complex character and I really enjoyed this brilliant and memorable book, it is heartwarming whilst heartbreaking and could have similarities with my own life as well as others. Not only could I identify with, but I fell a little in love with Andrew. You never know what's going on in other peoples lives, do you?

3.5 stars. Andrew works for the council. His job is to investigate whether people who have died alone have either family or any money and if not arrange a state burial and funeral for them. Not only is his job quite depressing but his home life is too. He lives alone with his model train and basically does very little. However he has invented a fictitious wife and children to tell people about but is this a narrative he can keep up?

I imagine lots of people will love this book. In many ways it is the perfect novel for a commute or to take on holiday. Doesn’t need too much concentration but there is still enough of a plot there. It has elements of ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ and ‘Billy Liar’ about it. While the writing was good it became apparent to me early on that this just really wasn’t my type of book and it was slightly too predictable for me with no real layers to it. So 3.5 stars for the writing and ideas but just not my cup of tea.