I didn’t know what to expect from this book. The cover and description caught my eye and as I started to read I knew that this book was going to take me on a journey for which I was unprepared. It is deeply human, bare, open and heartbreakingly honest in its portrayal of a man who feels the claustrophobia of his existence slowly crushing him. He dreams of a life unlike the one he has, where he can leave behind the burdens of family life and experience the freedom he feels will enrich his existence. He has a plan.

The writing is exceptional in this book. I forgot that I was reading a work of fiction and was completely engrossed in the story. I read it in one sitting, staying up until the early hours to do so. The dark solitude of night probably enhanced my enjoyment for the book even further.

I recommend this book to all humans. Be prepared to feel.

If ever there was a good example of “the grass is always greener on the other side of the street“, it is eloquently depicted in “Drift, Stumble, Fall“. It is human nature to pine for what we don’t have.

Bill and Rosie’s story was one of such deep sadness, while Richard and Lisa seemed not to appreciate each other, to be just ‘going through the motions’.

I have to say, that this is a book about not much at all, but it is written with such empathy and understanding of human nature that being inside Richard’s head proved to be riveting reading.

The whole time I was wondering whether Richard would stay or go. Also, wondering just what would MAKE him stay? what would MAKE him go?

At the end of this powerful little novel I wondered… just how many people around us, who appear to be adjusted and content, are really living lives of quiet desperation?

I thought this book was well written overall, however I think the plot was missing in places. Richard is seeking to escape, but the book really doesn't describe what he is really wanting to run from in a relatable manner. I liked the separate story of the grass being green on the other side and liked how different the truth was to what Richard imagined. I found the characters to be missing some development and it ended up causing me to be unable to relate to the some of the plot. Thanks for the ARC, Netgalley.

This is one of those rare novels that taps a part of our inner-self that we barely admit to ourselves, let alone share with the world. This is the story of a man--a father, a husband, a cherished son-in-law--who just wants out of the life he is living. Nothing is especially wrong, but nothing is especially right, and his life doesn't seem like his own. He wants away from the noise, the chaos, and the "messiness" of his family, but his thoughts are juxtaposed with his actions, which are kind, loving, and thoughtful. If you think for a minute, you've probably been at this place too...when out for an errand you think, "What if I just keep driving?". Then there's that moment when you realize the meaning of "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" and you turn the car around and head back. .I enjoyed this character-driven work that is a bit like a mystery and a bit Walter Mitty-esque, yet deeply felt and emotional. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

Thank you for making this title available. Unfortunately, the further I read, the more I was convinced that this was not the kind of book that I would enjoy. This is no criticism whatsoever of the plot, characters, writing style, setting, or the author. Merely a statement of my own preferences.

Richard is married with two kids and is really feeling trapped. He is unhappy and making plans to get away from it all. Just disappear without a trace and leave it all behind. While he is making his plans, he notices his neighbor Bill, who lives across the street. Bill is a little older, and lives alone with his wife. Richard is envious of Bill's quiet and calm life.

Bill's life is stuck in a rut due to some very tragic things that have happened in his life. As he watches his neighbor, Richard, he longs for the kind of life he used to have.

This is a very simple story with a very profound message. It is easy to be envious of others, but you never know what someone else is going through. Very good read.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Richard and Bill look out their windows and wave at each other. Both making assumptions and judgments about the other. Bill stands at the window waiting for his daughter to come back while rarely leaving the house and Richard believes Bill has the quiet life he wants. Richard feels trapped in his life. His wife and kids put him on edge with the noise and the chaos. He does what is expected and tries to keep the peace all the while planning his escape.

This was an interesting read and unlike any other book I have read. The timeline only spanned a few weeks, but you get a full taste of the family and the workings within. Rich's internal struggle is real and relatable. I am sure everyone who is married with kids has felt this way at one time or another. Planning his escape helped him work through his feelings while outside forces exposed all he was taking for granted. I really enjoyed this read.

A book that drew me in ,in to the life of a man who wants to walk away from his life into the lives of his neighbors.The concept of the grass is always greener brillant keep you turning the pages.A quiet read that surprises,#netgalley#driftstumblefall

Haven't we all dreamt about starting over, changing our life, wishing for the life of others? Often enough we don't appreciate what we have. We remember the dreams we had, we know what were lacking. We look at others and envy creeps in. But what do we really know about others, about their life and their shattered dreams?

That's the situation our hero finds himself in. He plans his escape. And we can all relate. Everyday life is often a burden.

Any story that begins with the statement by the protagonist that he will cease to exist in 3 days hooks the reader.

Two children and a lackluster wife (Lisa), his unending routine, his job and everything else has become an increasing burden on Richard. He now has a plan. And the snow that falls is just right. He even has dreamed about this day for 5 years.

Richard's neighbor Bill (87 years old) watches Richard from his window, often. Does he see a younger version of himself in Richard?

A riveting story of mid-life crisis and routine begins with an unstoppable snowstorm...

A read not to miss.

Many thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a fast, enjoyable read!

A sense of unease and foreboding is instilled from the very first page of this book, and, fortunately, M. Jonathan Lee maintained both right through to the end. The plot is appropriately simple, the characters understood yet just out of arm’s reach, and the ending’s implications marvelously give the story numerous pathways to a future beyond the pages – even as I write this review I’m wondering what the characters are doing now…

The synopsis is quite satisfactory, in both what it tells and what it leaves out. On the surface, this is a contemporary story with themes of regret and self-reflection. What makes it stand out against other novels with similar themes, is M. Jonathan Lee’s writing style. The dialogue and descriptions all feel concise, clean, realistic – and give off the feeling that things are not (to echo the synopsis) what they seem. Even the longer introspective paragraphs of our protagonist feel short and to the point, without feeling like they lack substance. There are moments when the story pauses, and it’s hard not to think that maybe something bigger is at play than reality as we know it, but then those moments are explained and a wave of relief temporarily overshadows the hesitant wonder that is always present. This style emphasizes the uneasy atmosphere of the story; before the reader can think too much about what is true and what is illusory, the next events are happening and the anticipation grows a little more.

While the majority of the book focuses on Richard and his family, there are various chapters in which we learn about the neighbor, Bill, and certain events that have transpired in his life. Interestingly enough, the Bill chapters are sort of what keeps the story moving; those interjections break up some of the heavier thoughts Richard has, while still being captivating enough to hold the reader’s attention – and to long for the answer as to why M. Jonathan Lee found it important to include both families in the book.

To get that answer, you will have to read Drift Stumble Fall – at the very least you will find humor in how those three words literally play out in the story. You may even be able to deduce what the dichotomy of the neighbors means to Richard and his plans by just reading the synopsis, but then you would miss out on M. Jonathan Lee’s captivating writing and ability to keep up a mild sense of doom – an artistic achievement perfectly fit for this kind of story.

Richard seems to be in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Married with two children, a nice house and a good job you'd think he'd be content but he's feeling trapped and just wants to escape to a quiet cabin in the woods. When his in-laws lunch time visit extends to a stay of a few days due to heavy snow, he plots how to escape his suffocating existence, convincing himself that his family would be better off without him. As the snow settles in trapping them all indoors he watches his elderly neighbours Bill and Rosie, who seem to have the perfect peaceful existence, with no noisy children around. But you can't always tell what someone else's life is like from outside and Bill and Rosie have had more than their share of heartache and do not enjoy the domestic bliss that Richard imagines.

Somehow, this novel told from Richard's point of view detailing the minutiae of his home life is a very engaging read. There is a gentle humour in many of the situations and an insightful study of the way people behave. Richard's wife Lisa is not a very appealing character and although she claims to love him tends to push him around and ignore his feelings. Although he clearly loves his exuberant children and is in fact a good father, I'm sure his resentment at the demands of parenting small children would resonate with many readers. While Richard's family life takes up most of the book, it is Bill and Rosie's story that puts everything into perspective for him and in the end is the most thought provoking.

Richard dreams of a life removed from the tedium of his own humdrum routine heightened when a snowfall keeps him trapped with his family and in-laws. He is sick of the same conversations and although he enjoys his children and their little rituals they have established, he feels over it all and decides that this is the time he's going to put his dream of another life into action.

At the same time his neighbour, Bill, stares forlornly out of his window. Richard and he exchange waves of greeting but not much else. Bill and his wife appear to have no children and have their own situation to deal with which is described in parallel to Richard's situation.

There's humour in the book and also pathos as M. Jonathan Lee shines a light on the human condition.

Let me start off by saying I regret reading this book after coming out my slump, because it was enough to put you back into one. I'm still none the wiser (after completing the whole book) as to what the actual story was, I felt the author didn't really make that clear.

I did enjoy how the book flowed though, especially with us moving through the days and the little remarks at the top of the chapters gave it a different feel to other books. Almost as if we were reading Richard's diary not a book.

The book was written mostly from Richard's POV which I got quite frustrated with, he was very closed minded on how much he hated his life and he was unhappy with his family. We didn't get to see much from anyone else and it made me feel resentful towards him, almost as if his dislike of his life was unnecessary.

In the snippets that we did see someone else's POV it seemed unrealistic, Bill and his wife seemingly had this perfect life (from what Richard could tell from looking out the window at them every 5 bloody minutes) but in actual fact they didn't. Their life seemed even worse than anyone could imagine and just made the book feel like such a slog.

Overall, I struggled so much to enjoy the majority of this book, it just felt like a slog and honestly, it would have put me back into the slump if I'd have read it at the wrong time!

This is the story about a man who loathes his life and has a plan to walk out on his family and disappear. With a “the grass is always greener” mentality, he thinks he would be happier if he lived the life his neighbor across the street lives however he has no idea the troubles his neighbors have. If he did know, would it make a difference? I really enjoyed this poignant and thought provoking story and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Wow! One of the most thought-provoking books I’ve read this year. It’s one of those books that stays with you after you’ve finished reading.
Drift Stumble Fall brings together the stories of two neighbours - elderly Bill and Rosie who live in the bungalow over the road from Richard.
Richard is a man who feels real resentment with his life - his wife, his two children and his in-laws, who are trapped in his house due to heavy snowfall.
Each is envious of the other’s life - not realising what life is really like for either of them.
Ultimately, this is a story of the ‘grass is not always greener on the other side’. However, it’s so much more complex than that.
The book evokes so many conflicting emotions - it’s sometimes funny and uplifting but is also heart- breaking, anxiety-ridden, dark and depressing.
It raises questions that so many of us ask ourselves - “Am I living my best life?”
“What have I done/ what am I doing with my life?”
“ Is this all there is?!”
“What would an alternative life look like?”
We all ask questions like this at some points in our life. But to what degree do these questions make us actually take steps to change our lives?
Will Richard make a dramatic move to change his life or will he just continue on the predictable treadmill that his life has become?
I felt an enormous empathy for Bill and Rosie and, for the majority of the time for Richard. But at other times I felt angry and irritated with Richard. Similarly, I felt an irritation with Lisa, Richard’s wife but at other times I felt empathy and sympathy for her. After all, she is also just living her life and if Richard feels his life is dull, but how does Lisa actually feel?
The story is told from Richard’s point of view and that makes Lisa seem very one dimensional. There’s a terrible lack of communication between them and as an on-looker I just want to yell at them “Talk to each other! It doesn’t have to be like this!”
This is the first M. Jonathan Lee book I have read but I was incredibly drawn to his writing style and I look forward to discovering more of his work.

Reviewed at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3297609204

Powerful. Is the grass really greener on the other side? We all have secrets. The cover drew me on the story kept me going.

I've been somewhat undecided on how to review and rate Drift Stumble Fall by M. Jonathan Lee. There is no question that it's an exceptional book, delving into the melancholy mind of Richard, who is married to Lisa and the father of young Hannah and Oscar.

Set over the course of several days during a continuous snowfall, which leaves Richard and family home bound along with his in-laws, we are witnesses to his mind's plan of escape from what he has determined is a trapped and chaotic life. Richard longs for his freedom and a simple quiet, with no screaming children or annoying wife hanging on to him, caging him in a world where he no longer wants to be. From the window of his home, he longingly watches his elderly neighbor Bill, who is apparently leading the uncomplicated and peaceful life he longs for.

Bill and his wife, however, are leading a much different life than the one Richard dreams about. Bill also watches Richard, knowing that his hopes for what his neighbor has have long disappeared.

This was a moving although at times hilariously funny novel about human nature and our oftentimes belief that the grass is always greener elsewhere. The author has a way of wording certain situations in the most comical terms, which often had me laughing out loud. These situations, as strange as it sounds, in no way detract from the seriousness of the subject matter; in fact, they actually highlight the absurdity of the lives we lead and those we think we want. The reason I found the novel hard to review is because I struggle with whether Richard's state of mind was due to depression or a simple midlife crisis. But then I wonder if a midlife crisis is actually that simple, and if maybe it really is a form of depression. I realized it made no difference as to my enjoyment of the story, which I found compelling. I decided I couldn't give it less than 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an ARC of this touching book.

Richard is snowed in at home with demanding children and in laws in the run up to Christmas. He desperately envies the peace and comfort enjoyed by his neighbour Bill, unencumbered by the incessant and unpredictable demands of over-excited children and playing host. So, he plans his escape.
Until he is forced to face the painful truth about why Bill and his wife are so quiet and self-contained and why Bill spends so long staring out of his window.
A mid-life male crisis tale for our time, and examination of loss.
Moving and sensitively executed with some laugh out loud as well as teary moments.

This book dives into the mind of a father, husband, and friend to many. The author does a fantastic job to describe what some families go through and some don't see the beauty in front of them. This book was very entertaining and very well thought out. The author is a very strong writer. I love this book. The main character in the book had some serious choices and he was on the verge of a me mental mid life crisis. He had to choose and think over his actions. 5/5