This book was a unique story that caught my interest right away.
The way in which the story is told was from the point of view of Dan as he documents his life in the format of a diary.
The thing that was really brilliant about this book was how, even though the story consisted of lists, the author still managed to portray a beautiful story as Dan prepares himself for a lifechanging step as he readies himself to become a father for the first time.

Full of humour and love, this book is so incredibly heart warming it was difficult to part with it.

I love a book that mixes up the format and this book did just that as it is written completely in lists!

Dan documents his life, diary style, in a list format. Lists include his daily finances, days without certain items, his favourite books for that month and so on.

What I find so brilliant about this book is that even though it’s all lists, the author still managed to tell a beautiful story about Dan’s life as he builds up to becoming a Father for the first time and dealing with his own Father leaving him as a child.

Due to the format of the book I raced through it in no time! It’s like taking a book, removing all the description and just reading the highlights but this isn’t a bad thing because a lot of the “lists” will have you laughing out loud and at times you can totally relate to Dan’s problems (maybe not the bit about robbing a bingo hall!).

Overall this was a fun read and I’ll definitely be seeking out more books in this style!

Funny and poignant book about Dan as he tries to balance his failing business, his wife’s desire for a baby, and his ever-present feelings of uselessness. Written entirely in the form of lists, it shows real creativity of the author to convey meaning and depth in an engaging format. As with any modern fiction, some crassness and swearing, but eminently likeable as you see Dan make mistakes and act out of fear, yet still come through in the end.

Loved this book that is written entirely in lists! Really effective way to tell the story – bookshop owner Dan is in financial trouble, regrets leaving teaching & is trying not to get wife Jill pregnant. Funny & heart-warming.

Unfortunately missed out on downloading before this was archived so I’ve not had the chance to read.

21 Truths About Love is an exploration of the heavy pressure that responsibilities can bring, and the decisions that people can make out of desperation, when they feel like there are no longer any other options. This story is told by the point of view of Dan, through the form of various lists he makes over the course of the year (ranging from mundane to fairly odd), which started as a compromise with his therapist who wanted him to journal, and is now a borderline-addiction. Through shopping lists, ideas, pro’s vs con’s, and random late-night thoughts, Dans life is laid open for us to see.

Matthew Greens writing is clever, witty and full of emotion. There is a lot of character development to be seen in Dan through the duration of the story, as we grow to care about him he also starts to learn to care about himself- he is decidedly not the same man at the beginning as his is by the end.

This is a quirky read, which I really enjoyed thanks to Dans unique view of the world and the humour it brings, and for that I am going to rate this book a solid 4/5 stars. This book passed the test of making me cry (which is a tricky task, let me tell you) and I would definitely recommend giving it a read if you haven’t already.

21 Truths About Love by Matthew Green has all the ingredients for a good story - a man struggling with a failing business and his feelings about impending fatherhood - but the execution and format make some of it repetitive and skimmable.

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
This book is a sweet story, written in lists which cover the big things and little things in his life. I really liked this writing style as it was quirky and made the book an excellent read. It took a while to get used to the writing but once I did, I was hooked. The story is heart warming, good for those wanting a light, easy read. The author did well to convey the story well, particularly with the limited use of words. I particularly liked the relationships developed and demonstrated in the books, showing various aspects of unconditional love.
The use of lists may not be for everyone.
On the whole, a great book.