The Unexpected Vacation of George Thring is about a man who’s pretty down on life and his job and after work one average tuesday ends up driving 200 miles down the road in something of a fugue state. He manages to happen on a town hosting week long elvis impersonator festivities, fall in love, and get caught up in a bank robbery.

Did everything about this book’s plot work for me? Absolutely not. But the character of George Thring is great
(minus really the author’s insistence on describing the woman in George’s love story in ways we’ve come to consider sexist. the man hadn’t changed underwear in a week yet a beautiful woman instantly falls in love with him, george is described pasty and with a paunch as well while every inch of the woman’s body is perfect etc and I think we’re all over this.) And there’s great humor throughout that has me rating this pretty high.

The tone of "Hitchhiker's Guide' coupled with the idea of "Office Space'...this is a light book that will make you chuckle through the twists and turns.

For George it is a some what painful and also a magical ride to rediscover the true meaning of living helped with a great mixture of characters to help him along on this journey. Not all have the best intentions as he soon discovers with both laugh out loud situations blended with some seriously nasty moments by this well written and extremely enjoyable book by Alastair Puddick. I know I will not be able to look at a Smurf and keep a straight face again. thankyouverymuch
NetGalley and Raven Crest Books supplied this book

George Thring is your typical antihero. He’s stuck in a mindnumbingly boring office job with each day a carbon copy of the last and going home to an empty house. One day, his subconcious takes over and he does not go home but simply drives on...some 200 miles. He finds himself washed up in Lower Chidbury, seemingly a boring little town - his car broken down, his clothes torn and covered in mud. Could this get any worse, I hear you ask?
And what’s with the mass of Elvis lookalikes that seem to populate this place?
You cannot help but like this character and although the plot is visible a mile off, I found myself looking forward to go back to this book and discover what else life would throw at George and whether he would triumph in the end, find love and live happily ever after...