His life is perfectly regimented. Is there really room for something as unpredictable as love?
Oliver Clock has everything arranged just so. A steady job running the family funeral parlour. A fridge stocked with ready meals. A drawer full of colour-coded socks. A plan (of sorts) to stay trim enough for a standard-sized coffin. And in florist Marie, he’s even found the love of his life—not that she’s aware of it.
When a terrible tragedy takes Marie out of his life but leaves him with her private journal, he discovers too late that she secretly loved him back. Faced now with an empty love life, a family funeral business in trouble, a fast-approaching fortieth birthday and a notebook of resolutions he’s never achieved, Oliver resolves to open himself up to love—and all the mess that comes along with it.
But, with a habit of burying his feelings, can he learn to embrace his lovability and find the woman who will make him feel whole?
Funny & Bittersweet! 
So very different, but a good read!
Oliver Clock is 39, and single. He has only ever had one job, working in the family firm of funeral directors which he is now in charge of with his mum running interference. His working life requires him to be organised and methodical and this spills over into Oliver’s personal life. Deciding that he is in love with Marie, his florist, Oliver plans on asking her out as a first move but things don’t work out like that. However, he has two journals to keep him company – Marie’s diary and his planning notebook . . .
I warmed to Oliver Clock quite quickly; I loved his sense of order (my wardrobe is colour co-ordinated!) although I’m not quite as organised as he is! More than anything, I thought he was lonely – after all, he could hardly hit on his customers! There are some great laughs in the book but it’s bittersweet too, especially regarding Marie. I loved the quirky way Oliver wrote his resolutions, they gave me some really good giggles! Oliver is easy to relate to, and the story unfolds easily. Good characters and a memorable storyline all add up, for me, to four stars. The cover is also worth a mention – different and eye-catching!
I chose to receive this novel as part of my First Reads choice for January; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: humour, fiction
- Format: ebook, paperback, audiobook, audio cd
- Size: 308 pages
- Publisher: Lake Union
- Publication Date: 1 February 2020
- Links: Goodreads
- Barnes & Noble
- Waterstones
- amazon
Author Bio
Jane Riley began her career in public relations before moving into publishing and later launching an online e-commerce business. She has freelanced as a writer and editor and wrote a design blog interviewing makers and creators. She volunteers as an English language tutor for the Adult Migrant English Program in Sydney. The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock is her first novel.
Social Media
Twitter: @JaneRileyAuthor
Grace J Reviewerlady 