YOU READING GROUP

This month’s choice. By John Koski

Wonderfully romantic…an absolute delight from start to finish WENDY HOLDEN

THE STORY

Jonathan is at that difficult stage between carefree adolescence and responsible adulthood, and he’s struggling to make the transition. His copywriting job at a New York ad agency – churning out mind-numbing special offers for an office supplies company – is driving him crazy and he is confused about his girlfriend Julie, who increasingly seems too capable and grown-up for someone like him.

What keeps him sane are his two canine flatmates, a sweet-natured spaniel called Sissy and an emotionally intelligent border collie called Dante, whom he is looking after for his brother. Apart from providing comfort and purpose, the dogs sense Jonathan’s unhappiness and intuitively nudge him towards true love and fulfilment.

But there’s a rocky road to negotiate along the way, especially after Julie asks Jonathan to marry her as part of a promotion for the glossy bridal magazine where she works. It sends Jonathan into complete meltdown and forces him to make some decisions. A hugely enjoyable romcom, with an astute eye on the ‘rom’ and a sharp edge to the ‘com’.

THE TASTER

‘How had he got here? Only a few minutes ago he’d been a kid, riding his bike to school, collecting comics, doing homework and watching TV. Over the years, a few trappings of adulthood had insinuated themselves into his life without making significant inroads. Real adult life seemed to exist over there, somewhere as distant and unreachable as Uranus. He had no idea how people crossed over to this place, or why – the demands of being grown up seemed exhausting.’

THE AUTHOR

Like her title character, Meg Rosoff was an advertising copywriter and has two dogs. She also says that her adolescence ‘went on until my 40s’. Meg was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but has lived in London since 1989. Best known for her award-winning teenage fiction, Jonathan Unleashed is her first novel for adults. She writes exclusively about the background of the story at youreadinggroup.co.uk, where you will also find suggested topics for your own book club discussion.