Review of Randy the Irresistible
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Heidi Sims
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- Latest Review: Randy the Irresistible by S M Goodier
Review of Randy the Irresistible
[Following is a volunteer review of "Randy the Irresistible" by S M Goodier.]
Randy the Irresistible by S. M. Goddier is quite an entertaining romp. It details the exploits of Randy Love as he works his way into adulthood using as little work as possible. Arriving as a “surprise” to parents who had thought they had planned out everything, Randy has rattled his family since the beginning. As the baby of the trio of Love children, Randy leads a relaxed and charmed life from the get go. His model-like looks and fox-like cleverness ensure this stretch of fortune lasts into his time at “uni” or university. These attributes also help to get him out of the many complicated romantic, financial, and employment situations he manages to get into along the way.
The story begins with Randy deciding that he doesn’t want to finish his final year at uni. However, he knows this choice will not be supported morally or financially by his father. So, he chooses not to tell dad until after he has successfully secured a job and an apartment or “flat.” This is easier said than done, even for the irresistible Mr. Love.
Randy attempts various types of temp assignments with varying degrees of success. He eventually realizes the reason why these jobs cannot be filled in the first place, like poor pay, work conditions and hours, and moves on to seek a more permanent and more enjoyable source of income. Next, Randy tries to find a suitable place to live for a suitably low price. As he jumps from flat to flat to flat, with each experience becoming more infuriating than the last, he finds the truth of the old adage: “you get what you pay for.”
The character of Randy is delightfully insufferable. He is a lovable rogue who rambles from job to job and woman to woman just like he rambles from pub to pub every Friday night. His morals are shallow and motivations are self-serving, yet readers (at least this reader) find themselves rooting for his success in the end.
Unlike Randy who bursts with joie de vivre, some of the other characters in Goodier’s novel fall flat. This is acceptable and expected if they are the patrons in the pubs that Randy frequents or the customers in the bank where Randy works. Still, I wished that those in Randy’s orbit were more developed. The other members of the Love family should really get more “love” from the author. Who wouldn’t want to hear more about Harriet? The older sister who is briefly described as a cross between Margaret Thatcher and Lucy Lawless. Or what about Randy’s widowed father who has taken up baking to please a new lady in his life?
I really enjoyed Randy the Irresistible, and I rated it as 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend the novel for a plane ride or beach read. I especially appreciated (and used!) the glossary of British slang that Goodier smartly made available. While the book was well written and well edited, it didn’t quite rate up to four stars because of the lack of character development. Also, the plot seemed to come to an abrupt and tidy end which didn’t really suit the Randy Love style readers became accustomed to throughout the story.
If Randy the Irresistible were a meal course, it would undoubtedly be a dessert. Fluffy, fizzy, and fun, it does nothing good for a diet, but it is a true treat for the soul.
******
Randy the Irresistible
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Randy the Irresistible by S. M. Goddier is quite an entertaining romp. It details the exploits of Randy Love as he works his way into adulthood using as little work as possible. Arriving as a “surprise” to parents who had thought they had planned out everything, Randy has rattled his family since the beginning. As the baby of the trio of Love children, Randy leads a relaxed and charmed life from the get go. His model-like looks and fox-like cleverness ensure this stretch of fortune lasts into his time at “uni” or university. These attributes also help to get him out of the many complicated romantic, financial, and employment situations he manages to get into along the way.
The story begins with Randy deciding that he doesn’t want to finish his final year at uni. However, he knows this choice will not be supported morally or financially by his father. So, he chooses not to tell dad until after he has successfully secured a job and an apartment or “flat.” This is easier said than done, even for the irresistible Mr. Love.
Randy attempts various types of temp assignments with varying degrees of success. He eventually realizes the reason why these jobs cannot be filled in the first place, like poor pay, work conditions and hours, and moves on to seek a more permanent and more enjoyable source of income. Next, Randy tries to find a suitable place to live for a suitably low price. As he jumps from flat to flat to flat, with each experience becoming more infuriating than the last, he finds the truth of the old adage: “you get what you pay for.”
The character of Randy is delightfully insufferable. He is a lovable rogue who rambles from job to job and woman to woman just like he rambles from pub to pub every Friday night. His morals are shallow and motivations are self-serving, yet readers (at least this reader) find themselves rooting for his success in the end.
Unlike Randy who bursts with joie de vivre, some of the other characters in Goodier’s novel fall flat. This is acceptable and expected if they are the patrons in the pubs that Randy frequents or the customers in the bank where Randy works. Still, I wished that those in Randy’s orbit were more developed. The other members of the Love family should really get more “love” from the author. Who wouldn’t want to hear more about Harriet? The older sister who is briefly described as a cross between Margaret Thatcher and Lucy Lawless. Or what about Randy’s widowed father who has taken up baking to please a new lady in his life?
I really enjoyed Randy the Irresistible, and I rated it as 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend the novel for a plane ride or beach read. I especially appreciated (and used!) the glossary of British slang that Goodier smartly made available. While the book was well written and well edited, it didn’t quite rate up to four stars because of the lack of character development. Also, the plot seemed to come to an abrupt and tidy end which didn’t really suit the Randy Love style readers became accustomed to throughout the story.
If Randy the Irresistible were a meal course, it would undoubtedly be a dessert. Fluffy, fizzy, and fun, it does nothing good for a diet, but it is a true treat for the soul.
******
Randy the Irresistible
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Randy the Irresistible by S M Goodier
