My Legendary Girlfriend

April 22, 2002
A tinted review in adult Forecasts indicates a book that's of exceptional importance to our readers, but hasn't received a starred or boxed review. MY LEGENDARY GIRLFRIEND Mike Gayle. Broadway, $21.95 (288p) ISBN 0-7679-0973-9 The young protagonist of Mr. Commitment
struggles with an over-the-top case of romantic despair in Gayle's muddled second U.S. publication (actually his first novel). It recounts four days in the life of London schoolteacher Will Kelly, who is emerging from an extended stay in heartbreak hotel since his girlfriend, Aggi, dumped him three years earlier. The self-absorbed, self-deprecating English instructor doesn't lack for romantic prospects—he landed on his feet with comely young Martina—but Will's obsessive tendency to compare her to Aggi renders him indifferent to Martina's charms. The unlikely object of his affection turns out to be Kate, the former occupant of his flat, who finds herself in an intimate phone relationship with the rather unstable teacher when she calls looking for her mail. The thin plot consists of scenes in which Will alternately displays his tongue-in-cheek humor to his paramours and launches into a series of whiny rants and bouts of longing for Aggi. The beginning of the climax adds some vigor, when Will proposes to Kate over the phone, then discusses his romantic approach with a radio talk-show host, but the resolution involving both Kate and Will's musician friend Simon is a clunker. Gayle occasionally demonstrates some of the charm and humor that made Mr. Commitment
a British bestseller, but the underplotting here shows through in a hurry, and Will's constant whining will try the patience of even the most avid Anglophiles. National advertising; 3-city author tour. (July)Forecast:Nick Hornby fans will make good hand-sell candidates, as will die-hard Bridget Jones loyalists.

March 1, 2002
It's billed as a male Bridget Jones, so you get the picture. The burning question in this debut a huge hit in Britain is whether Will Kelly can ever get over the vaunted Agnes and learn to love again.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2003
Adult/High School-Having gotten dumped by his girlfriend on his 23rd birthday, Will Kelly has a severe case of post-breakup blues. He dwells in a land of what-ifs and tortures himself by reliving the fantastic moments of their relationship; but three years later, it seems as though Will is slowly starting to put his life back together. After much intermittent employment, he has moved to London and has a job. His paycheck doesn't relieve him from having to write to his student-banking adviser pleading for yet another overdraft extension, but at least he has a steady income. And he is seeing someone whose self-esteem is possibly lower than his. Still, in the course of four days, he reveals just how far he is from being over his "legendary girlfriend." It isn't often that one gets to read about a man's heartache over the end of a romance. The author of this charming tale brings readers to a sympathetic understanding of the protagonist, even when his behavior is at its most pathetic. Even rarer is the occasion to read a book that can make misery seem so funny. Readers feel Will's anguish but can't help laughing at it, perhaps seeing something of themselves in his behavior. After all, love can make one act in the craziest of ways. Teens will enjoy this novel and relate to Will's story.-Julie Dasso, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2002
Readers might be surprised to learn that Gayle's novel takes place over only four days, the majority of them spent in hero Will Kelly's messy hovel of an apartment. Will is about to turn 26, and he's none too happy about it. He's still mourning his breakup with his dream girl, Aggi, despite the fact that it happened three years earlier. His best friend, Alice, is supportive and thoughtful, but the revelation that another friend, Simon, has betrayed him devastates Will. Depressed by his job as a teacher, his clingy girlfriend, his hilariously horrific studio apartment, and his impending birthday, Will can't imagine things getting bleaker. When Kate, the previous renter of his apartment, starts calling to track down a paycheck, the two begin to commiserate over their bad breakups and the woeful apartment. Sparks fly, and soon Will is certain it's love. But will he ever be able to get past Aggi and start a new relationship? Romance and humor mix brilliantly in this winning novel from the author of " Mr. Commitment" (2000).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)