“Where did we go wrong?”The above question probably haunts everyone whose relationship recently went down the drain. Some would probably spend most of his / her time trying to figure out what the cause of the split while the rest struggle to move on without bothering to do the full-blown analysis.It’s exactly the theme that Gayle brought up in this novel titled His n’ hers. After Dinner for two, I booked a whole set of Gayle’s novels available in the local library and this was the first one available. Although the story might seem to be dragging at first, the excitement and the emotion picks up halfway after.The book begins with Jim Owen, a successful accountant in his mid-thirty who was just going to ask his girlfriend Helene to move in with her. In alternate page with another font, Gayle also wrote about a girl named Alison who was engaged and about to get married with a guy named Marcus. Two separate lives, two different personalities and not connected to each other.Until Alison found out that her cat Disco got sick and died a day later. She then picked up the phone and called Jim to help her sort things out, since Disco was, after all, their cat. The story later unfurls their past together, how they met in the freshmen night in 1989 and found that they were attracted to each other years after. Their relationship began to blossom after they finished university and ditched their own respectable girlfriends and Disco was the first gift Jim gave to Alison.Their love was so strong that they couldn’t stand being away from each other for just one night so it was a natural for them to move together and got married later.Everything seemed to work out so fine, or so Alison thought, that they were already talking about having a milenium baby and all when Jim dropped the bomb. He told her that he wasn’t in love with her anymore, packed his bags and left.So, what went wrong?Four years later after all the anger and bitterness subside, Alison and Jim met again to take care of their dead cat and it was their time to discuss what really has gone wrong in their relationshipAs a person in a serious relationship myself, I could relate all the things written here thanks to the brilliant Gayle. I don’t know how he did it since he is a man, and well naturally we believe that man is not as sensitive to other people’s feelings like women do. But anyway, Gayle got it right. There are bits and pieces, those we call details, that could turn a healthy relationship into a cancerous one. Every single little things written in here, albeit too much at some point, are the truth no matter whether you live in North Pole, Australia or Mars.Having a relationship takes a serious adult responsibility and it takes two to make it work.
Ao inicio não estava a gostar la muito do livro. Uma historia um bocado parada, sem grande interesse, ate que comece a relatar as coisas do passado.Jim e Alison sou dois jovens apaixonados que vão vivendo o seu amor, confrontados com muitos obstáculos que, aos poucos, vão conseguindo ultrapassar. E, quando tudo se acalma e tudo vai de vento em poupa, resolvem morar juntos, casar e comprar uma casa. Mas ai o amor esmorece, e separam-se.Será que se arrependem de tal decisão?O livro esta escrito em forma de diário. Escrito de ambas as perspectivas.E um livro de escrita simples, com uma historia simples, nada de uma grande historia de amor. E uma historia de amor que qualquer um de nos pode vir, com personagens perfeitamente normais como nos (sem serem aquele ser esplêndido que todos os escritores tem tendência a criar) e que nos fazem sentir um enorme carinho por eles, por serem tão simples e banais.Um bom livro para descontrair. Não e um livro esplêndido, mas um livro com uma escrita e historia bastante agradável.Gostei!
What do You think about His 'N' Hers (2005)?
His ‘n’ Hers, Mike Gayle’s fifth novel, is about Jim and Alison who met at a student union during college and later on became a couple, then got married, and got separated. Years after they separated, having had their new lovers, an incident happened and because of that incident, their new lives with their new lovers has changed.I never got bored while I was reading the book. It was so exciting, and the events are unexpected. Unlike other love-story books, it is not a cliche one. It is just a simple read, but the story is really interesting and the way it was written is very good. It is like the book and the reader are somewhat connected.“Love is so complicated, that is why it is love.”
—Areli
This book came in a "lot" of books I bought on e-bay, only because the lot contained 2 other books I was dying to read. I'd never heard of Mike Gayle and certainly had never heard of His n' Hers. Well, one Saturday morning I needed something new to read so I picked this up. I finished it that night! I'll admit, I was a little turned off when I realized that most of the book was a flashback - it starts when the main two characters, Jim & Allison are years past their relationship and the majority of the book is the retelling of their entire romance. But....by the time I was a few pages in, I was so invested in the characters and couldn't wait to see what happened! Even though I knew they ended up breaking up, I so enjoyed reading about the course of their relationship, and the last few chapters - what happens when they reunite.
—Alison
If I had to give the review in one word, it would be "Heartwarming". What a happy read that I am in love all over again. Such a perfect description of his n her relationship. How relationships go through the ups and downs of life and how in end all that matters is love and only love. I love how Jim and Alison treat each other as best of friends. Mike Gayle's writing style is effervescent. And the best part, I could totally connect with all the parts. It will surely leave you with a smile and lots of happy moments... :)
—Kritika Manchanda
