Hatchards

(Hardback)

by lesleys

I was sent an advance copy of Common Decency by Tom Allen to read and review by NetGalley. This is a very readable novel. It is entertaining and quite amusing in places, but I would certainly not call it ‘hilarious’ as some of the blurb says, and if you are expecting laugh a minute Tom Allen style then you may be disappointed. It is a story along the lines of others I have read before; outsiders moving into close knit suburbs and the whole community coming together for a common cause. All that aside I did really enjoy reading it and I think it would make a very good television series.

This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.

(Hardback)

by Mikimoo

Vince and Nathan Luke move out to suburbia away from the buzz of central London. They have moved into a small row of 4 houses into their newly renovated home. Vince is an architect who has sold his business and is now looking to take it easy. Life in this little enclave isn't always quiet or easy and they strive to keep themselves to themselves. The neighbours have other ideas. The council want to make the little park with the beautiful oak tree opposite their homes into an electric car charging station. Don, the most curmudgeonly of the neighbours isn't having it and organises a protest. His downtrodden wife, Fanny, has to go along with everything as it's not worth arguing with him. Next door to Don and Fanny, Alice, a GP and her husband Barry, who seems yet to find his path in life, struggle to find common ground. Elderly Miranda lives next door them with Vince and Nathan Luke on the other side. Miranda is not the fragile old lady that the neighbours have been led to believe. An interesting book about life, consequences and love.

This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.

(Hardback)

by Joy Bosworth

Tom Allen's writing is not only funny but perceptive too.I wouldn't have expected him to portray so accurately a nit picking pensioner who makes it his life's work to interfere in neighbours lives and thrive on curtalling and stopping any pleasure. But he is also spot on with a tipsy GP and an elderly gentlewoman on drugs!It seemed a bit slow getting there initially but I found it well worth continuing for the hilarity when one gets further in.It's an interesting straight read but with comic circumlotions

This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.

(Hardback)

by Richard Angrave

First Tom Allen book I have read. I have seen Tom on Great British Bake Off - An Extra Slice so was aware of his style and personality which transposes well to the written page. Not laugh out loud but gentle humour. An enjoyable read but a little drawn out in places. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the chance to ARC this book.

(Hardback)

by JJ Sharp Verified Purchase

Common Decency is a warm and witty novel set on the seemingly perfect Oak Drive, where a group of neighbours unite to save a beloved tree from property developers. As the campaign gathers momentum, long-held secrets, resentments and unexpected friendships begin to emerge, revealing that life behind the tidy front gardens is far more complicated than it first appears.Tom Allen brings his trademark humour and sharp observations to the story, creating a cast of characters who are both eccentric and endearing. While the plot touches on community, belonging and the small dramas of everyday life, the book never loses its gentle charm. I found it an easy, comforting read that frequently made me smile, with plenty of warmth and a genuine affection for its characters.