The Last Birthday Party

Find my full review at https://literaryquicksand.com/2021/07/review-the-last-birthday-party-by-gary-goldstein/

This book was just a hoot. It was funny, endearing, and just a good book overall.

Jeremy is a likable guy, if a bit hapless, but that makes him really accessible as a main character. I think we can all identify with that moment when something big goes wrong, and you realize you've seen it coming but just...didn't want to think about it, so you didn't. And now it's here, and you're screwed.

That's the situation we meet Jeremy in (on the day after his 50th birthday), and it just goes from bad to worse very quickly when his wife is gone and then he falls and injures his shoulder (while trying to reach the alcohol cuz, well, his wife is gone).

Honestly, after that, not much really happens in this book. Sure, Jeremy is in the midst of figuring out his love life and his career, but there's not really much for action here. I love a good character-driven novel, so this was fine with me. It does have to be GOOD though, and this one fit the bill.