Wake Up Happy Every Day

Description

What happens if you do actually find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Nicky has always known Russell was rich, but he has no idea how astronomically rich Russell is until his friend drops dead, on his fiftieth birthday, with Nicky as the only witness. And now Nicky has come up with an uncharacteristically daring plan. If Nicky were to become Russell and leave his old life lying dead on the bathroom floor, he and his family could start again. But when the foundations of their glittering existence start to crack, the impact of his hasty decision begins to be felt by those around him: by Nicky's distant father; by his daughter's babysitter and her boyfriend, who harbour grand hopes of their own; by a young Englishwoman attempting to find her father; and by Catherine, an ex-soldier with a suspicious interest in Nicky's movements...

Stephen May's first novel Tag was published by a small Welsh press and won the Reader's Choice Award at the 2009 Welsh Book of the Year. His second, Life! Death! Prizes!, was published by Bloomsbury in 2012 and was shortlisted for the 2012 Costa Novel Award and the Guardian's 'Not the Booker Prize'. Originally from Bedford, he now lives and works in west Yorkshire. www.sdmay.com @RealStephenMay

May's comic touch drives the book ... Charming, jaunty, and very British ... [A] smart and snappy satire ... Wake Up Happy Everyday delivers plenty of clever surprises ... May's witty voice and wry commentary keep the reader turning pages * New York Times * The sense of jeopardy leaps from the page, and so does the writing. Hooked * Elle Magazine * A morality tale that explores the difference between material and real happiness ... Razor-sharp wit * Guardian * He riffs entertainingly on failure ... Talk of misspent youth, assassins and obstreperous protagonists belies the emotional core which makes May's books moving * Independent on Sunday * Pithy observations on everything from "endearment inflation" to the three most important words in any long-term relationship: "It doesn't matter" * Daily Mail * Hilarious ... May writes so wittily, so charmingly, that his characters and twists feel irresistible, shiny, and new * Good Housekeeping (USA) * Hilarious ... A charmingly ill-fated adventure [told] with wit and sharp observation ... A compelling read for anyone who has ever believed that the grass might actually be greener * Press Association * May's comic touch drives the book ... Charming, jaunty, and very British ... [A] smart and snappy satire * New York Times Book Review * Wake Up Happy Everyday delivers plenty of clever surprises ... May's witty voice and wry commentary keep the reader turning pages * New York Times Book Review *