Curtis one half of the international music sensation Butterfish has moved back to his home town in Queensland after the split of the band. While trying to live a normal life he becomes entangled with the lives of his neighbours: a mother who can’t cook; her dramatic 16-year-old daughter and her quintessential 14-year-old son. Nick Earls fills his characters with quirks and mannerisms that the reader can identify in some way with every one of them. Earls’ effortless prose and humour makes easy reading but the way that he handles complicated scenarios makes the book unforgettable. ( )

I don't really know how to describe this book. An episode in the protagonist's life? It seemed not to come to any resolution, but not to have anything terribly deep either.

Curtin is a musician, ex member of Savage Ga- no sorry, Butterfish, returning home after his band splits after a lacklustre third album. I'm still not sure what Curtis played- keyboards maybe? Anyway, he has to deal with his neighbour and her daughter's attentions, the neighbour's son's fish loving, his dad's death oh and, the lead singer of Butterfish descending on him. Although the arrival of Derek sends Curtis into a tizzy, not a lot seems to come out of this (nor from the neighbours).

I borrowed this from the library. If I'd have bought it, I would have been disappointed with the lack of resolution. Nick Earls writes very well, but not even nostalgic love for Australia could put this high on my shelves. Bachelor Kisses is much more humourous and the plot actually moves- I'd recommend this instead, ( )

Curtis is a "retired" rock star who returns to his native Brisbane after the band he was in imploded. He is discovering a normal life again and his place as he re-establishes a relationship with his brother, gets caught up in the lives of his single mother neighbour and her two teenage children and has to resolve some issues about an ex band member and the marriage of his ex wife. ( )