The travel diaries of John Dot: Margate (Mid Life Backpacker Book 1) by Kevin Kelly

The travel diaries of John Dot: Margate (Mid Life Backpacker Book 1) Reviews

• 
  John Martin

  The British TV series Men Behaving Badly sprang to mind when I was reading this novelette. I found it humorous, but I can see why it might polarise some readers, especially prudish ones. The book is in the first person, and the author gives John Dot a very strong voice, with minimal other dialogue. Dot has some deep insecurities, which triggers a lot of the humour. I finished the book wondering how those insecurities would pan out in his life. Perhaps the next book will take me further on that journey.
• 
  Eran Rabl

  I read it really quickly just to get it over with, as it was short enough to read through in a couple of days. I didn't connect with the author at all (if anything, I felt sorry for his companion) and the story was just mundane, just as any weekend getaway everyone experiences, nothing to write a book about.
• 
  Janine

  I thought this would be a travel book but ended up being an indulgent author writing about his weekend.
• 
  Sarah Woods

  This first dip into the ‘Travel Diaries of John Dot’ certainly bodes well for further instalments. It’s the right length to make you feel like you’ve just experienced an episode of your favourite sitcom. And it certainly has the flavour of the ‘Fawlty Towers’ era mixed with a rather greater awareness of modernity and a somewhat more credible storyline.
  
  Amazingly for a first novel, the author has managed to make his main character, John, so well developed that he’s almost a member of your family by the end of the first chapter. And he probably is that uncle with the carefully folded handkerchief who can’t quite accept that the world isn’t what it was when he was really in his prime.
  
  For me, rather than laugh-out-loud funny, this book gives you lots of those inward giggles and countless moments where, if you were actually there, you’d want to dissolve through the floor with embarrassment like a teenager witnessing her father’s lack of ‘cool’.
  
  There’s a rare style of writing here (or maybe a common style done uncommonly well). Either way, it’s difficult not to get drawn into the story as though you’re reading a real memoir. It does make me wonder if the author is drawing extensively upon his own life experiences. Perhaps the ‘Mid Life Backpacker’ isn’t quite as fictional as we are led to believe…
  
  Anyway, if you’d like a few laughs, some cringing of the ‘please Dad, no’ variety, and a rather touching storyline to tie it together, then you’re probably in the right place. It’s an easy, fairly rapid read that’s perfect for those times when you want to snatch a few moments of undemanding entertainment. I’m very much looking forward to the further adventures of John Dot.
• 
  Bonnie Dale Keck

  Not Kindle Unlimited, seems to be permafree.
  
  Not sure the genre, mostly because not really sure what it's about, and yes did the entire book {shortish side} just really can't quite get a grip on what it's supposed to be about, get the brit slang and places and all, but confused over what the book was attempting to do exactly or even here and there everywhere. Said supposed to be funny, and even if in the way the Brits have {understated and not hit over the head type as Americans have} didn't find it funny, but rather depressing, and still not sure just what happened at the end.
• 
  Samantha Henthorn

  John Dot is in the clutches of a mid life crisis. His diary illustrates his constant worries, and social blunders, which is very amusing for the reader. Partly a comedy-romance as John is desperate to win back the affections of his beautiful girlfriend, Olivia. The format is presented in such a way that successfully reminds the reader this is a diary. An enjoyable introductory novella, the next in series now added to my ever growing to-be-read list!
• 
  kathy bracy

  Travelogue with a differently
  
  Yes, Margate for a weekend away with his girlfriend. At least he can use uk money. Paying again for the hotel and then told 3-5 days for it to go back to his account, gate crashing a wedding party, stealing goody bags of sweets, and that's just the first evening! I loved it. More please!
• 
  Yvonne Gilbert

  Real life humor
  
  I enjoyed reading this funny look at life after forty. It's so spot on and I can see myself feeling lost and confuse,happy and in love in the end content.
• 
  Grass monster

  The Blurb :
  John Dot’s life is falling apart at the seams, much like the waistband of his trousers. As a 47-year-old bogged down by gloomy moods and irrational fears, he’s a perfect fit for the drab British seaside. But with a long-suffering girlfriend who’s way out of his league, John knows his only chance to keep her is by trying something drastic…
  He plans a weekend holiday to the sandy beaches of Margate, hoping his efforts to wine and dine Olivia will get them in the clear. He never expected the series of misadventures that would hurl him far outside his comfort zone…
  Can John keep it together or will his inner humbug bring the romantic getaway to a crashing halt?
  
  My Thoughts :
  This is a fast paced, quick read, which will have you laughing into your cup of tea.
  Going to Margate for a weekend with his girlfriend has never been so much fun. Firstly having to pay again for the hotel which he has already paid for he is then told it will take upto 5 days for it to go back to his account. Secondly they gate crash a wedding party and steal all the bags of sweets, then they get sunburnt whille falling asleep in the sun!. John Dot doesnt have much luck these days. But I cant wait to see what happens on his next travels, Thailand I hear?! Really enjoyed this from the off.
• 
  Donna Thompson

  I love these British authors who come out of nowhere and just bedazzle you with their own unique brand of humor and witticisms. Kevin Kelly is one such author and definitely one you'll want to keep your eye on. I just loved the way he told this story and so many things in it hit home. Right from the first sentence, you feel you've known John Dot all your life. There are many laugh-out-loud moments in this one, as you follow him through the ups and down, the thick and thin, of trying to get his love Olivia back into his life. I can't wait for more of his travels, to see what's going to happen next. If you're kind of tired of the same old type of book and are looking for something quick, light and guaranteed to put a smile on your face, this one is it.