All About Us by Tom Ellen

★★☆☆☆

On this very snowy day it’s only right we talk about our first book of the year.

All About Us is a cosy Christmas treat perfect for the festive season. We wanted something a little easier than our usual books, something that would see us through a very unusual Christmas but still gave us something to talk about and this certainly did that.

Set in a very different 2020 London (think life BC — Before Covid), we meet Ben, a man having difficulties in his marriage and about to embark on an affair. On Christmas Eve, ignoring his wife’s request to decorate the tree, he goes to the pub with his best mate. There he meets a strange man who gives him a mysterious watch, a watch that sends him back in time to relive the key moments of his life.

It’s very A Christmas Carol so you know what you’re in for. As a group we weren’t exactly wowed by it and none of us absolutely loved it but we didn’t quite hate it either. We had some really interesting discussion about male and female friendships, the difficulties men have discussing their feelings/emotional, the pain of grief, marriage and relationships, Christmas in London, and the downfalls of male authors writing female characters.

If you’re looking for something lighthearted, easy to read and a companion on a snowy afternoon, this is perfect.