Not Quite Myself

Freaky Friday meets David Nicholl’s Us.

After Sian and Paul drop their youngest child at university, Sian tells her husband of twenty-four years she wants to separate. But things get weird when, the morning after their first night apart, they wake to discover they’ve swapped bodies…

‘Comedy gold’ Clare Chambers

After dropping off her youngest child at university, Sian, a menopausal mum of two – rattled at the thought of returning to an empty nest – accidentally tells Paul, her functionally depressed husband of twenty-four years, that she wants to separate. Things get weird, however, when the morning after their first night apart the couple wake up to discover that, somehow, the impossible has happened and they’ve swapped bodies…

Paul and Sian have to work together to keep their switch a secret, all while desperately trying to return to their own bodies. The maelstrom of mid-life inevitably gets in their way: work stress, money woes, aging parents and growing kids. Ultimately, however, they learn that along with the chaos, a lot of good can come from walking a mile – or two – in each other’s shoes.

Not Quite Myself is a funny, thoughtful and moving romantic comedy with a twist. It’s not about twentysomethings starting out. Or thirtysomethings settling down. But fiftysomethings, members of the sandwich generation, who – thanks to the pressures that come with this stage of life – have lost sight of what’s really important. They’ve essentially forgotten who they are and why they fell in love with each other in the first place.

But what they come to understand in the process not only saves their marriage, but the only thing they love more than life itself: their family.

About the author

Mike Gayle was born and raised in Birmingham. After graduating, he moved to London to pursue a career in journalism and worked as a features editor and agony uncle. He has written for a variety of publications including the Sunday Times, the Guardian and Cosmopolitan.

Mike’s novels have been Sunday Times bestsellers and award winners, have been translated into more than thirty languages and sold more than three million copies worldwide.

Claire Gayle is an English graduate and former Adult Education teacher and has been married to Mike for the last thirty years. Not Quite Myself is her debut novel.

Mike and Claire have recently dropped the youngest of their two children at university and are currently in the process of adjusting to an empty nest. Unlike Sian and Paul, however, they haven’t swapped bodies. Honestly…