Toni Parsons vraća se temi koja ga je učinila slavnim: ovo je priča o ljubavi, životu i međuljudskim odnosima.

Džordž Bejli dobija dar o kome svi mi sanjamo – priliku da ponovo živi svoj život. Posle srčanog udara, Džordžu presađuju srce devetnaestogodišnjaka – i sve se odjednom menja! On je drug svoje maloletne dece, a ne strogi ministar policije koji kontroliše svaki njihov pokret. Vodi ljubav sa svojom ženom celu noć, a ne od ponoći do otprilike dvanaest i pet. Želi i da promeni svet – čim ga prođe mamurluk. Ali Džordž Bejli otkriva da biti ponovo mlad nije baš toliko zabavno – i više od svega na svetu želi svoj stari život nazad.

„Zabavno, ozbiljno, nežno i iskreno. Toni Parsons piše o istinskim dilemama savremenog života.“ Sunday Express

„Toni Parsons je majstor gorkoslatke ljubavne priče.“ Red

„Nezaboravno i dirljivo... Niko ne ume da izvuče više iskrenih osećanja iz prizora od Tonija Parsonsa.“ Spectator

„Parsons je stvorio važnu i snažnu knjigu. Izuzetan uspeh!“ Mirror

I think this book had more potential than it actually delivered. It wasn't bad, but it seemed a bit bland, there was really nothing that really got me to pay attention. Maybe it's the limits of my patience to middle-aged men in the throes of a mid-life crisis, but I'm feeling a bit let down with this. ( )

Mixed feelings about this one. The start felt disjointed, as though in a rush over the editing the author had simply ripped out random sections of his manuscript and posted the rest to the printers. Somewhere along the line a guy who’s either 42 or 47 depending on whether you believe the text or the back cover synopsis, gets a heart transplant. It happens so quickly they might possibly have installed a zipper in his chest. Then he starts taking on some of the characteristics of his much younger donor.

The action throughout moves between scenes with the swiftness of Tarzan swinging through the trees. The reader has to fill in the stuff that happens off camera, and there is a lot of that. There is a lot of reliance on punchy one-sentence paragraphs designed to create impact, and which read like an editorial in the Daily Mirror. Fine if there is drama going on, but that wasn’t always the case. I suspected soon we might be reduced to stuff like:
I put the kettle on.
I really fancied a cup of tea.
(cue EastEnders drumbeat)

On the other hand, the observations of family life with teenagers were impressive, and the plot played to the author’s strong suit – father and son relationships. There were some wonderfully witty moments – the mobile phone in the theatre, the frying pan, and particularly the wedding (featuring a guest ‘you wouldn’t want to meet even up a very well-lit alley’). I haven’t read any of Tony Parsons’ work since ‘Man and Boy’, but I can see how his writing has developed over the intervening period, whilst retaining the things he does best. I suspect if you like his writing you will like this. ( )

I found myself wondering if a man would really behave like the character in this book did, and make what seemed such stupid choices. Having said that though, it is very involving as you wait to see how things work out in the end. ( )