When We Were Young by Richard Roper is the story of two old friends who were driven apart by tragedy and a verbal falling out — one a successful comedy writer, one living in his parents' shed after a bad case of self-sabotage and self-pity have paralyzed him and kept him from getting a decent job. The one living in the shed, Theo, is being evicted by his parents as the book opens (it has a great opening sentence).
When the successful friend, Joel, gets bad news, he remembers a promise he and Theo once made to walk the Thames Path together when they turned 30. Now he wants to fulfill that promise. The Thames Path is a walking path that stretches 200 miles, from the origin of the Thames to London.
When We Were Young is told in alternating chapters from Joel and Theo's points of view. I found the opening chapters of When We Were Young a bit slow and in general didn't love it as much as How Not to Die Alone, the other book I've read by Roper. But, once I became invested in the story, I enjoyed it and I ended up giving it 4 stars.
Recommended - I love Richard Roper's sense of humor and had to reach for tissues, in the end. I'm pretty sure How Not to Die Alone made me cry, too, so if you're looking for a good sob, Roper is the man for you. I think one of them was happy tears and the other ripped my heart out and then bandaged it with a smile-cry but I'm not going to tell you which was which because I don't want to spoil anything!
I always close British books that have someone walking one of the paths with envy and a deep desire to go take a long walk through fields of sheep. Public walking paths sound like such a joy. Also, I really like this author and can't wait to see what he writes, next.
My review of How Not to Die Alone:
How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
My thanks to G. P. Putnam's Sons for the review copy!
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