Love May Fail audiobook

There's no failing for those with hope! Matthew Quick has a remarkable talent building unique characters, worlds and stories that bring humanity to light. Portia Kane had been married to a lying, disrespectful porn producer for years and upon discovering him screwing a teen, escapes to live with her mother who rarely speaks and watches TV all day. Soon after she finds solace with a high school girlfriend who waits tables at the local dive. Reflecting on the 'good ol' days, she removes a card given to her by Mr. Vernon, "Member of the Human Race" holding inspirational quotes on the back. As they chat, her desire to be an author is reignited due Vernon's support for his students and unique approach to educating. When she learns he'd been hiding in VT for years due to a beating inflicted by a student, she decides to become his savior, and in the process finds love in her backyard. Once again the author uses themes of love, hope and joy to drive the story and as with all his books, characters are quirky, dysfunctional and unique. And while well paced and engaging, the plot is a somewhat predictable, hence a 4 star rating. I've read other books by Quick, and find his skill at immersing the reader in a story world through evocative plots and characters rates with the best, and look forward to reading the others. For those who enjoyed Silver Linings Playbook, you'll find this book equal in many ways.

At times a bit melodramatic and cheesy . . . but I liked it a lot!4 to 4.5 starsIt has been a long time since I have read any Matthew Quick. I remember having more success with his books than failures and some of my fondest reading memories come from some of his books. So, when I was going through my list finding something to read, I was surprised to find this one still unread. Boy am I glad that I finally gave it a try!If you have read some of Quick’s other books, the feel of the story will come as no surprise to you. The characters will likely feel as if they could have been found in any of his books – and I wouldn’t be surprised if they all know each other in the Quick-verse. The thing that makes this book unique is the format: a slightly nonlinear telling of parts of the same story from four different points of view. A couple of times this got me confused and thinking I missed something, but it all came together in the end.I have not read any other reviews of this yet, but I am a little surprised at the 3.5 stars or so it is coming in at on Goodreads as I write this. If I had to guess what some complain about, my guess would be one of the following:- Melodrama- Story coincidences- Cheesiness- Confusion caused by the different points of view and their non-linear presentation- The author’s presentation of feminism- The author’s presentation of mental illness- The author’s presentation of suicide (view spoiler)[A dog commits suicide, and I bet people don’t like that! (hide spoiler)]- The author’s presentation of drug useNote: I am not saying that he presented any of the previous four things right or wrong, they are just sensitive topics that I think can get people fired up when seeing them in a story.Honestly, none of these things bothered me, but from my experience of seeing other reviews of books like this one, these are the things I imagine brought the rating down a bit. So, you may read this one and be with me in enjoying it. But if any of the above might trigger you to not enjoy the book, you may want to approach with caution.

Straight up, Love May Fail did not fail to captivate me. It’s a beautiful book about the impact we have on the lives of others. Read the rest of my review here

I've enjoyed all of Matthew Quick's other books in the past - on the surface, they look like fairly light reads, but every time, there's always a darker heart and a strong message about personal responsibility, of taking control of your life, that makes his name one to watch.Love May Fail reads a lot like several stories in one. Various characters come to the fore to narrate chunks of the story, leaving others in the background for a while, but the flow does bring the plot together for the end in a quite moving and realistic way.It all begins with one however - Portia Kane. We meet her as she is contemplating the pros and cons of murdering her cheating porn-director husband. Choosing instead to confront him and leave, she instinctively does she thing she loathes - returns home. Neither the small town nor her hoarder mother seem to have changed at all since her metal-head teenage days. Meeting up with an old friend, she learns her beloved English teacher has suffered a horrendous ordeal, and, setting off the second path of the story, she determines to find him and see if she can turn his life around. Flashbacks of her high school English and teacher Mr Vernon, who then takes over the narrative gave me both reminders of my own teenage years and the hope I had for my adult life, and, like The Silver Linings Playbook, showed how a person can break down when things don't go to plan. Portia takes more of a back seat as Mr Vernon narrates, and her quest to improve his life felt a bit 'quirky' at times and she lost some of her appeal for me by losing her voice. Other new characters add some dimensions - brother of her friend, Chuck Bass, obviously to become a love interest, and Danielle and Tommy - his sister and nephew bring stories of pathos and cuteness combined (and the best Bon Jovi tribute band name I've ever heard of). Their stories all intermingle and take centre stage at times, which both added to the story but also felt like there were too many strands dangling and split my sympathies and concentration.It's hard to pinpoint if the split narrative worked for me or didn't. I missed Portia when she wasn't telling her story, but then really wanted to hear how Mr Vernon was when he also left the scene. And then I wanted to know more about Portia's mother. It's a very full book - drug addiction, book writing, prophetic nuns, bar scenes, is it TOO full? I'm giving it four stars, so I think I made it through and found it came together, but in the hands of a lesser writer I might not have thought so.Heavy-handed on the morals, every character gets a chance at redemption - how will each fare? Matthew Quick never makes his stories feel like summer beach reads, there is always something meaty there to consider. There may be a little too much squeezed in here, but every character does have verve and a human failing that makes them human.There are emotional scenes, some funny ones, and it's a read that you will likely feel nostalgic reading, for your own dreams from your youth. Review of an Edelweiss advance copy, with thanks to the publisher.

I love you Matthew Quick. I don't care what other people say. Your quirky, crazy, damaged people give me hope. From winning a dance contest to writing a novel to visiting the Cat Parliament, their crazy adventures make me smile. They persevere. They find their own kind. And they find happiness. And all the craziness that makes the magic... Well I just love it. Thank you.

Portia Kane leaves her cheating mega-wealthy husband in Florida and goes home to Philadelphia. She meets Sister Maeve Smith on the plane, where she confesses her drunken mess of a life to the bemused nun. Portia, in the depths of misery, thinks about the one man she knows was good, Mr Vernon, her English teacher. When she arrives, she finds her crazy mother - an agoraphobic hoarder who barely leaves the house – has not changed. Portia meets and falls in love with the lovely Chuck Bass. Chuck, a former drug addict, has cleaned up his life and who lives with his sister, who is an old friend of Portia’s, and his nephew, Tommy. Chuck has gone back to school and is looking for a job as a teacher. The book is told in four pieces, narrated in turn by Portia, Mr Vernon, Sister Maeve and Chuck. Quick is an expert in telling the stories of damaged people with a good deal of humour and hope. In Love May Fail, he tells the stories of the people who look after the crazy people in their lives. Portia looks after her mother, Chuck looks after his sister, Maeve looks after her son, and Mr Vernon looks after his dog, Albert Camus. I enjoyed this book. It is rich with characters who have less than perfect lives, but somehow manage to find their way in the end.

Matthew Quick is easily one of my favorite authors of all time. His books, his stories not only bring certain joy in my life but also the kind of interaction/ dialogue I wish to have with people. His writing is like butter on hot toast, so smooth, he will make you laugh, he will make you cry and then he will teach you a lesson or well talk about what he learned and then it's up to you if you want to follow it or not. IT'S JUST BEAUTIFUL. I love how the details of each one of his stories, how he brings out the complex characters in just simple words and it's great that you are able to relate to them. AH! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Taking one star away because I really didn't get the Portia being a feminist angle, it was kind of useless and not required. P.S. I CRIED SO HARD in the middle of the book and somehow this book gave me closure.

I was quite impressed by this one, considering its lower rating. It was my third Matthew Quick and was consistent with the familiar writing of his novels. This one involved Portia Kane, a woman trying to bring her former high school English teacher back to teaching. The book is separated into 4 portions for 4 different people involved with each other in various ways. There were lots of emotions going through me as I read, which is just what I like in a book.

Every time Matthew Quick releases another novel into the world, I feel like it's Christmas or maybe even my birthday. I wasn't too sure where Love May Fail was taking me when I began it - this author is instant-read for me and it had been a while since I'd read the summary - but this is where I get to trust the author and enjoy the ride. I love this and it paid off. By the end of the book, I found myself working hard to stay at my emotional baseline (I failed) and truthfully I ended the day much better for having made this story a part of it.The story begins with Portia Kane, who ends an unhealthy marriage to a wealthy man. She travels home to her mentally unwell mother, immediately remembering why being home is so difficult in the first place. Portia has decided to pursue a dream that she buried long-ago: she wants to write fiction. Nobody made a bigger impression on her than one of her high school teachers, Mr. Vernon. Portia learns while at breakfast with her mother (phew, such a chore) that Mr. Vernon is no longer teaching after something huge happened to him while teaching, and this effectively drove him from the classroom. Now he just lives a private life with his dog and his cane out in the middle of nowhere, and his world is a much different place. Portia thinks this is awful. Portia, with some encouragement, makes it a mission of hers to get Mr. Vernon back in front of a classroom...basically without regard to whether or not Mr. Vernon wants to be back in front of a classroom. Ahem. ----Ahhh. So there are a few things that I can expect when I read adult fiction by Matthew Quick: Colorful, interesting characters in both the main and secondary casts. Humor infused throughout the storyline to break up all of the serious, because the serious is there, because life is serious, and because the characters have ya know, things going on in life. (We all do.) My heart to feel squeezed when I'm finished with the book, like the story is actually hugging me. I'm being serious. This is Portia's story, her journey if you will, from one place in her life to another. But it is also the story of three other people: Mr. Vernon, Chuck Bass, and Sister Maeve. These people are all connected in the craziest, most amazing way and even though it takes patience to see their story come full circle, IT IS SO WORTH IT. The story is told in four points-of-view, so there are four unique voices telling the tale. I tried not to have a favorite, I really did - but ultimately I could not help it. I fell so hard for Chuck Bass, the 90's hair-band-loving ex-drug-addict/family guy. Chuck struggles to be somebody now that he's clean. He's an amazing uncle to his sister's child and once he reconnects with (and falls for) former classmate Portia Kane, he worries that he may never really be enough, at least compared to the wealthy husband she used to have. His story is fantastic, his actions are fantastic, and the love he has is so great, particularly the love he has for his nephew. I love the other characters too. Two characters in particular that I love that did not get their own POV's are Portia's mother and Sister Maeve's nun-friend. I just tend to love character-driven stories and I'm always so amazed at what Matthew Quick gives us. I felt such a connection to this one because I too have that one teacher in high school that was so, so inspiring to me and really set a course for my life. He's the one that I think of almost, if not, every single day because of the difference he made in my whole life. That teacher is a super-huge topic of conversation in my house between my husband and I because he made a huge impact on him too. I'm not sure how Mr. Quick manages to write to the very core of me with all of his books, but he just does, and he did it again, and I loved it. It wasn't only with the high school teacher part of the story; it was with the issues of relationships, with family, with following your dreams, with taking care of people we love, with so many things inside of this book. And yet it never, ever felt too heavy.There is a whole lotta story in this book, and it is such a good time. I know I keep talking about these characters and how much I love them, but I think that this book is so character-driven and heartwarming because of the people that make up the story. The thing that I love most about all of these characters is that they are all flawed, in need of connection, and seeking something more. I think the author did a great job with presenting these very-developed parts of these people, and I appreciate this because I feel each of these things too, just a little differently (and, you know, not fictionally). We all have different stories and this is theirs. Ultimately, to me, this book is about chance and also second chance. And love, all types of love. This book made me feel good, but there were points throughout that made me tear up and take a deep breath or two. That's how life is, right? YES. This is all exactly why I'm such a fan of this author's work. It feels very realistic to me and yet there is humor. There is humor to real life, see. I recommend Love May Fail by Matthew Quick for fans of second chances, great relationships, and great characterization. I love that Mr. Quick's books are all so different and yet they are all so very distinctly his voice. I think that fans of his other books will likely enjoy this one. I purchased this book in audiobook format as well because this will be a reread for me. Audiobook Notes: The audiobook format of Love May Fail by Matthew Quick is published by Harper Audio and is 12 hours and 5 minutes, Unabridged. It is narrated by a full cast, which works in particular in the case of this book's structure given that it is written in four parts, representing the four different storytellers. Each of the narrators are new to me and I liked them all very much. I have to say that listening to the story added another depth to it - I expected this - and it made certain characters practically leap off of the pages. In particular, I enjoyed Portia's mother even more because of hearing her, I think. I bought this audiobook to go along with my paperback and I loved this decision. I recommend this audio for those considering Love May Fail as a first-time read or a reread. I'll be listening in future rereads for sure.

Anything Matthew Quick writes is cause for celebration. This book is no different. In all honesty, it may be one of my favorites from him. I ADORE the characters in this quirky, offbeat, feelgood novel, and you can't help but rooting for all of them. As with Quick's other novels, this book deals with mental illness (hoarding, depression) and even throws in some opiate addiction. The story is told through the perspectives of four wildly diverse characters: Portia Kane, a recently liberated woman who had been married to a pornographer, Mr. Vernon, a former high school english teacher contemplating suicide, a zany nun who is on her deathbed and just wants to hear from her son, and Chuck Bass, an ex-heroin addict who just wants to fall in love and be an elementary teacher. All four characters find themselves intertwined, can they save themselves? Find love? Rekindle that old spark? A fantastic read and I can't wait for the next Quick novel!

This was such a good read, not the usual morbid, sad, and depressing theme that I expected from Matthew Quick. Loved it very much!!!

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal."- Albert Camus"Love may fail, but courtesy will prevail."-Kurt Vonnegut Jr., JailbirdA story of connectedness and purpose. The only thing I didn't like is the constant degrading way Portia talks to/about her mother who has a mental illness/hoarding problem. Sometimes we can't change people to meet our expectations. Sometimes all we can do is try to find a bridge of understanding between the unique realities we each live.Favorite Passages:Portia Kane, Official Member of the Human Race!This card entitles you to ugliness and beauty, heartache and joy - the great highs and lows of existence - and everything in between. It also guarantees you the right to strive, to reach, to dream, and to become the person you know (deep down) you are meant to be. So make daring choices, work hard, enjoy the ride, and remember - you become exactly whomever you choose to be.Part One: Portia KaneHow the hell did I end up in this place and time?How did I end up married to a cartoon?________I wonder if she's a hooker playing a role, because she sounds too dumb to be real.________Somewhere, Gloria Steinem is shaking her head - appalled. Angela Davis has revoked my woman card. Lynda Carter wants to confiscate all my cuff bracelets and star-adorned blue panties before hanging me with her Wonder Woman lasso.________I deserve better.And better shouldn't be all that hard to get when you've started at the absolute bottom of all men."Good-bye, Ken." I slap his little dank pecker and testicles hard with the bone of my open palm. "Low-five."He doubles over and calls me a fucking bitch before dropping to his knees.________"Fuck this life," I say. "Fuck it. Fuck you, Ken Humes. Fuck everything!"And then I'm gone.________"Do you know how hard it is for a woman without a college degree to support herself?""I don't know anything about college. And I know even less about women, Ms. Kane," Alfonzo says, keeping his eyes on the road. "I stick to driving."________"Anxiety like a giant fist shoved down my throat while I bit hard on its elbow to fight the elbow to fight the pain."________"Endless salad bowls. Oh, endless salad bowls! If I ever see another garlic breadstick, I'll stab myself in the heart with a screwdriver."________I notice the wooden rosary beads wrapped around her hand and catch a glimpse of Jesus's naked and well-toned body, which is meticulously carved.All of the good men are either gay or the sons of gods with martyr complexes.________"You're okay with Jesus having multiple wives? Jesus the polygamist.""You can't think of it that way - it's not sexual, or anything like that. He's not your Ken, after all."Ha! Funny old nun. Still sharp as a razor blade in a Halloween apple. "You would totally have sex with Jesus. Admit it," I say. "He has an amazing body."________I look in the mirror and see a monster.And old-looking mythical creature.Red eyes.Makeup running.I might as well have snakes for hair.________The finality of what has happened - it sinks in.It cuts.It mutilates.________In my mind, I keep seeing a fish riding a bicycle.The fish is singing a song about how she loves to pedal her bike, and I can't figure out how she can move both pedals with a single tail, which is when I realize I'm still drunk.________"Have you been drinking, Portia? You smell like alcohol. Stinky, stinky.""I could kill a Bloody Mary right now," I say, and think about why I haven't been home for years.My mother's lack of a filter.Her penchant for being honest as a mirror.Her often creepy childlike demeanor.Her proclivity to annoy and embarrass and depress, like a genetic oracle that screams out my doom whenever I am within earshot. It all strikes blunt as a hammer to the thumb.________"That's simply terrible, Portia! Horrible! What is a roar-shock test? I feel so sad for you. Ken is really dead? Or are you kidding? I can never tell. Why didn't you tell me earlier? I'm so confused.""Didn't want to worry you, Mom. It's probably for the best, Ken's murder," I say, thinking I really shouldn't be talking like this anymore now that the booze has worn off. But I can't seem to stop myself. "I was getting tired of him. He couldn't even get hard anymore. I'd been wanting to recycle him for more than a year. Our sex life had passed away long before that.""Portia!"________. . . Grimace, kids used to call her when I was in elementary school, referring to the fat purple McDonald's monster, and I never stood up for her, even though she would have happily flayed off her flesh with a butter knife if I had asked her to._______I look around the house at all of the various collected shit piled high and the many dust bunnies. Then I look deep into the sick kind doughy eyes of my mother, the only person to ever love me unconditionally, maybe because she's absolutely bonkers.But she does love me.That's my one absolute.________I should add that meeting people you know but haven't seen for decades is quite common in South Jersey diners - they are like time machines that way - but you have to have attended kindergarten through high school in the diner's school district for the magic to work.South Jersey diners also have secret homing calls that they send out around the globe, summoning you back to eat unhealthy food.________"I'm invisible," Mom whispers. "No one can see me."________"Why did male rock stars look like women in the 1980s?"________"There is no right or wrong way to make a paper airplane at this very moment in time. Just do it and then decorate it the best you can. Make it yours!"________"Don't be such sheep!" he yelled. "Think for yourself. That's the problem. Consensus kills art and intellectual progress!"________"You limit yourself with a bad attitude. Those of you who are lazy will blame the system. You've been conditioned to retch at the word test, no matter what the actual testing may involve. But it's a choice too."________"And I know before I even begin that many of you will be consensus people. Herd members who will cower at the word test. People who look around the room before speaking or doing anything. But you can free yourself. There's still time, kids. To be free. To tell Pavlov that you are not a dog. Do you want to be free? Do you?"________"And no boring average predictable syllabus outlining what we may or may not do. Instead I off you adventure. Who knows what lies around the curve for us? I promise you one thing only - it won't be boring."The bell rang, but no one made a move for the door.________My collection of stuffed animal unicorns has grown because Mom still buys me one for my birthday and one for Christmas.You know what you call a herd of unicorns?A blessing.True.There are six less-dusty members of the blessing who I have not yet met, and the thought of Mom placing these on my bed because I'm no longer here and I've told her she's not allowed to mail me anything makes me so sad.I'm a horrible daughter, yes.But I'm also back in the exact place I ran from all those years ago.I'm a homing pigeon.What goes up must come down._______I'm not the same person I was last night, I guess. I'm sober, yes, but it's more than that.Part Two: Nate Vernon"Albert Camus," I whisper. "He's dead.""Um, yeah. For half a century now.""You don't understand," I say, . . . "I killed him.""What the hell have you been drinking?"_______"Are you an angel?" I say. "Did God send you?"She laughs. "Um, I'm not really religious, Mr. Vernon.""So you're not an angel?""I believe you may be intoxicated.""I'm Zagreus, the old cripple. You have to kill me. Like in the book A Happy Death. By Camus."________Dogs don't really believe in God, Master Nate. We believe in regular feeding times, car rides with the windows down, a good scratch behind the ears, a walk in the woods, and chasing small mammals, shaking them to death in our teeth. Our brains are no bigger than peaches, so we keep it simple. No God or anything heady like that. Give us a car ride with the windows down over a deity any day. Tell you what, let's just snuggle this one last time and simply enjoy the sun streaming through the window in all of it's full frontal nudity._______"You are a good man," she says quietly."How would you know that, when we haven't even spoken in decades? Tell me. Please.""I remember your classes and all of the time you gave me during my senior year when I was going through a really -""That was twenty years ago. Are you the same person now? Has time not changed you? You've romanticized your high school experience - and me. Whatever horrors you've faced in the last two decades are easily trumped by imagination and - Why am I even having this conversation with you?""Because you care."________My suicide attempt results in being stuck in my own home with a former student who wants me to teach again. This is any retired teacher's hell. It's like that Stephen King novel. My own personal version of Misery.________"Cleaned up all the shit on the floor," Portia Kane yells down from the loft above."That was Albert Camus's excrement, not mine," I yell back.________Could this day get any more ridiculous? She's clearly insane, I say to Albert Camus in my mind, and then I chuckle like hell.________"Did Mother send you up here with some sort of Catholic idol, rosary beads, and a bunch of prayer cards? Maybe a flask of holy water? A swath of some saint's jockstrap? Did she tell you about her 'visions'? What a crock of shit. All of her religious mumbo-jumbo hasn't made a bit of difference in my life, or anyone else's so far. But what the hell? How is my dear old mother anyway, the righteous, self-indulgent ancient bitch?""She's dead. I attended her funeral yesterday."________"We quickly found that we had a common goal: We both wanted to resurrect you."_______I'm definitely mourning Albert Camus, who was much more in tune with my emotions and feelings than my mother ever was. My dog was there for me, and even though he might have committed suicide to escape my existential crisis, he loved the real true me in his own way.________It's as if we're in a hollowed-out snow cave heated by the flame of a single candle, and we're wondering if some emotional rescue team will ever arrive with the metaphorical equivalent of Saint Bernards wearing small barrels of brandy around their necks . . . ________"Heavy metal, religion - just two different shows really. You'd be surprised how much they overlap. High dramatics. Cultlike followings, cool pendants, mystical, esoteric, and often nonsensical prose, men with long flowing hair -""I want to be Zagreus again. Kill me, please."________Then she starts smacking my face with both hands at the same time, screaming, "You liar! You told us to be positive! I believed you! I trusted you! FUCK YOU, you have a responsibility to your students! FUCK YOU, you have a responsibility to yourself!"_______"Bullshit," I say. "I introduced you and others to the classics and helped you get into college. Handed out a few pointers about life - platitudes mostly, which you could have easily discovered by opening up Hallmark cards. And then all of you went your merry little ways and forgot all - ""We didn't forget! I'm here!"_______"Death by breakfast," I say. "Definitely death by breakfast."_______. . . the ones whom Kerouac called the mad ones, the people who were crazy enough to do something outside of the norm, just because it was in them to do._______A true and good dog is affable and loving and kind and ready for adventure. Ready to piss on the entire world, marking every inch with his many drops of urine, which he believes to be inexhaustible!"This is getting a little weird, Albert Camus. Even for me. I must admit."Use this new life. Mark it with the urine of your essence.Part Three: Sister Maeve Smith"Do you believe in destiny, Sister Maeve?" she wrote. "That maybe we are each called to do something in our lives and will find no peace until we do?"What she was describing of course is a calling, and asking a nun if she believes in a calling is like asking a hungry robin if it believes in pecking worms out of the grass.I laughed and smiled at her childlike naivete. Part Four: Chuck Bass"How does that happen?" she says. "You can't look back and pinpoint an exact moment when you give up on your dreams. It's like someone stealing all of the salt from your kitchen, one tiny crystal at a time. You don't realize it for months, and then when you see that you are low, you still think you have thousands of little crystals left - and then bam, no salt."________He's been my one constant since I quit heroin, and a constant is a powerful thing.________I snap back into reality.This isn't me.Not anymore, anyway.I've done the work to change myself back into a human being.________And I wonder how many lies it takes to make the world go around.________The world is a hard place and can be hardest on the hopeful . . . Epilogue: Portia Kane"No one will ever replace Albert Camus, but Yo-Yo Ma is my new buddy. Well, I've had him for almost a year now, so he's not exactly new. But our life together feels fresh - like we're still at the beginning. It's a new life for us - for me.""What do you mean? What new life?"He smiles at me. "I read your book."