I read A year in the Merde while I was staying in Paris and it was the funniest book I ever read. I had to make sure I wasn't laughing so loudly to wake the neighbors. This book is just a great. It started out a bit slow and I was starting to get disappointed but then it picked up pace and kept the jokes a-rolling. A great sequel in a great series!! Make sure to pick up A year in the Merde first.

I read A year in the Merde while I was staying in Paris and it was the funniest book I ever read. I had to make sure I wasn't laughing so loudly to wake the neighbors. This book is just a great. It started out a bit slow and I was starting to get disappointed but then it picked up pace and kept the jokes a-rolling. A great sequel in a great series!! Make sure to pick up A year in the Merde first.

As always, Clarke seems to be very sex-focused (maybe he's just more honest about it than other guys?) -- but this was a great read, full of laughs.

I love every one of Stephen Clarke's books. I have never laughed so hard reading. Looking forward to getting his newest. I wish these books would also go to the big screen. Hugh Grant?

In this sequel to A Year in the Merde, Paul West has shrugged off the restraints of cooperate France and is now ready to open the first English tea room in Paris. Little does he realize how French he has become himself in the last year. But there is still enough for him to discover about France and the French to make his story a fun read. From his vacances with his lover Florence, to the hands-on work in his tea room, we aren't left out of his thoughts and aspirations; nor his desires when it comes to sex. This sequel is a bit raunchier than the first book and Paul's character felt different to me for that reason. The bumbling, embarrassed Englishman has become a demanding, unapologetic man of middle years.
After fulfilling his goal of professional success Paul sets out to make his private life shipshape by concentrating on winning back the love of Alexa, the French woman who had stolen his heart in book 1 and who had left him after finding him in bed with another woman.
I enjoyed reading more about Paul West but there was only one rofl scene in this book for me. I cherish the first book for its sweet and often hilarious helplessness in the face of another culture than your own and I missed that in this second book.

Same old, same old... Too bad I can't give this one the big fat zero it deserves.
Mr.Clark, si vous n'aimez pas les Français et bien restez chez vous et arrêtez de nous bassiner avec les mêmes conneries! C'est du réchauffé!

After reading A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke I thought I would give it's sequel, In the Merde for Love, a chance while the first was fresh in my mind. I was not overly fond of the first book but it was interesting and funny enough for me to try the next. What a nice surprise to find myself laughing out loud through nearly every page! This book was not only funnier but Mr. Clarke's writing is better and he seems to have grown up a bit. I have recommended this book to everyone who has read the first with the assurance that they will like this one much more.

Stephen Clarke provides a pleasant and humurous journey through Paris and parts of regional France. Following on from his previous book 'A Year in the Merde' the central character, Paul, explores more personal relationships and dives head first into a new business venture.

I found this book as good as the first. It's an easy read containing lots of laughs. As someone who has visited Paris, and will soon be holidaying in regional France, I thought the authors anecdotes of the french language, personal habits and cultural differences were deliciously delivered.

I recommend this book to all, and especially to those who know the country or intend to introduce themselves to it. In the Merde for Love

I purchased this book expecting a new and enteraining book from Stephen Clarke. Last year I purchased a copy of "Merde Actually" in the UK. It appears that it has now been published in the US with a new title "In the Merde For Love". So if you have already read Merde Actually do not order this book its the same one with a new title. Big disappointment. I really like Stephen Clarke's writings.

to A YEAR IN THE MERDE: witty, and often outrageously funny, yet describing quite realistically life on another planet. I certainly enjoyed this book from start to end and I am waiting impatiently for more from this author.

For those that think "Under the Tuscan Sun" or "A Good Year" being too sugar-coated or too good to be true, this sequel novel is for the cynics out there who sees France as it is. The book is contagious to read. It's funny and the author's observations about the mannerisms of the French is as good as it gets. For those that have been to France, this book would most certainly bring back fond and not-so-fond memories. The story is simple enough regarding the writer's alter-ego who's to open his English tea house in the hub of Paris. He's constantly fighting with the Polish builders who have laissez faire approach towards time management, architect who doesn't want to stick to his contract & who happened to be sleeping with his girlfriend, the politician who's looking for a favour in having his son working at his tea house or else. At the same time, he also has to thwart or perhaps not advance by a married female journalist who's looking for a fling, a movie crew who simply wants to have a great time after breakup with her boyfriend. Amid all this commotion, Paul realises that after all this time, he's still very much in love with Alexa, his true love who happens to be going out with a wealthy Ukrainian whose father has just bought a soccer club in England. Paul needs to pull all the stops to win his love back. Is he going to make it? That's for you to find out! I can't wait for the finale of the trilogy if there's such a thing. Highly recommended!

Half way through the book, Clarke forgot that he was supposed to continue being funny. As others have pointed out, there are some great laughs. Unfortunately, after the midpoint, they disappear. The rest of the book is not mysterious and held my attention only because I was hoping the humor would return. Unfortunately, it didn't. In fact, the book ends on a rather poor attempt at a joke.

This book is just as funny as the first one, meaning that I couldn't put it down and laughed multiple times per chapter. This book is also known as "Merde Actually" in Europe, which I did find confusing while looking for the second installment, with the different titles per continent. I loved the first one, loved the second one, and would buy a third one too!

I recently read A Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke. I ended up liking it quite a bit, so I ordered the sequel In The Merde For Love.

The first book had this quote: "There are lots of French people who not at all hypocritical, inefficient, treacherous, intolerant, adulterous or incredibly sexy.... They just didn't make it into my book." That brutally up front statement, is indicative of the sequel's attitude as well. The excitement for the sequel comes with the realization that our English protagonist has almost become, Mon Dieu, French! Alors!

And that isn't a bad thing because that's what makes it such an enjoyable read instead of a pedantic rehash of the first book. You will have to read the original or this book will be of no value to you. I will be honest, the parts that take place in England are a bit tiresome. Overall, it kept me occupied whilst the workmen spent the day repairing more hurricane damage -- it was sort of ironic because I related to the workmen he had to deal with in this tome.

Note: This book also goes by the title "Merde Actually". I read Stephen Clarke's "Merde Actually" and laughed so many times that I had to read the prequel "A Year in the Merde". Both are hilarious, colored with stories that will have expats shaking their heads in agreement. I'm not sure that you'll find these books funny if you've never spent time in France, but I'm certain you will enjoy them if you have.

Starts off strong. It's almost as funny as the first one. The visit with West's new girlfriend's parents is quite funny. I loved working through his struggle to build and employ and run his salon du thé. But the last 50 pages were totally anti-climatic. It gets weak and I just didn't care what happened when he left France. (when he realized France didn't need him anymore.) I think I was disappointed he wimped out and went for the girl. I also couldn't understand why he was supposed to keep it in his pants and not sleep around but it was perfectly okay for Alexis to live with another fellow? And speaking of sleeping around, I guess it's easy for Paul West to do. Were we to conclude that even though he could have great sex with beautiful women, he really just wanted to be with Alexis because of love? This should be a good thing, I just didn't care if they got together in the end. I would have voted for the affair with the married TV reporter...she was interesting. I loved the first one. I liked the second one. I will buy a third one.