Well, friends...it’s time for one of my favorite episodes of the month: Read It & Watch It!
Every month, I choose a book and its TV or film adaptation, experience both, and then we chat about what worked, what changed, which version I preferred, and whether I think you should read it, watch it, or do both.
September’s pick is Mr Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo and the BBC limited series now streaming on BritBox in the U.S.
And y’all...I was NOT prepared for how much I was going to love both of these.
This is an incredibly layered story about family, marriage, sexuality, immigration, aging, shame, change, and what happens when decades of secrets and choices finally have to be confronted.
The book was a 5-star read for me, and somehow the television adaptation managed to earn 5 stars too.
So for once, our Book vs. TV battle is going to be a little complicated!
One quick note before we get into it: this episode arrived a little later than usual because sickness has officially made its way through my house, and now my youngest is sick too. This episode is also a little shorter than normal, but I REALLY didn’t want to miss our September Read It & Watch It!
And yes, there will be spoilers for both the book and television series, so consider this your warning before listening!
In This Episode
We chat about:
The Book
* Why Mr Loverman completely surprised me
* Barry and my VERY complicated feelings about this man
* Carmel’s side of the story
* Barry and Morris’s decades-long secret relationship
* Family dysfunction, sexuality, immigration, shame, and aging
* Why understanding Barry doesn’t necessarily mean agreeing with his choices
* The character psychology that made this story so emotionally rich
* Why I gave the book 5 out of 5
* My 2 out of 5 cozy rating and why this definitely isn’t a cozy read
The BritBox Series
* Lennie James as Barrington “Barry” Walker
* Sharon D. Clarke as Carmel Walker
* Ariyon Bakare as Morris De La Roux
* The incredible chemistry between the cast
* The gorgeous colors, homes, cafés, family dinners, and locations
* How well the series brought the characters from the book to life
* Why Lennie James’s performance as Barry is unforgettable
* What I wish we had gotten more of from the book
* Why this is one of the best book-to-screen adaptations I’ve ever watched
My Book Rating: 5/5
My Series Rating: 5/5
Cozy Rating: 2/5
My Read It & Watch It Verdict: Read it AND watch it! If you’re starting from scratch, I recommend reading Bernardine Evaristo’s novel first and then watching the series, but I genuinely think experiencing them in either order can enhance the other.
Read Mr Loverman
Want to read Mr Loverman before watching the BritBox series?
You can shop Bernardine Evaristo’s Mr Loverman through my Bookshop.org affiliate storefront and support independent bookstores while you’re at it!
Shop Mr Loverman on Bookshop.org
As a Bookshop.org affiliate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Every purchase through my link also helps support Cozy Comfort Club, so thank you!
Where to Watch: BritBox (U.S.)
Spooky Month Is Coming!
October is officially Spooky Month at Cozy Comfort Club, and next Tuesday’s episode will be our official kickoff!
And this year, we’re actually playing along together.
I created a CCC Spooky Month Bingo Board with different spooky and cozy things to check off throughout October. You can get your copy by subscribing to my Substack, and I’ll be playing along with you all month to see how many squares we can check off before Halloween!
Join Cozy Comfort Club on Substack
Keep Track of Your Fall Watchlist!
If your fall watchlist is already getting completely out of control...mine too.
I created the Cozy Comfort Club Fall Watchlist & Tracker, a $5 digital download designed to help you organize what you want to watch, keep track of what you’ve started and finished, and plan a few cozy nights in this fall.
You can grab your copy here:
Get the Cozy Fall Watchlist & Tracker
Thank you to everyone who has purchased one or supported this little club! Every purchase directly supports Cozy Comfort Club and helps me continue creating the podcast and all of our other CCC content.
Support Cozy Comfort Club
If you’re enjoying the podcast and would like to support my work, you can also Buy Me a Coffee here.
Find Cozy Comfort Club Elsewhere
* Instagram: @cozycomfortclub
* TikTok: @cozycomfortclubpodcast
* YouTube: Cozy Comfort Club
* Facebook: Cozy Comfort Club
* Substack: Cozy Comfort Club
* Buy Me a Coffee: Support Cozy Comfort Club
* Digital Shop: Cozy Fall Watchlist & Tracker
Coming Next
Spooky Month officially begins next Tuesday!
We’re kicking off October with plenty of spooky British TV, mysteries, books, and a few things that might be a little more Not-So-Cozy.
Grab your Bingo Board, get those fall watchlists ready, and come hang out with me for our very first CCC Spooky Month!
Discussion About This Episode
Have you read or watched Mr Loverman?
How did you feel about Barry? Did knowing more about his past change the way you viewed his choices?
Were you Team Book, Team Series, or, like me, firmly Team BOTH?
And if you watched the series first, I really want to know whether reading the book afterward changed how you saw these characters.
Come for murder, stay for tea.
Get full access to Cozy Comfort Club at cozycomfortclub.substack.com/subscribe
