"Flogging a dead horse" -- book?

Grunfeld

Total long shot but here goes:
I read a book which contained a description of how this fella finally split up with his girlfriend.  The description totally nailed (to my mind) that feeling of both of them knowing the relationship has completely had it, there's nothing left, but they still carry on to the bitter end. 

In the book the fella and his gf either met before university, or at it, (or maybe uni wasn't involved at all but they were about that age).  It wasn't fiction, it was basically biographical, and the fella and his gf were in the UK and I reckon it was the 1980s (but could be a decade either way).

I thought it was a book by Stuart Maconie and I still can't shake the feeling.  I got another copy of "Cider with Roadies" but can't find what I'm looking for.  I also searched on my kindle "Pies and Prejudice" and what I'm looking for doesn't appear to be there either. 

Any takers?

Phil_aka_Pip

It wasn't about a bloke who was into bdsm, necrophilia, and bestiality, was it?

boogieman

Pretty sure it's not Stuart Maconie, unless he's drastically changed his style. Everything I've read of his has been like Bill Bryson.

Don't recognise the book though. Tony Parsons maybe ?

Grunfeld

Cheers -- I should have said that it was a humorous description of a dying relationship -- but I've now gone through all 4 of my Stuart Maconie books and I can't pin it on him.  I've not read Tony Parsons.   I think I'm just going to have to let this one go...
 

Sarge

Sounds like Nick Hornby - fever pitch, or any of his other books to be honest.

RandallFlagg

Flyf Fishing by J R Hartley?