Can a book break your heart and still have a happy ending?
I have listened to 2 books recently that did exactly that. I listen to several books a week, so for me to be so profoundly affected says something about the power of the stories and the talent of the authors.
This book is not for the faint of heart. James Holden is broken. Anyone who has been broken or loved someone who is broken will recognize themselves or their loved ones.
It is raw and it is real and this is the way I love my books.
Low-angst feel-good books are nice, and I do enjoy them, but it’s the books that push me emotionally – that makes me go to unpleasant and rough places – that have the greatest impact on me. They stay with me the longest, have the most profound impact. I listened to this book 3 weeks ago and it has taken me this long to put down words – hopefully the right words.
This is a tough book emotionally. It ventures into very dark places. The promise of a happy ending might not be enough for some listeners, but it is worth the ten hours of your time.
Theodore Davenport has decided he needs to go after his dream. Publishing is where he’s always wanted to be and when the opportunity presents itself, he leaps.
No quickie in the bathroom of a bar is going to interfere with his plans. But that clichéd quickie leads him where he never pictured himself going. James Holden has a lot of responsibilities – more than one person can really handle. With a legacy to continue and a mother who is impossible to please, it’s no wonder he’s buckling under the strain. Watching the downward spiral, however, is just plain painful.
There is a moment of bleakness that had tears streaming down my face and a band around my chest. It’s a wonder my fellow train passengers didn’t think I was crazy. Or maybe they did – I just didn’t care.
At times I felt like I was the one who was broken, bringing back painful memories from my past. But I knew there was hope because when two men love each other as much as Theo and James do, everything is possible.
Also, anything narrated by Joel Leslie should be on auto-buy. He exceeds his normally stellar work with this book because his accents were spot-on. A great listen.