jbronderbookreviews

The Fifteenth of June by Brent Jones

Can we lose a loved one without losing ourselves?

Twenty-eight-year-old Drew Thomson is haunted by a troubled past. After struggling for years with alcoholism and antisocial behavior, he ends a stable relationship with his girlfriend and finds himself without a home, job, or purpose.

Just as he learns that his father is terminally ill, he meets a stranger who offers him a flicker of hope for a better future. But is he ready to bury the past?

Rich with dark humor and a keen insight into the human condition, this debut fictional release from author Brent Jones delves into life’s most pressing trials—destructive relationships, love, loss, and pursuing happiness.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Goodreads

Author’s Bio

From bad checks to bathroom graffiti, Brent Jones has always been drawn to writing. He won a national creative writing competition at the age of fourteen, although he can’t recall what the story was about. Seventeen years later, he gave up his freelance career as a social media manager to pursue creative writing full-time. The Fifteenth of June is his debut novel.

Jones is working on his sophomore release from his home in Fort Erie, Canada. He’s a bearded cyclist, a mediocre guitarist, (mostly) vegetarian, the proud owner of two dogs with a God complex, and a devoted “Instagram husband.”

Website     Facebook     Twitter      Instagram

My Review

4 stars

Drew Thomson is 28 years old and an alcoholic. Drew has a lot of dysfunction in himself and his family and it’s pretty clear this is what has caused the alcoholism for a coping method. We join the story with Drew leaving his girlfriend of 5 years. He is packing his thinks to leave with no goal or destination in mind. But soon he meets another woman that accepts him and also challenges his thinking.

This was an interesting story. No, I was not fond of Drew when we started but the more you read the more you understand how he turned to alcoholism. A family tragedy that was never really handed properly was the starting point. But from there you see how easy it is to find those that just accept who you are and in a sense enable your behavior. But then you find that one person that accepts who you are but they want to encourage you to be better. They have faith in you and you find yourself wanting to change, to be better, because of them.

This is a deep book and can apply to all of us no matter what we situation we are in. Are we really challenging ourselves to be better or are we just going along with everything. This is a great story and one that I recommend for anyone.

I received The Fifteenth of June from the author and Kindle for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

Read Full Post »

Wait for the Rain by Maria Murname

Daphne White is staring down the barrel of forty—and is distraught at what she sees. Her ex-husband is getting remarried, her teenage daughter hardly needs her anymore, and the career she once dreamed about has somehow slipped from her grasp. She’s almost lost sight of the spirited and optimistic young woman she used to be.

As she heads off to a Caribbean island to mark the new decade with her best friends from college, Daphne’s in anything but the mood to celebrate. But when she meets Clay Hanson, a much younger man, she ignores her inner voice warning her that she’s too old for a fling. In fact, this tropical getaway might be the perfect opportunity to picture her future in a new sun-drenched light.

With the help of her friends, Daphne rediscovers her enthusiasm for life, as well as her love for herself—and realizes that her best years are still ahead.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble     Goodreads

Author’s Bio

Maria’s road to becoming an author is a little crazy. She used to work in high-tech PR but hated it, so she quit and ended up playing semi-pro soccer in Argentina for a year. While she was down there she decided to write a novel, which was something she’d always dreamed of doing. Fast forward a few years and a LOT of perseverance, and she’s now the best-selling author of Perfect on Paper, It’s a Waverly Life, Honey on Your Mind, Chocolate for Two, Cassidy Lane, Katwalk, Wait for the Rain, and Bridges. And yes, she still plays a lot of soccer!

Website     Facebook     Twitter

My Review

4 stars

Daphne, KC and Skylar are on vacation in the Caribbean for the big 4-0. Daphne is having a hard time with her divorce two years ago and living with her 15 year old that doesn’t seem to need her. Although she is barely holding it together, when she gets to the Caribbean she admits to Skylar and KC what has been going on and they come up with a plan to get back on track. Then Daphne meets Clay, a younger man that seems to light her fire. Maybe things are not going to be so bad after all.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with this story. I was thinking that it would be focused on Daphne and her hooking up with a young man and having the life she wants. In reality, you learn about the dynamic of these three women and how they have drifted apart. This vacation is more about them coming back together than about Clay.

I admit that I am not one of those women that freak out about turning 30 or 40, heck I’m impressed that I made it this far, but this is something that I’m not rushing out to read about. But I will give any book a chance and I was glad that this is more about Daphne learning to get past the number and start living.

If you are looking for a great contemporary story about the importance of friends, look no further. I really enjoyed this book and am happy to read other books from Maria Murname.

I received Wait for the Rain from the author for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

Read Full Post »