Back to You by Richard Plourde

John Fisher thought he had it all: Money, a gorgeous girlfriend, fantastic life, expected to soon be given a partnership position at work, his life was pretty perfect. And then he was diagnosed with leukemia. His life was saved by an anonymous bone marrow donor, but after that, it seemed like everything fell apart. His girlfriend left him, he threw himself into his work, his attitude turned to being rude and no longer caring about other people, and his employer didn’t give him the promotion and instead forced him to take a six-month leave to find himself again, telling him to come back as the kind and caring person he used to be. Now, feeling quite lost and alone, he must find a way to put his life back together by facing his past.

I received a review copy of this book and enjoyed it. It was a very sweet tale of a man who had lost who he truly was inside. He had embraced vanity, pride, appearance and possessions, but lost something much more important, and this journey takes him back full circle. Confronting his past, his personal demons, discovering what he wants the future to hold, and how to find both himself, and his future. I found it to be an interesting contemporary tale of self-discovery. And though I saw the ending coming from early on, it was still an enjoyable tale of how they got there.

I believe that anyone who enjoys reading contemporary novels about lost love, found love, self-discovery, and facing one’s past will enjoy this book.

The following links will be posted in the comments on the Facebook page, as Facebook has started complaining that my adding links in the post itself violates community standards, but does apparently allow them to be posted in the comments. But on the Mom Kat Reads blog site itself, these links will remain here. (If you have not yet checked out the Facebook page for Mom Kat Reads, please feel free to do so as I include tea pairing suggestions with each review and often include other information on a variety of subjects/happenings in my life as well.)

https://amzn.to/4d9S8p4 (Amazon Link)

https://books2read.com/u/b6gkdA (Books2Read link for other vendors)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

“Bardo” by Emily Gallo

Bardo (Amazon link)

After Luthor is once again suspected of a murder he didn't commit, it seems the wisest move for him is to leave the area. He had previously spent 20 years in prison before being exonerated, and while there is no evidence pointing to him, the body was found nearby and he is a black man living in a predominantly white, rural area. The cop who came to their property seems determined to pin the crime on him. And so, for now at least, Luther flees from the farm he had been living and working on in California and winds up in New York to stay with an old, Irish author And here, it seems that his life finally and truly begins.

This was an Interesting story about two men who seemingly could not be more different from each other. Finn helps Luthor to explore life and live it to the fullest. They travel across the country by car from New York to California, experiencing new places, new foods, and discovering different ways of life, allowing Luthor to finally discover who he is, and who he wants to be.

I received a review copy of this book, and at first, I was confused by the addition of the cat Bardo to their journey. But when you discover the meaning behind the cat’s name and how that applies to the rest of the tale, it all becomes clear. But I’ll let you discover that part for yourself, as part of your journey with this book.

If you enjoy contemporary stories about people from different walks of life discovering themselves and others, and of course a variety of foods (for the various foods in this book are just as much a part of this journey), then I think you will most likely enjoy this book.

This book may also be found through:

https://books2read.com/u/4jEngj

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.