Happy Release Day!
Congrats Catherine
on the release today of
So Long, Chester Wheeler!
So Long, Chester Wheeler by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Fiction, LGBT, 304 pages
Published December 6, by Lake Union Publishing
Unlikely road trip companions form an unexpected bond in an uplifting novel about the past—lost and found—by the New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author.
Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and getting antsy when he’s roped into providing end-of-life care for his insufferable homophobic neighbor, Chester Wheeler. Lewis doesn’t need the aggravation, just the money. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with a miserable old churl no one else in Buffalo can bear. After exchanging barbs, bickering, baiting, and pushing buttons, Chester hits Lewis with the big ask.
Lewis can’t say no to a dying wish: drive Chester to Arizona in his rust bucket of a Winnebago to see his ex-wife for the first time in thirty-two years—for the last time. One week, two thousand miles. To Lewis, it becomes an illuminating journey into the life and secrets of a vulnerable man he’s finally beginning to understand. A neighbor, a stranger, and a surprising new friend whose closure on a conflicted past is also just beginning.
So Long, Chester Wheeler is an uplifting novel about looking deeper into the heart and soul to form bonds with the last people we’d expect—only to discover that they’re the ones who need it most.
My thoughts about So Long, Chester Wheeler ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First lines—"The first thing I need to say, and the most important thing you can know, is that for most of the time I was forced to know him I despised Chester Wheeler."
Chester Wheeler is a character you'll love to hate. Which is exactly how Lewis Madigan felt about his spiteful, mean next door neighbor from the very first time they exchanged words. So then, how did the two of them end up embarking on a 2000 mile road trip, in an RV, no less?
The journey they took was enlightening for both of them in so many way. And I loved every minute of it! What could be better than a crotchety, dying old man with nothing to lose pitted against a young gay man who has no other options? The predicament they found themselves in and the barbs they threw each other had me in stitches, while at the same time, had me seeing the world through both of their eyes.
As always, Catherine Ryan Hyde has taken a tough but very real situation and turning it into a heartwarming story that we can all learn from. She is one of my must-read authors, even if I don't know what the story is about, because I know after reading one of her books, I want to be a better person from the lessons I learned from the story. I highly recommend So Long, Chester Wheeler. I loved it!
I received So Long, Chester Wheeler via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.
About the author
I am the author of more than 30 published and forthcoming books, including ALLIE AND BEA, SAY GOODBYE FOR NOW, LEAVING BLYTHE RIVER, ASK HIM WHY, WORTHY, THE LANGUAGE OF HOOFBEATS, TAKE ME WITH YOU, WHERE WE BELONG, WHEN I FOUND YOU, WALK ME HOME, SECOND HAND HEART, DON'T LET ME GO, and WHEN YOU WERE OLDER.
I'm an avid hiker, traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, and have released my first book of photos, 365 DAYS OF GRATITUDE: PHOTOS FROM A BEAUTIFUL WORLD.
I am co-author, with fellow author and publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE: A SELF-HELP GUIDE.
My novel PAY IT FORWARD was adapted into a major motion picture, chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than 23 languages for distribution in over 30 countries. The paperback was released in October 2000 by Pocket Books and quickly became a national bestseller. Simon & Schuster released PAY IT FORWARD: YOUNG READERS' EDITION in August of '14. It is suitable for kids as young as eight. A special Fifteenth Anniversary Edition of the original PAY IT FORWARD was released in December of '14. ~ Goodreads
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