Friday, October 19, 2012

Review # 240: Twelve Months by Steven Manchester

Description: (from GoodReads)
     Don DiMarco has a very good life – a family he loves, a comfortable lifestyle, passions and interests that keep him amused. He also thought he had time, but that turned out not to be the case. Faced with news that might have immediately felled most, Don now wonders if he has time enough. Time enough to show his wife the romance he didn’t always lavish on her. Time enough to live out his most ambitious fantasies. Time enough to close the circle on some of his most aching unresolved relationships. Summoning an inner strength he barely realized he possessed, Don sets off to prove that twelve months is time enough to live a life in full.

Review:

     If you are looking for a timely novel that's full of emotion and meaning, Steven Manchester's Twelve Months should be on your short-list. Like most of us, Don DiMarco could have spent more time with his daughter and grandchildren, doted on his wife, traveled the world, or started checking things off his "bucket list" - but instead, he treated every new day as "just another day", not realizing how little time he really had left. Most of us are guilty of taking things for granted, especially when it comes to family, friends and time. No one knows how much time they have left, but many of us live under the assumption that we have "all the time in the world"; not so, as Don soon realizes. For many readers, this book will be a wake-up call. No one wants the "would of", "should of", "could of" regrets that come with taking life for granted, and they definitely do not want to try to fit their misplaced appreciation and unlived dreams into the last bit of time they have left. Don is a very interesting character, his original strengths and flaws are apparent, but very reader relatable. I enjoyed his progression from beginning to end, particularly his relationship with his wife and daughter. He emotionally matured more in twelve months than some people do in a lifetime. The scenario and dialogue were realistic and highly emotional, there were a few sections where I found myself tearing-up, and others where I could not stop smiling. I really liked Steven Manchester's poetic writing style and ability to construct such a vivid, exciting, and impassioned story-line full of heartbreak, inspiration, hope, love, and faith. I also liked the first person narration, as well as the overall flow of the novel. I had a difficult time putting this book down once I started it, and I was quite moved by Don's story. The tagline has it right. Highly recommended for all readers.

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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