Hi all,
I've said it before but it's worth saying again - I love books by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Her characters are real, flawed, and manage to find their way into your heart. Her latest novel,
Say Goodbye for Now, is no different. Here is more about the novel and my review.
Say Goodbye for Now
Catherine Ryan Hyde
Book Description:
On an
isolated Texas ranch, Dr. Lucy cares for abandoned animals. The solitude allows
her to avoid the people and places that remind her of the past. Not that any of
the townsfolk care. In 1959, no one is interested in a woman doctor. Nor are
they welcoming Calvin and Justin Bell, a newly arrived African American father
and son.
When Pete
Solomon, a neglected twelve-year-old boy, and Justin bring a wounded wolf-dog
hybrid to Dr. Lucy, the outcasts soon find refuge in one another. Lucy never
thought she’d make connections again, never mind fall in love. Pete never
imagined he’d find friends as loyal as Justin and the dog. But these four
people aren’t allowed to be friends, much less a family, when the whole town
turns violently against them.
With heavy
hearts, Dr. Lucy and Pete say goodbye to Calvin and Justin. But through the
years they keep hope alive…waiting for the world to catch up with them.
Publish Date:
December 13, 2016
Lake Union Publishing
My Five-Star Review:
Four lonely people find each other in a small, Texas town in
the stifling time-period of 1959. When Pete finds a hurt dog/wolf on the side of
the road, he takes the animal to Dr. Lucy, who lives alone on a small ranch and
cares for injured and unwanted animals. Reluctantly, she helps the dog, and
soon, her life becomes complicated as she becomes involved in the lives of
Pete, his new friend, Justin, and then Justin’s father, Calvin. Normally, this
would be a good thing, but in 1959, a white woman befriending an African
American man and his son was not very well accepted. And the people of the town
make their feelings loud and clear.
Author Catherine Ryan Hyde once again brings together a
unique cast of characters who aren’t looking for anything or anyone to change
their lives and then slowly find each other and can’t help but grow close. She
creates perfectly flawed characters who sneak into your heart and make you care
about them. And she takes on a tough topic with grace and candor. Say Goodbye for Now is not about perfect
people living perfect lives—and that is why it is such an amazing story.
About the Author:
Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of 30 published and
forthcoming books, including 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.
An avid hiker, traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she has released
her first book of photos, 365 DAYS OF GRATITUDE: PHOTOS FROM A BEAUTIFUL WORLD.
She is co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of HOW TO BE
A WRITER IN THE E-AGE: A SELF-HELP GUIDE.
Her 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
LOVE IN THE PRESENT TENSE enjoyed bestseller status in the UK, where it broke
the top ten, spent five weeks on the bestseller lists, was reviewed on a major
TV book club, and shortlisted for a Best Read of the Year award at the British
Book Awards. Both BECOMING CHLOE and JUMPSTART THE WORLD were included on the
ALA's Rainbow List, and JUMPSTART THE WORLD was a finalist for two Lambda
Literary Awards. WHERE WE BELONG won two Rainbow Awards in 2013 and THE
LANGUAGE OF HOOFBEATS won a Rainbow Award in 2015.
New Kindle editions of her backlist titles FUNERALS FOR HORSES, EARTHQUAKE
WEATHER AND OTHER STORIES, ELECTRIC GOD, and WALTER'S PURPLE HEART are now
available. Also available is THE LONG, STEEP PATH: EVERYDAY INSPIRATION FROM
THE AUTHOR OF PAY IT FORWARD, her first book-length creative nonfiction.
More than 50 of her short stories have been published in The Antioch Review,
Michigan Quarterly Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Glimmer
Train and many other journals, and in the anthologies Santa Barbara Stories and
California Shorts and the bestselling anthology Dog is my Co-Pilot. Her stories
have been honored in the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest and the Tobias
Wolff Award and nominated for Best American Short Stories, the O'Henry Award, and
the Pushcart Prize. Three have been cited in Best American Short Stories.
She is founder and former president (2000-2009) of the Pay It Forward
Foundation, and still serves on its board of directors. As a professional
public speaker she has addressed the National Conference on Education, twice
spoken at Cornell University, met with Americorps members at the White House
and shared a dais with Bill Clinton.
For more information and book club questions, please visit the author at
catherineryanhyde.com
