Just a Regular Boy

A Novel

By: Catherine Ryan Hyde

Narrated by: Michael Crouch, Kate Rudd

Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

An orphaned boy raised by a survivalist wends his way into the real world in an emotional novel about hope, fears, and found family by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Out there is chaos, the collapse of society, and so much to be afraid of. All that matters is freedom.

That’s what Remy Blake has been taught by his survivalist father. Raised off the grid in the middle of nowhere, his own survival skills not yet honed, Remy is days shy of his eighth birthday when his father unexpectedly dies. As seasons pass, supplies run out, and fending for himself grows more desperate, Remy sets out on foot, unprepared for the great unknown of civilization.

He is found—near feral, silent, and terrified—in the small rural town of Blaire. To Anne, a nurturing mother of two adopted teenagers who’s still dealing with her own childhood rejections, Remy is not a lost cause. Just a challenging one. As Remy cautiously adapts to his new foster home, his family wants nothing more than to reassure him that he can trust the world. But to do so, they must first reexamine how much they trust the world themselves, and how much they should. As Remy’s journey into the real world begins, figuring out how to navigate it becomes a path they will have to learn to walk together.

©2023 Catherine Ryan Hyde, Trustee, or Successor Trustee, of the Catherine Ryan Hyde Revocable Trust created under that certain declaration dated September 27, 1999. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Prolific author [Catherine Ryan] Hyde applies her heartwarming style to the dynamic between a foster parent and child, highlighting the power of therapy and the reliability of inner strength.” —Booklist

“The story is beautifully conceived and executed and incredibly touching. As with all of Hyde's characters, we really come to empathize with Remy and Anne.” —Bookreporter

Human endurance and love.

A remarkable story of survival and redemption that everyone will fall in love with. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

phenomenal...best book ive read this year

i dont usually write reviews, but this book. Wow! It had me crying, it worked into my dreams, it had me contemplating life in so many new and different ways. Im recommending it to everyone.

Great book

This book kept me interested from the first word until the last. Loved the narrator.

A great read!

Original Plot And the narration was excellent. It kept my attention The Entire time. Great job of exploring Psychological impact Of trauma And process of working Through albeit A bit Unrealistic In the straightforward progression, Timeline And miraculous Healing Of an 8/9-year-old Boy.
J.L.Varnado, Ph.D. Retired Psychologist

Amazing story

I love Catherine Ryan Hyde books. She brings out all sorts of emotions. Her stories really warm my heart. Well, they also break my heart, but you know what I mean. And she makes you think and feel deeper. I can’t really explain it; I just know she’s an amazing author.

It hurts my heart to know that children suffer so much and go through so many horrible things, but it’s great to know there are truly good people out there to help even the very damaged, traumatized ones.

Another great novel

Great portrait of what a real foster Mom should be even in the face of difficult circumstances.

WOW

I absolutely loved this book. I didn’t want it to end so I made myself shut it off even though I still had more driving to do.
I love Remy. What an amazing and resilient child. And Ann-in the beginning I didn’t like her because I thought she was too pushy. Then I realized she had to be to get where she was- a woman who didn’t know the meaning of giving up.
Catherine Ryan Hyde-keep writing. Your books are so special.

Great story

Great story, endearing characters and plausible plot, all things needed for an enjoyable read. Thank Catherine Ryan Hyde.

So good!

I finish this book with a new perspective, not only about life, and how we should embrace every moment, good or bad, but also not to judge people from the outside. What a great book! Well, written.

One of the best books I’ve read

I fell in love with Remy right from the beginning, so much so that it was hard to enjoy Ann’s ‘chapters’. But the two stories beautifully come together and I hated this book to end.
Am incredible testimony to the human spirit, endurance, power and hope. I’m so glad to have come across this book.