The Way Life Should Be

A Novel

De: William Dameron

Narrado por: Will Damron

Two fathers embarking on the second half of their lives together. Two families in the midst of transformation. A warm, funny, and unforgettable novel about the joys and fears of moving on.

Husbands Thomas and Matt are enjoying a second-chance marriage after coming out, leaving their wives, and finding happiness in a summer cottage on the southern coast of Maine. They’ve kept a tenuous peace with their exes. Thomas toils in the garden. There is an ease to their love. This is the way life should be.

But it’s not long before their three children—each nearing adulthood and fleeing personal crises of their own—descend on their fathers’ bliss. The two-bedroom getaway has just enough space for Thomas and Matt’s future. Now they must make room for the past, and all its drama.

During an unintentional family reunion, old lives, broken and in need of repair, converge with the new. Over the course of an unforgettable summer, two fathers and their children will come together. They’ll understand what life still can be. Pain, anger, flaws and all, they’re determined to forge a loving way forward.

©2023 William Dameron (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Will Damron's passionate narration of this first novel adds additional layers of emotional depth as two men who were once married and had children discover they're gay.… Damron slightly alters his smooth and evocative delivery as the narrative reveals family friction and secrets. This family drama walks well-worn paths amid the contemporary twist of a gay marriage.”—AudioFile Magazine

“Dameron manages to keep all the story lines taut, and the prose is reliably crisp…Fans of Anne Beattie’s family dramas will admire this touching story.”—Publishers Weekly

“The joy in Dameron’s debut novel is found in the chaotic messiness of blending families, and the strength that love and laughter can provide.”—The Washington Post

Good story

While everyone wasn’t likable in this novel, you learned to appreciate their flaws. Some themes and terms were overused, but otherwise I enjoyed this audio book.

Nice story

Everyone is included which is nice. However there were too many characters to follow. I would have enjoyed reading more about relationship between the two main gay dads.

A Story that fills you w/ love, laughter & more

Roller coaster of emotions. Makes you think, feel, yell out loud, cry and even laugh. You get a clear image of characters and make them real in your mind.

Sad

But up to date on content. Sad books are not my thing! More description of book would be appropriate.

Unfortunately not for me.

I have to be honest, I struggled with this one. I struggled keeping the characters separate and I really didn’t like the jumping back and forth between POVs and the timelines (lots of flashbacks). This might just be a me issue, but I didn’t expect this book to cover so many heavy topics and I didn't really feel this was "A warm, funny, and unforgettable novel about the joys and fears of moving on".