Reader Reviews

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Sheila Dwine

Enjoyed from beginning to end.
So well written. I was in the story, could feel the emotions of each character. The ending was perfect and so sweet from Duffy’s point.

Mary C

A touching and humorous read!
Easy reading and a heartfelt story plot. It's worth hanging out with this crew. In a funny, insightful, and life-affirming debut, Brooke Fossey delivers an unflinching look at growing old, living large, and loving big, as told by a wise-cracking man who didn’t see any of it coming. What are you waiting for? Grab your glasses and let's get reading!!

mary c

A great story with a Big Finish!!
Easy reading and a heartfelt story plot. It's worth hanging out with this crew.In a funny, insightful, and life-affirming debut, Brooke Fossey delivers an unflinching look at growing old, living large, and loving big, as told by a wise-cracking man who didn’t see any of it coming.

Ann B. (Kernville, CA)

The Big Finish deserves big kudos
Brooke Fossey had me at 9am Sit and Be Fit. I swear I've seen those exact activities on the board at my aunt's assisted living facility. I love that the novel is broken into bulletin board calendar days as well as numbered chapters. Time and its rate and manner of passing is a key thread in this novel, as it should be. Though Duffy is 88, his mind and internal dialog zip the narrative along. Stakes are high in the Centennial assisted living home, after all. I recommend this to readers who like a funny and character-driven story that demonstrates how its never too late to be the person you mean to be.

Mark S. (Blauvelt, NY)

The Big Finish Lives Up to Its Title
For a first work, Fossey has a knack for creating real characters that force readers to both accept them as real and root for them throughout the story. I enjoyed the relationships, the conflicts, and the way that Fossey created such a unique storyline in such an unexpected setting. I was also a big fan of the opportunity for redemption that Fossey created for more than just one of the principal characters. Probably the best indicator of how much I enjoyed this book was that I read it in less than 24 hours. As a high school teacher, I would definitely recommend it to book clubs and plan on passing it along to the teachers who run one in our English department.

Jan M. (Broken Arrow, OK)

Ending Well
As a fellow "Golden Ager" I could relate to the characters in this book and their thought processes. Just because we're old, doesn't mean we can't experience deep feelings of friendship, love, loss and everything in between. Carl and Duffy were good friends living a somewhat predictable life in a retirement home. Along came Carl's granddaughter, Josie, and all of a sudden their world became much more interesting. The next week was filled with many experiences and emotions as these two old friends broke all the rules to give Josie some protection and a chance to know her grandfather. The writer did a terrific job of developing her story and helping the reader to know her characters. Although the story was fiction, the characters were very real and perhaps resembled many of our friends. I really enjoyed the book and will be recommending it to my book club friends.

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