Blog Tour: A Season Without Rain by Joe Schwartz (Fiction, 8/10E)

 

November 2013, GMTA Publishing, 348pages, Ebook, Review copy

Content: frequent strong languages, some adult situations, drug usage, tissue needed

Summary from GMTA Publishing

Jacob Miller is angry with himself, the world, and God. Life seems so unfair, so cruel, that he can’t imagine why anyone even tries. After having a nervous breakdown, selling his business, filing for bankruptcy, having a baby, and finding out he owes over twenty grand in taxes, he is hardly happy to be alive.

In the span of a year, Jacob will discover three very important things about life. Things can always be worse. There really is a God. And if you wait long enough anything can change. 

Nayuleska's thoughts

It took me a little while to warm to Jacob's personality. He didn't always see how well off he was despite his money issues. It takes working at a place where he'd never think of working and have people tell him their troubles that he began understanding his luck. I'd like to say he worked extremely hard at that job, but he used drugs while working and somehow got away with it. Plus they must have cost money (& the cigarettes) which he could have put to better use.

I'm making it to sound like he is a bad person - he isn't, he just made not the wisest decisions. He really cares about Barbie (a name which amused me for a while as I've never met someone called by that infamous doll brand), who oddly cares for him. Their home life - ignoring the irresponsible & selfish drug use - made me smile at how sweet the pair of them could be. There's no doubt how much they love their son, who is part of the reason that Jacob keeps going when all he wants to do is quit. Well...that and a German shepherd (a type of dog), a hose thief, and the IRS (US tax system).

Jacob can be insecure, and determined to end his life but God has other ideas. It took a lot longer than I'd expected for Jacob to find God. It didn't completely change his unhealthy habits (okay, so I may have been a little bit naive to think that would happen), but it did keep him putting one foot in front of the other. I had to admire him for that, and for turning out half decent after the upbringing he had from his mother who had a whole load of issues. He learns first hand how God can make the impossible happen.

Ordinarily I wouldn't read this kind of book as it's from a male perspective, and the coarse language and concepts were somewhat colourful. I was intrigued by when and how Jacob would find God, and I wasn't disappointed. I think it's a story that many can relate to, that problems can seem bigger than they are and true love makes life that little bit easier.

*gets on a soapbox* I feel I have to add the obvious - don't take drugs! No matter how 'fun' Jacob appeared to have, they muck up your body, can kill you, and make you do crazy things. For the record, I've never taken them recreationally, I'm on them for medical reasons and the memory loss I have isn't a fun side effect, and that's the only one I have a clue about. I just feel strongly about people (including Jacob) taking them for so called fun. They have no idea how their health will be affected in the future. *stands off soapbox*

Suggested read

Another man who struggles with life's trials with a slightly spiritual slant can be found in A Second Chance For Christmas by Nashin Sadeer (Fiction, 9/10E)