I know this is a very hyped book right now, and people are probably not ready for another review, but I had my eye on this one from the start, and I’m glad I read it. Here’s my review:
Ask Again, Yes followed the journey of Peter and Kate, how their lives intersected from the day Peter arrived next door, and how the worst things in life can be overcome.
We start off with neighbors Brian and Francis, as they share time working as a team as cops in New York. They start their families and go from there. But after a horrible incident involving Peter’s mother Anne and Kate’s father Francis, Peter moves away with his father and that’s the end of his burgeoning friendship with Kate. But as the teen years start to pass, neither is off the other’s mind for long. Peter can’t move past his love for Kate, and Kate can’t seem to start a relationship with anyone else.
We follow their reconnection, their healing from the traumatic event, and more in this poignant story that is often times raw and honest. Alcoholism is an inherited trait, and Keane touches on it with Peter’s father, we know it’s there, but it isn’t as much of an issue until Peter starts struggling. His struggle at reconciling who he is and his lack of a relationship with his mother become the focus of the book.
I really appreciated the element of forgiveness in the book, because it really is something so powerful that we can do for ourselves, and until you do it, you cannot appreciate it’s value. The tragedy they have overcome at the hands of his mother sits at the core of the book, the devastation and long road to healing for Francis, and the butterfly effect that ripples out to the various family members.
I did think sometimes the book became slow, that the desire to capture the minute details of things slowed it down and seemed a bit tedious. I think aside from those slow parts it’s a great read. There are so many things going on with rich and detailed characters. So many emotions at play in an otherwise heavy storyline. There are many things going they keep you engaged, it’s a very fulfilling book in many ways.
You can read my review on Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub, give it a “like” while you’re there. You can purchase Ask Again, Yes on Amazon for $12.99.
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