Review by Booklist Review
Hartnett's (Unlikely Animals, 2022) quirky, heartfelt novel weaves together grief, redemption, and the unexpected ways we find family. PJ Halliday has made a lot of mistakes. At 63, he drinks too much, barely speaks to his daughter, and spends every morning at his ex-wife's house eating breakfast with her and her new boyfriend--who also happens to be PJ's best friend. But when PJ reads the obituary of an old high school friend, he sees something unexpected: his former flame, Michelle Cobb, is single again. He takes this as a sign to drive across the country, find Michelle, and finally get something right. However, before he can leave, life throws him a curveball in the form of Luna and Ollie--his late brother's grandchildren--and a cat named Pancakes that may or may not have magical powers. What follows is a road trip filled with humor, heartache, and a search for both lost and newfound love. Hartnett's signature blend of humor and deep emotional resonance shines through on every page. Balancing whimsy with raw emotion, Hartnett has a gift for turning life's messiest, saddest moments into something weirdly funny and downright beautiful. Hartnett's fans will find much to love here.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Hartnett's enchanting latest (after Unlikely Animals), a lonely and broken man hits the road in hopes of finding a new lease on life. PJ Halliday, 63, won the lottery 10 years ago, but he's far from having it all. His ex-wife, Ivy, is about to marry his former best friend, Fred; his 26-year-old daughter, Sophie, is constantly irritated with him for his heavy drinking; and his older daughter, Kate, has been dead for 15 years, having drowned while drunk after her prom. When his late brother's grandkids are suddenly orphaned, he is named next of kin to Luna, 10, and Ollie, nine. Casting about for an escape from the pain in his life, PJ takes Luna and Ollie on a road trip to Arizona, where his high school crush has been recently widowed. They're joined by Sophie, who's harboring a secret about Ivy and Fred, and more family drama ensues when Luna insists on a detour to meet Mark Stanpole, a soap opera actor she suspects is her biological father. Hartnett leavens the heavy subject matter with a lighthearted tone and comic relief from a therapy cat named Pancakes, who escaped from an assisted living residence and goes along for the ride. Readers will fall in love with this bittersweet tale of new beginnings. Agent: Katie Grimm, Curtis Brown Ltd. (Apr.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A man makes his way across the country to find his high school crush--accompanied by his adult daughter, two orphans, and a cat with the power to predict death. PJ Halliday may have won $1.5 million from the scratch-off lottery ticket he drunkenly bought at a gas station 10 years ago, but his life has been far from lucky. At 63, he's an alcoholic hoarder who's had three heart attacks and been fired from his job as a postal worker in Pondville, Massachusetts (they didn't like it when he drove the mail truck into a pond). But the two tragedies in PJ's life happened when his teenage daughter died and his wife, Ivy, left him. PJ, ever the charmer, now has breakfast every day at Ivy's house with her and her new partner, Fred, which is where he sees the obituary that lets him know his high school sweetheart is now single. She's all the way in Arizona and PJ can't technically drive (again, the DUIs), but he begins hatching a plan to go confess his love to her as soon as Ivy and Fred leave for an Alaskan vacation. PJ isn't looking forward to being left alone in Pondville, since he has a complicated relationship with his other daughter, Sophie. But what PJ doesn't expect is to suddenly become the guardian of two orphans, his estranged brother's grandchildren. Luna and Ollie are dealing with the violent deaths of both their parents, although Luna is convinced that her real father is a soap opera star and that she needs to go find him. PJ figures they can combine their trips and decides to take the children with him on a road trip to find his true love and Luna's father. Sophie, who's struggling herself and a little concerned about the kids' safety, decides to come along. They also bring Pancakes, a cat who wandered out of a nursing home and into PJ's life. Pancakes has the ability to predict death, which comes into play surprisingly often over the course of the road trip. Hartnett is a master at balancing quirky elements and some truly dark subject matter, like PJ's grief and the kids' parents' deaths. PJ is a remarkable character who remains fascinating and often charming even when he's frustrating, but every character--even the people PJ briefly encounters on the road trip--feels fully realized. A beautiful reminder that the world is full of tragedy, but life-changing joy and connection might be just around the corner. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
