Author: Valerie Fraser Luesse
Publisher: Revell
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewer: Jessica Higgins
With fun characters and a theme of restoration, this coming of age tale is perfect to kick off the summer.
Fifteen-year-old, Peyton Cabot, isn’t sure what to make of the life before him: stuck in a wealthy family, feeling like he doesn’t belong, and in love with a beautiful red headed girl. After losing his father in a tragic accident, Peyton decides to follow in his father’s footprints and take a life changing bicycle trip down the coast of Florida to Key West. Using his father’s map, he seeks answers to unknown questions and a connection to his father. Along the way, he meets many people who invest in him and change him. Some even become family. Arriving in Key West and reuniting with his love, he finds many answers and finds the peace he’s been seeking.
Set after the end of World War II, you can see a difference in the way people live. I can’t imagine letting my fifteen-year-old son go on an adventure like Peyton did. His character reads much older than fifteen. The relationships portrayed between Peyton and Lisa is often unbelievable when you think about their ages. Realizing that times were different is imperative when reading this book.
I loved many of the characters Peyton met along the way. His adventures were interesting and fun to read.
Peyton’s journey is best summed up in his own words, “You can’t follow anyone else’s path, like I tried to do with Daddy- like Daddy thought he had to do with Grandaddy. Somewhere along the way, you gotta draw your own map.”
I give this book 4 stars. It is well written and creative. The characters are well written and easy to connect to. Overall, an excellent book.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.
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