Blog Tour: The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Patterson

Author: Larry Peterson
Publisher: Tribute Books
Date of Publication: January 2012
  
Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book.  The synopsis looked interesting and I am always looking for new books to experience.  Sadly, I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.   The general story was emotional and heartbreaking.  The Peach family has lost their father and they now have to learn how to make it on their own.  I liked the how the oldest siblings automatically jumped into trying to make things better for the younger ones and vowed to keep the family together.  I also liked how the community came together in the end to help the kids.

What I had a hard time with was the dialogue.  It felt awkward for me at times.  Some of the conversations that the characters had just didn't seem to fit the scenarios.  This made it hard for me to keep my interest in the book.  I also think I would have enjoyed the book more had it taken place over more time than just one week.  While the immediate problems were solved, I wasn't left with a sense of how the family would make out in the long run.   While it was a good concept, it just wasn't really for me.  But, try it out for yourself.

About the author:


Larry Peterson was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. A former Metal Lather/Reinforcing Iron-worker, he left that business after coming down with MS. He, his wife and three kids moved to Florida 30 years ago. Larry began doing freelance newspaper commentary after graduating from Tampa College in 1984.

His first children's picture book, Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes was published in 2011. In 2012, his full length novel, The Priest and the Peaches was released and he is presently working on the sequel.

He also has a blog (http://www.ThePriestandthePeaches.com) where he posts weekly commentary. He lives in Pinellas Park, Florida and his kids and six grandchildren all live within three miles of each other.


Larry Peterson's Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/larrytpbx

Larry Peterson's Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/slipperywillie