Characters You’ll Immediately
Bond With
About the Book
“Promise me you’ll never come back here, Peyton. It’s too much–it’s just way too much.”
Peyton Cabot’s fifteenth year will be a painful and transformative one. His father, the heroic but reluctant head of a moneyed Savannah family, has come home from World War II a troubled vet, drowning his demons in bourbon and distancing himself from his son. A tragic accident shows Peyton the depths of his parents’ devotion to each other but interrupts his own budding romance with the girl of his dreams.
Struggling to cope with a young life upended, Peyton makes a daring decision: He will retrace a journey his father took at fifteen, riding his bicycle from St. Augustine, Florida, all the way to Key West. Part declaration of independence, part search for self, Peyton’s journey will bring him more than he ever could have imagined–namely, the key to his unknowable father, a longed-for reunion, and a calling that will shape the rest of his life.
Details
- The Key to Everything
- Author Valerie Fraser Luesse
- Publisher Revell
- Publication Date: June 2, 2020
- Reading Group Guide
- Excerpt
- YouTube
My Thoughts
Valerie Fraser Luesse will transport you to the 1940s along the Florida coast, in a coming of age novel that you won’t soon forget.
Book covers seem to be getting prettier and prettier and this book is no exception. The muted colors and picture immediately drew me to this. And when I read the back cover, I was sure this was a story I’d have to read. And I’m certainly happy that I did.
Time for a Coffee Break?
This story of a fifteen-year-old boy’s struggles, and his choice to retrace a bicycle trip his father took at fifteen, takes the reader along a memorable journey. As he travels down the Florida coast he connects with many unique people. All of his experiences cause growth and also seem to bring him closer to the Dad he never really knew.
The author creates a wonderful connection and understanding of each of her characters. And though this is a Contemporary Christian Romance, there is nothing that feels forced in the book. Rather I would say it is a clean, story with morals and growth of the characters.
Quote that I Liked
He frowned as he thought about her question. “It’s not that I don’t get scared. I just try not to let being scared stop me from doing whatever I’ve made up my mind to do.”
What Concerned Me
Nothing
What I Liked Best
This is a beautifully written book that drew me to the characters and their challenges. From the cover to the story, I loved the nostalgic feel of this book.
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
Rating
You Probably Won’t Go Wrong With This Book
Rating
About the Author
Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac and Almost Home, as well as an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently senior travel editor. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse received the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society for her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana. A graduate of Auburn University and Baylor University, she lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her husband, Dave.
Photo Credit: Mark Sandlin
