Reviews

Goodreads review of Becoming Finnigan

Nov 04, 2013Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

           
I had the wonderful pleasure of reading this book as part of the goodreads give away! I cannot recommend this book enough. I was shocked to find this was the authors' first novel.

This is a wonderful story that takes you from the beginning of WWII to Sept 10, 2001. Not only is there a wonderful love story that covers throughout this time, there is a wonderful first person narration from multiple people of what it was like to be a solider in WWII and to live in these eras in history. I am a huge lover of history and they did a wonderful job of being accurate about the true history while making it enjoyable with the characters. This is a story that will stay with you long after you finish.

The plot: Joel is about to leave for WWII when a chance encounter has him meeting the women of his dreams while trying to buy a present for his aunt. One problem is she is engaged and her man is already serving overseas. Despite this the two fall in love and promise to get married when he returns. However, when her fiance returns with extreme injuries it causes her to call off her plans with Joel. The rest of the story is about the paths their lives take in the following years and what happens to the country as well. The second plot is about a girl and her struggle to become an author and find a path for her life. She is devastated to see that in her spending 3 years to write a novel on Dolly Madison has been one upped by no other then Joel. It is so exciting to see what is going to happen next.

Amazon  Reviews for Becoming Finnigan

***** Great read! May 24, 2013

By Kenneth W. Veazey

The book covers the life of Joel Finnigan from his service as a paratrooper in WW II thru his career as a history professor and involvement in the social and political issues of his time. As the authors described his experience as a paratrooper in the war, I felt like I was there living the pain and suffering of the experience. As a product of the 60s and 70s, I felt like I was re-living the social and political upheavals of those years. But against this backdrop was an engaging description of Finnigan's search for the love of his life. The characters are real, the narrative is engaging, the plot with surprising turns. I found it hard to put the book down and quickly read it to the end. Highly recommend this book as an engaging read.

*****

***** A New Jersey Fan May 28, 2013

By T. Ellane

WOW! I absolutely loved, loved, loved the book BECOMING FINNIGAN. It just pulled me in from page 1. I felt like I was reliving my 70 years with every chapter. I enjoyed all the local (for me) references and could picture each one as I read the book over 2 days. Thank you for such a compelling story - I'd love to see it made into a film.

*****

***** AWESOME! June 13, 2013

By Happy Reader

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Great story from the first page to the last! Great writing! I absolutely loved it! A must read! Can't wait for their next book!

*****

***** Review of Becoming Finnigan June 3, 2013

By Eager Reader

This book is a hybrid in the very best sense--it transcends the conventions of both historical fiction and romance genres and speaks the language of two distinct generations--the Baby Boomers and the WWII "Greatest Generation". Like the best historical fiction it allows the reader to experience real events through the eyes of the characters and like the best romance fiction, it entices you to really care about those characters. By keeping the 20th Century's big events alive it will appeal to both older and younger readers. It will prove that the generation gap can be closed by love and understanding. You should buy this book because you'll want to read it more than once.

*****

*****A Great Read! June 1, 2013

By Gail V

Whether you're looking for something to read on the beach this summer or want something more serious, this book will satisfy you. I found that the more I read, the harder it was to put down. Likeable main characters, expertly taken through tumultuous times in our nation's history.

*****

***** Excellent!  October 27, 2013 By  A. Jones "Wonder Woman" Interesting from beginning to end. The historical parts of the book were intriguing and informative; not overdone. The romance in the book was perfect. The book didn't go as I wanted, but was in no way disappointing. I often laughed out loud. Authors were clever and comical in their writing. Thanks to them for representing my hometown of Hampton Roads well.