Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Favorite Son
AUTHOR: Will Freshwater
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
RELEASE DATE: January 25, 2016
LENGTH: 6 hours, 36 minutes
BLURB:
Born into a blue-collar family, John Wells beat the odds and came out a winner. As chief of staff to Patrick Donovan, a US senator and aspiring presidential candidate, he enjoys all the power and privilege of a DC insider. But while riding high on a wave of success, he’s blindsided by a series of betrayals from the people he trusts the most. In the space of a single day, John’s perfect life unexpectedly unravels when his career falters and his marriage implodes. Following a final, devastating blow, John assumes a new identity as “Peter” and flees to Provincetown, where a tight-knit community of eclectic characters slowly transforms him.
Peter finds himself drawn to Danny Cavanaugh, an enigmatic carpenter who is struggling to come to terms with his own troubled past. As they work together to renovate a local landmark, the two men forge an unlikely friendship that blossoms into love and becomes the foundation for a new life they hope to build together. But when a reversal of fortune pulls John back to DC, the treacherous world of politics he thought he’d left behind threatens to destroy his chance at true happiness.
REVIEW:
I’ve been sitting here for the past few hours staring at a blank page and trying to figure out what to write about this book. Or rather, by now this review has been haunting me for the past six months if I’m going to be honest with you… Sometimes words come easy and I can’t say enough about a book. Other times I don’t have the words for one reason or another. It doesn’t matter if the book is good or bad, sometimes the words just aren’t there.
Anyway, John Well’s life basically changes overnight. To start he lost his job, the one thing that more or less ruled his life. To top it all off, his best friend and confidant is found dead in her hotel room that same night. Deciding he needs a break and desperately needing to start over he packs his things and moves to Provincetown. While there he assumes the identity of his (dead) twin brother Peter. A complete fresh start, where no one knew him or his past. And what could be more different from the bustling DC than a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business.
Every now and again I come across these quiet books. The ones where nothing much happens, but you still enjoy the book a lot while reading/listening. Favorite Son was one of those. It was quiet in almost every way imaginable. There wasn’t much drama or conflict, not much romance and very little steam – or rather no steam. A few kisses and that was about it, everything else happened off page. It was all about Peter’s new and quiet life, starting over. Finding himself, about his friendship with the local carpenter, falling for said man, about his newfound sense of belonging.
Nick J. Russo, as always, delivered a solid narration of this book. You felt the hurt and betrayal John felt when he was asked to leave is job, the loss of his friend even more so. But also the fascination with Danny. Russo made you feel that sense of belonging to Provincetown and as always his different voices makes it easy to follow the story.
All in all Favorite Son was a n uncomplicated tale about a man turning his life around, and finding the joy in his life again.
RATING: 
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