Literary Americana fiction filled with humor and heartWhen his wife, Angel, is killed in a head-on collision, Gomez Gomez feels he can’t go on–so he doesn’t. He spends his days in the bushes next to the crash site drinking Thunderbird wine, and his nights cradling a coffee can full of Angel’s ashes. Slow, sure suicide, with no one for company but the snakes, Elvis’s ghost, and a strange kid … named Bones.Across town, Father Jake Morales plays it safe, haunted by memories of the woman he left behind, hiding his guilt, loss, and love behind a thick wall of cassock and ritual. Then a shady business deal threatens the town–and his good friend Gomez Gomez–and Father Jake can’t just stand by and watch. But what happens when the rescuer is the one in need of saving?The Beautiful Ashes of Gomez Gomez is quirky, heartfelt, and deeply human. Lives and hopes collide in the town of Paradise, stretching across decades and continents in this epic story of forgiveness, redemption, and love.
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This story made me cry. I loved the story within a story. The characters were great in this book. I loved the priest and Gomez Gomez and Bones the best. This story shows how a few people and a whole town react when one person dies in a horrible accident. There were many twists and turns during this story. I love the inspiration. I received a copy of this book from Read with Audra for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
I have reviewed hundreds of books, and can count the negative ones I have done on one hand. I don’t like to leave negative ones, but I am honest in my reviews. This book sounded really good and intrigued me, but I just could not get into it. It IS a little weird…a drunk guy talking to snakes and his dead wife, and the snakes talk back….but 64 pages in, I just wasn’t enjoying the book, and was forcing myself to read, so I put it down.
I am not knocking the author. A lot of people like his books, including this one, so it may just be me. The author does have an interesting writing style, but this book just wasn’t for me.
I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions in this review are my own
I don’t think I have been entertained by a book like this one in a long time. The characters are flawed, quirky and downright fun. The author writes a story that captures the good old days reminiscing about rock music and hanging out with friends you’ve know forever was a treat.
Gomez Gomez is missing his wife and doesn’t want to let go of her memory. He has become a recluse in the woods. I liked him instantly when he said he was a believer . I thought it was funny that so many people were worried about him, yet Gomez Gomez seems quite content with how he is living. The bitterness he harbors about his wife’s death is getting to him though.
There are several characters that interact with Gomez Gomez that makes the story interesting. I can’t forget about Father Jake. Now there’s a man who has a double whammy of guilt and regret. We make decisions in our life and sometimes they turn out bad. Jake is regretting a big decision he made and now is wandering around unhappy. It sure is hard to see the person you love everyday and not be able to be with them.
There are several twists in the story that took me by surprise. Just when I thought I had figured out what was going to happen, the author throws a curve ball in the story. I do believe I would like to meet Gomez Gomez and let him know that others may judge him , but God knows the pain he is in. The author gives us a look at forgiveness, redemption and characters I hope to see in another book.
I received a copy of this book from Read With Audra Blogging Program. The review is my own opinion.
3.5 Stars
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, and there were some high and low points for me.
It was hard to get into the story, there are so many character points of view, it was difficult to really connect with any single one of them. There was also a lot of repetition throughout the book (specifically in the dialogue but also in the whole plot development).
That said, the themes of this book—the impact someone has on the lives of many, forgiveness, and healing—are woven throughout. The friendship between Gomez Gomez, Early, and Jake is forged through years and life experiences and even when those ties are fragile, they remain.
And while a couple things took me by surprise in the book, I had most of them figured out long before their big reveal.
Literary fiction with pieces of magical realism, the story takes themes that are often found in Christian fiction and gives them an original spin.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
The Beautiful Ashes of Gomez Gomez (Ballads of Paradise) is my first introduction to Buck Storm’s writing. After this one, it will not be my last I read by him. I found his writing to be unique and different. Which was great to read something new and refreshing. There were a few laugh out loud moments in the story. There were some moments of inspiration, as well. Not a story I would ever been able to predict. It was a great imagination on the author’s part.
I am giving The Beautiful Ashes of Gomez Gomez (Ballads of Paradise) a very well deserved five plus stars.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.