Review: The Dogs of Balboa by Rose Christo

Michael Mirez witnesses a sexual assault and does nothing to stop it. Torn apart by guilt, Michael sabotages his own life, until one year later, when Michael unexpectedly crosses paths with the victim again. Michael is determined to make it up to Noah, a painfully shy Native American boy whose only ambition is to travel into space. But Noah doesn't remember Michael; and Michael doesn't have the courage to refresh his memory. And behind Noah's attack lies a disturbing pastime with roots as old as America itself.

Wow, this book...

Recently I had a bit of a binge on Rose Christo's Gives Light series. She was an author previously unheard of by me, but once I started reading them I couldn't stop. Then I won this book and was reminded again of what a beautiful writer this author is.

This book resonated so much with me. It's about ...well life really and those chances and actions we wish we could change. Life is full of choices, options and forks in the road. Some can be given forethought and deliberation, others rely on spontaneity or rapid decision making. As Michael finds out, we can't always predict how we are going to act in a given situation. Fight or flight - most of us know how we would like to respond to any given situation, but in the moment is that the way we do respond? Hindsight, as they say, is a wonderful thing.

This book is about just such a situation, and the thoughts and feelings of the two MC's afterwards. One with a guilty conscience (because guilt doesn't listen to rational thought) and one a victim survivor. It's about how the two MC's interact with each other - how circumstance and situation put actions in motion. Most of all it is a beautiful story of friendship and love.

Rose Christo writes characters that are real. They have quirks, they are human, they are just like you and me. They need to deal with the choices they make and not just so it adds drama to a book, but because that is what we all do every day. There is always a message in her stories and I love her way of thinking. I would highly recommend reading her books to everyone. There is a beauty in her writing that lingers long after the last page has been turned. The characters remain, friends who exist only on the page, but who make you think about your own actions. An author that really, really should be more widely know. A fabulous story.