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Review: Despite the Odds by Chris T. Kat

Never judge a book by its cover.

Michael Campbell can’t hold a job for more than a few days. He’s lucky his foreman is giving him another chance with the solar panel project at an elementary school in Atlantic City. When he spies a man walking strangely in front of the school, Michael laughs, assuming he’s drunk or high. Little does he realize that Joshua Stone, a teaching assistant, has cerebral palsy, and he’s having a bad muscle control day. Taking a tumble right in front of the handsome construction worker is just his luck.

When Michael learns the truth, he feels bad for his cruel behavior. He offers to give Joshua—and his tricycle, the Racing Rhonda—a lift. Joshua accepts the help, and suddenly there’s a gorgeous man breezing into his life, turning his world upside down. But Michael has more issues than his inability to hold down a job, and neither man is sure if they’ll be able to overcome their fears in order to be together.



Anybook that doesn't have your a-typical MC's is going to grab my interest. I love books that feature characters who are real, who have the same issues that many folks in this real big ol' world have to face. Don't get me wrong, reading is the best form of escapism there is, and I've read and enjoyed many books with 'perfect' hero's, but those books with real heroes are going to always be held nearest to my heart.

Especially when the MC who actually has the most difficulty isn't the one you think it's going to be.

Chris T. Kat, does a good job of showing that, while we as a world often focus on physical differences, it is oft times not those that can be most disabling for a person.That the unseen can be just as, or more, debilitating than the seen. Don't judge a book by it's cover is an old cliché, it doesn't make it any less true.

We meet Michael and Joshua and make the instant judgement that Joshua is the most debilitated of the two, and in many way he is. It doesn't stop him getting what he wants or needs though. It's not held him back from life. He is a determined character who refuses to be pities even when he does need help. And isn't it a sign of strength to ask for help when it's needed? We all need help at times for different things and (to use another cliché) pride often comes before a fall!

Michael is a prime example. On the outside he seems fine and dandy. Physically able, clearly able minded...yet he is the bull headed MC who is being held back by what he considers a disability. Sometimes I wanted to slap him! I have to admit, when we first meet him I'm not all that keen - especially the way he takes the piss out of Joshua when it's clearly a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Like him though, I made a snap judgement on a little fact. We all do, it's human nature, no matter how much we don't want to. And as Michael was proved wrong as the story went on, so was I.

Despite it sounding choc full of morality issues, this was really actually a quite light love story. The kind that brightens the day and makes you pleased to have read it. It could have gotten deeper and heavier but it isn't any less of a book because it doesn't. In many ways that was exactly why I liked it. It brought me two characters, who had issues but managed to navigate them while falling in love and at the end of the day the love story is what I love.

A really enjoyable read.


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1 comment:

  1. Sold! I know even before reading it that I'm going to love it!

    ReplyDelete