What a beautiful story of a 14-year-old boy, Lucas Painter.  Between the childhood innocence and his coming of age, you will become emotionally invested in the book.  You will experience a feeling of loss, grief, addiction, depression, first love, anxiety, and fear.  And the author does a wonderful job of treating each emotion with respect...not trivializing each of them.

I loved the last chapter when you jump forward 50 years and a glimpse of where the characters have landed in their adulthood.  You get a brief review of the lives during that time period.  And, of course, you will shed a few tears as you travel through the pages!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.  Catherine Ryan Hyde always pulls out all the stops and brings the emotional aspects of her books to the front and leaves you full of life affirming sweetness.

I have just about every Catherine Ryan Hyde book on my kindle. I grabbed a copy of this one from NetGalley when it was a “Read Now.” It was such a wonderful story about a young boy, Lucas Painter, coming of age and learning as he went. It’s a story of love and friendship with people going through or having gone through difficult times. The characters were those you couldn’t help but grow to love. What I enjoy most about reading this authors work is that she always seems to fill her stories with words of wisdom that you can take away and use in your own life. I’d like to thank NetGalley and author Catherine Ryan Hyde for the arc to read, review and enjoy. I recommend this and give it 4 stars.

This was my first book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I can see why she has written so many celebrated novels, and why so many readers love her work. This was a good, tug at your heartstrings story about a fourteen year old boy named Lucas. Set in 1969, a crazy time in our history, Lucas has so much in his life that he feels he needs to fix: his parents' lousy marriage, his brother being in Viet Nam, and his best friend's self destructive behavior. In order to "fix" others, Lucas unknowingly befriends Zoe, a woman who herself needs fixing. In the process, Zoe imparts her wisdom and experiences to Lucas, and eventually everyone else in his life.
This was a wonderfully nostalgic story about redemption, forgiveness and love.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Another wonderful book with amazing characters! 14 year old Lucas has a lot on his shoulders in the summer of 1969. His brother is fighting in the war, his best friend is having a hard time, and his parents fight constantly. Lucas loves walking through the forest. There he meets 2 dogs and starts running through the forest with them. He meets their owner Zoe. Zoe is also having a hard time with life. As the summer moves on, the reader is taken on a an adventure with the characters. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This is the second book I have read from Catherine Ryan Hyde and while both times the premise was really good, they both fell a little short for me. The themes that Hyde chooses to write about appear to big be big, but the best way to describe it, lackluster.

Stay is the story of Lucas who is a 14 year old boy in 1969. His brother is in Vietnam, his best friend is suffering from depression, his parents always appear to be fighting. However, where this story picks up is when he is out an about he meets two dogs who appear to have no owner, and he starts running with them and then caring for them. He eventually finds their owner who is the throws of an overdose.

What Hyde does after this is try to weave together a narrative this is just so sad. Don’t get me wrong, I love sad books, but this to me did not even have a light at the end of the tunnel. Lucas seemed unreal, he was just too good, nothing like a typical 14 year old. It started feeling a little false at some times. Hyde also throws in an epilogue, which I usually love, but this one seemed rushed, and too neatly wrapped up for this type of story.

Overall, I am sure there will be a lot of people who love this one, but this one just fell a little short for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sixty-year-old Lucas looks at his life back when he was a 14-year-old boy in the '60's. The war is raging, his family is raging, his brother is in Viet Nam, his friend is suffering. What is a boy to do? The author explores themes we grapple with even today. How long must a person pay for a mistake before he is forgiven? How does a bad home life affect a person? When or how should you stand up for your convictions?
This book takes a deep look at these and other questions, but she does it so the reader gets involved with likeable and sympathetic characters. I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed reading this book.
Thank you #Stay and #NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion. Lucas is 14 years old and was told by his mom to stay out of the woods because he could get lost. So of course he wonders into the woods and comes across an old cabin. He meets two dogs there but never sees anyone else and he forms a bond with them and runs with them everyday. He looks in the window one day and sees a woman lying on the bed who appears to have taken an overdose of pills. Lucas calls the police and saves her life and so begins his friendship with Zoe. I enjoyed the characters of his brother, Rory and his best friend Conner. All of them form a bond with Zoe. I enjoyed this book and loved how it took place in the 70s.

14 year old Lucas has so much on his plate.  Parents who fight constantly, a brother in Vietnam, a best friend who is severely depressed, not to mention navigating high school.  One day, he wonders into woods he’s been forbidden to go into and there starts an unusual friendship with a recluse who has their own issues.  Sometimes when we are trying to save someone else, we end up saving ourselves.  

This was an emotionally complex book.  So well written and honest about the time (1969) this book takes place.  You will be so vested in the story, you will be done half the book before you notice.  Depictions about mental illness, addiction and the war are raw.  The ending is perfect.  The characters are well written, and situations are realistic.  The friendships explored will find a place in your heart, as you hope for the best.  

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.  Opinion is mine alone. 


Will post to Amazon and Barnes and Noble on Pub Day.

Fourteen-year-old Lucas is worried about many things in the summer of 1969. His older brother is fighting in Vietnam, his parents fight constantly, and his best friend is growing more and more reclusive. Lucas is worried about everyone, and wants to fix their problems, but is unable to do so. As a release, he’s started running. He runs in the woods behind his house, finding it calming. Until one day he come upon a small cabin that he’s never noticed before and two very active dogs. After days of running with the dogs, he meets their owner, Zoe, who lives isolated from everyone. After a near-tragedy, Lucas’s friendship with Zoe grows, and an unusual connection is made that will touch everyone in Lucas’s life, especially him.

I love stories where unexpected friendships grow to be so much more. Catherine Ryan Hyde is an expert at developing flawed characters who somehow find each other and learn to live to their potential. It’s people helping people, even the most broken of us. Set in the turbulent era of the Vietnam War, when knowing right from wrong was difficult, this book pulls at your heartstrings. This novel is one of my favorites by this amazing author.

Beautifully written story by seasoned author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Each of her characters are engaging, my favorite being 14-year old Lucas, the central character whose life will drastically change after meeting up with two large dogs near a remote cabin in the woods.

“What I did not yet know is that I had placed the first domino in a stack of events that would literally alter the world as I’d known it.”

This selfless, perceptive and thoughtful young man completely captured my heart. He carried a heavy weight of responsibility on his shoulders, an anchor for troubled friends and family. A powerful, inspirational and lovely story.


*will post to online venues closer to publication date and add links below at that time.

** spoiler alert ** Gah, I loved this. So much heart and rough characters I loved even though I am not the hugest fan of books with young narrators. 

Spoiler-ish?
I truly love how CRH includes addiction in her novels, and how she writes about it. Living with a husband in recovery, it’s nice to see it addressed and even more to see it addressed with such compassion.

This is my first novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde and I absolutely adored it. I will definitely be reading more of her novels in the future. This book was set in 1969 during the Vietnam War, and I love historical fiction books that are set outside of WWII (even though I love those as well). The author did a great job developing the characters and the story, making you feel as if you were actually there listening to Zoe and Lucas's talks, or on a run with Lucas. It was a very emotional and heartful story that makes you realize that sometimes people come into your life for a reason, and you shouldn't question why. Great read, recommend to everyone!

Hyde’s stories always tug at the heartstrings.  Her characters are complex and are seldom people that you would ever think to put together, but they end up being the missing pieces in each other’s lives.  A coming of age story set mostly in 1969, this book, while heartbreaking at times, was a life affirming story of healing the painful parts of life.  A beautifully written story of friendship, family and forgiveness.

Stay is an amazing story.  I loved the characters.  The writing style took me into the story and didn't turn me loose until the last word.  I highly recommend  this book and look forward to reading more by Ms Hyde.  Thanks to netgalley for the complementary arc, the opinions are my own.

A great book. A great story.  That’s all that was.   And that last sentence? A quote from the book. “That’s all that was.”  Simple. Yet said exactly when, where and how it should be.  In life, sometimes it’s the human connections that make us. Or break us. You don’t always know in the moment. But you also will never know if you don’t try. This book felt like a gift to me. An outside view of the small moments. And how you never know when they are big moments. I loved this story. I loved it like I haven’t loved a book in a very long time. And I thank the author for writing it.

I really like this author. I enjoyed this book and how it came full circle. Our library will be getting it and I will be recommending it.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on Dec 3, 2019

This was only my second book read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, but Wow was it a great one! The story was so well written, I felt like I was there in the book with the characters. It touched me in so many ways, as the saying goes people come into your life for many reasons, some only a short time to teach you something or others for a lifetime. At only 14 Lucas already is such a caring human being, and always striving to help others. We watch him grow in this book, and learn many of life's lessons. I would highly recommend this book to others.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the pleasure of reading this jewel of a book, this is my own personal opinion of the book.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has written another wonderful, heartfelt, emotional book. I enjoyed every minute of it. This one is set in 1969 during the Vietnam War. It is told from the point of view of a fourteen year boy. lucas is struggling with his own issues, particularly his family life, but somehow manages to help his best friend, his brother, and an older woman. Of course, he has no idea how central he is to bringing these people together and helping all four of them in the process. Heavy subjects are handled with a light touch. Lucas is a wonderful character.  I highly recommend this book!

I've heard great things about this author and have read a couple of her books before.  This is written from the perspective of a 14-year-old boy, so I wansn't sure I'd be able to relate, but I really loved this story and the characters.

Luke Painter is fourteen-years-old when he awakens to his teenage consciousness and tells everyone that he now wants to be called Lucas. It is time to shake off his childhood persona and take on his birth name; a more grown up version of Luke. He lives with his volatile and argumentative mother and father on the outskirts of a small town called Ashby. His older brother is in the military and is serving in Vietnam. Lucas prays his brother will return uninjured as he writes a letter telling Roy that he loves him and is missing him. Unknown to Lucas his loving letter is the catalyst to what happens further on in this heart-warming story about family, friendship and support.
Meanwhile Lucas’s lifelong best friend Connor has struggles of his own. He is almost a recluse and this worries Lucas to the core. Worse still he cannot bring Connor out of his latest low mood, even though the long summer holiday has started. He just doesn’t know what to do with Connor going downhill so fast.
Lucas starts going for long ‘thinking time’ walks and stumbles across a humble cabin deep inside the forest. Two large dogs scurry out of their kennel and Lucas runs for his life, scared to death. The dogs run after him, relishing the exercise. They seem grateful and Lucas soon befriends them. This initial contact starts a routine of Lucas taking the dogs running alongside him early each morning. He comes to love them. Their owner is called Zoe Dinsmore. Lucas and Zoe chat and gradually form a connection that is mutually supportive. Zoe reveals her humbling secret and this becomes the cornerstone of this fabulous story.
I am a massive fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde’s novels. She has been one of my favourite authors for more than a couple of decades now. She always delivers absolutely gorgeous novels. Her character development is second to none. She is a prolific writer whose words spill from her heart gifting her characters with wisdom, empathy and kindness. This novel sits there alongside my all-time favourites. She knows her subject matter back to front and inside out and writes from each angle with simple perfection, compassion and understanding. I was so excited when I was offered the chance to read for review her new novel.
I received this book through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Lake Union Press in return for an honest review. Thank you so much for my copy. These are my own thoughts and I have read no other reviews before writing my own. I have no hesitation at all; in fact I’m excited and proud to highly recommend this novel for you to read. It is full of warmth, superbly and intelligently written with great attention to detail. It honestly is a little gem of a book. It is a standalone novel and I can guarantee that after reading this novel you will search the vast and varied back catalogue and reach out to read another of Catherine’s magical novels.