Watch Out for "The Feels" in Brent Jones' New Novel! (Fender Book Review)

             Hey folks! I think we can all agree that the age of self-publishing has both advantages, but some major disadvantages as well. Mostly for the reader. With so many books floating out there now, it can be even harder to find one worth reading!

             Not that he is self-published, but you don't have to worry about whether Brent Jones' books are worth reading. I assure you they are. You will definitely want to check them out and I'll tell you why!

             I recently had the opportunity to review both of Mr.Jones' books, more recently his brand new release Fender. (Available today! Be sure to follow the links at the end to purchase your own copy!) Let me tell you, it was an emotional roller coaster from start to finish!

Nothing could have prepared Brennan Glover for the car crash that claimed the lives of his wife and six-year-old daughter. Stricken with grief, the only things that get him through each day are breaking his sobriety and clinging to Fender—the family dog and the sole survivor of the crash.

Desperate to distance Brennan from tragedy, his two closest friends take him on the cross-country road trip they had always talked about. But what begins as an effort to mend his broken heart ends up unraveling a secret that changes everything he thought he knew about his family. Can a journey of six thousand miles lead Brennan to acceptance and new beginnings?

From finding the good in an often cruel world to learning to say goodbye to those we love most, this sophomore release from author Brent Jones is sure to leave readers longing for home, wherever that may be.

             First off, although I greatly enjoyed his first novel, The Fifteenth of June, I wasn't sure I would be as into this story. I mean, 3 dudes on a cross-country road trip, with a central focus on a dog? (A “yappy” breed at that. Have I ever mentioned I don't care for small dogs much? Hate me all you want.) But, as with the first novel, I took a chance and was pleasantly surprised!

             It was much more...emotional, than I had expected. Let's just say I cried at least once in the first 60 pages. At first I thought maybe it was just my crazy pregnancy hormones talking, but evidently I was not alone in this thinking! As you can read on Mr.Jones' blog post, several other reviewers got “the feels” too.

             With that being said, I think this is one of those rare books that a man or woman would enjoy. Sure, it has plenty of sad moments, but there are a lot of life lessons and wisdom to be gained from it as well. Plus, who doesn't love a good “bro-mance” story?

             As with his first novel, I found this to be a very easy read (because it's so good!) and very engaging. It will be a great vacation read or a “the kids are back in school and I actually have some free time!” read. I think it will appeal to a broad age-range too.

             You can purchase your own copy of Fender on Amazon. If you enjoy it, I'm sure Mr.Jones would greatly appreciate your feedback on both Amazon and Goodreads. Happy reading!

I received an ARC of this book in order to facilitate my review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.