Brad Cotton

Did the plot pull you in or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book? The plot wasn't as strong the two central characters, Ray and Duncan. It was their actions and words that pulled me into the book and no, I definitely did not feel forced to read the book.

How realistic was the characterization? Not everyone has the luxury to drop and run off on a road trip without knowing where they are going to end up so this part wasn't really realistic. However, where the two central characters are concerned, I felt that the road trip wasn't about ending somewhere but more importantly it was for the two guys to learn the strength of their relationship and become aware of their abilities without depending on each other.

Did you feel you were experiencing the time and place in which the book was set? Yes, and in addition to being able to experience the settings the author was referring to, the novel was a meaningful read which will definitely have a lasting impact on me.

Disclosure - As a Quality Reads Book Club member, I received a free copy of this book from the author via Orangeberry Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.… (mehr)

If Toronto author Brad Cotton becomes a famous writer, I’ll be able to say I read his debut novel, A Work in Progress, before he hit it big. If not, I can still say A Work in Progress is a humorous and thoughtful novel that shows a lot of promise and made me curious about his next book (Boundless).
In A Work in Progress, Danny Bayle is suffering from long-term writer’s block – unable to write anything after publishing a first novel four years earlier. Danny has also been depressed because his girlfriend Carah broke up with him after they had been together for five years and took off to live in France. Right around the same time, his grandfather died, and his mother moved to Arizona with her new husband, so Danny’s support system is down to his married best friend Casey and a couple of drinking buddies. At the start of the book, Danny vows to stop wallowing in miserable self-pity and gain some experience that would give him something to write about. Meeting new people and trying new things helps him gain perspective.
Read full review at Bay State Reader's Advisory… (mehr)

A Work in Progress – Brad Cottonhis depre

Publisher: Now or Never Publishing
Pages: 234
Sourced: received a copy for review
Genre: Adult Literary Fiction

From Goodreads:
Writer Danny Bayle’s life is in shambles. His girlfriend has left him and his grandfather — the last and most important influence in his life — has just passed away. Danny has spent the last few months languishing, unable to write a single word, but at the urging of a friend ventures out into the world in an attempt to jumpstart a new life, befriending in the process an interesting assortment of characters including an author, a musician, an artist, and a retired nurse. Garnering the attention of more than one woman, Danny sees his new friends unwittingly begin to shape what could just be the story of his life. But will he ever let go of the girl that got away?

My Thoughts:
I will have to say that the author is very creative. I enjoyed reading about a struggling writer. Why? For those of us who write, we could definitely relate to Danny. Danny drinks too much, and tends to sleep around. For this reason I didn’t enjoy Danny the way I probably should have. I want to be honest and up front. I didn’t really enjoy the book as much as I have others. This book is written in first person and makes it and interesting read. Danny tries to re-invent himself in the hopes of getting over his depression and getting back to his writing. In the process he tries several things. I loved the fact he pursued Karate and decided after only one lesson that it just wasn’t for him. He tries painting and a number of things. His major problem is he is still stuck on his former girlfriend and can’t seem to move ahead. Read the book to find out if he succeds in this quest or does he change it up completely.… (mehr)