Russell Ricard

Sebastian Hart’s husband has been deceased for a year and his grief is preventing him from living his life to the fullest. Having just turned 40, he is also struggling with his career as his body starts to age. He believes his career options are dwindling as roles are being cast to younger dancers.

His dream is to be a choreographer and in his free time he writes dance compositions. While waiting for a break in his career, Sebastian takes odd jobs as a dog walker, office clerk, and teaching a community tap class. He finds support from his good friend Chloe, who is also a dancer. She is a free spirit and unlike Sebastian, dates many men while having little attachment after an evening. Chloe tries to encourage Sebastian to date by introducing him to eligible men. He will not move forward with his life while stuck grieving over memories of his former spouse.

This is a tender story about a person struggling with an unexpected loss of a loved one. The main character's feelings of regret and loneliness are heartfelt. The struggles depicted by the character are ones that we can all relate to as we go about our daily lives. This is a debut novel by Russell Ricard.… (mehr)

When someone we love dies, we don't want to believe that means they are gone forever. We look for signs that they are still with us, watching over us. Wherever we think they are though, they certainly aren't where we want them to be, beside us, holding our hand, loving us, and living with us. In Russell Ricard's debut novel, The Truth About Goodbye, will this uncertainty and yearning for a lost loved one keep the main character from going on and living or will it help him to understand the truth about goodbye?

Sebastian is turning forty and it's not just his age that is weighing on him (although the number bothers him as well). His birthday is the anniversary of his husband Frank's death a year ago. Sebastian is still grieving Frank. Wrapped in a heavy cloak of guilt because they argued over a younger, good looking, former fling of Frank's the night Frank died, Sebastian has been having trouble putting one foot in front of another. He can't bring himself to clean up his apartment, he can't contemplate dating, and he can't seem to create the choreography that would help him move beyond the chorus boy roles he's been playing for over two decades. On the plus side, Sebastian has his over the top friend, Chloe, a former Rockette, who is trying hard to haul Seb out of the dark pit he's living in by introducing him to the delectable Reid, a man who intrigues Seb but also makes him feel as if he's cheating on Frank. Sebastian also has his guru, wellness coach, and yogi Andrew who is helping him to keep breathing even if he can't quite get Sebastian to address his deeper issues. And finally in Seb's corner, is his furry cat Arthur. In fact, it is originally through Arthur that Seb first suspects that Frank is still with him.

Seb is skittish, running hot and cold about Reid. He's a drama queen, and he's suddenly seeing Frank's ghost on the ceiling. The biggest constant in his life is his community center gig teaching tap. These things come together to round out his character as a nice man who's a little flaky, overwhelmed by grief, angry at fate, and uncertain how to push on. His loss will always be a part of him but as the novel opens, it is consuming him. Ricard has done a nice job showing how grief creeps into all corners of a life. But he's also done a nice job showing how loyal friends can be the bridge between a formerly happy life and a new and different, happy life. There are some interesting snapshots into NYC musical theater life and a look at what's available as the next stage for someone aging out of being a chorus boy. Reid was a lovely, understanding man but the reason for his determined pursuit of Seb, who was nothing if not capricious towards Reid and a possible relationship, wasn't entirely clear. Chloe is a wonderful friend and brings some fantastic levity to the story. The end was predictable, perhaps feeling more so that way because there's a four year gap between the bulk of the story and the final chapter. In the end though, this was a sweet love story about living and healing after loss.… (mehr)