Blog Tour ~ "The Reluctant Blogger" by Ryan Rapier

The Reluctant Blogger by Ryan Rapier
Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
Source: Netgalley
Genre: LDS Fiction


Book Description:  Dr. Schenk, I don’t know if what I’ve written amounts to a breakthrough or not, but I hope you know how difficult this was for me. I also hope this proves how serious I am.

Ever since he lost his wife, Todd hasn’t been the same. Everyone seems to expect him to just forget Marci and get married again—especially when he meets Emily. But dating again is hard when Todd has three kids of his own, not to mention an overbearing father and friends with their own problems.

Todd knows he’s in a bad place. That’s why he went to a therapist in the first place. So when Dr. Schenk threatens to stop their sessions unless Todd puts in more effort, he grasps at the last available straw: a personal blog that will force Todd to confront his demons.

Championing friendship, love, and family, Ryan Rapier deals adeptly with the everyday struggles we face as well as the strongest ties that keep us together. You’re sure to fall in love with this magnificent tale of redemption, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

My thoughts: When I saw this book available on Netgalley, I didn't automatically request it.  I thought that I deal with blogging every day, did I really want to read about someones journey with a blog?  Then I was asked to participate in this blog tour and I gave it a try.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  Ryan Rapier has written an witty and intelligent book about a man's struggle after the loss of his wife.  While I had great sympathy for Todd, I loved the blog posts that he wrote for his psychiatrist.  He is sardonic, yet truthful about his emotional state and his reaction to the people in his life.

When he met Emily and started dating, I was there in the book cheering him on.  The struggles he had with dating and fatherhood are classic.  It was great to have the experiences told from the male perspective.  The writing is honest, it's realistic.  He has to make some hard decisions and it's great to see him come to some form of acceptance of his situation and his decisions.

Todd and I have a lot in common when it comes to the Boy Scouts of America.  I totally related to his negative feelings and understood where he was coming from.  The BSA and I have had a rocky journey, but have finally made peace.  (My husband is an avid scouter.)

Todd has to face many emotional crisis, not just within himself, but his close circle of friends and family.  I'm glad that his journey wasn't easy, that he had to determine for himself where his priorities and loyalties lay.  There are many hard questions asked.  I was very comfortable with the resolutions depicted.

I am very grateful that I gave the book  a try, it was worth my time.  While the main character is LDS and some of his beliefs are discussed, anyone who would like to read about the journey Todd experiences would be able to understand his emotional and intellectual journey.

This is a clean adult novel.

About Ryan Rapier:  Ryan Rapier is an Arizona native and through the course of his life has come face to face with a rattlesnake more than once. For that reason alone, he would likely have left the desert behind years ago were it not for one thing—the luxury of year-round golf. When Ryan isn’t on the course or in front of a computer screen, he can usually be found chasing behind his four children or doing errands for his amazing wife in the isolated beautiful valley they have both called home forever. Ryan’s further thoughts and opinions that concern nobody but himself can be found at his website, www.ryansrapierwit.com.

I have this picture pinned on Pinterest.  I thought of it while reading the book.  :)

Where can you purchase a copy of this book?

  Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Deseret Book * Books & Things

To see all of the tour stops, visit the tour page at Cedar Fort!