Review & Author Guest Post: The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

The Priest and the Peaches

By: Larry Peterson

Pub. Date: December 21, 2011

Publisher: Tribute Books

Source: Publisher

Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s.

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The Priest and the Peaches is about the five newly orphaned Peach kids (only one of them is 18, the rest are still minors). Right away you think this is going to be a sad story, and while some parts are, The Priest and the Peaches is also really heartwarming and funny!

After their father died, eighteen year old Teddy and his seventeen year old sister, Joanie are forced to become adults quickly and take care of their three younger brothers-Dancer, Beeker and Joey. While planning their father's funeral, and trying to get everything in order, they realize their father owed a lot of money. Teddy has to figure out how to pay for three months worth of rent, electric, and gas. I really liked Teddy. He was a fantastic older brother and did right by his brothers and sister. He was able to hold everyone together, and he never complained. He was very admirable.

The other characters were also great! The Peach children are hilarious and their father's friends are definitely an interesting set of characters!

While I am not of fan of religious books and the power of God, I really liked how the Peaches religious views were incorporated into the story. They believed that their father was watching them from heaven and helping them by giving them small miracles.

As I said earlier, The Priest and the Peaches was also very funny. So many times I found my self laughing out loud at some of things the Peaches' said. And that funeral? That funeral was one of the most exciting and crazy funerals I have ever heard read about.

This story really is about family. It had a wonderful message and it was just all around a great book to read. I read it in two settings. Everything flowed very nicely and the ending was beautiful!

I would highly recommend The Priest and the Peaches. It is a feel good story, and sometimes you need a story like that!


Today, author Larry Peterson dropped by the blog. Here is what he has to say:

Well, my first novel The Priest and The Peaches is out there for all the world to see and, hopefully, also read. So, let me discuss a topic I rarely broach---my emotions. You have to understand that I am not a kid anymore. I am officially (according to the government) a senior citizen who has been begrudgingly accepting "senior discounts" at restaurants and department stores for some time. Alas, I have thrown in the towel and now look for these discounts and even ask for them. I am what I am---a mid 60's grandpa with eight grandchildren sporting a bald spot. My problem is that inside me is still a mischievous boy trying to free himself from his captor, ME. And yes, sometimes he actually escapes. (It took me days  to make him take off those weird elf ears he wore the week before Christmas).

Having said all of that I now admit that I experienced an enhanced range of rolling emotions when The Priest and The Peaches launched. Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes, my first published book and a children's book, was introduced in January 2011. That provided an emotional ride but this time, well, this is a novel and I am being tossed about by unpredictable waves of feelings. There is a personal pride in the work accompanied by a sense of accomplishment. There are feelings of excitement knowing you can say you are an author. There is definitely a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for those who encouraged and supported me (especially my wife, Marty, and Nicole Langan at Tribute Books). Finally, and this is the under-tow or mini tsunami coming the other way, there is a nagging feeling of insecurity that keeps whispering in my ear, "You wrote a book? You gotta be kidding." Once I get  that "whisperer" to shut up I'll be good to go.

Thank you so much Larry for stopping by and thank you for writing such a beautiful book!