It’s. Nice. Outside. by Jim Kokoris- 320 pages
Book Blurb:
Meet John Nichols. He’s fifty-something years old, an ex-basketball player, ex-author, ex-philanderer, ex-husband, ex-high school English teacher. And he’s the father of three: two overachieving adult daughters and 19-year-old Ethan, who will never be an adult. John’s older daughter is getting married, and as the family members travel to the celebration, John is secretly preparing for a life change that will alter his family’s hearts forever. The five Nichols’ are held together by love and humor, as well as the spiky parts of sisterly competition and a difficult baby brother. Parents John and Mary have devoted themselves to caregiving, and John especially finds himself caught in the tension between being a parent and being true to himself. So when a new challenge comes their way in the wake of a road trip and wedding plans, the family bonds are stretched and tested.
My Review: 5 stars
It’s. Nice. Outside. absolutely blew me away in its sincerity and pure richness of humanity. I don’t often read a book in a single sitting, but this one kept me glued to the pages as I sometimes laughed out loud and other times completely choked up.
Kokoris writes from his heart and writes what he knows as he is the father to a special needs son as well. The rest of it, well, that is his own brand of fiction. Seriously, take a family of five that includes his ex-wife that he still loves, one adult daughter who was recently publicly cuckolded, one adult daughter who is rising in comedic fame and is chock full of anger and of course his brain damaged autistic son, on a long distance road trip in a van. Friends, that is the equation to beautiful, dysfunctional fiction.
Written with wit and honesty, we see the boundaries of love, guilt and the battle between what’s right and wrong being tested and challenged in every page of this wonderful novel. Well-done Jim Kokoris!
Check out his debut book that I also really enjoyed called The Rich Part Of Life.
Quotes I liked:
There are times when you have to rely on other people, sit back and let them help you, be quiet, be appreciative, and stay out of their way.”
-“I felt a sudden urge to just go that morning, outrun my life and flee.”
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Thank you so much for recommending It’s Nice Outside. My life is extremely stressful right now and the book is the perfect distraction.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Jamie!
I absolutely loved this book! Thanks, as always, for the great recommendation.
Glad you liked it. Hope you can join us for my online book club. This book will be discussed and the author will be online with us!
Loved this book!
Me too! LOVED it!