A powerful novel of a boy becoming a man in the midst of grief.

The Key to Everything isn't your usual coming of age story. It spans two childhoods, a son searching for answers in his father's life after a tragedy.

I don't know that I have read any coming of age story from a boy's and mother's point of view, and I find that I liked it. And I loved the way that The Key to Everything ended, really, this novel has to be read to feel the emotion that it has in every word.

While I enjoyed the book, I did not like how there was not any spiritual content, though there are mentions of being protected by a saint.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing (Revell), through Interviews & Reviews.
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I would definitely recommend listening to this as an audiobook since it has more of a ‘sit and listen to a story’ feel. ( )

A bit slow for me, but if you enjoy historical fiction you will like this one. Especially if you have any connection to beach stories.

Peyton Cabot was an only child brought up in a well-to-do but fractious extended family. His father, a troubled veteran of the recent conflict in WWII suffered a catastrophic injury, changing everything for ever. In a bid to heal, Peyton decided to replicate his father’s bike ride down the Florida coast all the way to Key West.

Through his many adventures on his long trek Peyton learned a lot about himself and the people he befriended. “The Key to Everything” was a coming of age story of a fine young man who sometimes seemed a little too good to be true.

After personal tragedy strikes fifteen year old Peyton, he embarks on the personal journey of a lifetime on his bicycle, the same one his father took twenty years ago. The journey is not only for his father, but for Lisa as well, the love of his life who has been sent to Florida by her family because her family think her and Peyton are getting too exclusive.
You meet a lot of quirky, yet loveable characters along the way, and they all end up loving Peyton and helping him to grow up more that memorable summer. You meet an old fisherman who is friends with his Aunt Gert, a racecar driver, a Mexican family who treats him as their own, a Navy pilot who further justifies Peyton's love of flying, and a shop owner who makes sure Peyton dresses like a local while in the Florida Keys. The most memorable characters are Bonnie and Jasper, two sweet poor kids who Peyton helps throughout the entire book.
This was a great break from my usual genre and really a great read if you enjoy historical fiction. The book seemed to take me longer than usual to read, but this was a big journey for a boy, and there was a lot of adventure to be had along the way. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book for you. ( )