As medical science “advances” and more life-ending diseases are treatable, more and more people need to find a new way to live with advanced age. Loved ones die; children and grandchildren move on to live their own lives; as we get older we are left stranded and invisible.

“The Great Unexpected” is a clear-eyed and largely unsentimental look at Joel Monroe, living his last years in a nursing home. Joel is ready to be done with the whole situation. He is tired of being penned up, protected from death at the cost of not really having anything to live for. When he is given a new roommate, Frank Adams de Selby, he doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. But Frank will change Joel’s life.

I found this book incredibly thought-provoking. It isn’t pleasant to think about our end-of-lives, or those of the people we love, but it is required if we are to deal realistically with what is to come.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Being a story set in a nursing home, there are instances of death, loss, and reflection over the life that was lived: Was I the best spouse and parent I could be? Did I see and do everything that I wanted? So sad, and a reminder of the inevitability of aging. There are other more serious themes, like relationships with family members and living as a gay man in a more conservative time period.
But on a fun note, the story is in the flavor of The Odd Couple- two residents become roommates and quickly find they are complete opposites. One is grumpy and rarely interacts with others, and the other is outgoing and flamboyant. In a matter of days, they become the best of friends, and challenge the dismal routines of the nursing home. Cute, fun.
Overall, the story is a good balance of both cheerful and bleak, and with relief, the book ends on a note I could live with (I won’t spoil it).

Awesome portrayal of a man, Joel, living in a nursing home and he wants to commit suicide because he feels he has nothing left to live for. The story is told with much humor as well as sensitivity and I loved it! The characters are well developed and they were a great cast of people in Joel's life. I really loved the way Joel described the nursing home as a prison, the residents as inmates and the nurses their jailers.

This story will really make you think about how the elderly are treated in today's society. We need to find ways to make sure they don't feel isolated and useless. How they need to have the right to live their lives and come and go as they please and not be treated as children. Kudos to Dan Mooney for a wonderful read!

Thanks to Dan Mooney and HARLEQUIN - Trad Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great. They were comical and reminded me a lot of A Man Called Ove and The Odd Couple. Made me think a lot about living in a nursing home. I am part of the forties club so I do have quite a while but I could relate to these characters and some of the struggles they incurred.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Great Unexpected feels like the next book being made into a movie with Michael Caine and Jack Nicholson. Joel loathes living in his nursing home and isn't ashamed to let the tired nurses know it. Whether it's when to eat breakfast, or a reminder to take his pills, or even the silent roommate that drives him crazy, Joel longs for the life he had back before his wife died and everything fell apart. His new roommate, a retired soap opera start, Frank changes all that. Despite their differences, they become friends and come up with a plan to change everything.

If you're sensitive to descriptions of nursing homes, be advised the Mooney seems to really know his stuff. He nails the descriptions of over worked nurses, cranky patients, and the feeling of being lost. I found myself having flashbacks to my grandparents and felt instantly uncomfortable. Joel reminds me of my grandfather, which made it even worse. The book is full of solid writing, and its easy to picture this becoming a script and moving into the next feature film for a few older male actors, ala The Bucketlist.

Joel's not expecting anything good when Frank is moved in to share his room at the nursing home. Joel's life has just contracted so much in recent years- and the death of his wife Lucy crushed him. He's been plotting his own death, constrained by the restrictions on him. Frank was an soap opera actor and he brings a breath of difference to Joel's life. This tale is about how making a friend at any age, especially when it doesn't seem there's anything good left to look forward to, can make a difference in one's life. While this could have been maudlin, it isn't. Thanks to NEtgalley for the ARC. Great characters, some funny scenes and good writing make this a nice read.

The story of Joel and Frank is incredibly sweet and fun. The story takes place over a short amount of time, but the characters are well developed. I found myself laughing a few times and close to tears at others. It's an excellent early novel for this author, and I'd be interested in reading his first novel and reading future works.

Book content warning: suicidal ideation, death of friends and family, drinking/clubbing, estranged family

The Great Unexpected is a heartwarming story about an elderly man attempting to come to terms with his mortality. After witnessing the deaths of two people who were very dear to him, Joel begins to contemplate suicide. Joel's new roommate, Frank, gives him the friendship he really needs, and Joel himself learns how to be a good friend.

Having read several stories of this sort already, I pretty much knew how the story would play out after reading the first few chapters. That said, I didn't enjoy the story any less. I loved reading about Frank and Joel's shenanigans and I wanted to see how the two would help each other out. Watching both Frank and Joel transform into people who are more confident and comfortable with who they are was a satisfying experience. Mooney made me truly care for the protagonists, to the point where their heartbreak was my heartbreak. I think part of what makes the two characters so endearing (despite their orneriness) is their self-awareness. They both know they have issues and they admit it to themselves, even if they're not entirely sure how to deal with the issues in the beginning.

I wholeheartedly recommend this novel!

This is a story about a resident of Hilltop Nursing Home, Joel Monroe. His wife Lucey used to share the room with him, until she suddenly died one morning after asking for a cup of tea. Eventually, they put a man named Mr. Miller in Joel's room, who was essentially comatose. Even though Mr. Miller was just a body in the room, Joel still found his presence very comforting. Then one day Mr. Miller coded and the medical staff mightily attempted resusitation, to no avail. Joel was forever traumatized by the violent CPR manipulation on Mr. Miller, imagining his pathetically frail rib bones being crushed during the process. Joel's depressive state was already hitting critical mass, but after the death of Mr. Miller, Joel wanted to kill himself more than ever.

Then one day a new inmate could be heard laughing and cajoling with the other nursing home residents. To Joel's utter surprise (and dismay), it was his new roommate Frank Adams ...aka de Selby. Frank de Selby was his stage name, as he was an actor in the theater as well as on a popular soap opera. With his dapper, colorful scarves and rogue-ish humor, Frank could diffuse almost any stressful situation.

Joel is still grieving his wife and Mr. Miller and is grumpier than ever. He's cursing at staff, refusing to take his pills, and admits to Frank that he wishes to kill himself. While Joel initially rebuffed Frank's invitation at friendship, his defenses gradually wear down to possibly welcome in the best friend he's ever had. I don't want to include any spoilers, but lets say these two gentleman conspire to "jailbreak" on more than one occasion to feel alive again.

There were some tearjerker moments and an ending that left me utterly gobsmacked. This 368 page book could have been edited down more, but this was a pleasant and poignant read.

Joel Monroe has been living in Hilltop Nursing Home for five years. At first his wife Lucey was with him and things were ok. But then Lucey died....and the sunshine just faded from Joel's life. He dislikes the nurses, hates his life, often wants to kill himself.....he's just sad, alone and lost. But then a new roommate is moved into his room....a former soap opera actor....and Joel forms a fast, strong friendship. Perspectives can change.....life can improve.....adventures explored....even for an old curmudgeon.

Although the thought of old age, nursing homes and failing health is a bit depressing....this story brought out the sunshine that can beam into the final stages of life. Sometimes we are gifted friendships that have lasting, joyful effects on life. Joel is lucky enough to experience this very gift. It makes for a bittersweet tale. A bit of redemption, a splash of humor and a lot of joy and emotion. Great read!

This is the first book by Joel Monroe that I've read. I'm impressed. This book is well-written and heartfelt. He has two other books that I've added to my TBR list -- Me, Myself and Them, and A Rock and a High Place.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Harlequin via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

I received this book "The Great Unexpected" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. The book was okay. I didn't connect with the characters, I didn't really look forward to reading this each day. I got through it, it wasn't bad exactly but wasn't good either. Just sort of okay. It sort of dragged in places and was hard to get through at times.

This is a great entertaining tale of Joel, an elderly man living in a nursing home he has come to see as a miserable prison. But the arrival of a new eccentric roommate shakes things up and shows Joel that life isn’t so bad if you take the right approach. A great read!

4.5 stars, rounded up

Joel has been living in a nursing home for five years. “God’s waiting room” as my parents call it. It wasn’t too bad when his wife Lucey was still alive. But she’s been gone three years now.

The book starts on a depressing note. Joel is lonely and scared and has lost the will to live. As someone dealing with two aged parents, I can totally get the whole quality over quantity issue at stake here.

Things begin to change when Joel gets a new roommate, Frank. Frank was an actor in his prime and has the social skills Joel seems to lack. That’s not to say he doesn’t have his issues, too. But he shows us that it’s perception as much as reality that counts.

A very moving book with bits of both humor and pathos. And yes, I knew exactly how this would end and it didn’t diminish the book’s appeal for me. It’s also a strong reminder for those dealing with the elderly to remember they deserve a say in their own lives.

My thanks to netgalley and Harlequin for an advance copy of this book.

Joel lives in a nursing home and wants to kill himself. Literally. After years of being told what to eat, where to go, when to sleep, and when to take his medication, Joel has decided he's going to take his own life. His plans get thrown for a loop when his new roommate, Frank, moves in. The two couldn't be more different: Joel is a cranky grump, and Frank is an over the top retired soap opera star. As the unlikely duo grow closer, Frank promises to help Joel find the perfect way to end his life, but along the way, the two end up discovering there may be more yet to life. I felt the premise of this book was interesting, and thought I'd be in for a bit of a tug on the old heartstrings, but I just didn't get into this. There were some touching moments, but even more that rubbed me a little wrong. Overall, I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, and just felt a bit bored throughout.

An amazingly fun, often morbid, but profoundly moving ride through the mind of a man at the end of his life learning that it's to be lived right up to the last moment. With the help of friends and family and a best friend life none he'd ever met, Joel Monroe learns that you can learn new tricks late in life. A character you won't soon forget.

Thank you Netgalley and Park Row for this Advance Readers Copy of The great unexpected by Dan Mooney. Joel lives in a nursing home and hates its. He wants to end it all and on his terms. When he tells another “inmate” retired soap-actor Frank about his plan, Franks suggests he leave with a big bang! They embark on a mission to find the perfect suicide and along the way develop a friendship and learn that they are not alone. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to read this; it touches on several themes that hit a bit too personal in my extended family, but I am glad I did.

I have a soft spot for stories about grumpy old men. When Harlequin reached out to me with The Great Unexpected, I thought I’d love it, and I was right. The relationships between characters (friends, father-daughter, husband-wife) are moving and honest. And of course, thinking about aging and death is terrifying, but also eye-opening. I highly recommend The Great Unexpected if you enjoy stories like Up, The Odd Couple or A Man Called Ove!

Unexpectedly good. This is from a talented author that tells this story with an entertaining style, with interesting, well-written characters, and a good plot. I enjoyed the dialog, which was realistic and at times witty. Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

Both heartbreaking and hilarious, this novel brought me to laughter and tears over and over again. Joel wants to die. He’s been in Hilltop nursing home without his wife Lucey for 3 years. His comatose roommate isn’t the best company, and his daughter and 2 grandkids barely come to visit; his curmudgeonly personality couldn’t possibly have anything to do with that. He sets about trying to figure out the most statement making way to kill himself, when he gets assigned a flamboyant new roommate, Frank. What follows is Frank pulling Joel, chapter by chapter, out of his shell, and Joel, peeling back the many layers of the protective mask that Frank’s been wearing to keep people out since his family rejected him over his coming out in his teen years. It’s a novel about loss, grief, “raging against the dying of the light” in the best way possible, two old men sneaking over walls together, life lessons, and in the end, family. A truly great read.

I have learned that I love coming of age stories, and this doesn't mean just in teens. Anyone that enters or ends a stage of life and struggles with their new place, just draws me in. In The Great Unexpected, this is the case for Joel, currently living in a nursing home , feeling useless and alone. Just as Joel has decided to give up he gets a new roommate. This is definitely a mix of A Man Called Over meets the Odd Couple. And it definitely works and it is also it's own book ( not just an Ove copycat). This book is heartwarming and depressing, it makes you laugh and cry. So if you want a book that gives you lots of feels, this one is for you.