This is beautifully written
The story wasn’t what I was expecting but that’s ok. It took me by surprise
A good book overall

This book deals with a family in crisis. Duncan Craig is 50 years old and learns he has pancreatic cancer. His father, Jack is in a nursing home with dementia. Someone is visiting Jack and has claimed to be a relative. Jack is trying to remember his past and the link to this visitor. Duncan seems to take charge of his life with the cancer diagnosis and the story moves forward. A little bland for my taste but a decent read for many. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a Debut novel by Milan Gupta, and a wonderful beginning! The story of 50 yr old lonely divorced guy, with no real friends, no love life and a father in a local nursing home with progressing Alzheimer’s, being visited by a stranger. So begins a very disturbing situation when Duncan Craig is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. No one to confide in and no support system, he’s used to dealing with life has given him, on his own.
This is a well written story about the burdens we must deal with, often during our most lonely times, and the friends that are there, if we just open up and let them in.
Milan Gupta is a storyteller, with likable characters and just the right humor to smooth
out the sadness and turmoil of events. It’s definitely a page turner as the mysterious stranger becomes the catalyst that keeps you guessing, as Duncan tries to make sense of it all. His co workers Bob and Molly, manage to wiggle their way in, to ease his burden with humor and friendship.
My thanks to #MilanGupta #LexingtonPress and #NetGalley for my ARC. My opinions are my own. I highly recommend this very entertaining novel.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Mariners-Grandson-Milan-Gupta-ebook/dp/B08HJ4JMHM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=10ZOLVMLCXDCN&dchild=1&keywords=the+mariner%27s+grandson+milan+gupta&qid=1603909564&sprefix=mariner%27s+grandso%2Caps%2C340&sr=8-1
This book starts out not so exciting with the main character, Duncan Craig finding out that he has pancreatic cancer on his 50th birthday and kind of having a melancholy day. He is not counting his blessings at this point, he is focused on his divorce, his dad suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, and his son that died. His week sure turns from listing the things on his list that are not going right to suddenly having people around him that are supporting him and a mystery that needs to be solved. I like a good mystery and this one did not disappoint. It addresses cancer and Alzheimer’s disease in this book, so if these topics are close to home and a sore subject, maybe you want to skip this. It was a very endearing book with a thoughtful ending. This book has it all, miscommunication, missed connections, missed dates, lack of communication, a stalking of sorts, police investigation.
I really liked how this book unfolded and included people not only from the U.S., but from other countries. I definitely could see this book as an independent movie!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick read about family, friendships and relationships. The Mariner's Grandson tells a story about Duncan Craig, a 50 year old man who is diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Mourning the loss of his child, newly divorced, he is at a crossroads in life. As well, his father is in a nursing home as an Alzheimer’s patient.

I unfortunately was not a huge fan of the characters and how the women were depicted.

The Mariner’s Grandson tells the story of Duncan Craig, a 50-year-old man who has just learned that he has pancreatic cancer. He already leads a lonely life since his recent divorce and alienation from his father, who has Alzheimer’s. Although highly intelligent, Duncan struggles with what fate has handed him. And although very affectionate, he struggles with relationships.
The cancer ends up being the catalyst for him to reflect upon his life and the lives of his forefathers and what shaped them. The revaluation of his life forces him to confront the barriers that prevent him from connecting with others and more importantly, others with him.
Duncan’s journey of self-realization reminds us of the healing power of change. Events in our lives – whether good or bad – are sometimes opportunities for us all to introduce positive changes.
A sub-plot regarding a mysterious stranger felt a bit distracting, but I admired the author’s ability to weave in a secondary plot into the main one to supply additional details. This was handled dexterously and added a hint of mystery to the story. Overall, this was an impressive debut novel by Dr. Milan Gupta.

A light, heartwarming read about family, friendships and relationships.

I really enjoyed this book, the story moved along quickly and the characters were extremely likeable.

The Mariner’s Grandson is thoroughly engaging. The characters are multi-faceted and engaging and the plot keeps you on your toes. Milan Gupta adds just enough suspense to thi family drama to keep you guessing Whois a good guy and who is not.

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this book as I sit here in quarantine due to the pandemic. Who wants to read about a guy diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when the real world is scary enough.

The main character Duncan Craig is such a compelling everyman that I found I couldn't put this book down.

Life never follows a precise pattern and I enjoyed the turns that Duncan's life took after his cancer diagnosis. He has 2 women vying for his attention, a mysterious man who seems to be targeting his family. To top it off, a father with Alzheimer's.. It all adds up to a great story that will keep you engaged until the last page..

Read the book in a day! Life has its ups and downs but there comes a time when we all face more challenges than we think we can handle. Dr Gupta gives us a splendid candid look into that pivotal time for his main character Duncan Craig. His self discovery leaves you thinking about what you would do. Beautifully written with the suspense of a James Patterson novel and the warmth of a Hallmark novel, The Mariner's Grandson is a must read about the complexity resilience and joy of life !

The Mariner's Grandson, written by Milan Gupta tells a story about Duncan Craig, 50 year old man who is newly diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and needs to start re-evaluating his life. Divorced and childless, he forges new relationships with people in his life, most importantly his father, who is living in a long term care facility after his diagnosis of Alzheimer's. When a stranger starts trying to get a hold of his father, Duncan must delve further into his father's life then he though possible. The Mariner's Grandson is a debut novel and while I enjoyed the plot line of the story and the premise, I had a strong dislike for the characters of this book. Unfortunately, I found all the male characters to be chauvinistic and the female characters to be flighty and poorly written.

<i>The Mariner’s Grandson</i> is a light read but entertaining story about relationships. The protagonist Duncan Craig is a loner both at work and in his private life and he seems to be receiving nothing but bad news lately. <i>The Mariner’s Grandson</i> is the first novel by cardiologist and researcher, Milan Gupta.

Duncan Craig has just been told he has cancer. He has no one to share this news with so he just sits in the park and thinks about what to do next. Finally, he decides to return to work. Once there, his new boss almost demands that he go to the bar with the rest of the office staff. At the bar, with a few Jamieson’s in him he meets a waitress and invites her to dinner. Shortly after, a woman who he has a crush on joins the party and appears to want his attention. Duncan is a bit overwhelmed by all these new events and his cancer diagnosis so he becomes sick and leaves the bar. The next morning Duncan visits his father, an Alzheimer’s patient, and finds out he has been visited by an unknown man who claims to be a family member. His father is quite upset by the visit. Suddenly, Duncan’s life is in complete turmoil and he can’t deal with it all alone. It’s time to ask for help.

This a pleasant story. There is a mystery, a love interest, and the foreboding threat of cancer all which mesh to keep the reader interested. The character development is excellent.

I am a little uncomfortable with the way Bob and Sven treat women and seem to be tolerated when they shouldn’t be at all.

I also do not understand the title. In my opinion It has very little to do with the storyline. The title and book cover could lead to a misunderstanding about story content. I see not connection to the life of a Sea Mariner.

I recommend this book to all people who want an easy read during rest and relaxation periods. I give it a 3 on 5. I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed reading this book and didn’t want to put it down once I had started. The plot line and mystery aren’t anything earth shattering but the character development was excellent. I felt I could really understand the characters and identify with many of their emotions. I also enjoyed the pace of the book and the storytelling. I look forward to more from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A really sweet story with a little bit of a family mystery mixed in. At first I was little hesitant to read this since it seemed a bit depressing with a cancer diagnosis and a father having Alzheimer's. I'm glad I gave this book a chance though because it turned out to be a great story about taking life one day at a time and enjoying the time you have. The mystery was kind of predictable but that's okay, I still enjoyed it and very much enjoyed the outcome of it.
I would recommend this book if you'd like to read a nice little story looking into the life of Duncan who grapples with cancer and how he learns to really enjoy life again, with a little added mystery. .

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
At the onset we meet Duncan, a 50 year old divorced sad sack . Then he finds out he has cancer. Oh, and his dad has is in a nursing home. Cheerful start. Unfortunately, THIS is the story.
He goes to a work event at a bar and meets and flirts with a waitress approx half his age. He casually observes his married male coworkers grinding up against females half their age. He even agrees to cover for one whose SO is at the party -calling it Bro code. There is a lot of talk about the fabulous bodies of women who are 10-20 years younger than the men in the story. For some reason they are all “hot” for Duncan. Ewww
The bulk of the book is spent with Duncan navel gazing as he thinks about his cancer, dying and his life. The author tries to make him a a good guy- he turns down the “smoking hot” 20 year old’s offer to hook up . I cant stand stories where men are with age inappropriate women- its just creepy. Don’t get me started on his best friend Bob, who makes continuous sexual innuendos to his female coworker. Ick.
There is a mystery about a young man who is stalking his nursing home ridden father for an unknown purpose but I just could care.
Sorry, but I didn’t finish this book.

Duncan is a lonely, middle-aged man who has just turned fifty. He hasn't quite gotten over the death of his only son at two-months-old, which he feels is the catalyst for his marriage ending in divorce.
Duncan has a lot on his plate. He is caring for his ailing father, in a nursing home. He has also gotten a bad pathology report. The way he deals with the diagnosis is the difference between life and death.

This book is truly awesome. I will recommend it to others, because of the way Ducan, chose life, love, and family. We can only live one day at a time. What happened yesterday, or what may happen next week is out of our control. We have to stay as grounded in the present and not regret our daily lives. Live for Today!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this book for review.

This seems to be Milan Gupta’s fist novel and it is an extraordinary achievement. The protagonist of the novel is Duncan Craig, who has just turned 50. A routine colonoscopy has revealed that he is suffering from pancreatic cancer and we first encounter him sitting on a bench in a park attempting to eat a sandwich. As expected, he is completely distraught by the news and finds it difficult to accept.

In Duncan, Gupta portrays a very sympathetic character. He is divorced, has lost his child under tragic circumstances and is a loner, unable to make ties with any of his office colleagues, including Bob and Molly who are close to him; he is a very private person and is reticent about his private life. Duncan is a decent and sympathetic human being. He is quick to apologise to a waitress to whom Bob makes obscene advances and though he is attracted to Molly, he does not make any advances when they are alone on a business trip.

He has his own share of problems. In addition to the cancer which has just been diagnosed, he has, several years ago, lost his mother to whom he seemed very close, and is estranged from his father who is in a care home suffering from Alzheimer’s. To add to his problems, a complete stranger by the name of Rafael Craig, has visited his father in the care home and has upset him to such an extent that he is visibly disturbed. He keeps for Lisa of whom Duncan’s not aware and is less lucid and coherent than he already was.

Through Rafael, Craig learns things about his father about which he was totally unaware. The novel is so tightly plotted and is quite a page turner as a result to part with more information would result in spoilers. One is aware that the prognosis of pancreatic cancer is poor but Duncan learns to confide in his close friends, establish romantic ties and take life one day at a time.

Though one learns a bit about Gupta’s family through his acknowledgments, there is no author’s note which I hope will be added when the book is finally published in November 2020.

This was as very nice, light read and with a little mystery thrown in.
Duncan is dealing with a cancer diagnosis on top of his father's Alzheimer's. He reluctantly decides to go out with work friends and 2 opportunities with women materialize.. As Duncan tries to figure out the best path for him to follow, he learns about a long kept family secret.

I enjoyed this story and would recommend.

Definitely a book about relationships. The protagonist must deal with a variety of people, but none more important than himself. A very quick read with lots of time to think.

This is a very easy read and kept me on my toes and I was keen to find the outcome.
Duncan has been diagnosed with cancer and is also struggling to deal with work and a father who has Alzheimers. Whilst out for the evening he meets up with two women. Who will he choose? Duncan struggles to come to terms with his life and as doing so finds that there is a long buried family secret.