Member Reviews
Dear The Unbreakable Boy,
While not a typical book for me, I did find beauty in your pages. Scott's journey into fatherhood, as rough as it was, was a beautiful story of redemption, and growth. Austin's challenges, from day one, would have day ted any parent. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have a child with so many adversities against them. I am glad he found solace and redemption in church and god, and found peace and growth.
Thank you NetGalley and Nelson Books, Thomas Nelson for accepting my request to read and review The Unbreakable Boy: A Father's Fear, a Son's Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love.
Author: Scott Michael LeRette
Published: 11/04/14
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
My personal opinion is that memoirs and biographies are to learn from, not judge. For that reason I'm giving three stars as I usually do.
The synopsis states the primary information. The book is show and tell. This starts with a pregnancy from little more than a one night stand. Then a child born with a rare bone disease, all the time the parents are playing house. The father was less mature and frankly selfish, this is his story. The question is does he grow up? That's for you to decide. Like all messes, they have another child who came across as perfection. I mean that in a good way. He's kind and selfless. Their mom is in the book, but doesn't have a major role. I think she is the glue of the family.
This is a story that can teach, however, your eyes have to be open.
As a mom with children with OI I absolutely loved this book. Maybe being a little biased, but I feel very connected. I feel like this would be a book everyone should read at least once
There are few books that I've come across that bares all with unflinching honesty. This is one of those, but told with a father's love for his son and his agony to understand how to love him to the best of his ability, because let's be honest, we don't always do that. Austin is a boy who was born with multiple defined diagnosed problems. Some instantly recognized, and some took a while to catch, but in it all, what was meant to define Austin and label him and squeeze him into a box is ultimately what broke him out of that box and allowed him to be all that he is, the unbreakable boy. Scott, his father, tells their story with truth and humility in not having all the answers, not being super-dad nor the hero husband, but unflinching honesty as he learned and grew, and even changed in how to love his wife, both of his sons, and even himself. What a story of pure humble love. A story every parent, every person can really hold on to. Austin, your dad is a light and Scott (Theresa) your son is such a gift.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Scott tells his story of how he finally "grew up" and became selfless after the birth of his son Austin. He married the mother without really knowing each other. Then Austin's troubles began and Scott struggled to be a good husband and parent. He tells his story with such honesty and humbleness.
Scott tells his story, of being young and getting a girl pregnant. Choosing to become a Dad, and the journey they all went on. There were lots of learning, struggles, and finding out that Austin had brittle bone disease and autism. When Logan came along, he could have felt like he was taking a back seat to Austin, but he didn't feel that way. He and Austin were best friends,
Life wasn't easy, and there were many moments of feeling like a failure at parenting, But they learned many things from Austin. One thing was that he loved life, and even when he was in so much pain, he also had a lot of happiness. Scott went through many emotions, he went from going through the motions, to drinking too much, to finally realizing what he truly had in his life. It is the journey with all the emotions, doubts, struggles, the growing and evolving, It is coming to see that there were a lot of blessings, accepting Austin the way he was and learning to live with the life they had. Austin was a hero to many people, accepted and loved.