SO LONG, CHESTER WHEELER is the latest wonderful story from Catherine Ryan Hyde. I have read and loved at least a dozen of this author’s books and I can truly say that each one becomes a new favorite. SO LONG, CHESTER WHEELER is a moving and uplifting story of the unexpected bond that develops between Lewis Madigan, a young gay man, and his mean and homophobic seventy-year-old neighbor, Chester Wheeler. Lewis has just lost his job and his partner, Tim, has left him suddenly, taking all of Lewis’s savings with him. Chester has terminal cancer and requires full-time care. He is so insufferable that even his own children want nothing to do with him. When the latest caretaker quits, Chester’s daughter, Ellie, is desperate to find a replacement. She offers Lewis a lot of money to step in for a week. Without any options to pay his rent and bills, Lewis reluctantly accepts the position. Not long afterward, Chester makes a stunning request – he wants Lewis to drive him from Buffalo to Arizona for one last meeting with his ex-wife who he hasn’t seen for thirty-two years. How can Lewis deny a dying man his last wish? So begins a remarkable cross-country journey where this unlikely pair from different generations and experiences find themselves evaluating their lives and the choices they’ve made. I was thoroughly engrossed in this poignant and heartwarming story from beginning to end. I both laughed and cried reading this charming book and I know I will still be thinking about the characters and the story for a long time to come. Highly recommended! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

I’d like to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘So Long, Chester Wheeler’ written by Catherine Ryan Hyde in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Chester Wheeler is a cranky old man in his 70s who doesn’t have a kind word to say about anyone. His neighbour Lewis is in his 20s and has just been made redundant from his job so when Chester’s daughter Ellie asks if he’ll take care of her dad until she can make other arrangements Lewis agrees as he has no money and no way of earning any. Chester requests that Lewis drive his rusty old Winnebago to Arizona to see his ex-wife as he’s terminally ill and wants to cram as much into his remaining months as he can. So begins an unlikely bond between them.

‘So Long, Chester Wheeler’ is one of those stories that once started can’t be put down and definitely won’t be forgotten as it tells of a journey that changes both men’s attitude to life. As they drive through America enjoying the sights of Phoenix, Las Vegas and the Rockies we can sympathise with Chester’s frustration at his inability to care for himself and admire Lewis for how he deals with a difficult and often rude old man. I thought the story would end with the demise of Chester but it doesn’t, it goes on to give a heart-warming account of how their companionship leads Lewis to realise his hidden talents and find his true place in life. This is a wonderful novel written by an amazing storyteller that’s captivated me from page one to the final uplifting epilogue.

"Master storyteller Catherine Ryan Hyde is back following Dreaming of Flight with her latest, SO LONG, CHESTER WHEELER —another heartwarming, inspiring, witty, and uplifting tale of two unlikely characters. An unexpected friendship, a life-changing road trip, and some wise life lessons."

Set in Buffalo, NY, we meet Lewis Madigan, a twenty-four-year-old gay man laid off from his six-figure software job. His partner left and moved without him to California. That was supposed to be their dream.

To make matters worse, he despises his next-door neighbor, Chester Wheeler. No one liked Chester, the sixty-nine-year-old man with lung cancer in a wheelchair. A hateful, mean, homophobic, and bitter older man. He could not keep an in-home health care worker, as he ran them all off.

When Chester's latest healthcare worker leaves, his daughter, Ellie (going to be a new grandmother living out of state), is now desperate for help with her dad's care. She pleads with Lewis if he would fill the position. She thinks it would be great since he lives next door and needs a job. It does not matter he does not have healthcare experience.

Lewis dreads being around this man. He, of course, was not interested, but when the jobs did not come, and he needed money, he decided to take it. Ellie is friendly and happy to accommodate Lewis in any way, and the money is good.

It was a rough go at first, but Lewis is firm with Chester and tries to get to the bottom of his unhappiness with life. He also has a 24 hr feed intercom between the homes at night which is annoying.

Then Chester comes up with the idea that Lewis will drive him from Buffalo to Arizona in his Winnebago. Could he be cooped up with this spiteful man like this for weeks to travel across the country?

Chester's ex-wife, Sue, is in Arizona, and it appears he has some things to get off his chest before it is too late. She also left him for his best friend, Mike, years ago.

However, Lewis feels guilty since this request is to fulfill the last wish of a dying man, so he agrees. He also makes another stop after Sue.

From the bumper stickers on the Winnebago to arguments about anything and everything, the detours, and ultimately the cross-country road trip is full of drama, exhaustion, scorecards, laughs, wise life lessons, and getting to know one another, both past and present.

Before the trip ends, Lewis has learned something about himself and his fellow traveler. Chester wasn't a great person, but he was a person.

"All the way down to my gut I got something I'd never gotten before. I got that when a person is rude and abusive to me, it's not about me at all."
—Lewis Madigan, So Long, Chester Wheeler

What a journey! Ultimately, due to his experience with Chester, Lewis finds a new career and meets someone new. A Winnebago and more trips with more clients.

"Treat people well. Otherwise, you might die, and no one will notice or find it especially relevant to their life."

After caring for Chester and Estelle, Lewis comes to know himself better. By the end, each main character has irrevocably altered the other's life. Everyone has something special they can bring to the world.

"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." —Joseph Campbell

I have so many favorites from CRH; however, this one is my favorite since Take Me with You!

Full of unforgettable characters written with Hyde's characteristic warmth, humor, and insight into people. I love hanging out with her characters that jump off the page!

The novel is an ideal pick for book clubs and further discussions. Book Club questions included.

Beautifully written, a novel of making amends, apologies, forgiveness, and second chances.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is a long-time favorite author of mine, and I have read all her books and anxiously await the next masterpiece. She has a gift and a way with people, words, and places.

She gets to the heart of the matter and uses her characters to learn wise lessons from one another. I enjoy how she often uses unlikely people and pairs them (Multi-generational, young and old) because they have so much to learn from one another.

Anytime I want to take a break from reading heavy psychological suspense thrillers or need an inspiriting story to lift my day or mood, I know I can pull out a Catherine Ryan Hyde book and escape in the beautiful journey. I always learn something and have that heartwarming feeling after reading one of her books.

If you have not read her books, I highly recommend them! For fans of Elizabeth Berg and Fredrik Backman.

Thank you to #LakeUnion and #NetGalley for an ARC to read, review, and enjoy. I also pre-ordered the audiobook narrated by Michael Crouch (one of my favorite male narrators).

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My Rating: 5 Stars +++
Pub Date: Dec 6, 2022
Dec 2022 Must-Read Books

I loved this story so much. The growth in both main characters was so heartwarming to read about. I do wish Lewis' boyfriend got his comeuppance though! I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early reader.

So Long, Chester Wheeler is a novel by award-winning best-selling American author, Catherine Ryan Hyde. When Lewis Madigan heads to work in the morning, he has a job as a software developer, a place to live and a boyfriend with whom he’s saving up for their dream of leaving the dull grey sky and dirty snow of Buffalo to live near the ocean in California.

When he returns home, he’s one of four his boss reluctantly had to let go, and Tim has packed up his belongings, and their savings, and is driving to California without Lewis. What makes it (only marginally) worse is that his awful neighbour, Chester Wheeler throws taunts at his plight. The man is an opinionated, homophobic, argumentative bigot who sits on his front porch in a wheelchair shouting insults. He’s managed to see off every health care worker sent to help him.

But the job market is terrible, and Lewis is going to have to make rent on his own. And Chester’s daughter, Ellie is desperate enough to offer decent money. That’s how, against his better judgement, he becomes the temporary carer for this mean, callous, thoughtless man.

Lewis learns that Chester has widespread cancer, terminal, with just months to live. He barely tolerates Chester’s nasty jibes, “but when he needed something, I put that aside, because it was my job to be there for him. I’d agreed to do it, and I took that responsibility seriously.”

Eventually they make a sort of truce, enough that Chester asks Lewis to help with his dying wish: to drive his Winnebago to Arizona to see his ex-wife. But does he really want to go on a road trip with this obnoxious man?

His dear friend, Anna has good advice: “you have a way of pushing decisions down the road. It’s like you’re waiting to be sure how it’ll pan out before you decide. But that never works. We can’t ever know that going in. I think you just need to choose a path and see where it takes you.”

It’s a trip that proves to be a revelation to both of them, learning to tolerate one another and discovering the person behind the behaviour. Lewis finds himself fulfilling unexpected roles and later realises that he now understands “that when a person is rude and abusive to me, it’s not about me at all. They can say something terrible to me or about me, but they’re revealing themselves, not me. It has nothing to do with me. They’re just showing me the landscape on the inside of themselves as they project it out onto somebody else.”

What really surprises him is that, despite the lack of any formal training, more than one person tells him he has a gift for dealing with difficult people, even to the extent of backing it up with a push in this new direction.

Ryan Hyde really knows people and, as always, many of her characters restore the reader’s faith in humankind. Lewis is an earnest young man, full of good intentions, and his friends are kind and sensible and insightful. She gives them plenty of wise words and insightful observations.

An example from a nurse on dealing with the indignities of end-of-life: “I think it has the definite potential to be degrading for the patient, but it’s in our power to defuse that, which is a huge service to do for someone who’s dying.” Ryan Hyde’s latest has humour and heartache; it is poignant, heart-warming and uplifting; a real pleasure to read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

And she’s done it again! The Queen of Heartwarmers, which always feature young characters you wish you could adopt into your family, has produced another winner. So Long, Chester Wheeler is about an unusual road trip, featuring two unforgettable creations - a young gay man at a crossroad in his life, and the miserable cantankerous old homophobe at the end of his. It’s moving, funny and enlightening, and I loved it.

Lewis Madigan has just lost his job and his boyfriend and has no idea how he’s going to pay his rent. His neighbour Chester Wheeler is wheelchair-bound and dying of lung cancer, and has driven away every available paid carer with his mean comments and outrageous behaviour. His daughter, desperate to get home for the birth of her first grandchild, makes Lewis an offer he can’t refuse - step in as an emergency home care assistant for a week, for enough money to keep him going until he can find another job. Both Lewis and Chester hate the idea, but with no other options they just have to get on with it, and as they learn they can tolerate each other after all, Chester makes a surprising request: will Lewis drive his Winnebago across the country to Arizona to take him to see his ex-wife before he dies?

Catherine Ryan Hyde manages to keep coming up with original stories which feature similar themes - unusual friendships, self-discovery, and coming to terms with the past, but is able to still create unique characters and situations so they never feel formulaic or predictable. This is told from Lewis’ first person past perspective, and we warm to him from the start - he is kind, thoughtful, honourable and diligent - but also willing to stand up for himself. In contrast, Chester is magnificently awful! He’s deliberately provocative and offensive, relentlessly angry and misanthropic, and an expert in pushing other people’s buttons. The clever thing here though, is that we don’t see him change, but we do come to understand him a bit better, and see the effect that the past has had on him, even if most of his misery is self-inflicted. Lewis does change, however, growing into the person he was always destined to be - the epilogue is very satisfying. This one wasn’t quite as emotional as some of her previous books, but it had more humour. 5 easy stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the ARC. I am posting this honest review voluntarily. So Long, Chester Wheeler is published on December 6th.

I loved this book! I can always count on Catherine Ryan Hyde to have an engaging story with well developed and realistic characters. This story presents a complicated intergenerational relationship between a cranky gentleman and his carer. It also tells of a fractured family, the importance of forgiveness and closure and finding your true calling. I highly recommend this book. Thanks #NetGalley #LakeUnion

4.5 stars. Another heartwarming and beautifully written novel from Catherine Ryan Hyde! It’s the story of Lewis, a gay 24-year-old unemployed software developer, who — because he is in desperate need of a job — becomes the caretaker for his cantankerous (and generally horrible) neighbor with terminal cancer, Chester Wheeler. What follows in this character-driven novel is an in-depth look at the relationship that develops between these two unlikely “friends” and how each has great influence and impact on the other. This is a feel-good novel of self-discovery that weaves tears and laughter into the storyline and makes for a very enjoyable read.

I received an ARC of the newest CRH novel through NetGalley. This is the 20th book I've read by this tremendous and prolific author.

Chester Wheeler is a character. He is about 70 years old and dying of cancer. He lives alone, long divorced from his wife and estranged from his three children. He is crotchety, so grouchy that it somewhat funny at times. But he needs a caregiver and everyone hired quits almost right away because he is next to impossible to tolerate.

Lewis Madigan is his next door neighbor, a gay man, a fruitcake as far as homophobic Chester is concerned. Lewis gets laid off and his boyfriend moves out at the same time. Chester's daughter begs and bribes Lewis to try being Chester's caregiver. Lewis reluctantly agrees but dedicates himself to the task once he agrees to it. The tale of their relationship during Chester's dying days is heartwarming and uplifting, as Lewis takes Chester across the country to satisfy the dying man's last wishes.

CRH's skill in character development is highly evident in this book. Though flawed, the reader can't help but root for all of them. The writing is magnificent in its simplicity and straightforwardness.

FIVE STARS (as usual).

Catherine Ryan Hyde has a talent for making ordinary stories into enthralling stories through relatable and lovable characters, even the characters you’d love to dislike. So long Chester Wheeler is a story about the ordinary power of compassion and the human experiences that connect us all.

**This review contains spoilers**

3.7 Stars
One liner: Heartwarming but not enough

Lewis Madigan is having the worst time of his life. He lost his job, the market is dull, and has no money to pay the rent. Having a rude, homophobic old man in a wheelchair as a neighbor frustrates him even more. But desperate times call for desperate measures. He agrees to become a temporary caregiver for his neighbor, Chester Wheeler.
As if that isn’t enough, Lewis feels compelled to take Chester on a drive to Arizona to meet his ex-wife. Driving Chester in a Winnebago and becoming a part of his complicated life wasn’t Lewis’ plan. But he does it anyway.
Lewis is more than surprised to learn more about the dying old man’s past. Their friendship forms a new beginning in his life… but Chester has only days left on this earth.
The story comes from the first-person POV of Lewis.

My Thoughts:
I read Dreaming of Flight by the author and loved it. Though I wasn’t expecting a similar story, I did want the same kind of feeling. This one delivers only 70% of it.
The writing is easy to follow. Lewis is 24 years old and sounds almost close to his age (and like a late teen at times). He grows assertive as the story progresses, so that’s good to read.
The premise is very good, but the execution seemed more on the surface level. Chester’s homophobia is the only thing that seems emphatic and disturbing. The rest of the emotions were sorted a little too quickly. What’s more, it feels like the author doesn’t want readers to see too deep into Chester’s past. We get bits and pieces and have to weave a story on our own.
Monetary troubles are real in any country. Here Lewis has money issues, but they are sorted out without much effort. The only thing is that he has to take care of Chester for the time being. Ellie seems to be super generous with finances. I sure wouldn’t say no to a fairy godmother like her!
Sue’s character is well done, though she gets limited space. Her arc is more implied, but it is still a better arc in the book.
Lewis is a sweet guy. He knows to draw boundaries and still be caring toward others. The book is his coming-of-age story as well. But it’s not seamless for two reasons.
One, why would he have a joint account with a boyfriend when they’ve been together only for ten months, and he is hesitant to talk about some things? It seemed more convenient for the plot (though I’m no expert in how couples manage finances).
Two, he is a software engineer. Sure, Ellie and Sue say caregiving is his calling. Brian agrees. But Lewis’ decision to shift careers is just not as impactful as it should have been. Also, as a software engineer, he can continue to work on freelance projects while taking care of semi-valid elders.
The last chapter/ epilogue is a short story in itself. I was ready to get a rough gist of Lewis as a happy man in his new career and with a thriving love life. What I get is another story half-similar to Chester in a condensed form. Let’s say it did nothing to make me feel warm, say aww… or get teary-eyed.
To Summarize, So Long, Chester Wheeler is a heartwarming story about dealing with life and learning to grow with grace. I wish it was better edited to up the emotional quotient.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Lewis Madigan has lost his job and is in dire straights for money. Just so happens his neighbor is in need of a full-time caregiver. Unfortunately, Chester Wheeler is a very unlikeable old man who doesn't have long to live. Chester's daughter offers Lewis a great deal of money to be that caregiver and what can a guy do but agree?? As Lewis (who happens to be gay) turns his life upside-down to take care of Chester (who happens to be homophobic) a rather "unusual" relationship develops. Chester has a dying-death-wish to visit his ex-wife across the country in Arizona - wanting to "tie up some loose ends". And so begins a journey in an old Winnebago that teaches both Lewis and Chester some lessons on both living and dying. We watch them with compassion, and sometimes humor, as both Chester and Lewis struggle their way through difficult situations and learn how to cope. It definitely showed with Chester that its never too late to change....even a little. And after Lewis sees his reflection in a mirror, he faces his own change in self-perception that help him plan for his future. . This story was another of Catherine Ryan Hyde's signature style where we fall into the lives of the characters and see both their good and bad sides as we learn their lessons in life. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #SoLongChesterWheeler #NetGalley

This is my first from Catherine Ryan Hyde and won't be my last. I appreciate her writing about current issues such as caregiving, LGBTQ and self worth. Outstanding character driven novel that I won't forget for quite some time.

I really loved So Long, Chester Wheeler. I disliked Chester at first. He’s rather unpleasant. He’s old, homophobic and prejudice, hating everyone but white straight people. His own children have little to do with him. He’s dying and has scared away every care worker in the country. Enter Lewis, between jobs who becomes his reluctant end of life carer. Lewis is far more patient than I ever could be. I began to warn to Chester despite my best efforts. This book made me laugh and cry a lot.

Let me start by saying I love most books written by Catherine Ryan Hyde and So Long Chester Wheeler was no exception! I totally adored every minute of this book. I am truly sad it is over. I was a little nervous about this book because the last two books I read by Hyde fell short for me, Seven Perfect Things and Dreaming of Flight.

Maybe a sequel could be in the works? I hope so, I would love to follow more of Lewis’s journey as a caregiver. We all can learn how to be better people through his adventures. He is a person of honor and it would be an honor to have a friend like him. Lewis is an inspiration for those who got to know him. He was able to alter the lives of two very difficult people as they were on their final journey through life. He was truly a gift to them and their families. A very important reminder I took from this book is you should follow your dreams and follow what you are good at even if it isn’t the most lucrative choice. Money is not everything, it doesn’t bring happiness.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the ACR! This book had all the feels of Catherine Ryan Hyde's book, 'Allie & Bea.' with the genders switched. It was a wonderful book about self discovery and the unlikely friendship built between a miserly old neighbour and a young man down on his luck.

Lewis is a young gay man who has recently lost his boyfriend, his roommate and his job. He is at a loss for what to do next when he stumbles into a job caretaking for his elderly, homophobic, mean & terminally ill neighbor Chester. While Lewis can think of nothing less that he would prefer to do than spend time with Chester willingly, he needs to money so he takes the job. Chester asks Lewis to drive him cross country to Arizona so that he can go talk to his ex-wife in person.

I am a sucker for grumpy old man stories. You are able to peel away Chester's layers in this book and see who he was in his younger years and how he became hardened by life. But more than that, Lewis is able to discover himself and that he has a gift for caretaking. Despite Chester's insults and complaining, Lewis drives Chester to Arizona and beyond. I enjoyed the character development of Chester and Lewis. I thought this was a great book, happy and sad!

Lewis Madigan is, or rather, was, a twenty-four year old software developer. Now Lewis, unemployed and desperate, has the dubious task of caring for Chester Wheeler, his terminally-ill and decidedly unpleasant next-door-neighbor. Chester is homophobic, mean-spirited and totally dependent on external care - a situation made all the more challenging as the two embark on a cross-country trip, Winnebago-style, in service of Chester’s dying reconciliatory wish.

As Lewis, an insecure and somewhat detached participant in his own life, comes to grips with his new lot in life, it’s impossible for him not to be changed by this emotionally-gruelling journey, forcing him to look deeper within himself, as he comes to understand those around him.

A warm and kind-hearted exploration of the emotional burdens we all carry, the strange and antagonizing form their expression may take, and the peace that comes with compassion and connection - a life-affirming, deeply-earned internal wisdom, shared by both giver and receiver.

I enjoyed this sweet and thoughtful book, which serves as a gentle reminder that although each of us, someday and somehow, may come full-circle in our physical dependance on others, our lives remain irrevocably ours, to savor, transform or regret, in pursuit of the choices we make and the people we touch, all the way through to our final and inevitable dying day.

A great big thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Another amazing book by one of my favorite authors, Catherine Ryan Hyde. It is a book you won't want to put down, but then that's how I feel about all her books! This book deals with many current issues such as caregiving, LGBTQ and self worth. I am in awe of Catherine's ability to write such incredibly beautiful stories time after time.

I was delighted to see this new book by Catherine Ryan Hyde as she is now one of my favorite authors. I've read quite a few of her books and haven't been disappointed once.

Lewis is 24 years old and has just lost his job as a software developer in Buffalo, New York. When he arrived home after getting laid off he found his boyfriend packing the car. He was leaving Lewis and heading to California without him. To make the day even worse his wheelchair-bound, curmudgeon of a neighbor, Chester Wheeler, made a homophobic comment. then the neighbor's daughter knocks on Lewis' door and asks if he would be a temporary caregiver for Chester since he has scared off all available caregivers and she needs to go home as her daughter is having a baby. Since he really needed the money and Chester is dying and needs help, Lewis agrees to help - temporarily.

While taking care of Chester he finds out Chester has a Winnebago and a wish to travel to Arizona to see his ex-wife before he dies. After a lot of thought Lewis decides it would be no worse driving that it would be staying in Chester's apartment.

This story is character driven and the characters are outstanding. I loved Lewis for the responsibilities he shouldered because he felt it was right and for his determination to do a good job. I kind of felt sorry for Chester, but am not sure I could have stood his constant verbal abuse.

Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on December 6, 2022.