Once again, another 5 star read by Catherine Ryan Hyde! She is SUCH a fantastic author, and 9.9 times out of 10 her books get an automatic 5 stars - her characters ,settings, and plots are fantastic every time, with this one being no exception! If there's an author you HAVE TO TRY this year, it's CRH. 5 amazingly good stars!!!

This book seriously blew me away. What made this book so special was Remy. His story broke my heart but it was also so moving. It shows the best of human nature and the difference someone can make in someone’s life. It was beautifully written and the ending couldn’t have been more fitting. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is an author who just knows how to pen a story that will pull you in and leave you so invested emotionally that by the time that you finish you will wish you could start it all over again from the beginning.

Do yourself a favor and read this book and then pick up any other book by this author.

After 8 year old Remy's mother passes away, his father takes him to the woods to live off the grid, convinced that the world is on brink of collapse. Soon Remy must fend for himself, until he is involved in a horrible accident, ending him up in the hospital. Foster care becomes necessary, and veteran foster mom Anne, battling her own childhood demons, decides that she and her family will be the ones to save this little boy.

Overall, the story was very slow to me. While the storyline itself is intriguing, the manner in which it is delivered is slow, and off putting. Overly political and polarizing, I found some parts of this book downright annoying, including all the Covid diatribes and unnecessary commentary regarding same. I also think the ending was wrapped up too nicely in a little bow, happy ever after. I would like the author to do some research, and sadly would have to learn that very rarely do these cases end up perfectly happy little family. There is so much abuse and trauma for everyone involved to overcome, and none of that is addressed. Very idealistic. Too long and drawn out. Would not recommend.

Special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, for this advance e-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of author Catherine Ryan Hyde and have read and thoroughly enjoyed many of her books including the best-selling Pay It Forward. This book is another winner and I highly recommend it.

Remy's father was a survivalist. He took five year old Remy out into the wilderness of Idaho, scared that the end of civilization was at hand, and and tried raising Remy under some hardcore conditions. But then something happens that leaves Remy on his own at a very young age to raise himself.

This is the story of Remy finding his way back to "civilization" and his issues of fitting in with a foster family, loving as it is. Remy's ordeals were difficult to read about and might be triggering for some readers so be forewarned.

This was such an excellent story and very uplifting. It had some very good messages in it about families we choose rather than those we're born into.

I received this Digital Review Copy from Lake Union Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.

Love Catherine Ryan Books. She always hits her mark. Super intense feelings with this one throughout.

It was so hard to put this one down. From the first page, I was obsessed with the characters and what was going on in this story. Great concept and writing overall.

Remy's mother passed away and his Dad sold the house. Remy and his Dad, Roy moved off the grid in the middle of nowhere, in the wilderness. Roy was a survivalist. They lived in a tiny unadorned cabin. It was no bigger than their old one car garage and it didn't have electricity.

Remy's Dad told Remy, "We'll have the most important thing a person could have: freedom. And the greatest freedom there is, well thats got to be the freedom to survive what's coming. If you don't survive then you got nothing."Remy had never asked what was coming. He didn't figure it was anything he wanted to know.

Roy also taught Remy not to talk to strangers because people might kill you. He thought that the world was coming to an end. Roy then dies from a heart attack and Remy was only eight years old. Remy is in the wilderness all by himself. He does everything he can to survive.

After awhile he is found. He is near feral, silent and afraid. Anne a mother of two adopted teenagers, finds Remy. Remy is very challenging.
As Remy cautiously adapts to his new foster home his family wants to reassure him that he can trust the world. Remy just wants to be a regular boy.

I really loved this book. I am a picky contemporary reader and this book is a winner. It is worth every star.

I just loved Remy. My heart broke for him. His Dad made me so mad. Remy was such a sweet boy. He just went through so much and he was only eight years old. Remy never felt like a regular boy. I admired his foster Mom. Such a wonderful Mom! She adopted three foster kids and did such a great job.
All of the characters were done so well. The title of this book was perfect.

I want to thank Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A story about a boy who has no idea how to live in society, through no fault of his own.
The plot is compelling and the writing is well designed with complex layers and the characters are ones that are not easy to read. I fully enjoyed reading it!

Remy is completely alone in the wilderness after his survivalist father dies. He has been taught to avoid people, especially officials, since he was 5 years old, When a broken and battered Remy is finally caught stealing food, he finds himself in a world he does not understand or trust.

This is a beautiful story about a young child and the foster mother who believes every child is worth saving. The characters in this story are well developed and I could not get enough of them.

The only thing I did not like was all the COVID stuff.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this story in exchange for my honest review.

I couldn't put this book down, from the moment I started reading I became completely absorbed in the story and the characters, especially the protagonist. I loved this book and I really like the authors writing style.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Just a Regular Boy" and all opinions expressed are my own. This book is definitely sad at time and you just have to love Remy. He was a really great main character in the book. You just keep reading and hope that everything will work out ok for him. It was so heartbreaking in the beginning and I really felt for him. Hard to put down this book. I really liked it.

Can I give this one 6 stars out of 5? Or, like, 10? It was so good. I feel like it's one of my best CRH books I've read so far. Although I kind of tend to say that about most of them, after I finish them.

I'm such a silly head though, that I first got this book as a review copy from NetGalley, and then promptly forgot that, saw it on Amazon and bought it. Why? Because I auto-buy anything I see on sale by Catherine Ryan Hyde, because her books are so great. And then I realized I have two copies for some reason. Facepalm. But now that I'm done with it, I'm happy I bought it. This book deserved to be paid for, even if I'm giving it a review too. It's just so good. CRH is like my absolute favorite author of all time.

This book somehow manages to touch on all the sore subjects of the past few years (covid, school shootings, how unsafe the world seems, all of us sort of anticipating the end of times, at least because of the climate if not other reasons). And it just put everything together so nicely. And that's just the background of the story, it's not the main story itself. The main story is about working through trauma and growing up before your time, healing, and many other things. Oh, just read it for yourself - there is nothing I could say thay could do it justice anyway.

There's another thing I love about her books though. That her characters are always the way I'd like to see people. The good brought out in them. Although they go through terrible things, the world CRH draws is not a meaninglessly violent one. There is always good in it, and more importantly, there are always good and responsible people in it. I don't know if the world truly is like that, I hope so, but.. it's good to at least experience it in a book every now and then.

Catherine Hyde has gifted us with another phenomenal book. This was an exceptional story and I loved Remy. It was an emotional and inspiring read.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Who needs a heartbreaking but also sweet pallet cleanser? ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Just a Regular Boy tells the story of five year old Remy; his mother has recently passed away leaving him with his survivalist father. They leave their friends and family and move to a remote cabin in the woods. Away from modern convinces, Remy’s life rapidly deteriorates until he is living alone— absolutely terrified of the outside world. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣This book is sad, but also syrupy sweet. It reminded me a bit of a Lifetime movie and wasn’t completely realistic. Remy is so sweet and you just wanted to root for him! It’s one of those books that will make you smile and have a little more faith in people. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣I enjoyed this book a lot! Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of Just a Regular Boy. It is available now.

Wow! This book got me hooked right away. I felt so sorry for this young boy and what kind of impact a paranoid parent can have a child. I enjoyed both POVs and loved the connection between the two main characters.

Survivalist Roy Blake thought he'd considered everything when he chose to move himself and his 5-year-old son Remy into the woods to live off the grid. He taught Remy survival skills, and he taught him to be afraid of outsiders and the government. What he didn't consider was how such isolation would affect young Remy. And what he didn't plan for was dying when Remy was only 8, leaving him to survive alone. What happens when a nearly feral Remy finally has to leave his barely adequate cabin and make his way toward a civilization he's terrified to face?
Anne is the adoptive mother of two teens who's looking to foster another child in need. And there's no child in greater need than Remy. Anne believes she's up to the challenge, but she's facing challenges on other fronts at the same time.
Catherine Ryan Hyde has written yet another wonderful book that illustrates the fragility and strength of the human spirit. She excels at writing characters that are flawed and conflicted and so deeply, deeply human that we can't help but connect with them. It's what's made her one of my favorite authors, and this book is yet another example of why I love and recommend her.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has gone and done it again! This was a quick read that tells a heavy story. This book was equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming. I love how it touches upon the goodness of humanity. It's the kind of book that gives you hope. Loved it!

Well, this is the second book I stayed up way too late reading this month, and it was worth it. Remy is around 5 years old when his father takes him away from his mother and takes him hours away to an isolated, run down cabin in the woods near a national park. There are bears and cougars in those woods, and the eerie cries at night spook him. It is during Covid, when fear was high, and his father was convinced that civilization was about to crumble and all would be chaos. His father believes that he is taking them both to safety, as he has been following a lot of disaster blogs.

Remy had his doubts even when he was five. They are not doing too well living in the wilderness - they were both sick and malnourished. His father had a romanticized idea of living off the land, and the reality was very different. When he was less than 8 years old, he was left by himself. He began walking towards civilization - or what was left of it, since his father had drummed the fall of it into his head during those years. He was desperate enough to steal food, trying to avoid being seen, and was very sick. Fortunately for Remy, he was in an accident and ended up in a local hospital. This is where he had the best luck of his life and things turned around for him. I cried at times, with happiness, and also because Remy broke my heart so many times in this book.

I don't want to give anything else away, just to say, read this book. You won't regret anything except the lack of a sequel. I would love to read more about this family as they get older. .

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Another beautiful book bythis author. Every time I see her books , I have to pick them up because I know that they will be full of heart and hard to put down. Thank you netgalley for this arc an exchange for my honest opinion