3 things I loved about Saving Grayson:

1. It addressed a complex topic honestly and with compassion. Fabry did an excellent job of helping the reader understand both the perspective of the person with Alzheimer's and the perspectives of those around him.

2. The writing is stellar. Fabry is an excellent wordsmith, weaving beautiful truths into his fiction seamlessly.

3. It kept me fully engaged. I stayed up reading "one more chapter" again and again!

I will read any book by Chris Fabry and this one fit his style well, I would say. The bulk of the story takes place in West Virginia. Grayson travels there from Arizona because of a dream he has had. He feels the need to rescue a lady, but since he has been afflicted with early onset Alzheimer's, he really can't remember much about anything.
The story is unique because of Grayson, the main character, having dementia. And since most of the story is told from his viewpoint, it can be hard to follow at times because you aren't sure what is real and what he is trying to figure out. The story and details that happened up to the current time of the story are very carefully and slowed dispensed throughout the book. And yet, the writing pulls you along and makes you keep reading to see what really did happen.
And then the end of the book comes and you still are not sure about all of the details. It leaves you hanging, but it also leaves you with lots of food for thought about how and why some of the things happened. There are certain things that happened in the book that I cannot recommend such as divorce and remarriage, but overall the book was good. I wouldn't say it was one of my favorites by Christ, but it still rank it as a very good one.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for writing a review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Readers first encounter Grayson, who can't remember why he's sitting in his garage with a nail gun in his hand and wearing boxer shorts. The novel depicts the struggle for Grayson, his wife, and others who love him in an effort to capture the stress of loving someone who is slipping away.

This gripping, heartbreaking novel explores dementia and Grayson’s last-ditch effort to solve a puzzle. I enjoyed how the author crafted a compelling narrative that compels readers to accompany Grayson as he investigates a murder and learns the truth about his own past. In an effort to remember the truth, Grayson is searching for it and is trying to capture it as quickly as possible in an attempt to remember it. Being a writer, he is disturbed that words aren’t coming to him as easily as they used to. This creates a compelling storyline. I was drawn to this story because it’s not your usual tale on this topic.

I liked what the author said about his book, “My hope is that the reader will see their own life through this story and, instead of avoiding pain, will embrace pain as much as possible to allow God access with his transforming power.”

This is an engaging novel that deals with dementia, facing your fears and has a mystery to solve. Grayson is a writer and is exasperated by the fact words don’t flow through him like they used to. This aspect of the story drew me in.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

This book was nothing like what I expected and hit super close to home with the subject matter.

Grayson Hayes has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and it is quickly taking over his life and that of his family. His wife is trying his best to help him, but it is getting harder and harder. Grayson knows there is something he needs to do back in his hometown but can’t remember what it is. His wife gets him a helper to drive him back home and help him along the way. But with each passing mile, his confusion and frustration make the trip more difficult.

I guess I wasn’t expecting the subject matter to be so difficult, I have a family member that is starting to show signs of memory issues and that made it harder to read. Even with that, the story was well written and intriguing. The way Fabry tied in all the characters together with the missing memories was really sweet. I hated to see Grayson struggling with remembering things and his wife worrying about him, but the way Fabry wrote it all made it so real, like I was living it with them. The writing was solid, and the storyline original compared to so many I have read this year. I would recommend this to readers that are looking for a heartwarming story but might be hard to take at times if they are dealing with this in their own lives.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

This was a touching story, at times difficult to read because of the character having Alzheimer's, but that's what made it so good. The author captured the nitty gritty of the disease and all involved.

I think Chris Fabry is a tremendous author, one of my favorites. I have read at least a half dozen of his books. I could not get far into this book because I found it very disturbing and not enjoyable. It was told from the point of view of a mentally disturbed man, and it was very hard to tell what was going on because he didn't really know himself. I'm sure the pieces would come together but I just could not keep going with it, unfortunately. Maybe I was just not in a good frame of mind for this kind of book. It was well written but just not my preference right now.

This book is a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of a mind with Alzheimers. I appreciated seeing that, and gained sympathy with those who care for them. Watching how God can work in people’s lives was inspiring, and I loved the ending. I liked seeing how people worked together to care for Grayson as he forgot more and more things. I also liked the length of this book; I was sucked into the story and had a hard time putting it down, but it was short enough that it didn’t interfere with my daily life and obligations too much!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Grayson Hayes is suffering from early onset Alzheimers and, although we do not know his exact age, he's not an old man. His wife, Lotty, agrees to let Grayson pursue a mystery across the country on the condition that he take a companion, who is a young black man named Josh Chambers. We do not know much about Grayson's mystery or Josh's background and connection to him, but we follow them on this road trip full of interesting encounters. Gray's memory continues to slip, his frustration increases, and the stakes get higher. The writing is excellent, but the story is very tense (in my opinion.) Gray makes a lot of racial remarks to Josh (who bears them remarkably well,) and there are child and animal abuse triggers (told as memories.) The ending is satisfying, despite Gray's inevitable mental deterioration, but I found myself needing breaks during my read. 3 stars

Saving Grayson is about a man named Grayson who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. He doesn’t understand why he remembers some things and not others. This is heartbreaking and was difficult for me to read since my mom has had Alzheimer’s for 10 years now and her mother before her had it. This is beautifully written and right on point. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release.

Saving Grayson is a beautifully written and thought provoking novel. I enjoyed the plot and the character dynamics. Dementia is so debilitating. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

This was the first time reading a book by this author. He did a wonderful job with helping the reader see life through the eyes of someone with Alzheimer's or dementia. This touched me since my mother-in-law passed away from dementia a year and a half ago. Grayson's experiences brought tears to my eyes several times. Through his journey to find the missing woman from his past, I was happy that God put the people he did to help Grayson on his journey. I enjoyed this author's writing and will look into his other books. Thanks to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"Saving Grayson" left me wondering throughout - were people saving Grayson or was Grayson in the most unassuming way, in the throes of memory loss, actually saving them?
This book was a beautifully written, thought-provoking story. The themes were challenging, with each turn, in each part of the journey Chris Fabry brought us on.
There is no sugar coating of what it is like to care for someone with memory loss and how difficult it is to give oneself care while giving all to the other, which is LOVE that Lotty has for her husband and other people in his life we meet along the way.
The empathy we feel for Grayson, knowing he has this horrible disease and how he still knows he caused pain to someone , while fading away himself, and the struggle to make that wrong right carries throughout the story.
His faith in God is woven throughout in the most tender way and that is something he never loses, which gives the message of forgiveness and second chances.
I know many who have had progressive dementia and even when other memories fade, the one thing that remains is their faith in God. It warms the heart that Grayson has that from the very beginning of the story to the end.

A difficult to read book about Grayson who is starting a journey into Alzhiemers. He is determined to return home to save a women he is seeing in his dreams.
If you have walked this journey with a loved one, this will be a tough read. If you haven't, and I pray you never do, this will give you a little glimpse of what it is like for the family of a person suffering from any of the forms of dementia.
Chris Fabry does a beautiful job of telling us how to love someone well even when they have no idea who we are and why we love them

A heart breaking story of a man's journey through Alzheimer's and the people who love him through it.
Gray is losing his memory and quickly losing touch with reality and his imagination. But deep down inside, he knows he needs to make amends with his past, only he's not sure exactly what that is. He embarks on a journey to his home town with a complete stranger who seems more than willing to drive him across the country to make peace and find forgiveness.

Gray is ornery, but likeable at the same time. He hasn't a filter and speaks what he's thinking - sometimes shocking the reader and the characters on the page. He definitely holds prejudices, but as he succumbs to the disease, we see his heart slowly changing.

The author does an amazing job showing the frustration of Gray's caregivers, and at the same time showing Gray's frustration at losing his grip on reality. His journey is compelling. An urgent need to make things right before he can't even recognize himself.

This is a tough read, but poignant. It's a story that crosses the divide of current issues, showing that God's love and grace can overcome and forgive even the unforgiveable.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Harrowing but moving look at a writer who is descending into dementia, and goes on a journey to find peace. It was especially moving to see the lengths his loved ones went to in an effort to take care of him.

This was a very interesting book but a very hard one to read if you have ever walked a dementia journey with a loved one. My mother suffered from dementia for the last 7 to 10 years of her life. It's hard to say for sure how many years because dementia comes on you gradually until it takes a "growth spurt" and becomes obvious enough to be recognized for what it is and not just normal forgetfulness that comes with aging. This book is written from the perspective of the person with Alzheimers and that's what made it so hard to read. Because while being the caregiver for that person is hard, actually being that person is incredibly harder. If you want to get somewhat of a feel of what it must be like to have some form of dementia and know it but have to figure out how to deal with it, I would highly recommend this book.

"Books reach into your soul and make you stop and underline. You can’t dogear a movie.”

Grayson's journey certainly reached into my soul! It is a wonderfully written story about a family's journey through redemption, forgiveness, discovery and faith as Grayson faces an Alzheimer's diagnosis.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read this one!

The bittersweet nightmare of caring for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's is succinctly and precisely unfolded in this tender, heartwarming, yet heartbreaking story of Grayson Hayes (aka Gray), his caregiver wife, Lottie, of Josh, Pooch, Sarah, Sam and others who went through the dementia journey with Gray.

Any caregiver will KNOW Chris Fabry, the author of this narrative, is spot on with all the 'raw footage' of life living with a loved one striken with Alzheimers. I believe he truly brings out the moments where the carers, family, and friends will not know whether to laugh or to cry. I see this book as a precious offering and dedication to all families who have gone through just such a journey. Thank you Chris Fabry, you bring grateful tears to my eyes for having told it like it is.

5 Stars from me.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

March 2023

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Saving Grayson" and all opinions expressed are my own. This was a really good book. First time reading anything by this author. I enjoyed the story and the characters. You feel like you are right there with Grayson. Everything comes together at the end. Hope and Love, that's all you need. I definitely recommend this one.

This was a sweet bok of how alzhemers affects someone and the people around them . You learn how to cope with someone who has it. This was approved by netgalley and the publisher for me to read and review.