Wow! What an incredibly wonderfully warm and uplifting novel.

From beginning to end, I was enthralled.

After a terrible fireworks accident, seven year old Michael is left physically disfigured.

At nineteen, he attends a film class and is set a task to create a film. His lecturer gives Michael advice: 'Work out what you want to say.'

In 'Michael Without Apology' Michael challenges and explores the idea of body image with extreme wisdom.

I highly recommend this novel.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is an incredible author and is not afraid to tackle issues that happen in real life. Michael Without Apology is partially about self-image and how we should be comfortable in our body, but there is so much more. I loved this book and every single one of her books. Read it and ponder.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this e-ARC. This review is entirely my opinion.

This was my first book by Catherine Ryan Hyde but definitely will not be my last! The story of Michael Wood and his scars immediately drew me in and I literally read this book in one day! Michael Without Apology not only made me cry but made me think about how I feel about myself and those around me. I feel like it is a very thought-provoking book and I've already recommended it to my 93 year old mom who has read a previous book by this author. I really liked Michael's professor Mr. Dunning and the advice and support he gave Michael. There are definitely some hard topics but the ending was wonderful. I truly enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 6 May 2025

This one was fantastic. I was rooting for the lead character from the start and so will you. Relatable for anyone who has ever had to persevere.

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. If I could give this book more stars, I definitely would do it! I read this in a day and it was absolutely amazing. I could not put it down and I loved everything about it.

I love this author so much and there is always a different persoective on lofe to be gained with each book she writes. However, I'm still looking for another book to hit as much as 'Just a regular boy' did.

Who among us has never had doubts about our physical appearance? In her latest novel, Catherine Ryan Hyde explores the anguish of a young college student whose body has been forever scarred by a horrendous life altering accident at age seven. He is removed from his family of origin and is adopted by two parents who give him the life he deserves.

Upon entering college, Michael Woodbine indulges his dream by enrolling in a film making class, The instructor, Robert Dunning, becomes a mentor and guide to Michael as he begins his journey to self acceptance and adulthood. Michael finds in Dunning another human being with an outside disfiguration, who is perfectly fine on the inside. When the young firm maker searches for others who feel shame about their physical appearance to tell their stories on camera, Michael gains insight into his own self doubts. Comparing his insides against what others show on the outside, has made him feel like damaged goods. Self acceptance iris the key in life’s journey.

I loved this book. Once again the author has told a story filled with wisdom and compassion. I was hooked from the start. With characters that jump off the page and a plot that drew me in immediately, Michael Without Apology is a gem of a story. Five well deserved stars for a book I highly recommend. It was published on May 6, 2025 and is available now. My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[NetGalley Read #32]
4.25 ⭐️

"Being a person takes practice."

Great!

An examination of body image, pain/hurt, love, grief, anger, vulnerability, and acceptance. Through the medium of filmmaking (or documentary, to be specific).

Good dialogue, well written characters, and a very strong third act take this story from good to great. It can be a bit saccharine, I guess, at times. Maybe not. But I didn't mind that. Besides, the deep, thoughtful parts of the story, the parts that matter are really well written. Parts that deal with the grief of losing someone, the fear of trying new things, and accepting things about yourself that you should've accepted long time ago.

It's a short book (less than 250 pages). Easy to read.

Recommended. 👍

Michael Without Apology, by Catherine Ryan Hyde, is yet another brilliant piece of writing that transports the reader into a character's life and point of view. She never disappoints and always, always reminds me that it is still possible to view the human trajectory as positive and upward. I reluctantly finish each of her novels, sorry to leave characters I care deeply about and yet, grateful for having met them and learned more than I expected about the human condition and our capacity to grow. This is an enthusiastic five star recommendation. Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the truly remarkable Catherine Ryan Hyde for a remarkable novel that will stay with me for a very long time.

Title: Michael Without Apology
By: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Pub. Day: May 6, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Contemporary, Mental Health, Romance, Self-Discovery,

Trigger Warnings:
Trauma, Body Image, Eating Disorders, Bereavement, Foster Care, Addiction, Child Neglect

*THIS BOOK IS VERY HEAVY AND MIGHT NEED TO BE READ IN DOSES*

Summary/Review:
Michael is a boy with a traumatic past who is ashamed of his body image. He hides his scars that cover his skin and spirit, Michael begins to see them not as wounds, but as essential parts of his healing process. Guided by a mentor, Mr. Dunning, who wears his own scars without apology, Michael learns how each mark reveals a life lesson. Together, Mr. Dunning and Michael begin a journey to support others with body image concerns, while confronting the buried trauma of their pasts, not to erase it, but to name it, understand it, and let it breathe.

The author reveals the necessary healing process of trauma and exposes the realization of courage that is required for an individual to heal through intention and grace. This is a very heavy novel which I had to read in small bursts. Due to the content I took off a few stars for my personal preference. If you enjoy heavier novels with serious tones, and/or Catherine Ryan Hyde’s writing, I would recommend this read.

Thank you to Catherine Ryan Hyde, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my review.

#CatherineRyanHyde
#LakeUnionPublishing
#MichaelWithoutApology
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

Wow amazing book. I loved this latest from Catherine Ryan Hyde. As always she never shys away from very sensitive themes. Her characters are always recognisable as parts of ourselves. I
Thank you so much for access.

I am a huge fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde and have read several of her books. My impression is that many of them deal with love, loss, redemption, strength, compassion. Many of these elements can be found in “Michael Without Apology” and while they resonate in this story I had trouble connecting with the level of innocence projected. The notion and importance of shining the light and accepting who you are is noble if a little simplistic. I liked the ideas emphasized in this story but I had trouble with the way it was told. The dialogue, language, thought processes were too basic, “more that I never thought to frame it quite that way.” The ultimate reveal of “going through our lives apologizing” was undoubtedly a story compass point but it felt like another oversimplification.

This is a very good book with an important message which I believe could have been stronger. I want to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a copy.

Michael Woodbine’s life changed when he was seven years old, now he’s a freshman in college and Michael thinks it’s best to continue hiding his scars. Until he meets Professor Robert Dunning, he’s teaching film classes and his own scars are visible and he tells everyone to have a good look and get it over and done with.

He encourages Michael to make a body image documentary, focusing on how people feel about their flaws and he places an advertisement on a notice board seeking others who feel unattractive and rejected by society and he’s surprised to learn it’s almost everyone.

Six people including himself agree to bare all and no private parts, one man is over a hundred and another too thin, a lady has had a double mastectomy and a second has given birth to children and two show their burn scars. As Michael collects these stories, he shares his own, how he was given up for adoption at eight and his feelings towards his birth parents and his kind and caring mum and dad.

I received a copy of Michael Without Apology from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing and in exchange for an unbiased review. I have lost track of how many books I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, she writes stories that make you think and what’s it’s like to walk in the main protagonists shoes.

This time the narrative is about one young man’s journey to self-acceptance, coming to terms with his birth parents giving him up for adoption, scars or imperfections, some can cover them with clothing and others can’t and what it’s like to be stared at every single day and why people are so curious and judgemental.

I highly recommend this thought provoking coming of age story, and Michael starts a different kind of me too movement and five stars from me.

This was such a good read for me. It drew me in from the very beginning. I liked how it jumped from the past to the present. I liked how it talked about things that are not normally talked about. The book definitely hit me in my feelers. If the documentaries that Michael made were real, I would be watching them in a heartbeat. Seemed like really powerful things though would definitely make you think. This was the second book that I've read by this author and it did not disappoint. Glad I was given the chance to read it!

Another great book from this author. The main character went through a trauma at a young age that altered the course of his life. After meeting someone with a similar history, he’s left to consider how he has moved through his life as a result of the trauma. This book weaves together trauma, loss, growth, and humanity. Good read.

Publication date May 6,2025
This really is a 5 star, Michael had a horrific accident with fireworks when he was just 8. It changed his life, in more ways than one. There are several time jumps, clearly labeled defining major moments in his life. Some just life, but some major changes, and some quite traumatic.
After Michael almost died from the incident with the fireworks, he was sent to foster care. Luckily for him, he got a good family right off the bat. Not all children can say that. When I was 10 my family had several foster children. Mostly newborns who were just pending adoption. But some had heartbreaking reasons that they were with us. I don’t want to go further because I don’t want to ruin any part of the book for you. Enjoy!
I haven’t read any books by this author recently, was glad her name caught my eye on NetGalley.

I just wish I had read the publication date correctly. No wonder my reviews don’t get as much credit. I am stressed now at how many I have read wrong and waited too late to review?
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This did not affect my honest review.

Michael Without Apology was an emotional read. The novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde, was the story of Michael. An event that occurred when Michael was seven affected his entire life. Michael lost his birth family but was adopted by a loving couple who became his parents. His life takes a radical change when he entered a film college class. His professor becomes his mentor and encouraged him to take a risk doing a film about people who are uncomfortable about their bodies. Read this novel to find out what Michael has hidden his entire life. I recommend this novel to any reader who wants to read a book that can't be laid down.

I confess to being a big fan of this author and although I don't think this book read as well as her prior novels it did hit home with messaging around body image and feeling 'different'.
Michael is only seven years old when he is badly burned in an incident with fireworks. His parents are put in prison for endangering his life and he is placed in foster care and eventually adopted by his foster parents.
Skip forward to Michael entering a film class at college and seeing that his teacher, Mr Dunning, has significant facial scarring due to burns. Mr Dunning's way of treating his students sparks a deeply personal idea in Michael for making a documentary film about people who feel ashamed of their bodies.
I was very touched by the stories that were told in this, but for me the conversations (which made up vast tracts of the stories) felt a little stilted and scripted. It must be very hard to capture a conversation that reads naturally and conveys a message. Although this was an annoyance, I think the overall story was captivating and beautiful.
Thankyou Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has long been my go-to author for beautiful stories with a hefty dose of empathy, and she does it again with Michael Without Apology. Michael is a college student who suffered a traumatic childhood, but who makes connections and develops relationships that allow him to embrace rather than hide his physical and emotional scars. It’s impossible not to root for him along the way.

Michael Crouch does an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Catherine Ryan Hyde, Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoy every book I've read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, but found Michael Without Apology to be especially moving. This book can reach people of all ages and situations and help them to feel better about themselves. It has a lot of wisdom and love.