A Rough Way to Go

Thank you Netgalley & Grand Central Publishing for an eARC ♥️


As a stay-at-home parent myself, I connected deeply with Peter Greene's struggles to find purpose and identity outside of his role as a caregiver. The author's raw and honest portrayal of the challenges of modern fatherhood resonated with me on a profound level. I loved how the book explored the complexities of masculinity and the pressure to provide, even when the traditional breadwinner role is turned on its head.

But what really drew me in was the thriller aspect of the story. I was on the edge of my seat as Pete dug deeper into the mysterious death and uncovered a web of secrets and lies. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end! I loved how the author wove together the threads of the mystery, keeping me guessing and suspecting everyone.

What I loved most about this book was its unflinching examination of masculinity, marriage, and the struggles of adulthood. It's a story that will resonate with anyone who's ever felt lost or uncertain about their place in the world. The writing is gritty and real, with a dash of humor that had me laughing out loud.

Peter's relationship with his son Luke was particularly poignant, and I loved how Sam Garonzik showed the beauty and chaos of parenting ♥️

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, revenge, a great who done it, and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

In A Rough Way to Go from Sam Garonzik, Peter Greene never expected to end up as unemployed, but here he is, the stay-at-home dad, taking care of 3-year-old, Luke, while his wife, Lauren, commutes to New York for work every day. Peter used to be a Wall Street financial analyst until he was ‘let go.’ Shortly after Luke’s birth, Lauren decides they should leave New York, so they moved to a small beach town. That was about 2 and 1/2 years from when the action begins. Peter states that “things have been better out here” since they made the move. If their lives are ‘better,’ that must boil down to the environment rather than their toxic relationship.

One day the body of Robert Townsend washes up on the beach; Robert was the “heir apparent at a midsize firm in the city,” –the investment firm is GDR, known for its ruthlessness and sketchy behaviour. Sometime before Robert’s death, Pete saw Robert at the beach and tried to strike up a conversation, but a) Robert wasn’t the friendly type and b) Peter, now unemployed and tossed out of the world of finance is viewed as persona non grata. It’s as though failure is contagious–a disease to be avoided.

Robert’s death is supposedly an accident that occurred during surfing. But there are things that don’t add up, and Peter begins to investigate.

The book’s premise is interesting, and the author captures unemployed Peter’s feeling of uselessness. He tells everyone he meets that he’s a stay-at-home dad taking care of his son, but it’s a thinly veiled cover for his failed career. Peter’s patchy insight into his own need to chase the truth holds this story together–similarly he once desperately tried to get onto a jury in order to feel useful and needed, and it’s easy to empathize.

While the investigation is a salve for Peter’s lost career, it’s also a way to avoid facing his wife Lauren. Lauren, although a main character (who is mostly absent), remains thinly drawn. She appears mostly through lecturing texts. This is a woman who works hellacious hours in New York, not returning home until very late, and yet she still manages to attend a Monday Moms’ Group meeting “which always runs late, and then there’s Thursday which is reserved for her night class.” Plus then:

“half the time, she’s traveling. She’s always on some road show to bucket list cities like Baltimore and Boston for knife fights with the big mutual funds and insurance companies, or else she’s in New York.”

Although Lauren is rarely at home (some absences are work, others by choice), and has a sadly small amount of time with her son, she doesn’t hestitate to criticise, badger and police Peter’s parenting. But all this is, once again, a thinly veiled cover for stabbing at Peter’s failed career.

In fact, we often don’t speak. She prefers to text me, even if we’re in the same house. Sometimes she will come home, creep through the door, sneak into our room, and hide there so that Luke won’t discover her presence and demand to stay up with her for another few hours, but she still feels comfortable sending me texts filled with instructions from our bedroom.

Two other supporting characters: Frank and Gandle are also problematic. Frank’s role (even when explained) is a bit staged and Gandle doesn’t feel real.

This is a miserable marriage, and perhaps particularly so because Peter and Lauren are both relatively young and, by many standards have a lot to be happy about. I loved the last few chapters which include some great insights into human nature. Finally… this is great material for a mini series or a film.

Review copy