Catherine Ryan Hyde continues to gift us with books that stay with you long after the last page. This is a gentle story of a 14 year old boys trying to navigate life back in 1969. Luke’s brother has left for Vietnam, and his buddy Connor is struggling in a stifling household trying to make sense out of life. Luke uses running in the woods as a method to think and cheat his head . He encounters two large dogs on his run and realized they belong to a woman living by herself back in these woods.. His timing is such that he “saves” her life .. that she has decided to end. He introduces his friend to her and they form an unexpected alliance and relationship. You feel the deep emotions of each character and as with all her writings, marvel at the innate good in each. Everyone has something to offer and can affect and help others in ways quite unexpected. Exceptional! #netgalley #lakeunionpublishing

We don’t talk like that in my family, the more it matters, the more we don’t talk about it , but that lady , she’ll talk about anything “

This is the case in not only Lucas Painter’s house, but at his best friend Connor’s house as well.
These boys are 14 years old during the summer of 1969. While their worlds are changing, their parents don’t seem to get along with each other, Lucas has a brother fighting in the Vietnam War, and Connor is depressed.
They meet Zoe, the town recluse and outcast . She changes their life , by just talking with them
This story was so beautifully written , in the way only Catherine Ryan Hyde can write. With such tenderness and insight into such tough subjects as Depression, Divorce, Addiction, War ,Life and Death. And what impacts we can make into someone’s life by just being in it.

I devoured this book , I couldn’t put it down and I was so invested in these characters.

Thank you to Catherine Ryan Hyde , Netgalley, and Lake Union Publishing’s for an advanced reading copy , my opinions are my own

Stay is a story about a man looking aback on his 14 year old self. Burdened by his unhappy parents, a struggling friend, an older brother serving in Vietnam, and a lonely, outcast woman whom he comes to rely on, Lucas is thoughtful, helpful and best of all hopeful, I was thoroughly engaged beginning to end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is a coming of age story of a 14-year-old boy, Lucas, in 1969. His brother is off to war, his parents are constantly fighting, and his best friend is severely depressed. After a chance discovery of an isolated cabin in the woods and the woman and her dogs that live there, Lucas saves her life then decides to try and find a reason for her to want to stay.
I love this story of this loving boy who just wants to help the people in his life. The character Zoe, although in the beginning is standoffish and rude, becomes a wonderful friend and role model to both Lucas and his friend Connor, then also eventually his brother Roy. Although the book deals with a lot of heavy topics, seen through the eyes of this happy and helpful boy, it comes off as happy and hopeful instead of depressing. I love the books I've read by this author and I was so excited to get a chance to review Stay.

“Stay” by Catherine Ryan Hyde

A spellbinding read of friendship, family, and the inquisitiveness of a 14 year old boy.

Lucas Painter has a great deal on his mind and carries a lot of weight on his shoulders. His brother is in Vietnam, his parents scream and yell incessantly, his best friend is living in the dark and extreme solitude of his household and is afraid to leave his mother alone. To get away from “life,” Lucas goes for walks in the woods. A place his mother never wants him to go because she is afraid he will get lost. But it is a place of peace for Lucas. When he finds an isolated cabin one day, he also comes upon two big dogs. Lucas starts running and the dogs follow him. It is only after he accidentally trips that he realizes they are running with him not chasing him. Soon, it becomes a daily pattern for Lucas. He runs to the cabin, runs with the dogs throughout the forest and returns home. On one of these trips, Lucas is alerted there may be trouble. He does what he can to take care of the owner of the cabin and the dogs. Soon, he finds a friend in the woman who lives there and unconditional love from the dogs. As Lucas works his way through many issues over that summer, Zoe becomes a guide for him. She also finds a way to help Connor, Lucas’ friend, escape the darkness. When Lucas’ brother returns home, Lucas takes on more responsibility to ensure his brother heals and addresses his multiple issues. In the end, he ends up with better relationships with Connor, his brother and others and begins to set limits of what he finds acceptable and doable and what he does not.

“Stay” has multiple meanings for Lucas in regard to each person he relates to, yet it is also an overlapping concept for him. While Zoe tries to teach him to not to feel responsible for everyone and everything, Lucas has a hard time finding a way to that point during that year, but slowly does.

A novel that is crisp and sharp, yet doesn’t miss any aspect of detail, nuance, fluency or reality. It is a wonderful story with characters that are easily you or me or someone we know. It is a novel that once started is not one the reader will want to put down. A truly tremendous read.

Rating: 4.9
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



** I chose to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions, as well

I just finished Stay, after staying up most of the night to read it. This is most probably my favorite book of 2019! It is beautifully, hauntingly written. The characters are complete and complex, and so very real. I feel like I was part of their lives. For me, Stay is a very complex coming-of-age novel. Complex because all the main characters transform their lives. The ending blew me away. It was perfect and totally unexpected. This is a book that I want to share with friends and family. I think it would make a great book discussion read. Well done, Catherine Ryan Hyde!

I'd never read anything by this author before so I didn't know what to expect. Now I will look out for her books!
Stay is the bittersweet story of Lucas Painter's coming of age in the summer of 1969. Lucas Painter tells the story at some point later on in life, but we only find out how old he is in the final chapter.
Stay deals with difficult issues like marital discord and fighting, depression, abandonment, war, drug addiction, tragedy and the effect it has on people. It could have been a very sad story to read, but it's told from the perspective of a man who seems to have made peace with life.
This is not a book to read in a hurry or if you're looking for a lot of action. Stay invites you to reflect upon the meaning of life, the human condition and the importance of friendship and caring for each other.

I thoroughly recommend this book!

With thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

That's the second book I read from her and this was simply stunning. I wasn't expecting that ammount of sentiment, pain and grief. I just couldn't put it down plus I cried all the way through the end. The characters are so life-like, with all the qualities and flaws you can think of. It's so realistic in a way that hurts. Be aware of that addiction issues, depression and suicide are subjects of this book. Overall I loved this story very much and can't wait to read all Catherine's books

Stay dealt with some important, heavy topics that are as relevant today as they were in 1969, when the book takes place. Catherine Ryan Hyde took these important topics and wove them into the story and throughout the development of the characters. The effect was a read that did not feel heavy but still left me contemplating things like mental health, family dynamics, the value of friendship, the importance of mentorship, and how one action can change the trajectory of multiple lives. I also love how the positive effect that animals can have on our mental health was part of the story.

Although there were no big wow moments or any extremely emotional & poignant moments I still really enjoyed this book. And maybe that is the point, pushing forward in every day life and learning how to love and support those around you in the best way you know how.

I would recommend Stay by Catherine Ryan Hyde.

My first Catherine Ryan Hyde book and it won't be my last! Such a beautiful written story that gives one cause to pause and think at points. I love Lucas ...I cheered for him and my heart broke for him. Very relateable characters.

Stay was a very good read for me. The characters were well-developed, the relationships were complex and the story had both depth and breadth. The book was well-written and I flew through it., finding it very engaging. The insights into psychological trauma, addictive behaviors and depression will stick with me.

I do love Catherine Ryan Hyde books but I think they're all beginning to read the same! She always writes with a message in the story which I get but change the characters and setting and it's nearly the same story!

The story was good just not great. There wasn't much up a build-up. The part two portion of the book felt flat to me and left me a bit disappointed especailly for the main character.

Another beautifully written book by Catherine Ryan Hyde! I absolutely loved Stay and am giving it 5 stars!

Lucas’ character was such an incredibly thoughtful, mature, and well-natured 14 year old. I found myself rooting for him during each instance he was trying to help the people he cared most about.

I also loved Zoe’s character. Reading about her losses and how she’s handled the difficult times throughout her life, I found her to be an inspirational character.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Yet another can't-put-it-down novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde! Stay is primarily a story of friendship and love, brotherhood and redemption. As per her usual, Hyde creates an unusual yet completely realistic account of both non-traditional and typical friendships and families in small-town 1960s America. Never a disappointment, Hyde's most recent story engages the reader from start to finish.

Oh, how I love this book! It was heart grabbing from page 1. I loved the characters and the dogs! I loved the brotherly love, and the little sayings, that were so understandably true. Really a terrific story. Even though I cried like a baby at the end, I still walked away with a warm heart. The cover stole my attention, but the story stole my heart! ❤️ Thank you to Netgalley for having this wonderful book on Read Now.

I received this arc from netgalley for my honest review.

*Spoilers Below*

The start of this book seemed to not flow and I was worried that it was going to continue like that the entire book. When the main character, Lucas, brought up his brother being in the war it made it seem like it was going to be more important early on. He jumped from his brother, to his friend Connor, to the woods and wandering and running. Just seemed to jump around alot.
The main focus of the book seemed to be about dealing with pain and fear. And the characters did this through thoughts of suicide and drug addiction. Zoe tied well to the other characters and her story was very sad. It kept me wanting to read to see what happened.
Although the book was not what I was expecting, I enjoyed it l, was happy that the ending had closure with the characters, and was very happy that nothing tragic happened to the dogs!!

This is one of my favorite authors, and I like how her stories make one feel. She always gives us a glimpse of the positive, giving one hope even in hard circumstances. The way she has her characters interact, the words used and wisdom given, so spot on. She uses a straight forward and relatable style.
The story follows best friends Lucas and Connor, both 14 and a woman, Zoe Dinsmore who lives in the woods outside of the town, with her two large dogs.
Both Lucas and his friend Connor, have difficult family lives, both sets of parents are very dysfunctional. Lucas has a family that is constantly fighting and Connors family do not really talk and both fathers are distant.
The way Lucas, deals with his stress is that he likes to run in the woods, where he runs into Zoe's dogs who have decided to make this their ritual as well.
Zoe in her mid 50's has had tragedy and repercussions from that tragedy throughout her life, and has a hard time wanting to go on at times.
Both she and Lucas finally meet when one day on his run, where he sees her dogs distressed in front of the cabin, when he sees that she may be unresponsive he calls the authorities. After that Zoe and Lucas become friends, both helping the other get through things.
She also helps him navigate life, by listening and answering his questions, something that his parents should have done. Connor also with his troubles is introduced to Zoe, and they all benefit from this friendship.
A beautiful story of people who even though, they may be lost in their own situations, are able to be there for each other.
Like the saying, “don't judge a book by it's cover” here it is more “don't judge a person for their faults.”
I cannot wait to read her next book.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book.

I loved this book. Illuminating, enlightening, thought provoking, touching to my core loved it. Touching on serious life subjects there was so much wisdom in this story.. Catherine Ryan Hyde has done it again with Stay!!!

Stay was my first Hyde book and I’m officially a fan! Lucas, a fourteen year old, teaches us that friends can become family and that personal connections can mean everything. This heartwarming, honest read will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book. I’m typically drawn towards fast paced thriller novels, but this story kept me entertained and engaged throughout! I will be reading more from this author.