John Hart has become a favorite author of mine over the past few years. I have read 6 books of his and this is the only one that disappointed me. Crime and violence - yes it is expected, but done in his wonderful style. Serial killing, however, is not what I anticipated from Hart. Extremely gruesome and not a storyline that kept my interest. Too graphic.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to read John Hart, do try one of these outstanding novels of his -
Redemption Road
Down River
The Last Child

3 out of 5 stars

Publication Date - February 2, 2021
Review Posted to Goodreads 12/30/20

Many thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had this book on my request list for quite a while and was so pleased when the approval came thru, thank you St. Martin’s. Great book – lots of action, family issues, coming of age for a high schooler, quite a bit of graphic violence but it is well done and not overwhelming, and the best is that it has one truly creepy prison guy named X.
Some books just click with you and this one did for me. This is not my first John Hart book and it won’t be my last. He spins a good yarn with really good writing. I highly recommend if you enjoy an action-packed thriller.
I was given the opportunity to read an ARC from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my honest unbiased review. This one comes in with high 5 stars.

Thank you, thank you John Hart and NetGalley for this ebook copy for my enjoyment. John Hart is the best, one of my favorite authors. Great story, great winter, Sunday read.

WOW WOW WOW! Not my typical read but WOW! VERY VERY VERY gruesome and gory but WOW!

John Hart is a dynamic writer and The Unwilling is a brilliantly written book. I was totally lost and absorbed in this story from the first page until the last word.

Vietnam, prison......can a person withstand 3 years in Vietnam, 2.5 years in prison and heroin addiction and still come out sane? Can a mother and father who have three sons old enough to be sent to war, survive all their children being lost to war in one way or another? I am emotionally drained from riding this roller coaster. The love between brothers deeply touched my soul.

The Unwilling is the second book I have read by John Hart and I absolutely loved both. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. For those who follow me please note that this book is very, very gory and gruesome with details that could give you nightmares but oh so worth the read!

4.5 stars that I will gladly round up to 5.

The Unwilling is a story full of action, family drama, loyalty , murder and corruption.

The French Family is at the center of story during the height of the Vietnam war.

One brother is dead, one is back from the war but not in a good place and one has already registered for the draft

When Jason comes back and meets up with Gibby, they decide to spend the day together.

Things go horribly wrong and from here on in The Unwilling is non stop action, brutal at times . Its a dark and compelling story that captured my attention and kept the midnight light burning.

John Hart is a great storyteller and The Unwilling is no exception.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's press for the privilege for reading and reviewing The Unwilling.

I liked this novel...to a point.

But here's the deal, by the halfway mark, The Unwilling became, shall we say, a little silly and a lot implausible. I was willing to (mostly) overlook this, as the writing was skilled, and the plot kept my attention. Just be aware, the book does take a major left turn - it may not bother you as much as it bothered me, but it is something to consider.

I also wish Gabrielle's character had been more developed. Instead, Hart made the mother of the three French boys a nutty caricature. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it...all the females in this story were ridiculously portrayed.

This would have been a better story had it focused solely on Gibby's coming-of-age. Instead, we get horror movie villains like X and Reece, which dominate the second half of the book.

I would definitely be willing to read more from this author, but this particular story had a few issues - though obviously not to most readers, as I'm seeing many five-star reviews. Definitely take that all viewpoints into account when deciding if this is the novel for you.

3.5 stars
Available February 2, 2021

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my review copy.

I had read John Hart’s Redemption Road awhile back, and although I remember I liked it, I couldn’t tell you more about it…but when I read the description of Hart’s new book, The Unwilling, I thought it would be a good one to read along with my husband and discuss in our mini book club (2 members). I figured I’d like the coming-of-age stuff, and the family drama. And he would love the war, prison story, and violence…

The story is set in the South in the early 1970s, at the height of the Vietnam War. The French family has lost one of the three sons: although Robert and Jason were twins, Jason’s birth at a few minutes after midnight gave him a different draft number than Robert, so Robert had to go to war and Jason didn’t. After Robert was killed, Mrs. French said “it should have been Jason, not Robert” which helped drive Jason to sign up and go to war, where he endured horrific events. He returned as a broken and addicted man, with a dishonorable discharge and a stint in prison as he was involved in drugs and guns. When he got out, he returned to his hometown, where his father was still a police detective, his mother had basically checked out, and the youngest son, Gibson (“Gibby”) was a senior in high school. Gibby’s parents don’t want him to have anything to do with Jason, but the two brothers have a strong bond and Gibby agrees to spend a day with Jason and two women in their late 20s…what could possibly go wrong?

Plenty, actually. Gibby, who had been overprotected by his parents since Robert’s death, had little experience with women, and when one of the women, a wild one named Tyra, got drunk and sexually taunted the inmates on a prison bus, causing a riot. Jason freaked out, and when Tyra was murdered shortly after this incident, the police suspect Jason, who got sent back to prison while awaiting trial. Mr. French isn’t sure what happened, Mrs. French thinks Jason is guilty, and Gibby just wants to clear Jason’s name and get at least one of his brothers back!.

Biker gangs, murderous psychopaths with connections inside the prison, and gun runners are all involved in the subsequent events, and Hart explores the (broken) French family dynamics, the insanity of war, and the real story of what goes on inside a prison. It’s a mystery, a thriller, a coming of age story, and Hart tells it well. There is a ton of suspense, as Tyra’s roommate Sara goes missing,Gibby is suspected of abducting her, and he takes his BFF on a wild ride as they try to figure out what is really going on.

So: my husband read it first and LOVED it. I really like Hart’s writing, but it was a bit over the top for me in terms of graphic violence (OK, I admit, I skimmed some paragraphs set in Vietnam and some in the prison. This book is highly recommended to anyone who likes a dark story with well-developed, flawed characters. I’m going with 4 stars although my husband would say 6. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy of The Unwilling in exchange for this honest review.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* would be like a 3.5, just took a while for me to get into it but after that it was pretty good

It is 1967 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the war in Vietnam is slogging on tearing apart lives and countries. The French family has lost twin brothers to the war. Robert the brother who made the dive off Devil’s Ledge, went to be killed in the jungles of an obscene war. His twin Jason followed and though he returned, is a dead man walking. On the day Gibby French, the youngest brother, is standing on the edge of Devil’s Ledge trying and failing to find the courage to make the dive Jason French appears, takes his place on the Ledge and then everything goes sideways.

This is a thrilling, vicious crime drama that doesn’t shy away from important issues. It isn’t just blood, gore, torture, violence, murder, mayhem, treachery, conspiracy and treason but convoluted family dynamics, truth and honor, disgrace and dishonor, and above all loyalty. It is a poignant and sometimes brutal coming of age story for many of the characters and we are left wondering how it turns out for each.

The writing was brilliant, the story as shocking as it was stunning. John Hart is a supremely skilled writer. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy.

Oh my gosh, I so enjoyed this gritty historical thriller. Once I started reading, had to tear myself away when life called. I wanted to bury myself in Hart's lyrical writing and unusual story. This is not your typical Vietnam era novel. It's beautiful and gritty historical fiction combined with mystery and suspense and completely unique characters, who are living through some very difficult times.

This story is character and dialogue driven, which is a wonderful thing. With so much detail given about each character you will know them intimately and the dialogue (internal and otherwise) is so quick moving that the 345 pages flow swiftly along. So swift that I was able to read it in a couple of sittings. The emotions and tension of each character are intense and resonate loudly. I hope the ending means there will be a book two as I would love to see what happens to the French clan in the future. I admit that this book won't be for everyone but for me it was a five star read...my favourite kind. This will be in my top five for 2020...Highly recommended.

My thanks to St. Martin Press, John Hart and Netgalley.
I'm really at a loss of words. "Joke, follows here!"
I have nothing...
You want to talk about a family lost! A cry from a desperate voice that wished for one son over another to die?
A family. One who raised the goods.
A heartbeat who sold weapons for a home.
A man. A father. A cop.
Mercy.
Is it too late?

There’s only one bad thing about reading this book- I stayed up until 3:45 am in order to finish it. The next day was a wash, me grumpy from lack of sleep and no more John Hart chapters. It’s that good.
I loved John Hart’s book “The Last Child” so was very grateful to get the opportunity to review his new novel, “The Unwilling”. I can’t soak up enough books about the 1970s, the ravages of the Vietnam War on America’s youth and families, and the soldiers who came home in bits and pieces, both literally and figuratively. It was a sad and gut-wrenching era and John Hart has his finger firmly on the pulse with this story.
The French family has lost their two older sons to the war. One came back in a body bag, the other came back in shame and strung out on heroin, only to end up in jail. Their baby boy Gibby is about to turn 18, the age to enlist, be drafted, or run off to Canada.
Gibby’s life is going well; his best friend Chance is a solid guy, the crush of his high school days has finally noticed him, and his parents seem to be letting him step out of the bubble they’ve kept him in since losing their other sons. Without warning his middle brother Jason shows up. Gibby knows it will break his mom’s heart to be with Jason, but he throws caution to the wind and thoroughly enjoys the attention of his big brother after so many years of being lonely and bored. But Jason is a bad boy, and trouble follows him. In a whirlwind of unpredictable events, Jason is a suspect of murder and dealing in illegal arms. He’s immediately sent back to his old prison while Gibby, reeling from the events, refuses to follow his parents’ example and turn his back on his brother.
Working with blind faith, Gibby throws himself into the underbelly of humanity to discover who is truly suspect. Refusing to trust his parents, ashamed of their lack of love and trust, Gibby finds himself in over his head and severely beaten within an inch of his life.
Don’t let me mislead you; this book isn’t all about killing, fighting, and survival. As these events unfold, the characters develop into people you are truly hoping for; even when it looks like all hope is lost. These are good and honest beings trying to survive in a cesspool, not of their own making. Face value means nothing. Here is where John Hart’s amazing talent lies. His characters are painfully human but in a set of circumstances that allows you to have compassion for them, even though all common sense tells you not to. The emotions, the shock of events, the web of deceit builds to a point where it takes too long to even turn the page. Again, I’ll say it: this book is that good.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The release date is February 2, 2021.

This book is a tough read, there are lots of roller coaster moments, lots of feelings and emotions. This book is what the reader looks for in a psychological thriller. The feelings of most of the characters are felt so you get a lot thrown at you and you still leave the book wondering. It was a pretty late night when I got close to the ending. Very satisfying read.

4.5 stars, rounded up
You don’t go into a John Hart novel expecting an easy read. His books are not for the squeamish. And this one is no exception. But, boy is it good!
Hart takes you right to the time and place. In this case, outside Charlotte, NC during the height of the Vietnam War. One French twin went to war and didn’t come home. The second came back, got involved in criminal enterprises and went to prison. The third, youngest brother is seeking to re-establish a relationship with his brother. During an afternoon outing, one of the women they’re with taunts a bus of prisoners. It leads to a riot on the bus and bad things follow from there. The woman ends up dead. It doesn’t help that the father is a police murder detective.
Each character is so complete, you feel like you know them. In a stream of consciousness, we know everyone’s thoughts. Gibby is right at the edge of adulthood, trying to peel away from his parents, especially his mother, and find his own way. Jason is definitely involved in a life of crime, but yet was a hero once upon a time and still worries about his younger brother. The father struggles with the mistakes he’s made concerning the elder brother and how to best protect his youngest. Even the secondary characters, Chance and Becky, are fleshed out.
The plot at times goes overboard and is unbelievable, especially when it deals with X, a billionaire prisoner out to get Jason. But I was so engrossed in this story, I could not put it down. It’s multi-layered with various themes, including war and its after effects, dysfunctional families, growing up and becoming your own person, of what it means to be courageous.
I did wish that Hart had explained the mother more. We know Robert was her favorite, but she was like a thread left hanging.
I was lucky enough to get both the ebook and audiobook. Both were wonderful experiences and I loved being able to flip between the two. Kevin Stilwell did a fabulous job as the narrator. He captured the emotions and the tension of this story.
My thanks to netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for advance copies of this book.

This book had a little bit of everything in it. The Vietnam War, family secrets, misunderstandings, coming of age,gun-running, and even murder.

Gibson is the youngest of three brothers. His brothers Robert and Jason are twins. Robert and Jason both were drafted into the war and only one comes home. It’s not the one their mother wanted to come home and now Gibson is on lockdown. His mother controls his entire life. And isn’t about to let him get mixed up with Jason.

Jason wants a relationship with Gibson but has no idea how to go about it. So they go behind their parents' backs. Gibson is drawn to Jason and is determined to find out all he can about him. Spending an entire day with him and two young ladies seem like a good way, however, one of whom is certifiable crazy. The day goes from bad to worse when they pass a prison bus and Tyra literally shows her bum. One person on the bus, however, recognizes Jason and knows who will pay for that information.

Soon after Tyra is savagely murdered. And I do mean Savagely. There is nothing spared here. Jason is immediately a suspect and Gibson is under suspicion as well.

His brother does have a dark side and when he is caught with a lot of cash and weapons, he goes back to jail.

While he is there things become much clearer. There is a puppet master behind all of this and Jason will get out of jail when X says he can.

This was so twisty and insane I do hope there will be a follow-up!

Well Done!

NetGalley/ February 2nd, 2021 by St. Martin’s Press

2 1/2 Stars — Even The Best Authors “Strike Out” Occasionally And, With The Unwilling, This Was Hart’s Turn!

Prior to reading The Unwilling, I very much enjoyed each of the four books by John Hart I’ve read, and consider them to be books that transcend the barrier between mysteries and literature. I was expecting to feel the same way about Hart’s newest book, set in North Carolina during the early 1970s, which, without getting into specific details, has a plot that is part thriller, part family drama and part coming-of-age saga.

Throughout the first half of The Unwilling I was pretty certain that my expectations were going to be met. Hart was once again displaying his above average literary skills as well as his strong skills in telling a fast-paced, interesting story that made this reader turn the pages at a rapid pace.

Then I came to the second half of The Unwilling.

Shortly after the start of the second half, I was developing some doubts about the credibility of the characters and the direction the plot was taking. By halfway through the second half, I was pretty sure that The Unwilling was going to be subpar relative to Hart’s other books I’ve read. To make matters worse, I found the last 75 or so pages to be so implausible and disappointing that I was shaking my head in disbelief that these pages were written by John Hart. Obviously, based on my reaction to the second half, The Unwilling is not a book I recommend.

Look, as I said in the headline of this review, even the best authors “strike out” occasionally. However, I won’t let this stop me from wanting to read future books by this author.

#The Unwilling #Net Galley

Gibby (Gibson) French is the last son. One of his older brothers, Robert, was killed in Vietnam and his other brother, Jason, who enlisted after his brother's death came back after nearly 3 tours with a dishonorable discharge and a heroin addiction and lands in prison. Jason is released from prison but his mother just wants him to stay away from her "only" son of who she is now highly protective. His father, a Charlotte homicide detective, is pulled in all directions by his family and unsure where his loyalties lay. Gibby just wants to know his brother.

Gibby sneaks away from his mom for a day of driving, drinking, and girls with Jason in an attempt to know him. Not long after the girl that Jason was with shows up brutally murdered. Jason is the prime suspect but Gibby refuses to accept that. Soon though Gibby, in his attempts to clear his brothers' name, is also being looked at hard by the police as a suspect. And behind it all are much more evil forces at work.

John Hart is not the most prolific author, often times I'm waiting years for his next book, but when they do arrive it has been worth the wait. There are so many layers to this story, and his characters, and it seems like there's no end to their depth. This one is a deep, dark, thriller with a lot of raw emotion that will keep you reading late into the night.

Look for this one on February 2, 2021!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and #NetGalley for an advanced copy of #TheUnwilling.

A multi-layered, action-packed story that kept me on the edge of my seat. Hart has developed a fascinating group of flawed characters.

The French family was dealt a crappy hand. Their oldest (and favorite) son Robert died in war, second son Jason has served three military tours and completed a stint in jail. Jason recently returns to his hometown, a changed man profoundly affected by his experiences. The French family’s youngest son Gibby, has been overly protected by his parents’ desperate need to keep him safe and are adamant that he stay away from Jason who they perceive as a lost cause.

Jason is not home for long when he is charged with gunrunning and brutally murdering his girlfriend. Only Gibby is sure that his brother is innocent. Gibby is a fearless and scrappy character, fiercely loyal to his brother and will stop at nothing to prove his brother’s innocence, even if it kills him. The boys’ father is a cop and is being shut out of the investigation.

The story really ratchets up when a psycho masochist is introduced and Jason ’s latest incarceration propels him to settle a score. Awesome read that drew me in from the start.

The UnWilling by John Hart is an intense read. The Fletcher family has already lost one son in the Vietman war. When John, who also served in Vietnam, is released from jail; his younger brother Gibby wants to spend time with him and form a relationship . But when Jason's girlfriend is murdered, he lands himself right back in jail. Gibby knows his brother is innocent. Gibby and his friend Chance embark on a mission to find the truth. However, they find that the truth is more than they can handle. Serving in Vietnam and serving time in jail, Jason finds himself entangled with a past that only he knows about. A past that has shaped him into the person he is now. Will Gibby and Chance be able to save Jason? Or will Jason have to save himself as well as his brother?

This is a very good read. However, it does contain graphic violence For that reason, I cautiously recommend it. This Unwilling will be released on 2/2/2021

This was my first book from this author, and after reading this book it won't be my last. I look forward to reading some of this author's backlist and future books.

I had to keep reminding myself of the time period of this book. We seem to take for granted books written in current times. So, that was a little of a challenge for me since I don't read many books written in the past.

I enjoy books with well-developed, complex characters written into a well-paced, engaging plot. This book is all of that in spades. I was enthralled with the book from start to finish. The book is raw, realistic, and emotional. The ups and downs took me on a ride I haven't ridden in a while.

If you're looking for a well written, thought provoking, mysterious, often deep book. This one is most assuredly one for you.