The Key to Everything is a coming-of-age story that envelops the reader in a blanket of nostalgia, eliciting those warm and cozy sentiments that only nostalgia can bring. Clearly, the author intended this to be the case because of the moving dialogue and the delightful description that fills the pages.

The story takes place in the years immediately following World War II, when the country was still recovering from the war and many veterans were still reeling from its impact. Our teenage protagonist, Peyton Cabot, is trying to understand why his father is so different after the war, numbing his emotions with alcohol. When his father dies after a freak accident, Peyton sets off on a journey where he tries to come to terms with his father’s death, as well as look inside himself to understand where his life needs to go.

There is very little backstory in this tale, and I consider that a very good thing. The author provides the minimum amount of backstory necessary for the reader to understand how the current situation came to be. There were times when the author could have given us more backstory about certain characters, but I don’t think it would have moved the story along, so I was grateful she didn’t.

What really sets this novel apart, in my opinion, is the dialogue. The author breathes life into the characters with her use of dialogue. I think this entire novel is a textbook example of show don’t tell. It is mostly through dialogue that we discover what a character thinks and feels. Without going overboard on vernacular, the author assigns each character with individual styles of dialogue. I loved it!

The spray of the ocean, the feel of the sun on a hot summer day, and the damage a full day of bike riding can wreak on a body are all examples of the description in the story. When combined with the dialogue, the author’s use of description completely immerses the reader into the story. That’s a true statement; once I got into the story, I actually felt like I was a bystander watching the story unfold before me.

The story also has a wonderful, consistent pace to it. It wasn’t too slow, nor too fast. It was right where it needs to be.

As you can probably imagine, coming-of-age stories have some huge character arcs. This one was no different. But that’s not a bad thing at all. It’s expected. It satisfies.

Now for the best part! The author includes an epilogue that takes place about 15 years after the story ends. We get to see what happens to the characters - how everything turns out. This adds an additional layer of closure to the story, and I loved it!

I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys those warm and cozy sentiments.

The Key to Everything, by Valerie Fraser Luesse, tells the story of Peyton Cabot, a 15-year-old boy on the verge of adulthood. When his father suddenly dies, Peyton decides to follow in his father's footsteps, jump on his bike and begin a journey down the coastline of Florida heading toward Key West!

Peyton has a lot of experiences along the way. As he makes friends on his trip, each one adds something good to his life. Most importantly, Peyton meets up with Lisa Wallace, the young girl he is in love with, when he reaches his destination!

This is a fun experience to watch this young man grow up, as he encounters all of these new situations!

Today's world presents much to be concerned about, and sometimes it is almost impossible to avoid the anxiety that comes with it. Like others, reading has always been a release, but that does not mean I only pick light-hearted books. When I began THE KEY TO EVERYTHING, I knew nothing about the book except I had enjoyed earlier titles by Valerie Fraser Luesse. Within minutes of started 15 year-old Peyton Cabot's coming-of-age story, I knew I would love the story. It is the late 1940's and Peyton's father has returned from the war a damaged man. He hides his pain from the wife and son that he loves dearly by losing himself in drink. When a freak accident lands the father in the hospital, Peyton begins to think about taking a bike journey down the whole coast of Florida to Key West, something his father had done when he was 15. Each day of the journey brings new adventures, new people, and new opportunities to show what kind of man Peyton is becoming. Along the way he learns much about his parents' love story and hopes to add a chapter to his own. Others have commented that this book does not relay a prominent Christian message, and that may be true, but I believe we see in Peyton's choices, his mother's love, and the care by Aunt Gert, strong examples of "Love thy neighbor" in action. Almost every chapter has a stranger reaching out to another stranger. This was a fast, feel-good read for me, something I really needed this week. This is a title that will be enjoyed across generations. You could easily recommend it to teen readers, yet I think adults will become captivated by Peyton and his mother, too. I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley and Baker Publishing. All opinions are mine.
(I have posted review to BN and Amazon but they are not live yet.)

15 year old Payton is about to be bulldozed by a lot of big changes in his life. In search for the answers read and see if he finds "The Key to Everything"

The Key to Everything by Valerie Fraser Luesse-I will be recommending this one to fans of Where the Crawdads Sing. This well-written, coming of age novel takes place a little after World War II & tells the story of Peyton, a young man who makes the decision to go on the same journey his father did at his age...riding his bicycle from Georgia all the way down to Key West. When his father took the trip as a 15-year-old, he was trying to escape his suffocating family and ended up finding the love of his life. Peyton didn't really know what he was searching for, but after tragedy struck his family, he knew that journey would bring him closer to understanding his father. Tracing his father's route with the very map his father used roughly 20 years earlier, Peyton learns some things about his father, but even more about himself. Plus, it doesn't hurt that the girl of his dreams is visiting family along the route. The genre is listed as romance, and it does have some old-fashioned courting, but I would list it as historical realistic fiction. It has relationships. culture, adventure, and self-discovery all rolled into one. I would recommend this for teens on up. Released June 2nd, 2020. #netgalley #ValerieFraserLuesse #TheKeytoEverything

This story was predictable and too much of a happy ending, but I really liked it! I think because there wasn’t complete happiness with every character and it was written well.

Magnificent story of your Peyton Cabot who takes on this journey with a bike, similar to the journey his father took on when he was his age, to get answers to all his questions. Some of questions are unknown to him, but he want to understand himself better: who he is, where he comes from, what he wants, who his parents are and what led them to live their lives the way they did.

This story is emotional, uplifting, positive, and a much needed read for me during this ugly time we are going through right now. This story is giving me hope. There are good human beings in this world. Life is love. We will never accomplish anything if there is no love and hope in our hearts.

Caution: this book will make you shed a few tears ;-)

Thank you so much Net Galley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As we begin this story we are at the annual family picnic, a very wealthy dysfunctional family, when tragedy hits the life of young Peyton.
Now this young man is a very respectful, kind to others, and has a big heart. You will like his parents, and his Aunt and Finn, and the impact they have on his young life.
As we journey with Peyton, without a doubt you see life repeating itself, and there are some surprises along the way.
A story of growing up and becoming a young man, a story of learning about his father and wanting to seek what he was seeking, and a story of young love and finding oneself.
Loved that there was an Epilogue at the end, and we are updated and find out what happened!
#TheKeytoEverything

I received this book through Revell Reads, and was not required to give a positive review.

Peyton Cabot's fifteenth year is turned upside when WWII Vet father returns with the love of the bottle. A tragic turns of events sends him on a bicycle trip down south to Key West, Fl similar to a trip his father took at his age. However, this separates him from his high school sweetheart Lisa Wallace for the whole summer...

The Key to Everything is a coming of age story is all about self-discovery, family relations and friendships. I loved the relationships between Peyton and his parents. Though I wanted more scenes with Peyton and his Dad. Aunt Gert is one of those relatives that everyone would love to have warm and kind-hearted but always tells it like it is.
Overall, The Key to Everything is a quick and easy read.

Peyton has spent his life in Savannah, Georgia, as part of a well-to-do family. The extended family is not close, but his grandmother hosts a mandatory attendance gathering each Easter. It is at this gathering that Peyton‘s life changes forever when his father is injured in an accident. Peyton’s father, Marshall, has not been the same since he returned from World War II and his mother, Kate, hopes that time will heal whatever it is that haunts Marshall. Peyton sets off on a journey from Savannah to Key West, hoping to duplicate the same trip his father made when he was fifteen. He thinks that this will somehow help him understand his father better. What he learns instead is that each of us are on our own journey and must make choices that we can live with.

THE KEY TO EVERYTHING by VALERIE FRASER LUESSE is a well written book which kept me enthralled from beginning to end, as I followed Peyton Cabot's journey against the background of his parents' story.
In 1947, in the aftermath of WWII, Peyton's father, who has become an alcoholic since coming home from the war, has an accident which disrupts the dreaded family Spring Picnic, and drastically changes the Cabot family dynamics.
Peyton is sent to stay with his mother's amazing aunt Gert in St Augustine and leaves from there, armed with his father's map and on the bicycle Aunt Gert has given him, to cycle to Key West, in his father's footsteps, as it were. He is fifteen, the same age his father was when he made the epic ride. The other reason is to try and find his girlfriend, Lisa, who has been sent away by her parents to stay with relations. Although Peyton learns a lot about his father and his parents' romance, the journey is really ab0ut him making his own way in the world. I love all the interesting people he comes across, and his interaction with them as "Bike Boy".
The characters are great and I found the story inspirational as well as enjoyable. It is altogether a delightful read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Revell. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

A coming of age story about fifteen year old Peyton Cabot, a young man following in the footsteps of his father, in a life changing bike trek to Key West.



This was a quick and pleasant read, though I felt it slow to start, at times episodic. Peyton is a likable young man, he is upright has a sense of direction, but is also willing to go with the flow and take things as they come. Over the course of the book he learns about his family's past and meets a plethora of colorful and welcoming characters.



It was an entertaining read, with many fascinating snapshots of Peyton's varied experiences along the way. I loved Aunt Gert and her humorous and honest approach to life, as well as the sly but loyal Fin.



In the end, though he did come upon many interesting situations, I felt like things came a together a little too easily, and Peyton was almost too agreeable in my mind. Though we didn't spend more time with the extended Cabot family, there were characters that did intrigue me, and I wish that we had gotten to know them better. There was much to appreciate, like the very bold Southern characters, as well as the different pace of life that was brought to life well. A quick Southern coming of age tale about the choices that can change your life.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Key to Everything
A Novel
by Valerie Fraser Luesse
Revell
You Like Them
Romance
Pub Date 02 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 01 Jul 2020

This book moved pretty slow for me. Thanks to Net Galley and Revell Publishers for the ARC of this book.
Just not the book for me at this time.

Set just after WW2, this book perfectly captures the pace of life in the 1940s. (Which is to say that it may be a bit too slow-paced for some readers, and has quite a bit of post-war angst, but it flows well.) It has a genuinely Southern tone, without being overly done, and features a journey that is so well-described you'll feel like you're seeing everything alongside Peyton! There's a bit of a side story, but it focuses primarily on the son's journey as he retraces his father's footsteps. The main theme here is finding yourself and discovering your path in the world.

The Key to Everything is my first book by Valerie Frase Luesse. I didn't know what to expect, but I found a touching and poignant coming of age story in an interesting time period. I've found that many books I read are set either before WWII or 1960 and after, not many are set in the period following the war.

Peyton Cabot is a 15-year-old, born into a wealthy, but problematic family. When Peyton's father dies in a tragic accident, Peyton begins a journey of self-discovery that has him retracing his father's own journey years before.

I enjoyed the journey Peyton took both physically, on the road from Savannah to Key West, and emotionally, through his struggle to find his identity and come to terms with his father's death. This book is well-written and entertaining. It is a perfect beach read or summer read!

I received a galley copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Revell and NetGalley!

3 Stars for this coming of age story

Peyton’s father dies from complications of a freak accident and Peyton decides to take the same journey his father took to the Florida Keyes when he was fifteen ... the same age Peyton is now. The story tells us all about the people Peyton met along the way and the love Peyton realizes he has for his girlfriend Lisa.

This is not the normal type of book I read or the era. I really made me realize how different things are now from in the 1940s. Although I did enjoy the book, I found it moved slow from time to time.

I received an early copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Unique coming of age story about a 15 year old young man from Georgia. Peyton Cabot was born into a wealthy yet dysfunctional family. His father returned from WWII a changed man and turned to liquor to ease his pain. While his mother is loving, Peyton years for the love of his father.

Following a tragic accident, Peyton decides to follow in his father's teenage footsteps and bicycle across Florida with his final destination Key West. During this journey Peyton learns a lot about himself and what's most important. I loved his caring and giving heart. Peyton showed a lot of courage and faith to take the journey to Key West.

It was an enjoyable ride. The epilogue nicely put a bow on Peyton's story.

This is my third novel to read by this author. The words flow beautifully and the stories are unique and full of heart. I look forward to what she writes next.

Key to Everything by Valerie Fraser Luesse is destined to be the perfect summer read. It is the coming-of-age story to Peyton Cabot who at 15, after a sudden family tragedy, decides to retrace the bike trip from Savannah to Key West that his father took at the same age. The “bike boy”, as he is come to be known as, meets many likable characters along his route and learns some valuable lessons about family and life. The novel is full of southern charm and hospitality. I recommend this uplifting novel and also recommend Valerie’s other novels Missing Issac and Almost Home.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A touching coming of age story set in the South just after WW2. Part adventure, part family drama, with a clean, tender romance. A fifteen year old is determined to follow his father's legacy in a long solo bike ride down the coast to Key West in an attempt to connect with him.

I enjoyed this Southern style tale with an epic trip full of self discovery and life lessons. Peyton is a blessed young man in many ways, and his kind, big heart opens up further as he embraces people along his journey. The theme seems to be centered on finding your own path, following your dreams, and loving people. He is certainly met with some divine appointments as he makes his way south. His mom has her own side story told in parallel, highlighting her memories of a young love and better times. Aunt Gert is a hoot and my favorite character. She seems to have a lot of wisdom and grace, embracing the joys of life and encouraging others too. I enjoyed the epilogue that rounded out the story so well. This was a satisfying read.
Readers who enjoy Southern fiction will want to pick this one up. It would be a good beach read. Recommend!

I found this to be an absolute delight. This coming-of-age story centers on fifteen-year-old Peyton, who is making a long bike ride down the coast of Georgia and Florida as he sorts through changes in his family. Throw in themes of found family, young love, and a host of likable characters, and you're in for a treat.
I loved the "wholesome" nature of this book. While it contains the complexities of family and heartache, it leaves out the unnecessary drama. The story moves forward with adventure and fun encounters with interesting people. There were times that the "coincidences" were teetering on the edge of credibility, but for me, it made the reading experience more fun.
I would recommend this for fans of southern fiction, heartwarming stories, and coming-of-age stories.