Another great story by, Catherine Ryan Hyde. I love that no two of her books are exactly the same.
She puts a lot of thought in her books.
This young boy went through so much in his young life to come out learning to love and accept love, even from dogs, that he feared most.
She is my favorite writer, ever!!

Thank you so much, Catherine Ryan Hyde, your publisher, and, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

Gentle and sensitive telling of a story that shouldn’t have happened. But it did. And the gentle reaching out with unconditional love on all sides turns a horrific tale into something very beautiful. Catherine Ryan Hyde - yet again - never disappoints.

One of Catherine's best! Orphaned young boy raised in deep woods by survivalist father...can he survive by himself in woods ? in civilization? Excellent book, highly recommend.

I've only recently discovered her work, but I've been wanting to read more Catherine Ryan Hyde books ever since a fantastic first experience with her writing last November. I knew that I simply HAD to read Just A Regular Boy as soon as I read the blurb. The survivalist angle, the poor boy being forced to go all those horrible experiences, the foster mother trying to help him piece himself back together... There is so much potential in the premise, and I have to say that the execution knocked it out of the park.

Part of the reason I wanted to read this story was because of it survivalist angle, and I think that this element was very well portrayed in Just A Regular Boy. The main focus of the plot isn't on the survivalist politics though, but rather on how his father's actions and beliefs affect the young Remy. I could appreciate that there were quite a few chapters set in the wilderness, helping the reader show just how extreme Remy's situation was and how much he was forced to go through before he was finally 'rescued'. Both the setting and Remy's voice truly made this element come alive for me.

Just A Regular Boy uses a dual POV structure, where we switch between Remy and his foster mom Anne. I preferred Remy's POV initially, but as soon as the two characters meet both POVs are equally strong and truly complement each other. Remy will win over your heart in record time, and the cast of characters in general is very easy to warm up to. This made it really easy to connect to them, and get truly invested in their growing relationship and improvements in Remy. The characters are flawed, but this only made them feel more realistic and likeable. There were a couple minor niggles along the way, but nothing to write home about.

There are quite a few heavy topics included in the plot, and it's definitely not an easy read with everything that happened to Remy. There are some lighter moments to balance things out though, and the journey itself is well worth your time. If you enjoy well written, deep and emotional contemporaries, Just A Regular Boy will fit the bill perfectly. It's a story that will stay with me for a long time, and it has definitely reconfirmed to me that I need to read more Catherine Ryan Hyde books ASAP.

Roy Blake is a survivalist and seems to be falling into a deeper hole after the passing of his wife and mother of Remy Blake his five-year-old son. With thoughts that the world is coming to an end he takes Remy to the middle of nowhere Idaho a place within miles of the border of Canada. He teaches his son how to survive and trust no one and not to even recognize him as his father. This seems a pretty tall task for a 5-year-old boy. When his father passes away Remy is forced to survive on his own and anyway, he can. Eventually finds his way into the foster care system and fines one special family with a mother who is no stranger to the foster system and looks forward to fostering the hardest cases. The story jumps back and forth between the world as Remy sees it and how Anne the foster mother sees things and the struggles in bringing Remy to a so-called normal life if there is such a thing. So I found this book an easy one day read but I struggled with this book even though i have read other books by this author that were great. I know this is a work of fiction, but it was hard to grasp some of the things that happened that you are led to believe a five- or six-year-old could accomplish. I also realize that authors will grab recent events to put into their story, but it seemed just to many of recent events that the author put into this story. Overall, I felt the story was a little to thin. But as always give it a read and see what you think.

This is a book about an orphaned boy being raised in the woods by his survivalist father. He is taught by his father to fear everything and everyone. So what does he do when his father doesn’t come home after a hunting trip? He’s hungry and thirsty and all alone.

This story is full of heartwarming moments, hope and never giving up someone. I really enjoyed this story.

Catherine Ryan Hyde writes books for adult readers about young boys. The young boys in her books are always faced with a challenge in their interactions with adults and have a problem to solve. She has an amazing ability to get into the head of these young guys. She does it so well in this fantastic new book, "Just a Regular Boy". The book is about a young boy named Remy. When Remy's mother passes away, his father takes him to a remote cabin where they become survivalists. Remy is only five years old and the challenges he faces, the quest for survival almost takes his life and his mental health. He will need to reenter domestic life at some point. Can he put those years behind him? Catherin Ryan Hyde writes a beautiful story about survival, family, and those wonderful people that are called to care for kids that are family of the heart. This book will put a lot into perspective about life, love, and family. I highly recommend it. It is a great story. Ms. Hyde's other books are good too. Thanks to #netgalley#Justaregularboy for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Remy is just 5 years old when his survivalist father takes him away from everything he knows. Moving to a remote piece of land, both father and son have a new way of living. No modern conveniences...no electricity, no indoor bathroom...you just have to learn how to survive! That is what his father told him. But when his father dies, just before Remy is 8 years old, he is on his own. Now, he has to survive, he has no choice As he starts back into civilization, he has to learn how to trust again

This is the kind of a story that makes you think. As adults, living in this world today, how many of us could survive by ourselves in a remote area if we had to? Do we have survivalist instincts? This novel gives you food for thought, and to be honest, it's scary!!!

My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As I read this novel about a five year old boy living off the grid with his father, I couldn't help thinking of my own children and grandchildren at that age. There is no way I could visualize them coping with such a situation. Though his father thought he was protecting his son from the evils of the world, he was actually depriving him of a normal childhood. The young boy tugged at my heartstrings as he was forced to adapt to the lonely new lifestyle. I often find myself recommending Catherine Ryan Hyde's books to other readers because they never fail to touch my heart and restore my faith in humanity. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book blew me away! I love knowing nothing before starting a book, only a basic outline and I would definitely recommend doing that with this book! It’s something I believe humanity as a whole could learn a lot from. The story is about a boy who’s father believes the world is turning into chaos so he takes his five year old son and moves to a remote cabin in Idaho, close to the Canadian border. It is heartbreakingly sad at points but also incredibly reflective and so happy I almost cried at other parts. No matter the genre you prefer, I would suggest giving this book a try!

Remy’s mother has passed away. His dad has gone off the deep end and has decided the world is a terrible place. He has taken 5 year old Remy to a remote area to live off the land. But, after a few terrible years Remy’s dad dies and leaves him all alone. Remy does all he can to survive but he is eventually tragically injured and he has no idea how to relate to people.

Remy tore my heart out! His struggles to survive at such a young age is horrific. This story is heartbreaking, terrifying and then joyful. I wish I could have taken Remy and just hugged him. And Anne! I swear that woman has an amazing heart. I would love to see a sequel made because I felt there was something more to Anne’s situation. Plus, I would love to see Remy succeed!

This book is incredible, as most of Catherine Ryan Hyde’s books are! I have only read a few of her books but I have loved every one. And I honestly think this is the best one I have read so far.

Talk about strong characters and an amazing tale which will have you crying and jumping for joy!

Need an emotional read…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I've read many of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books and loved them all. I've cried through them and laughed at a few. This one is my favorite though. This child. This little boy captured my heart and I know I won't forget him for a good long while. He is just precious and so very strong. What he went through was atrocious.

Remy was only five years old when his dad took him away from everything he knew. Away from his best friend. His home. His life. His mom had died and now his dad was taking him away to a cabin way out in the wilderness. To live off the grid. No electricity. No phone. No running water. Not one thing to make life easy in any way what so ever... His dad believed that people were going to blow each other up. Come to a bad end. Hunt each other down and kill each other. He taught his boy, Remi, to believe that. To be not just afraid but terrified of people. No one was going to be good to him. Then his dad up and died on him. Left him completely alone in a one room shack. Out in the middle of nowhere. Not another living human being anywhere that he could call out to for help. Soon his food was gone. He was not well and he had to do something. He started walking.

What this child endured was so horrible and so sad. He had no trust for anyone and was afraid of everything. He was almost eight now and totally alone for a couple of years. He left one place trying to find a new home of sorts. Still he was afraid of people so he did the best he could. One day his life was turned around. It was for the better but he didn't know that. What happened to him next was the most amazing thing and just what he deserved. He deserved a home. A life. A family. Of course to get that he did have to go through so much still. So much healing. He had many broken bones and many inside scars. He had to learn to trust again and only one woman was able to break that barrier. To get inside his head and make him feel safe.

As soon as Anne heard about Remy she knew he was going to be hers. She was a foster mom and already had two adopted children that she and her husband Chris had given home too. They loved them dearly and they were a family. Adding Remy was what made them all complete. They learned to trust each other. To be there for each other. To be a family of broken yet glued back together with a fierce kind of family love.

This book takes you into the deep woods and into the mind of a survivalist. Into the mind of this survivalist's child. Into the mind of a foster mother. Into the hearts of a family with so much love and hope to give one small child. To bring him back from the brink of a complete meltdown that he might not have otherwise survived. It's a true story of hope in a world of some pretty messed up people. You'll feel this book deep in your bones. Your heart will never be the same. But in a good way.

Thank you #NetGalley, #CatherineRyanHyde, #LakeUnionPublishers for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five huge stars and I recommend this one to everyone. Be prepared for the tears. It's a tearjerker for sure. But also such a good story.

An interesting tale which certainly grabbed my attention from the very start. It’s hard not to give any of the story away but if I just say I thought it might have worked better for me if Remy had been slightly older when the story started. Anne is lovely but I was bored by the sessions with the therapist.
It did read rather like a Jojo Moyes book but much less preachy. I think it will appeal to a lot of readers who will enjoy the originality of it.

I have always loved reading Catherine Ryan Hyde’s books. They always give me a great connection to the characters and in many cases, see the world through innocent eyes. She did it again with Just a Regular Boy. We meet Remy in this story, who goes through some unimaginable experiences at a very young age. We also meet Anne, struggling in her marriage but also seeing a need she was meant to fill. Their story is relevant in this day and age when the world seems to be falling apart, but where we choose every day to go out into it. I would highly recommend this book.

As always, when I start one of Catherine's books, I immediately feel connected to her wonderful characters and want to make them a part of my life.

Remy is five years old when his father, who is afraid of what the world is coming to, takes him away from the only life he has ever known as they live isolated from the rest of the world. I can't even imagine what that would be like for a five year old. But he's with his father, who will protect him, right? Until he is no longer there. The life that Remy had to live on his own is unimaginable. My heart hurt for him but what a brave little soul he was.

Then Anne and her family enter the picture. Can they take this feral little boy and make him feel safe and loved again? While Remy is learning all about the new world that he has been thrown into, Anne and her family have to learn how to live their new life as well. The growth, acceptance, and love of all of them was a wonderful thing to see,

Catherine Ryan Hyde has taken a heartbreaking situation and turned it into a beautiful, heartwarming story. She is one of my must-read authors. I know after reading one of her books, I want to be a better person from the lessons I learned from the story. I highly recommend Just a Regular Boy. I loved it!

Just a Regular Boy by Catherine Ryan Hyde is the heartbreaking, yet ultimately happily-ever-after story of a five-year-old boy who was taken into the woods to live by his survivalist father. His father lived under the meanest of circumstances, the child wore clothes that no longer fit him and were far from clean, and their diet was nowhere near healthy. The worst two things he did to his son were teach him to be afraid of people and to die out there, leaving Remy alone. Remy found him and tried to bury him but was not strong enough to even move his body, let alone dig the grave. Remy knew he had to get out of there, there was not much to eat and what about firewood for the winter? He wrecked the truck that he was too small to drive and continued on on foot until he came to a small town. He knew he had to avoid people, they would kill him. A woman saw him and left him water, but he stole from a convenience store to each: mostly chips and such, until finally, he was hit by a car and woke up in a hospital. Everything his father said was true. They were experimenting on him before they killed him.

This was a heart-breaking story, told in third person but with plenty of dialogue and a controlled cast of characters. There was a woman, not exactly broken, but with something in her past that made her especially vulnerable to lost causes. Anne and Chris had already adopted two foster children from horrendous backgrounds, but she felt this child was hers, and gradually her husband and children agreed with her. The only criticism I have of this wonderful story is it resolved too fast. A trauma like this would probably have taken longer. It was a moving and interesting story. I loved it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Just a Regular Boy by Lake Union Publishing, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #Netgalley #LakeUnionPublishing #CatherineRyanHyde #JustARegularBoy

4 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming but drags in the second half

Remy Blake was just five years old when his survivalist father takes him into the woods to live alone and trust no one. When his father dies a few days before Remy’s eighth birthday, the boy is torn. Should he go back to the ‘collapsed civilization’ and get killed or continue in the forest?
Anne’s childhood rejections make her accept children no other foster families want to support. However, things haven’t been good, and Anne wonders what will happen to her current family with two foster children. Yet, she knows that she will accept a third.
A few seasons later, Remy is found around the small rural town of Blaire. Anne knows Remy needs her and takes him to their home. The family must now work together to stay together. It’s not easy when they have to explore their own issues, perspectives, and lives before trying to understand the other.
The story comes in a (not-so-limited) third-person POV of Remy and Anne.

My Thoughts:
I love how the author writes vulnerable young characters with large hearts. Dreaming of Flight was my first book by her, and I loved it. Remy here is a more complex character but a wonderful little boy.
The other characters, Anne, Peter, Janie, Chris, etc., are also well done. Though the kids (Peter & Janie) don’t get much space, they shine whenever they appear on the page.
The first half of the story has a great pace. It helps in speeding through the hardships and sufferings of the little boy. I’m glad about it. The second half is slow and heavy. Though some of it is necessary, the abrupt change in pace makes the book uneven.
The book explores many themes from today’s world- Covid pandemic, school shootings, etc. It tries to present how people handle situations and the consequences of going to extreme lengths for ‘survival’.
We sure read many books about abusive foster parents. But this one presents them in a positive light. Anne and Chris are good parents to the kids. In fact, the bonds and issues between the couple and the kids seem natural and easy to empathize with.
I also like the importance of not lying to kids or trying to keep them in the dark. While we have to be mindful of their mental health, it is also important to make sure they understand the dangers of the real world without feeling overwhelmed by it.
While the book gets unrealistic in some places (quite a few), it does the job it intends to do- establish that there is good in the world despite the dangers and fears.

To summarize, Just a Regular Boy is a heartwarming story of a little boy finding a family to call his own and a woman cherishing her family’s love to heal her past wounds.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Just A Regular Boy is a novel by award-winning best-selling American author, Catherine Ryan Hyde. At five years old, Remy Blake is plucked from the only home he has known by his widowed father, a survivalist, to live in a primitive isolated cabin in the Idaho woods. Roy Blake rejects his fatherhood role: he and Remy are equal partners preparing for the coming conflagration. He firmly believes society is on the brink of collapse, and the wilderness is the only place to survive it.

Some three years on, Roy dies, and Remy is left by himself in the woods. He makes a few unsuccessful attempts to leave, but three years alone with his father have infected him with Roy’s paranoia, and another six months with no voice of reason to contradict Roy’s convictions make Remy fearful of authority figures and wary of returning to civilisation. When the supplies run out, he has little choice, which is why a boy of eight sets out to walk to Canada.

Anne Sebastian and her husband Chris have fostered many children, even adopted two of them. Perhaps something in Anne’s own upbringing makes her want to provide a safe home for children who desperately need it. Quite what draws her to the most difficult and damaged souls isn’t clear, but the compulsion does put a strain on their marriage.

They are still mentally recovering from handing back their last foster when she hears, by chance, of a feral boy stealing food from a convenience store, evading authorities, and apparently living in the woods in the north of the state. She knows she has to help him. Circumstances put him in hospital, all those gowned and masked people a terrifying experience for a boy programmed by Roy Blake.

With one penetrating look and her calm manner, Anne connects and, despite all the negative reactions, her only impulse is to say “yes”, she will foster this boy. But even knowing his trauma will emerge, she can’t predict quite what she las let herself in for. Luckily, it turns out she has an understanding and tolerant family, and a therapist full of sound advice to back her up.

Remy enters the reader’s heart on page one and stays there. Ryan Hyde really knows people and, as always, many of her characters restore the reader’s faith in humankind. She gives them plenty of wise words and insightful observations. There are some jaw-dropping moments, some that put a lump in the throat or bring a tear to the eye, but ultimately, the support and love that many of the characters give Remy make this a truly uplifting tale. Utterly captivating.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

The story of Remy #JustaRegularBoy is unputdownable gold !!!!
I couldn't stop reading this amazing book. My only bad review is that I've had this book on my Kindle for months & just now read it ! So the bad review is on me .

Thank you #Netgalley for this ArC. I enjoyed it soooo much ! 🖤

"Just a Regular Boy" is my first book by this author, Catherine Ryan Hyde, and I definitely won't be my last.

Remy is a 5 year old boy who is whisked away with his father, a "survivalist" believing the world is delving into chaos, to the remote woods of Idaho. Remy finds himself on his own after his father dies while hunting and Remy is forced to learn to survive on his own.

Known as the wild child to the locals, Remy is eventually caught/rescued and learns how to be a normal child again through the help of his foster-to-adopt mother.

The story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming as Remy grows stronger and finds his voice. The story is told between both the mother, Anne, and Remy himself. I do wish we spent more time with "wild" Remy, but once I got hooked into his recovery, I couldn't put this book down.

I want to thank NetGalley for an ARC of this book!