SHOTGUN LOVESONGS

SHOTGUN LOVESONGS                       NICKOLAS BUTILER
Posted:  Sept. 4, 2014

Hank, Leland, Kip and Ronny were all born and raised in the same Wisconsin town — Little Wing — and are now coming into their own (or not) as husbands and fathers. One of them never left, still farming the family's land that's been tilled for generations. Others did leave, went farther afield to make good, with varying degrees of success; as a rock star, commodities trader, rodeo stud. And seamlessly woven into their patchwork is Beth, whose presence among them—both then and now—fuels the kind of passion one comes to expect of love songs and rivalries.

Now all four are home, in hopes of finding what could be real purchase in the world. The result is a shared memory only half-recreated, riddled with culture clashes between people who desperately wish to see themselves as the unified tribe they remember, but are confronted with how things have, in fact, changed.

There is conflict here between longtime buddies, between husbands and wives — told with writing that is, frankly, gut-wrenching, and even heartbreaking. But there is also hope, healing, and at times, even heroism. It is strong, American stuff, not at all afraid of showing that we can be good, too — not just fallible and compromising. Shotgun Lovesongs is a remarkable and uncompromising saga that explores the age-old question of whether or not you can ever truly come home again — and the kind of steely faith and love returning requires.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

An interesting look at a group of friends from their time of growing up together to all meeting after so many years later. Some are still living in the same town others went on to make a name for themselves. One couple is letting their friend an ex rodeo star who got severely injured live on their ranch and still a few others are still jealous of the girl who is now women as they were when they were in high school. This is a very good story at a look at can you go home again? At least with the idea of how some people have changed and some are still trying to grow up. I thought this to be a good book. Well written and the characters seemed real. I got this book from net galley.