Melissa Fraterrigo

GLORY DAYS by Melissa Fraterrigo is a slice of plains life in Ingleside, Nebraska, where people work hard, don't have much, and struggle to find contentment in their lives. Teensy, a rancher/farmer and his daughter, Luann, lose Luann's mother and are never quite the same themselves and how they are with each other. As Teensy ages and the world around him evolves, he struggles to stay connected to Luann and live his own life without much turmoil.
Teensy is a quiet, almost brooding individual who the reader slowly learns more and more about why he is the way he is. Because he is displayed as just quiet and angry at first, he is rather unlikable, but as his layered past is unfolds and his true emotions are revealed, he becomes infinitely more good-natured and appreciated and someone who is just trying to do good. Gardner's (Teensy's foster brother) introduction and then involvement in the story only adds layers to Teensy; while also providing a comparison of lifestyles to paint an even clearer picture of who Teensy is. Gardner, Luann, and several other characters in the book are interesting and fairly well written, but everything always comes back to Teensy in the end.
Gritty, raw, and straight forward, GLORY DAYS portrays life as tough, but reminds the reader that emotions, whether pure or misplaced, dictate how we live our lives.
I received a copy of the book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program.… (meer)