It Doesn’t Have To Be That Way

Molly Dolan, an insecure twenty-something woman, spends most days ricocheting between hope and despair.

SHORTLISTED: 2017 Faulkner-Wisdom Competition

"This book is not to be missed. But before you start, it might be a good idea to put on your Jim Croce album—the chapter titles are his songs. This book is simply… well… fabulous!" ~ Readers' Favorite Book Reviews, Jon Michael Miller

Molly keeps rushing into relationships with the wrong men, brought about by a violent incident during her teen years, which skewed her judgment. Now she's drinking too much, taking foolish risks, and allowing a predatory male to sexually harass her at work.

A chance encounter with Fred Flaherty, her 72-year-old divorced neighbor, leads to a tentative friendship. Fred, a Cold War veteran and ham radio operator, has suffered considerably over the decades, but also dreams of a better future. As summer becomes autumn, the two neighbors share stories of personal loss, bond over their passion for Jim Croce's music, and develop trust and mutual respect.

This is fortunate, because winter is about to bring on challenges neither could have predicted.

"…Women's fiction at its best… highly recommended for readers who like their characters realistic, warm, and thoroughly engrossing." ~ Midwest Book Review, D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer

EVOLVED PUBLISHING PRESENTS a critically-acclaimed literary/women's fiction piece sure to capture your imagination.