Growing up without his dad, Aiden wants to know what he was like. Though his mother is hesitant, she lets Aiden look at letters that tell the story of his dad’s life. Through it all, Aiden learns that there is often more to people that shows on the surface and how forgiveness serves an important part of life.

Told through a mix of flashbacks and present day conversation, the story shows how reactions to mistakes can help or hurt relationships. Shawn is given the opportunity to mentor a group of boys and share his experiences. The reactions from those involved vary, but illustrate what we will go through as we interact with people. Even if we do not mentor a group, our actions will be seen and can influence others. Like Shawn, we will have to make a choice on what we are going to do towards those around us. This book is worth reading by older children up through adults for that reason.

I was provided a free copy of this text by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a great literary novel about 2 young men that deal with trauma in differing ways. It really sucked me in and made me feel for the characters. Highly recommend!

The Importance of Now weaves a story in a very interesting way. The author takes the approach of writing the story from perspectives of three different people that include past, present, and future timelines as well as including letters from others throughout the book. One must pay close attention to know who the chapter is coming from and where it fits in the timeline. Overall it is a good redemption story and has some surprising twists and turns.