A lovely story about a man who finds out he's a father, only when the son he never knew he had comes into his life at the age of 14. Along with the teenager Billy, comes the grandmother Evie who has dementia. Billy and Evie are incredibly close, Billy is a different type of teen who has had to grow up quickly and not into typical teen things based on his upbringing by his grandmother.
The main character Nick is a bit of a lost soul, working a job that pays the bills, drinking a lot, he doesn't care much about anything except some environmental issues and fighting developers. He is not close to his parents. He harbours a secret, he had big plans as a teenager that never came to fruition.
Along with Nick, there are a couple of side stories with folks at the seniors' home, a love interest in the form of Sarah, a single mom (of Carter) working jobs to pay the bills. Also someone who didn't reach their potential.
I was drawn to this novel about life, about regular folks in a small town. I thought scenes were well written, decriptive. It was easy to read, it flowed, there were some caricature types that veered close to being cliche (bosses, bar waitresses). Some of the dialogue didn't work for me all the time, it slipped sometimes ie whether Carter, as a young boy, or Billy as a teen, would talk as they did. Also some of the elderly characters were chronologically only in their 60s but their descriptions and actions made them sound much older!
The ending did work for me, though. It was hopefuly, and I appreciated that it wasn't tied neatly into a happily ever after bow. Life isn't like that. A solid 3.
Thanks to Netgalley and ECW press for the advanced copy for review.

**Cattail Lane by Fran Kimmel**

In the seemingly monotonous life of Nick Ackerman, each day drifts aimlessly between his uninspiring job and the dimly lit corners of the local bar. This unremarkable existence takes a sudden and jarring turn when he receives a note from a stranger that reveals a profound secret: Nick is the father of a 14-year-old boy named Billy, whose grandmother can no longer care for him. With little choice in the matter, Nick reluctantly steps into the role of father, taking in a resentful Billy and relocating Grandma Evie to the nearby Prairie View Manor, where her cognitive decline can be managed.

Their initial days together are fraught with tension and discomfort; father and son are little more than strangers fumbling through their new dynamic. Nick is overwhelmed by the weight of his unexpected responsibilities, while Billy struggles to detach himself from the life he once knew, laden with feelings of abandonment and resentment. Just when it seems that their situation might be insurmountable, they encounter Sarah—a compassionate and dedicated housekeeper at the dementia ward. Sarah is also a single mother to an energetic and uniquely spirited five-year-old. With her warmth and understanding, Sarah becomes a beacon of hope for both Nick and Billy.

As the summer stretches on, the three of them begin to navigate their intertwined lives, each carrying their own burdens of betrayal and disappointment. Used to shield themselves from emotional connections, they unexpectedly find solace and encouragement in one another. In those sweltering dog days, they are offered a chance to shed their past hurts and forge a new kind of family, one grounded in understanding and second chances.

"Cattail Lane" is an intimate exploration of forgiveness, the complexities of human relationships, and the everyday moments that can unexpectedly bring people together.

This book unfolded and is filled with rich character development and layered secrets that came to light with each chapter. As truths emerged and lives shifted. Nevertheless, I found myself somewhat let down by the ending, which didn't resonate as strongly as I had hoped.

Sorry this book was not for me tried getting into the plot and characters but unfortunately it didn't work

I fel that this book was not finished I felt you were thrown into the story mid way and this made it hard to follow so the end made no sense . Overall it wasn’t an enjoyable read
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

"Cattail Lane" by Fran Kimmel is a heartwarming novel touching many important subjects within its pages. We have a teenage boy caring for his grandmother but with her failing health they need to move her down to dementia facility. We have a dad who didn't know about existence of his son and now he needs to step up and do his best. There is a beautiful combination of various characters and each of them will tug the strings attached to your heart.
This book was a very fast read and I still can't believe how much had happened in the story. Characters developed, secrets has been unravelled and truth had won in the end.. Uplifting story making us to realise that small acts can make a massive difference, that some things can't be rushed and some stories are better when left unfinished

Thanks to Netgalley and ECW Press for this early copy.

This book was a bit messy and I kind of felt like i was thrown right in. It was very all over the place which made it super confusing. I think if it was organized better and explained better it would have helped. Then the ending was also super rushed and I felt lost . Overall I think this book needs more work.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Felt like I got thrown into a story that missed th beginning. Lots of struggles and good story. Then it seemed unfinished at the end. Rush through the story with his parents and then the love story that started two thirds the way through just stopped. Where is the happy ending?