This book was recommended by a very close and dear friend. I was very hesitant to read it at first, because at the time of the recommendation I was not doing so well emotionally and I did NOT want to read a book that was sad, or correction had sad parts in it. I did however, pick it up and left it on my TBR pile. This friend kept talking about it and how the characters were wonderful especially R.J., the main character of the story. She also mentioned that the book was written with an Appalachian dialect. "What the hell does that mean?" I thought to myself. I know that I have read some Scottish romances that were written with a Scottish brogue that were hard to read, but I wasn't exactly sure what an Appalachian dialect sounded like. I even tried to YouTube it. LOL! Anyways, this book sat on my TBR file for MONTHS and since I promised said friend that I would read it eventually, I kept my promise. One day, I read it.... and it was AMAZING! She wasn't kidding when she said it was a great book!
Here is the book blurb:
He came into this world with two distinctive qualities—an extraordinary vision and an indomitable spirit, but at the age of ten years old, R.J. Watkins was banished from his small Appalachian community after being unjustly accused of igniting a mining accident. With a little help from fellow riders of the rails, R.J. learned how to survive on his own, but eventually his train came to rest with the Benton and Walters Best Show in America, where R.J. cultivated his unusual talents.
At seventeen, R.J. answered another whistle call of destiny, and he met the powerful McClennan family. Like a dazzling display of fireworks to their fourth of July picnic, R.J. provided the perfect blend of flavor for their family that had long since grew stale. But when he had hard time adjusting to the lavish extremes of the East Coast high society, R.J. learned to navigate their foreign world by completely transforming himself. A metamorphosis so complete that within a few short years he was the talk of the town, a man he barely recognized. Still all the talk was for naught because with the closing bell on a single autumn day in 1929, the McClennan fortune, which took generations to amass, was gone.
To stop the head-on collision with destitution, McClennan’s eldest son, Cosmo, made a deal with a devil, but it fell upon R.J. to pay the dues. No longer able to afford the luxury of other’s opinions, R.J. shed his finer sensibilities and used every trick he learned along the way to save his new family. Will his efforts be enough or ultimately destroy them?
From majestic corners hidden deep within the mountains to New York City’s finest ballrooms, Catching the Westbound chronicles the triumphs and tragedies of R.J. Watkins, a boy who came from nothing but with unparalleled determination, will, and resilience became the last great pioneer of industry.
After a lifetime of traveling paths of decadence and despair, by grace alone, he discovered the road that would lead him home.
The author said it best when she said this story is about "unparalleled determination, will and resilience". The story takes you from young R.J's life at home, to being the outcast of the community after an accident occurs.
"He realized that he had just saved a whole mess of men from dying, but instead of feeling good, he felt more alone and afraid than ever."
"That hain't true, daddy! I didn't have nothin' to do with that collapse. I was just tryin' to help." R.J. vehemently denied."
"You've gotta git from this place. Git goin' now! And promise, you goddamn promise me right now, R.J. that hain't no matter what, you won't ever come back heya." Robert Sr. hissed severely."
He takes himself away from the home he has ever known with a little help from his tag-along best friend Benny. The two embark in a journey filled with hope and uncertainty. The banter between these two young boys had a lighthearted feel, which made the book a little softer and not so sad, but then again tragedy strikes while on their journey as hobos (yes, you read correctly, hobos).
"Through out the next day, R.J. felt twinges of unease as if someone was practicing the jig over his grave."
"He felt the terror, but something else was churning his insides making them feel curdled and spoilt. It was rage, a killing rage.."
After their stint as hobos, the boys end up being members of the illustrious Benton and Walters Circus. They grow into young men, hard workers, and learn about "life's passions".
"For several moments Prof looked chagrined then he slowly smiled, with a chuckle he answered, "It's my passion."
"It's that thing that will drive you. Always right in front of you, but just out of your reach, you'll spend many hours day dreaming and sleepless nights thinking about how you can obtain it. Even knowing that once it's in your hands, you'll still want more."
R.J. Finds more tragedy while living the circus life with his friend and ends up in the East Coast, where he meets the McClennan's, and his life takes yet another turn.
"The only thang it tells me is y'all are a mess of idiots thinkin' you can change me into something I'm a not,"
"I've been on my own so long I cain't take to the ideal of bein' beholden to you or anyone else."
"City life will grow on you," McClennan quickly said sensing R.J. was softening."
And that's when he meets Emmaline, Mr. McClennan's daughter. I won't give it all away but there is a love story so strong involving Emmaline and R.J. that it would make even the hardest man fall down to his knees. I didn't care for Emmaline too much, maybe it's because R.J. was such a lovable character. You see him go from a young child who has seen and dealt with too much, to a hardworking adolescent, to an astounding, courageous man and all you want to do is hug him throughout the whole book. Even though I didn't care for Emmaline she was an integral part of the story. So I will leave you with some dialog from their first meeting which had me in stitches.
"Hey wait! Where you headin'? Us carny's aren't so good at readin'; maybe you can help me with them thar big words."
"I'll be in my room iffen you change your mind about helpin' me. Probably neckkid. Sometimes I like to read neckkid," he called out."
Now, I've only shown you little tidbits from a quarter of the book, I REALLY REALLY hope you pick this one up! This was such an AMAZING story that my review will do NO justice to it. But in all honesty guys, this one is a keeper. I have it on my kindle and if someone asks me what I would recommend -that's not a sappy love story or trashy novel- this is the book I usually tell them to get. It's an awe inspiring story, of never giving up, of dreaming big and facing those challenges head on. By then end of the book I was in tears (a good thing) and had a HUGE smile plastered on my face. Take a chance and buy Catching the Westbound.
Enjoy!
~ Lilly Rose
