This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
I am a former actor and director in theatre, and have now turned to writing in my free time. This is my first novel after penning a short story that I like very much (i.e. THE PARTY, also entered in the contest and awaiting review), several memoir pieces based on my growing up, and an essay on the affect the coronavirus pandemic had on New York City at the beginning of the lockdown. I graduated from the University of Michigan, am an Army veteran (Vietnam era), and have worked for many years in hospital administration. The idea for my novel occurred to me many years ago, but at that time I hadn't experienced life enough to do it justice until now. I am retired and live in New York with my wife, daughter, and granddaughter, who finds it fun to refer to me as "Babbo".
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
The Smile of December is a work of fiction in the interpersonal drama subgenre. It is aimed at mature readers and was penned by author Jonathan Vickers. The book follows Darryl Walker, a man who is determined to be the kind of father to his two sons that his father never was to him. As Darryl raises them into adulthood, despite being in a loveless marriage, their bonds as a family continually survive being tested by the whims of fate until an act of sexual violence causes a seismic disruption in all their lives and their true characters begin to show.
This is a very challenging drama that doesn’t shy away from some serious issues, in particular the long-lasting impact on those affected. Author Jonathan Vickers shows a serious level of skill in his craft as his prose deftly treats each subject with the sensitivity it’s due without ever undermining the damage that these acts cause, balancing an unflinching honesty in the depiction of abuse and sexual assault without ever straying into shock value. The characters in the story are wonderfully nuanced with Darryl in particular sitting in the center of the family web, fighting tooth and nail to be a good father, slowly coming to terms with the damage that has been done to him in the process. Overall, The Smile of December is a deep and careful character study that masterfully depicts the building of pressure within the Walker family and then explores the pieces that remain after events that cause this family unit to fall apart.
