Title: The Life O’Reilly
Author: Brian Cohen
Publisher: iUniverse (Rising Star)
Publication Date: 18/8/2009
Book source: Received from author.
My Rating: 8/10
Summary:
On the outside, Nick O’Reilly has it all: a high-flying legal career, as a partner of an elite Wall Street law firm, and financial security, with an apartment overlooking Central Park. Having grown up in a working-class family, as far back as Nick can remember this was his dream. But at the age of thirty-six, after several years of sacrificing his personal life for professional gain, Nick has started to ponder his future and consider the mark he wants to leave on society both professionally and personally – his legacy.
After being chastised in the press for turning a cold shoulder to the community, the firm calls upon Nick to help rehabilitate its image by handling its first pro bono case. Nick is asked to represent Dawn Nelson, a domestic violence victim who is fighting for custody of her younger son, Jordan. A far cry from Nick’s speciality of defending the misdeeds of Corporate America, it is up to Nick to set Dawn and Jordan on a path to a better life. But Nick gets much more than he signed up for, as Dawn forces him to reassess his life choices and, ultimately, be true to himself. Only when Nick finally realizes what is truly important in life does he face his toughest – and possibly final – challenge: a battle for his own survival.
My thoughts:
This book certainly takes you on one big rollercoaster of an emotional ride. From love to despair and sorrow with a blend of every feeling possible in between.
Brian Cohen has a blunt, matter of fact way of writing about events in the book making it so realistic as if they were happening right in front of you to your closest friend. It was so engrossing in that manner and kept me reading until I finished the book in just a couple of sittings.
When I read the summary of the book I immediately jumped to the conclusion that this would be a nice read but one that is sort of similar to a lot of books of this genre. I started to think about what I thought I knew would happen before I started reading. It really threw me (in a good way) when I read the first page because it turned out to be so much more than I was expecting. It really gets you thinking about life and what is actually important rather than the stupid things we worry about that don’t actually matter.
It’s a poignant story about life. It’s about sorting out our priorities and about realising our values and what we already have before we lose it. It was wonderful.
This is a story that lingers in your heart as well as your mind and is well recommended.
A big thank you to Mr Cohen for sending me his book to review!
About the author:
Brian Cohen earned his Bachelor of Accountancy from George Washington University and his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law. He has been practicing law for twelve years. Brian lives with his wife and their daughters in the suburbs of New York City.
3 comments:
The best stories are the ones that linger in your heart. Thanks for sharing!
Seems like an interesting book. Seems like a reading I would do when I'm down hehe you know to cheer me up. I really do like the cover too. It's lovely.
~stopped by from CEP
I rarely read this kind of genre. But the synopsis and your review make me love to check its first chapter
The cover is also lovely
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