About the Book
- ASIN : B0GZ7ZPP8D
- Publisher : Independently published
- Publication date : April 30, 2026
- Language : English
- Print length : 269 pages
- ISBN-13 : 979-8255593149
Synopsis (from author’s website)
They don’t call Genealogy 1101 the “death class” for nothing.
Peter’s out to save his job as history professor from fatal budget cuts. His only hope is to enroll students for the least attended course on campus. Who could convince vacationing teenagers to spend a semester studying their grandparents?
Julia, his wife. Er, ex-wife. Wife on hold?
Julia drafts a list of rules to keep their relationship strictly professional but agrees to take on the project. Peter will research and portray members of his family tree. She’ll photograph him and flood the school’s social media with a unique marketing campaign.
Never mind that Peter’s allergic to the limelight. Or that Julia’s keeping secrets about her mother’s dementia. They’ve signed the contract, for better or worse.
When the unsuspecting ex-couple stumble into a family mystery, survive a dreaded road trip, and welcome home a matchmaking daughter, their carefully-laid ground rules are tested in all the right ways.
My Thoughts
This is a clean romance with drama and humor dealing with a couple who are separated while the wife contemplates what her next step should be. Julia and Peter tell the story in a dual narrative that adds interest to the story since both have reasons for their choices that need to be expressed. Since Peter is an assistant professor of history and Julia works as an adjunct professor, they still see each other, but their relationship is not stable. When Peter’s job is threatened, Julia agrees to help him save it with social media posts to gain interest in his new class. The pace is moderate, a pace that is perfect for the story being told and the reflection that both adults have to do. It also allows for them to be seen in their own environment without the presence of the spouse in order to better understand how they got to the point of separation to begin with. The book has a somewhat complex plot as Julia’s mother Eileen is suffering from dementia but also desperate to find out what happened to her father. Peter, who is good at historical research, agrees to help find the information for Julia to present to her mom. That whole backstory is a glimpse into the history of a soldier who dedicated his life to serving his country. There is another story of Addison, the daughter who is leaving for college and really wants her parents to get back together. Her getting ready to leave the nest adds another layer to the reason Peter and Julia are having trouble with their relationship. This is a book with layers, family drama told in a realistic and heartfelt way and a history that needs to be discovered before Julia can move on into whatever the future holds. With hope and a big dose of forgiveness and desire to really love, this story was beautifully told and memorable. The characters are relatable and dynamic as they discover truths about themselves in their journey to rediscover the love they once had for one another.
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
About the Author
Alicia Gilliam creates character-driven stories, dipped in romance and mystery, always aimed at deepening readers’ faith in God. After teaching writing and literature for twenty years, she reversed roles and became a student of indie publishing. Her other job, managing a resource center for foster parents, pays for her education and a weekly ration of chocolate chip cookies. For more information, check out the author’s website: aliciagilliam.com
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