My new book, the coming-of-age/romance novel Is There Life After College?, has been out for almost 2 months now, and the reviews are still coming. Here is the latest list, both professional and amateur:
(Is There Life After College? is) witty, poignant, and perceptive. Perone delivers a spirited, searching coming-of-age novel about the rude awakening that follows academic success. …The novel draws much of its humor from the gulf between Mark’s academic confidence and practical inexperience. His earnest attempts to break into publishing are especially amusing, while the late-1990s Manhattan setting—with its payphones, clubs, music, and pop-culture references—gives his misadventures a lively period texture. Perone’s conversational prose moves briskly between comedy, romance, and more serious questions about faith and purpose. Astra gives the story its emotional weight. Tough, irreverent, and guarded, she initially appears to be Mark’s opposite, but Perone gradually reveals the vulnerability beneath her streetwise exterior. Their spirited exchanges about God, morality, love, and survival deepen an attraction built as much on disagreement as chemistry. Neither character remains simply teacher or student; each exposes the other’s blind spots. Perone’s energetic prose complements the pair’s frequent banter, with sharp dialogue bringing their competing worldviews into focus. The episodic narrative shifts smoothly between comic misadventure, romance, and more reflective moments. …Perone handles the central relationship with warmth and avoids easy answers. A funny, heartfelt exploration of the distance between education and wisdom, and of two young people discovering that adulthood offers no syllabus.
—The Prairies Book Review
Michael Thomas Perone makes another detour with Is There Life After College?, his first romance novel, though he’s tackled the subject of coming-of-age before with Danger Peak and especially Déjà View. While I knew going in this would be a different genre for him, I hadn’t expected how serious it would turn out being, given the jokey title (though I guess the intense cover should’ve given it away). I also wasn’t expecting the intimate scenes, though again, it IS a romance. I found the love story of Mark and Astra surprisingly poignant, especially towards the end. You feel for these characters, even the minor ones, like Larry, the hot dog vendor. I don’t want to give too much away, but sometimes I was thrown by the crazy plot twists, but the book ultimately rewards the reader’s patience. I haven’t fully digested the meaning of the story yet, so I know I’ll be reading it again someday. 5 out of 5 stars.
—Amazon review
Is There Life After College? is a fast-paced, coming-of-age story that forces readers to grapple with the big questions regarding life, identity, love, and faith. Mark and Astra are both clawing through existence at very different ends of the human spectrum. Mark, a recent college graduate armed with a Bible and ideals, decides to reject the path society and his parents expect of him and take his chances on the streets of NYC, which is where he meets Astra, a girl with a troubled past and a complex present. One would never expect the two to cross one another’s orbit, but the more we see them together, the more it becomes clear that it’s meant to be. And maybe, just maybe, these two flawed people can find comfort, solace, and love within one another. Perone takes the readers through many twists and turns as we travel the fast-paced, developing relationship of the two protagonists. We root for them individually, but we also hope against hope that fate allows them to find a future with one another. Short chapters, beautiful prose, and dynamic, likeable characters kept me flipping the pages towards the heart-breaking finale. This is truly a one-of-a-kind adventure that you don’t want to miss. With hope and faith as its backbone, this is a novel that I won’t soon forget. I can’t wait to see what’s next for this dynamic author. 5 out of 5 stars.
—Amazon review
Is There Life After College? was anything but boring. It was an interesting tale of star-crossed lovers who were complete opposites. The setting on the dark streets of New York, combined with the nostalgia of the 1990s, made the story especially intriguing. The main characters were also interesting and added to the appeal of the book. It was a quick and entertaining read that played out almost like a dark, action-packed love story. I enjoyed the combination of romance, suspense, and ’90s nostalgia, and overall, I really enjoyed the book. 5 out of 5 stars.
—Amazon review
Not too shabby! Keep those reviews coming. As long as they’re positive! J/k…kinda.
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In other MTP news, are you really interested in reading my latest book but too cheap to buy it? As Professor Farnsworth from Futurama would say: “Good news, everyone!” The website Reader Views is giving away two free, signed copies of Is There Life After College? this month! Enter for your chance to win here:
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In other, other MTP news, I was recently interviewed about the themes behind Is There Life After College?, where I also gave a brief overview of my other work. Like, really brief. You can view it below:
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In other, other, other MTP news (I swear this is the last one!), I have a bunch of upcoming signings. I’m not going to list every one (you can see the full list at the bottom of my homepage), but I’ll be at the Bethpage Street Fair in (where else?) Bethpage, NY, this Sunday, October 4th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., assuming it doesn’t rain out like it did at last weekend’s Bethpage fair. See the flyer below for more details:
I’ll also be at a Meet & Greet at Tiny Raccoon Books in Sayville, NY, on Saturday, October 10th, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Again, see the flyer below for more details:
One of these days, I’ll have a signing that’s not in New York (fingers crossed). Until then, I hope to see you guys at one of my upcoming events. I’m very friendly in person—honest!
MTP
P.S.: Next blog: Book Reviews! (But Not of My Books)
P.P.S.: The Danger Peak audiobook is available!
P.P.P.S.: Is There Life After College? is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble:
