Title: Gathering Peace: A Novel Based On A True Story
Author: Peggy Warren
Publisher: Rustik Haws, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-951147-12-9
Pages: 203
Genre: Literary Fiction
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

Read Book Review

Talking about change and making a change are two very different schools of thought in this world. Often people dream of making that change will finally bring them the happiness they’ve always sought out, only to discover that it takes an effort to follow through with that change. It was Norman Vincent Peale who said, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” In author Peggy Warren’s novel Gathering Peace: A Novel Based On A True Story, the story of a young girl thrust into a new world and desperate to find the peace her father is seeking takes center stage.

In the novel, young Zoey finds herself moving away from the comfortable life she had in Baltimore and going on a road trip, as her businessman father decides to leave his career behind to find his true passion in life. Dealing with two brothers, a mother trying her best to support her husband, a father lost in his struggle to change his life but failing to leave parts of his past behind, and two small dogs in a cramped trailer can be tough, but Zoey determines to find the one thing her father has asked for during the whole trip: peace.

This was a beautifully written novel. While coming across as simple at first, the story takes on a much deeper meaning as time goes on, and the blend of childhood innocence meeting the troubles and hardships of adulthood that often cloud a parent’s view of the world made this a truly fascinating story to behold. More than that, it was the character growth of the entire family, but most notably the protagonist Zoey that really drove readers into the narrative, seeing this 11 year old girl taking on one of life’s greatest mysteries by herself as she determined to find her father the one thing she knew would make him happy.

This is a book for anyone who enjoys a good literary fiction, stories of family road trips and tales of self-discovery. A fantastic blend of middle-school age protagonists and storytelling with an adult message of love, life and happiness that really touches the heart, this story called out to me as a reader in a powerful way, making for a must read novel.

This is a wonderful book that deserves to be read. Those who haven’t should grab their copy of Peggy Warren’s novel Gathering Peace as the story is truly engaging and draws the reader in slowly but truly. An evenly paced read, the novel excels at bringing a sense of family struggle, shaky yet unbreakable bonds, and the love of one young girl for her father and her family that truly captivates the heart and mind all at once.