Title: The Importance of Now
Author: Paul Schumacher
Publisher: Black Rose Writing
ISBN: 978-1-68433-717-0
Genre: Coming of Age
Pages: 221
Reviewed by: Christina Avina

Read Book Review

In order to make a future for ourselves, we must first be willing to look to the past and learn from those who came before us. The past can often be the key to the future, and whether we learn from our parents and the choices they made at our age, or learn from world leaders who took our nation in the wrong direction, we can own our past to build a much brighter future for ourselves and future generations.

In author Paul Schumacher’s coming of age novel, The Importance of Now, the author explores this concept with a story of two boys. Shawn Stevens, after spending three years in juvenile detention for a horrible crime he committed shortly after his father’s tragic passing, is given a second chance at life by becoming a mentor to other young boys. Struggling with the concept of forgiveness, Shawn falls in love and tries to find the forgiveness within himself. Meanwhile, in the present day, Shawn’s young son Aaron finds a series of letters which will help him discover who his father was.

This is a heartbreaking, emotional and evenly-paced read. The author does a great job of building a narrative that focuses on character-driven plots, giving readers a more intimate and heartfelt story. The emotional core of this story is really the parallels between a father and his son, and the hardships many young children endure without their parents. From Shawn’s tragic life of hardship and pain after losing his father, to Aaron’s desperate search to discover not only his father but who he himself, it is something many readers will be able to relate to.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy classic coming-of-age fiction, especially those with a family drama element which may hold a strong emotional core to the family dynamic. As a fan of this genre, I found the emotional storyline engaging and central to the overall growth of the characters, as it helped showcase how powerful things like second chances, starting over and learning to forgive others and ourselves can truly be. It is a story of rebirth and growth, as well as the love of a father for his son.

In the end, this was a marvelous and engaging read to say the least. The author really does a fantastic job of creating a personal and intimate world within this novel, and a cast of characters readers will be able to relate to on both a personal and emotional level. A one-of-a-kind story, this is the perfect winter read as it speaks of the end of one chapter of a person’s life, and the rebirth of a new chapter, something many of us can relate to.