Not my Brother’s Keeper
My brother….
Not my responsibility…
[ About the Book ]
Robert and Tom are practically identical – same height, same hair, equally good looking – but Tom never had the same confidence as his older brother, and for that reason, he is in awe of him.
When Robert’s girlfriend, Michelle, tells him that she’s pregnant, Robert disappears leaving Tom to clean up his mess. As Tom spends time with Michelle, reassuring her that she is not alone in this, the both begin to fall in love.
Sixteen years later, without warning, Robert comes home and Tom has to find the courage to stand against the brother he idolized.
[ My Review ]
Not My Brother’s Keeper by Colette McCormick will be published on May 30th with Accent Press. Asking the question ‘How strong are your family ties?‘, it explores the family dynamic, the sibling dynamic and the changes in these relationships over the years.
Robert is a lad, a boy about town. Girls gravitate towards him and guys want to be his friend. Robert’s younger brother Tom looks up to his big brother, he idolises him, hoping that some day he can be just as cool. As the years pass and the teenage years go by, Robert is working as a mechanic with Michelle, his girlfriend, by his side. Michelle is a nurse with plans for a very bright future but plans change, and, for Michelle, her life takes a dramatic twist on the discovery of her being pregnant.
Robert is unable to cope. He’s young. His whole life is ahead of him. He has no interest in fatherhood, marriage or settling down, so he makes a break for it. He runs.
Leaving his parents distraught and Michelle in bits, Robert leaves a note for each of them. He makes one request to Tom, that he would look out for Michelle.
But Robert never looks back. His mother is distracted by him leaving. His father is angry and Tom is in shock. How could his brother, his idol do such a shameful thing?
As time passes, an unexpected love blossoms between Michelle and Tom. Their relationship develops and moves on, with memories of Robert pushed to the background.
Robert’s story is a very different one. He never forgets what he did. His disappointment is palpable, his disgust with himself is always with him. He tries to make a new life for himself and tries to move beyond the callous decision of his youth but it’s very hard to escape your past.
After sixteen years, Robert makes the decision to return home, to face up to his past but when Tom and Michelle hear he is town, they are afraid, frightened of what he will want and what he will take away with him.
Not My Brother’s Keeper is a gentle read with a very important message in it’s core, the importance of family. Robert and Tom are two brothers with a shared history. After years apart, can their relationship be re-established or is the damage too great?
There is no major drama or twist in Not My Brother’s Keeper. It is a study of humanity and how we cope with life when something arises that could tear us down. How much are we prepared to forgive? How far are we willing to go to make reparation?
[ Bio ]
Originally a city girl, Colette has made her home in a one of the many former mining villages in County Durham. When not working as a retail manager for a large children’s charity she will more than likely be writing, even if it’s only a shopping list. She also enjoys cooking, gardening and taking the dog on long walks in the countryside near her home.
She has been married for almost forty years and has two grown up sons.
Twitter – https://twitter.com/colettemcauthor
