The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway by Rhys Thomas blogtour book review

 

The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway written by Rhys Thomas, publisher Wildfire (an imprint of Headline Publishing Group), is available NOW in ebook, paperback, audiobook and MP3 CD format.

The paperback is available from all good book retailers, the ebook is available to download for amazon kindle, kobo, Google Play, iBooks.

To buy link (amazon UK):  https://amzn.to/2MbMWaU

Product Details (as per amazon page)

This is no ordinary love story and Sam is no typical hero…but he is a hero.

Sam Holloway has survived the worst that life can throw at you. But he’s not really living. His meticulous routines keep everything nice and safe – with just one exception…
Three nights a week, Sam dons his superhero costume and patrols the streets. It makes him feel invincible – but his unlikely heroics are getting him into some sticky, and increasingly dangerous, situations.
Then a girl comes into his life, and his ordered world is thrown into chaos … and now Sam needs to decide whether he can be brave enough to finally take off the mask.

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. All opinions are my own and no content may be copied. However, authors and publishers may use elements of my reviews for quotes.

I am so pleased to be involved in the blogtour celebrating and promoting the paperback launch of Rhys Thomas latest novel: The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway.  This is my first introduction to the work of Rhys Thomas and I was totally entranced by this story and I think The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway may be going on my top reads for 2018 list.  I fell in love with Sam’s story; I wept for him,  I consoled him, I championed him, I cheered for him, I adored him.

Sam Holloway is a young man that has suffered greatly in his life.  As a child he was shy, quiet, studious and didn’t fit in with the ‘in crowd’ but he kept true to his personality and didn’t change himself just to fit in.  Sam found his own place of solitude and happiness and all was well with his life till a very traumatic event, an event that would change his perspective in life, an event that would put obstacles in his mind for his future plan.  When I read about this traumatic, life-changing event it totally moved me emotionally and I felt like my own heart had been split in two.

Sam was to deal with the repercussions from this event in his own unique way that involved a fairly strict routine.  Another way of dealing with his loneliness and emotions was to change into a different persona; Sam had become a modern day superhero/vigilante and would don a costume and patrol the dark streets at night helping those in need and watching out for citizens breaking the law.  However, one day he meets a girl that has her own quirks just like Sam and he can’t get Sarah out of his mind.  But how would a shy, quiet young man like Sam who coped with daily life with it’s routines be able to approach and talk to Sarah?  This was bringing all types of confused emotions to Sam.

Sarah had just recently moved to the area, escaping her own demons from her past.  What she sees in Sam is a sort of kindred spirit and she is charmed by his shyness and his quirky ways.  She finds a strength in Sam that is helping her to move on but due to Sam’s shyness he doesn’t realise how much he is helping Sarah with her own past.

When the past catches up with Sarah, Sam and his alter ego take matters in their own hands bringing with it a danger that Sam hasn’t faced before.

As Sam’s personal life is in turmoil it starts tumbling into his professional life and Sam’s usual calmness in the office soon turns to disarray.

The Unlikely Heroics of Sam Holloway was such a charming, quirky, poignant but ultimately happy story.  I loved the character Sam, there are so many people in the world that are happy within themselves and he didn’t need the ‘popular cliques’ to keep him happy.  I also enjoyed the sub-characters in this story especially Sam’s best friends Blotchy and Tango; another two quirky, geeky young men that struggled with their emotions but when a friend is in trouble they became like their own stronger version of themselves.  Sam’s boss, Mr Okamatsu, was another brilliant sub-character and I appreciated his wise words.

A story that will make you smile amongst the tears and will leave you with a sense of hope and belief.

To learn more about the author Rhys Thomas and his work please visit the following pages:

Website:  https://rhysthomashello.com/

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/rhysthomashello