A Walk Before Sunrise

Phillip Overton
Trafford Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9781426913457
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (01/10)


Computer technologist Neil Phillips’ life is nearly perfect.  He has recently become engaged to a beautiful and intelligent woman.  He is also anticipating receiving a huge promotion at work which would relocate him from Australia to Los Angeles.  However, one fateful night leads him to question whether he really knows what he wants out of life.  When things are the bleakest, one act of compassion from a stranger helps him recognize that the plans he had for his future may have been misguided.  When he meets Lorraine Bowens, the owner of a cafe in the quiet beach town of Byron Bay, he envies her ability to enjoy the simple pleasures in life.  As Neil and Lorraine grow closer, they struggle with deciding when to reveal the secret each of them is hiding.

“A Walk Before Sunrise” is a beautifully written book.  It contains some humor but its biggest asset is the way the story draws the readers in by allowing them to experience the emotions the characters are feeling.  I was particularly impressed with the author’s ability to show that the ways in which a person chooses to overcome disappointments in life truly can make a person stronger.  He offers a reminder to live one day at a time because new experiences can lead people in a completely different direction than they were originally headed.

Readers will be attracted to the characters in this book.  Neil and Lorraine are extremely well-developed.  By allowing the reader to experience their joy, pain, and insecurities, the author makes it easy to relate to them as real people instead of fictional characters.  The other major characters are equally interesting.  Luke is the most laid back police officer imaginable and I enjoyed watching him bond with Neil.  I especially liked Anton, the dread-lock-wearing theorist whose ideas, although seemingly odd, may actually have some merit.

“A Walk Before Sunrise” may appear to be written for women but I believe men will find it enjoyable too.  The content and style of the story remind me somewhat of the writings of Nicholas Sparks.  I hope to see more woks by Phillip Overton in the near future.

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