The Great Unexpected by Dan Mooney

☆☆☆☆
ebook, 320 pages
Expected publication: June 25th 2019 by HARLEQUIN Trade Publishing & Park Row
About the Book:
Joel lives in a nursing home and he’s not one bit happy about it. He doesn’t like being told when to eat, when to sleep, when to take his pills. In fact, he doesn’t like living at all, and he’s decided he’s going to end his life on his terms. When he tells retired soap-actor Frank about his dark plan, Frank urges him to go out with a bang. Together, they embark on a mission to find the perfect suicide, and along the way, discover the strength of friendship when you really feel alone.

As he stared across at the empty bed that once held his wife, Joel Monroe decided he was going to kill himself.
What a refreshing book to read. It seems sad to begin with, but hope is in sight and it's really quite an optimistic little story. The novel was a lot of fun to read. This is one of those achingly beautiful books that leaves you with a lovely warm feeling. Joel and Frank are the type of characters that touch your heart. As they set off on a journey of discovery they actually discover much more about themselves, eventually returning to new lives enriched with new possibilities. 

A retirement home wasn’t a jail sentence if Lucey was there. With Lucey, everything was glorious. Without her, everything was garbage.
This is a story of slow healing, better understanding of those you love, and not only accepting the things you cannot change, but also changing with life's journey. I really like the character development in this book. I started out not liking Joel and ended up loving him. There were spots in the book that were very touching. The journey was realistic, as were most of the accompanying characters. The novel was heartfelt and well written.

He wandered through his days on his own, killing time, watching the hours tick past him and just trying to get to nightfall so he could go back to bed. Now he had a new friend. He was glad to have someone again.
A book that explores - without too many sugary sweet moments - love, bonds that survive the past as well as death, and how important daily connections are in any person's life, the story charms readers with its sass, adventure, heartbreak and hope for the future. The Great Unexpected manages to have fun and is a worthwhile read.

Thank you NetGalley, HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing, Park Row and Dan Mooney for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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