A group of friends go on a vacation at a lake house, one of them rather reluctantly. Jake was in an accident that left him disfigured and unable to fully use his legs. This had destroyed his marriage and sent him spiraling downhill, as he cannot enjoy the athletic activities he once loved. Jake becomes intrigued by a local legend about a portal that can take people to an otherworldly place - if they can just find it. Jake sets out on a quest to find the portal and learns some valuable life lessons as he has an encounter with the supernatural.
Perhaps these types of books are just not to my liking, but this story dragged to me and I could not get that into it. ( )

[b:The Long Journey to Jake Palmer|27840666|The Long Journey to Jake Palmer|James L. Rubart|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1460248223s/27840666.jpg|47824537] caused me to lose sleep! Very well written, insightful, caused me to think deeply and taught me something. Highly recommended! ( )

I pulled this off the shelf at the library, not realizing it was a genre type novel. I prefer my faith boosts in another manner than fiction. ( )

A brutal attack and a devastating divorce have left Jake struggling with his identity. When he hears the legend of a hidden place at Willow Lake where his life can be restored (or destroyed?), he can’t resist finding out if the legend is true in The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by author James L. Rubart.

Having read The Five Times I Met Myself by this author, I was expecting a story that would include an element of fantasy, and that’s what I got. (I wasn’t expecting a nod to Black Fedora, but I got that too, and it was fun!) Jake’s journey goes so far as to incorporate pieces of The Silver Chair from The Chronicles of Narnia, my favorite fantasy series. While this novel spends a good amount of time on Jake’s interaction with his friends on their lakeside vacation, I found myself wanting to get back to the legend of the lakeside corridor.

However, while I would’ve liked to feel that I was mainly learning along with Jake, it felt as if I spent most of the book waiting for him to catch up, to finally get past what seemed like the obvious surface of things. On the whole, I was a little surprised that the story didn’t surprise me much.

Still, the novel has an encouraging message of healing, along with its adventure into a realm where the possible and the impossible meet.
_________________
BookLook Bloggers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. ( )

Mesmerized from the first page, I hated to put this book down. James L. Rubart has written another gripping story. I read his book, Rooms a few years ago so I figured this would be great. I was not disappointed. Jake Palmer is on his way home and stops at a gas station. His life would never be the same. The rest of the book will take you on an emotional ride and won't stop until the last page. My faith was strengthened by this novel and the realization of how God loves me so unconditionally struck home loud and clear!

I highly recommend The Long Journey to Jake Palmer! It will move you in your heart and soul!

I received a copy from Net Galley for my honest opinion which I have given in this review. ( )