Cheat River Three

by Scott Baker Sweeney

"Cheat River Three", is a true life adventure immersed in circumstantial fiction! The adventures in this novel were based on true stories of my infamous father's wild life, intertwined with tales of a fictional heroine that rivals him with her own special free spirited exploits. Their quest for adventure would separate them and take them independently far away, but tragedy and love would eventually reunite them and return them home. Cheat River Three will take the reader on an emotional roller coaster of humor and excitement as well as pull at their heartstrings. "if the reader is right with them hearing them speak, readers will both laugh and cry with this" "'Cheat River Three', just as with his other stories, Sweeney knows how to hook a reader and keep them flipping pages and gobbling up his words! Eugene,James and Kat are wonderfully drawn characters that seemed real and familiar. Their exploits and stories will have you laughing and crying the whole time. ~ Melissa Caldwell, Must Read Faster

Genres: Nonfiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2012

About the author

I’m a husband, dad, businessman, sailor and a writer.

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheat River Three is a good book IMO. I liked the setting, I found it refreshing and colorful. And loved the characters, so funny, so well drawn, so different one from the other and consistent during all the book.

I would say the reason I didn't give it 4 stars is a little issue I had with the plot. I think Cheat River Three is a short stories book following the life of the same characters, but written without division between stories. That's the way I saw it. I didn't find a unique plot line along the way, but something more like a chain of events in the life of those characters.

I have to say I liked the end very much, and I'm sure it is a strong point in the book.

[Liz F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cheat River Three by Scott Baker Sweeney is really not my usual type of book. I’m definitely into romance or horror or mystery type books. To be honest, I have no idea how I would classify this book. No matter the classification, this one is not to be missed.

The book starts out in Southern Pennsylvania, circa 1946. We meet the main character, Eugene “Gene” Briggs. Jimmy Wilson is Gene’s best pal and soon to join the troupe is Katrina “Kat” Garretson. The three of them form a friendship that spans a lifetime and this book is about some of their adventures as they grow up. An interesting side note: the book is based on true stories of the author’s father’s youth.

It’s so hard to write about this book without revealing all of its secrets. So let me give you a rundown of just some of the adventures these three have. They have an overnight rafting adventure/brush with death in the spring of 1953 when they’re teenagers. Then, as high school seniors, they drunkenly crash the governor’s fundraiser after their Christmas dance (which concludes with Gene swinging naked from a crystal chandelier – no, I’m not kidding!). Gene gets a “full ride” to Texas A&M, Jimmy goes on to be a top surgeon and Kat is one of the first female pilots in the Air Force.

I don’t know what was written better: the relationship between them or the adventures they have together and then later that they have on their own. This is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish reading it. They all have such an honest relationship with each other. There was the inevitable more-than-friends-feeling that Jimmy and Gene both have for Kat at different points but it never becomes a big divisive issue for them. And it’s not as if its all puppies and roses for them; they all go through trials and tribulations. Jimmy gets into trouble with some mob guys, Gene gets separated from the group for a while when he goes to a different high school, Kat loses her family. But through it all, they remain friends. And not just friends but really tight, best friends.

I have to admit that I didn't think I would like this book. Why would I? It’s about a group of people who grew up in a time for which I have no frame of reference and so have no real reason to care about them. But trust me, you DO care about them. You want to see what trouble and mischief they get into next. Part of the fun about this book for me was comparing the repercussions of their actions then to what the repercussions would be today! Trust me, they all probably would have done jail time if they had pulled some of those stunts these days! LOL! But maybe that’s one of the compelling aspects of this story: the innocence of days past.

If I could offer up one complaint, it would be a complaint and a warning to readers: don’t go into this novel expecting a traditional Happily Ever After. The ending was not what I expected and I really didn't love it but then again, maybe I did kind of love it. Maybe that’s why the book has stayed with me, even days after reading it? The ending, just like the rest of the book, was really poignant.

But whatever my confusing feelings about the ending, I would absolutely recommend this book. Its such a fun and emotional read! 5 stars!

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the lives of three friends from their days as young children in a poverty-stricken coal miner's town through their young adult lives as they attempt to fulfill their dreams. Throughout their lives, no matter where they were, Eugene, the adventurer, Jimmy, the brain, and Kat, the daring, charismatic and slightly mysterious girl with a special gift maintain their close bond. Both boys love Kat, only one will win her heart completely.

The author has achieved the goal of bringing these characters to full living color. I felt I was there with them through all they did and could feel the intensity of their emotions. I laughed, smiled, sighed and cried as the story wound its way to an ending that gave hope to a bright future. This is a wonderful story told with passion.

[soda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book (via kindle) in exchange for an honest review, and it's a wonderful novel. The story starts in the late 40s and progresses up until the 60s. It is loosely based on Sweeney's father and his life's experiences and, shall we say, adventures. Eugene gets drafted for college football, Jimmy goes to college then med school, and Katrina (Kat) works her tail off to become the air force's 1st female pilot. Of course she suffers discrimination, as many women did back then (and I'm sure still do). She is forced-after more than having proved herself-by her chauvinistic CO from the pilot program, only to be hired by the CIA for a much better job.Take that AF! Meanwhile Eugene gets himself in all sorts of shenanigans. He also manages to get out of it, but not before paying the price and learning that there is always a price to pay for breaking the rules. This was a time when people did see fruits of their hard work, they did get punished when they did something wrong, and they stood up for what was right. Gone are those days...

Eugene Briggs and his 2 friends, Jimmy and Katrina demonstrate what it's like to be young and stick together in life.

Even when they grow up and travel down different paths, they're still friends at heart and no matter what happens or how long it may have been since they last wrote or spoke to each other, they always find a way. These 3 find a way to stay in touch, way before cell phones, google, or facebook. That says a lot, considering all the technology we have today and yet we still find excuses as to why we're "too busy" to call or look up an old friend.

There are happy childhood moments that remind me of my own, and I grew up in Pennsylvania also (although not near Pt. Marion). There are a couple of sad moments and one really funny LOL moment that had people around me wondering what I was reading! (It involves a bee, and you'll know it when you read it :) )

The end was a bit bittersweet. It has a "happy moment out of a sad one" kind of thing. Several moments in this book made me tear up, and I don't cry easily. That's why this gets 5 stars.

[Literary Chanteuse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This coming of age story of three best friends is compelling and captivating. Loosely based on true life experiences makes it even more fascinating. Individually Eugene, Katrina and Jimmy are great characters and but together they are a force to recon with. The heartfelt moments along with the crazy antics just seem to get better and better after each chapter. I got really caught up in Katrina's story in particular. She begins as a unique young girl that I began to like but by the time I reached then end she was an strong woman that I admire and even after placing the book onto the shelf she is still on my mind. So many fun and intriguing situations occur that the story that is never dull. A fantastic read! I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be ready to get swept away with three best friends living along
the river!!!
Eugene, Kat and Jimmy grew up together meeting at a special
place. This place was a rock located along the Cheat river. Thus
dubbing them…the "Cheat River Three".
All three were talented in their own ways. The author takes the
reader from their childhood up through high school, college days
for Eugene & Jimmy while Kat chose to be a pilot in the Air
Force and into adulthood. The story flows effortlessly with
stunning surprises throughout. The plot does contain harsh
reality in their and their families everyday life but this keeps you
flipping the pages eagerly to see what happens.
During this realistic story you find yourself being able to
experience what the characters are doing and feeling.
In addition to the three well developed characters that were
truly engaging in the tale. There are many great supporting
characters. Some are very funny & very quirky.
Many social issues were addressed by the author such as:
poverty, adoption, family life and values, rejection, fear, loss
and grieving and women’s rights. Mix in some history of the
areas, romance and faith to have a must read book!!!
While reading remember to follow the red ribbon throughout
the story.
This eBook was received from the author as an introduction
to his writings. My opinions are my own.
Thanks so much, Scott.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved this book free in exchange for an honest review.Cheat River Three is the story of a friendship between Eugene Briggs and his friends James Wilson and Katrina Garretson. Scott takes you from their childhood seeking buried gold to all of lifes different paths for them. They have different goals and personalities. Eugene is an adventurer, Jimmy is a brain and Kat is daring the story is set in 1946 in Southern Pennsylvania. They grow up and follow different career paths. But no matter what they always stay in touch.A beautifully written laugh out loud story about three best friends. Very heartfelt the ending was bittersweet. I look forward to reading more books by Scott Baker Sweeney.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is inspired by the author's father and his adventures growing up in a coal town in Pennsylvania. It shows the friendships among 3 kids and how they grow & change throughout the years.

It was hard to get into at first, as I don't always read books like this but once it got going I couldn't put it down. I was eager to see what the next chapter was going to hold. It is well written and very descriptive.

[KathyAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book... engaging, well written and creative. I was laughing out loud at some of the crazy things this threesome did growing up alongside the Cheat River. My two favorite scenes in this book was the Tarzan/chandelier incident and the Yellow jacket vs. the bare bottom! Laugh out loud funny... I start giggling every time I think about that bare bottom. The ending had me feeling very conflicted, however, and maybe even a little angry?? It's hard to put it into words.
Kat, Eugene and Jimmy grew up together forming a special bond. They became known as the "Cheat River Three". They always met at their special place on a rock near the Cheat River. The book has us following their childhood/teenage adventures up until they graduate high school when all of them go on their separate ways. Jimmy goes to college at Duke, Eugene gets a football scholarship to Texas A & M and Kat is pushing her way into fulfilling her dream to become a pilot in the Air Force. This is not an easy task for Kat as this story takes place during the 1940's and 1950's when women weren't allowed certain privileges in the military... piloting planes was one of those things.
Kat was always a wild card and had a special love for Eugene that grew stronger and stronger over the years. She also had a very interesting relationship with her parents who died when she was little. She claimed that she could hear their whispers and would often go and visit with them as she walked along the surrounding banks of the cheat river. Sound a little strange I know... but I liked this aspect of the story and how these whispers that Kat would get from them became a compass of truth for these three. Kat had a vision/a truth that could not be explained. I love how the author used the red ribbons throughout the story and up until the end. This became Kat's calling card, so to speak.
As much as I respected Kat and her determination to beat the discrimination that women often received in the military, I was extremely disappointed in her choices at the end. There are some secrets that should never be kept from the people you love. The idea that she was not replaceable was in my opinion... arrogant and reckless. I won't go into a moral debate about her decisions... that would take too many words I'm afraid.
This book was very successful in keeping me engaged and entertained and even though I was not happy with Kat in the end, it did successfully stir up my emotions... and perhaps that was the point.
Great read overall...

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author

www.ktbookreviews.com

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cheat River Three by Scott Sweeney follows three small town young people: Eugene, the wild football player, Jimmy, the intellectual and pragmatic one, and Kat, the beautiful and passionate dreamer. They grow up together, but life and careers get in the way as Gene pursues his sports, Jimmy, medicine, and Kat-- well, I'll just let you discover that one, as it was a wonderful surprise. Through it all, they stay the closest friends even if they are apart by distance. In the background, but never too far, the book escalates from the 50's through the Cold War, and the effects of these events hit all three friends for different reasons.

There are a lot of wonderful things about this book. I'll be honest, I wasn't sure I'd get into it, but the characters are great, and I especially loved Kat, who is a strong character who was willing to pursue her dreams and the boy she loves. I really enjoyed seeing where the story was going, how the characters developed and how they dealt with the different decades of events.

I admit I wasn't thrilled by the third person omniscient and the benevolent but very present author telling us this story. But because it started in the 50's and that sort of went with the times, I got over it and I think that it was a reasonable choice. But the reason this book was docked a star (I was fully ready to give it 4 stars), was because we are told this terrific love story through and through, and then suddenly we get an epilogue that just cheapens everything by giving us one liners on what all the characters end up doing--one character in particular really disappointed me. There was another big plot hole that I just couldn't get around but can't talk about because it would be a major spoiler. The last thing I wish was that we got more of Jimmy. Since it is about three friends, it just seems fair that he'd get his equal weight in this book.

Overall, a strong start with some great characters (in particular, Kat), but for me, ended up disappointing me because of some questionable decisions made at the end.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheat River Three: A Paralell to Stand By Me

Throughout his life Scott Sweeney listened to his father’s stories of growing up in Point Marion, Pennsylvania to heading off to college and beyond. Sweeney describes Cheat River Three as “a true life adventure immersed in circumstantial fiction.”

Cheat River Three begins in 1946 at Point Marion where we are introduced to ten year old Eugene Briggs and his friends James Wilson and Katrina Garretson. This story chronicles the bond of friendship and how it and life changes with the passing of time.

Sweeney does a good job showing a reader the setting of southern Pennsylvania along the Cheat River. He also adapted a writing style close to the writers of the late 1940s and 1950s even using the same terminology such as ‘pigskin’ for football.

I personally believe that if Sweeney would have used more ‘active voice’ writing, the novel would have soared to the top of the book selling list as it would have been more readily recognized as a parallel to Stephen King’s The Body more commonly known for the 1986 film version as Stand By Me directed by Rob Reiner. As it reads with ‘passive voice’ the story leaves little to the reader’s imagination because every detail is given in the book.

As a historian I could not overlook this particular fact: Sweeney stated that Harry Truman was President during the summer of 1953. This is a fact that is easily checked with a simple Google search. Dwight D. Eisenhower was inaugurated as President in January 1953.

A copy of this book was provided by Scott Baker Sweeney for an honest review. I rate Cheat River Three with 4 stars. I deducted one-half star for historical inaccuracies and one-half star for the ‘passive voice’ writing style that I believe took away from the overall story.

[Angie Mangino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheat River Three
By Scott Baker Sweeney
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating: 5 stars

Starting in Southern Pennsylvania in 1946 where readers first meet 10-year-old Eugene Briggs and his best friends, James Wilson and Katrina Garretson, Cheat River Three shares their unique bonding for life. Readers go from their childhood seeking of buried gold to all of life’s divergent paths for them.

They have different personalities and different goals, but their kinship of the heart can never be broken. Sweeney developed the setting, theme, and plot as strongly as the friendship of the three, keeping the reader engulfed in the story.

With characters that the reader will love, and their conversations written as if the reader is right with them hearing them speak, readers will both laugh and cry with this expertly tailored novel.
Cheat River Three shares not only a good story, but also shares a view of friendship elevated to the level only true friendship can attain to sustain friends throughout all the twists and turns of life.

[Cassidy Raindance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't receive anything for reviewing this book. (I felt like I needed to put this since most of the other reviews kind of had a mention of if they got something or not.)

Passionate and really captivating. Cheat River Three is well written and very descriptive. I really enjoyed reading it and I would recommend it.

[Brenda Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, coming-of-age read, especially well-suited to young adults. Based upon real-life events, the story follows three close friends, two males and one female, as they're growing from young children into adulthood with humor and insight.