The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid

by Michael Bowe

The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid is a beautiful story about the power of words and their lasting repercussions in our lives, and how their omission—especially during transformative moments—can damage our psyches. Alex Bryant, a successful homebuilder in Boulder, Colorado, is blindsided when told words he never wanted to hear, which, in turn, forces him to speak words he never wanted to say. The words said to Alex on a cold, cold night in early January cause him to embark on a journey where he will heal the leftover pain from his relationship with his emotionally distant, deceased father, and correct his shortcomings with his own children. Along the way, Alex and his stepson, Matt, navigate an extraordinary circumstance that teaches them that fathers and sons are not limited to blood relations. In the end, the novel illustrates the potential for the right words to touch hearts, heal wounds, and close distances. In The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid , American Fiction Award winner Michael Bowe has penned a compelling follow-up to his highly acclaimed The Weight of a Moment .

Genres: Fiction

276 pages, Paperback

Published January 31, 2023

About the author

In 2020, Michael Bowe’s second novel, The Weight of a Moment, won the American Fiction Award for Literary Fiction. It was also a finalist for Best Novel at the Next Generation Book Awards (often referred to as “The Sundance of Books” in the media) and included on Shelf Unbound’s “List of 10 Best Indie Books of 2019.” A graduate of Georgetown University and a recipient of a Master in Business Administration (MBA), Mr. Bowe is an accomplished businessman, entrepreneur, investor, and novelist, and a resident of Vashon Island, WA, a short ferry ride from Seattle.

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I’ve read by Michael Bowe….
“Skyscraper of a Man”, and
“The Weight of the Moment”…..[which won the category of Literary Fiction at the American Fiction Awards… as well as other awards].

“The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid” is another engrossing book — as in . . .
OMG… it’s messy … as in ‘complex’ … with perplexed befuddled shocking moments. Life can change on a dime!
I’ve learned by now, that Michael Bowe writes on many levels — there is the page-turning intimate storytelling entertainment value with superb dialogue —and there are the deeper issues, setbacks, obstacles, fricken headaches and can-of-worms nightmare discoveries.

Alex Bryant, 35, lives with his wife Abigail (Abby), and their three kids: Matt (Alex adopted him at age 2 and Alex is the only father Matt knew for the first 16 years of his life), Christi, and Nate.
They live in Boulder Colorado. Alex is a General Building Contractor …. works on high end homes. Abby is a third grade teacher.
From the outside looking in, Alex’s life looked great…but he was empty inside.

Abigail confessed a ‘huge’ lie — a major withhold from Alex.
Matt’s biological father, Donny Reed, was not dead like she had told him when they first met.
Donny, Matt’s biological father was alive and on death row and the state penitentiary in Texas. An execution date had been set:
August 23, 2017.

How do you think a 16-year-old kid would feel when he learns that the man he always thought was his father, was not his biological father at all? And then learn that his biological father was on death row in prison.
If that wasn’t messy enough news — there is tons more…

We are twisty and turning in every direction — tragedy upon tragedy — (unbelievable and intriguing ongoing challenges), but thankfully it’s written in a way so as not to be a personal burden painful experience ‘for’ the reader.

It’s fabulous intimate storytelling…my favorite type writing — in that I feel completely invested - completely involved.

If you’ve read Michael Bowe before (a shame he’s not more of a household name, yet!)….then you know what I’m talking about with his ‘all-absorbing’ storytelling.
If you’ve not read him yet, I highly recommend it.
The pages almost turned themselves— there’s plenty of action, family strife, inner demons, anger, predicaments, and forgiveness….

There’s a little poker playing.
There is murder … (without graphic descriptions)

We meet the Bryant’s friends and Alex’s employees.
All the supporting characters have their issues too.
But
….one of the strongest themes is the impact of three generations of fathers —
Alex says:
“My father and I had never gotten it right, never connected as we should have, but I felt I had an opportunity with Matt to fix that”.

When Alex was six years of age his mother and sister died in a car crash.
“Late night was never a good time for me because the quiet stoked my mind like a strong wind gust across hot coals. I laid awake often, and into the wee hours, and thought about my mother and sister or worried about my world. My mind always revved up late at night, and I had difficulty sleeping. And the darkness and the silence, I felt small and alone. It was then that I missed my mother and sister the most. Eventually, around the age of eight or nine. I started reading
At night to distract my mind and help me with my insomnia”.

One day when Alex was home alone, (age eleven), he was glued to the television watching the report of a plane crash that carried ninty-three passengers. Having lost his mother and sister to a car crash, he lived with the very adult notion that the world was a dangerous and scary place. The accident altered his childhood and changed his view of the world.

In Alex’s adult like (husband, father, businessman), his
family was dealing with unique and complicated situations—
Childhood innocence was being stolen from his own kids.

Michael Bowen is a great novelist…intimate and nuanced…. life is intense … with unexpected complicated and subtle intricate layers

Wonderful writer. I’ll read anything he writes.

My one little quibble is if it were me, I would change the title. It’s not that it doesn’t fit, but it’s too hard to remember.
A shorter - less wordy title might capture a readers attention faster and easier.

And last…..
“Nothing highlights the importance of the people in our lives more than almost losing them”.

4.9 stars

[Kat valentine ( Katsbookcornerreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Bowe's The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid is a thought provoking novel full of emotion and reflection of one man's life and how keeping things inside and leaving things left unsaid ended up costing him down the road and stuck in a moment of time. After Alex's mother and sister are killed in a car crash he is left with a father who is cold and shut down and it leaves Alex afraid to let people in. Even his uncle Bob who he adores and who has been a constant in his life is kept at a distance and when he dies its too late to tell him how much he loved him. Even with Abby his wife and his children he doesn't say the things they need to hear. Alex is a good father and husband and works hard to provide for his family but when his wife admits to a short affair it rocks his world and a secret comes out about who their son Matt's real father is and that he is in prison and will be executed for murder in a months time it sets Alex along with his son Matt on a journey that might have been the beginning of the end in their relationship but ended up not only bringing them closer but transformed both their lives for the better.
Michael Bowes is a excellent writer who writes deeply touching books that make you stop and think! How many times do we wish we had said I love you or I'm sorry please forgive me or the hardest thing, giving forgiveness? We are quick as humans to say hurtful awful things to each other but when it comes to expressing real emotion we think its weak or were just plain afraid of rejection. Until next time Luv's💕💋

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This novel is pleasurable to read and get a warm feeling inside. Rooting for everyone with their own merits. The Weight of a Moment became a favorite of mine; and now The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid is right down the same path.
Thanks to the author, Michael Bowe, for providing me with a copy for my honest review.
Kudos! You’ve done it again.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another masterpiece written by Michael Bowe. I loved his book, The Weight of a Moment and was pleased when the author provided me with an ARC of this new book.
Alex is married to Abby and they have 3 children. The oldest, Matt, was adopted by Alex at age 2. Matt is told of this adoption when Abby reveals a secret about Matt’s biological father. It is shocking and puts the family in turmoil.
Alex lost his mom and sister at a young age and his relationship with his Uncle Bob was far better than the one he had with his distant, disconnected father.
These relationships with the men in Alex’s life impacts, in part, on how he views the news about Matt’s father and the actions that Matt wants to take when he learns this news.
This story is about redemption, acceptance and how the bonds of friendship help us get through the rough times in our lives. Yes, at times, it is a sad story, but ultimately, the author writes a story of hope and love. Michael Bowe’s writings are profound and beautiful.

[Chelsey (a_novel_idea11) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading and absolutely adoring The Weight of a Moment in 2020, Michael Bowe became a must read author for me. His stories are personal, unique, and told from the heart. His voice is poetic and transportive, and The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid is no exception.

This novel is so unique. It follows Alex as he navigates a midlife crisis. His wife cheated on him and also kept a major secret about the identity of their oldest son Matt's biological father. Faced with deciding how to move forward, Alex's choices will impact more than just himself. We learn about Alex's troubled childhood and the hurt caused by his father.

As Alex faces his own demons and tries to help his son through the most challenging thing in his young life, we see Alex trying to be a better man and father than his own was and that transformation is beautiful and powerful.

Alex is grappling things that won't resonate with most readers (hopefully!), but Bowe is still able to connect us and create empathy.

I also loved that this book can spark so much dialogue. Wherever you stand on the death penalty, this book is sure to raise arguments for either side. Bowe even manages to make Donny - Matt's biological father and convicted murderer - a likeable and human character.

All in all, this was a stellar read and one that cannot be missed if you enjoyed Bowe's other works.

Thank you to the author for sharing his powerful words with me.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful and moving novel about a man, Alex, who survived a unloving father in his childhood. As an adult he marries Abby who has a young son. Fast forward 17 years as he deals the death of his favorite Uncle Bob and an adulterous affair by his wife Abby. His problems are compounded when Matt, who will soon graduate high school and turn 18, finds out that his real biological father will be executed in Texas for the brutal murder of someone's grandmother. All this time Matt was led to believe that Alex was not his step dad but his real father. Lots of drama and conflict, right? YOU BET!

The author draws you into the story early and you'll experience real emotion and feelings. He puts you in the moment to feel as the main character does. You just aren't along for the journey but the excellent writing puts you there to see, feel, and experience the actions and emotions as these three Alex, Abby, and Matt) deal with the upcoming execution. I have to say, my thoughts and emotions got pulled in 20 different directions as the story unfolds.

My wife watched as I read the story over two weeks. "You usually blow through books," she remarked. "You seem to be taking this one slow." Well, I did take my time with this one. So many of the novels I read are thrillers and action/adventure. They read quickly with their short, punchy sentences. This one hit me on a different level. It dug deeper into my mind and was thought provoking throughout.

I am a proponent of the death penalty. Some crimes are so heinous that "A life for a life" is the only acceptable resolution in my mind. The biological father in this case, Donny Reed, seems truly remorseful and Alex, the main character, begins the saga hating him and wishing him dead. That changes as the story unfolds and we get to know Donny.

There is a twist in the end that involves the "Garcia Girls" from Huntsville, TX and a trip to Mexico.

Spoiler alert (Don't go any further unless you want to know the ending):
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In the end Donny is executed by lethal injection, triggering all sorts of emotions and mental anguish in Matt his son... leading to the final outcome in Mexico and more "words left unsaid" between the Garcia Girls and an estranged wife-beating Mexican cop.


* This was advance reader copy provided by the author to give an honest, unbiased review.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my all time favorite books is Michael Bowe’s The Weight of a Moment. So I was very excited when Michael offered me a copy of his latest book, The Enduring Echo of Words Unsaid for an honest review.
I enjoyed this book almost, but not quite as much, as The Weight of a Moment. Michael’s writing is just as picturesque and wonderfully told as in Weight. I think the story line of Weight just touched me more some how, while this latest novel did not quite as much.
I still want to read Michael’s first novel, A Skyscraper of a Man, and look forward to Michael’s next book.

[Redlima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good family oriented story. Easy read.

[Karen Racette lahey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an easy read and well written. I would recommend it!!

[Linda Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book of Michael Bowe’s that I have read. What struck me most about the story is one topic seldom written about. How does a teenager handle the incarceration and execution of their biological father much less witness it. I felt he did an excellent job incorporating that into a believable story. Additionally, that narator’s life was made of lemons and others step in to help him make lemonade. An excellent read!

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Heavy

Michael Bowe’s first book, Weight of a Moment, is a favorite book of mine so I was excited to read his second book. It was too heavy. This story focused on people with really hard, sad life experiences. While there were redeeming moments and deep love between some of the characters, it wasn’t enough to overcome the darkness. Tragedy is a part of any good thriller yet those stories typically are not realistic - they are escapism. Too much tragedy in literary fiction is just too much tragedy. There’s enough tragedy in the world without it invading a leisure activity.

[Kelly Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

almost believable

I loved how the author told stories in each chapter about the characters so that over the length of the book, the reader got to know each character and the relationships between them. It was almost believable as a true story, but the Rosie/Angie/Hector part did not seem well thought out or believable. The last 60 pages were a bit disappointing, but overall, a captivating read for me.