The Magical Journey of John and Adele

by Ancius M. Murray

John and Adele have been together for over two decades and have a son. Their relationship has been on a downhill trajectory for many years.

One evening, en route to their annual holiday destination, they run out of fuel in a remote location. To whom can they go for assistance? Suddenly, in the darkness, their lives take an unexpected turn. They meet three mysterious but benevolent strangers who offer to help them. In observing Adele and John, they pose to the couple an unusual challenge that seeks to address the core problems in their marriage. John and Adele find the proposal odd but intriguing. While it may have advantages, it could be risky and dangerous. But unresolved emotions and unhealed wounds, as well as long-buried memories can also have hazardous and unpredictable consequences. Will they dare to accept this challenge or not?

This unique novel, while aimed at taking a fresh perspective on relationships, is uplifting, relaxing, and is meant to be enjoyed.

Genres: Fiction

280 pages, Hardcover

Published January 28, 2024

About the author

Ancius M. Murray is a collective pen name for an Irish-Lithuanian team (a physicist, a lawyer, a creative writer) who met by chance, and collaborated on this novel over the course of four years.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Love Books Tour and author Ancius M. Murray for having me on this book tour.

The book synopsis pulled my interest, considering that this is not my typical type of read. I'm glad I gave the book a chance! I enjoyed reading about John and Adele's journey to rekindle their romance and love for each other.

After more than 20 years of marriage, John and Adele's marriage seemed to have reached an impasse, with both simply going through the motions. On their way to their annual holiday trip, they run out of gas. Seeking help from a nearby residence, they encounter three strangers who offer their services as couples counselors. They arrange for John and Adele to complete certain tasks and we see as they work through their problems.

I found this book to be intriguing and enjoyable. It shows the need of understanding yourself as well as your partners. It’s needed in order to build that bond. The story was pretty thought-provoking.

4⭐️

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magical Journey of John and Adele is truly one of the most unique books I have ever read. Technically, I really enjoyed the short chapters as the writing style was a litle staccato for my taste, but, the content is exceptional so I would absolutely recommend sticking with it. It began to flow more for me in Chapter 5 and this is just a personal preference

The story centres around John and Adele, a couple who have been married for many years and are parents to a son. Sadly, like many relationships of this ilk, John and Adeles marriage seems to be on a downward spiral, a very slippery slope with no handrail

The premise of the book is interesting and well thought out; The couple embark on their annual holiday, but run out of fuel. Of course, the blame game ensues. Here come three strangers, who are more than benevolent in exchange for the couple completing a challenge which turns their perspectives, and relationship upside down

This book is a great read if you can adapt to the writing style. It is concise, intuitive and insightful while creating an engaging and thought-provoking story

Thank you to NetGalley for the free eArc. My review is left voluntarily

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magical Journey of John and Adele by Ancius M. Murray.
John and Adele have been together for over two decades and have a son. Their relationship has been on a downhill trajectory for many years. One evening, en route to their annual holiday destination, they run out of fuel in a remote location. To whom can they go for assistance? Suddenly, in the darkness, their lives take an unexpected turn. They meet three mysterious but benevolent strangers who offer to help them. In observing Adele and John, they pose to the couple an unusual challenge that seeks to address the core problems in their marriage. John and Adele find the proposal odd but intriguing. While it may have advantages, it could be risky and dangerous. But unresolved emotions and unhealed wounds, as well as long-buried memories, can also have hazardous and unpredictable consequences. Will they dare to accept this challenge or not?
This was a really good read. I liked the story it was well written. The writing style was different, and it took me a while to get into it. But once i did, i really enjoyed it. I did like the names of the different flowers that were mentioned thujas, quince. The names are unusual. The garden sounded beautiful. I did like the characters. Marija was an unusual name. I did like how she was popping up in the story and inspiring Adele. I loved the ending. 4*.

[TheNickell · Rating 4 out of 5]

John and Adele’s magical journey explores the issues, struggles and conflicts that relationships go through. Their car runs out of gas - much like their marriage - on their way to their annual vacation destination. While setting out for help, they come across 3 people that will help. The help sets them on a journey that requires them to listen to understand and speak without malice. There are challenges along the road to help them find their way. This was billed as contemporary fiction but it read more like lit fiction, to me, heavy on the allegories and digging for a deeper meaning or theme. It’s well written and thoughtful, and certainly worth your time.

[Sharon Hudrlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for this amazing opportunity to receive this book, for an exchange for an honest review.
This book, touched me a little way too close to home. It’s a journey of John and Adele, on their marriage. They have been together for a long time, and they have forgotten why they even fell in love.
They go on a holiday, a retreat to build that foundation of their marriage. It’s a great book, to keep that foundation and love. I love the short chapters, and be able to learn something new to be able to apply in my marriage.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable and intriguing read! It's the type of book that gets you thinking about your life and relationships. I also shows us the need to understand ourselves and our partners and what it takes to create those bonds and how to make them last! This was a thought provoking and entertaining story! Thank you Rockstar Book Tours and Ancius M. Murray for sharing this book with me!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who like happy endings and wish fulfillment stories. This is a great one. A couple who has had enough of each other run out of gas on the side of a mountain road and go to the nearest home for help. The couple there act like they expected them and even have a woman on video chat letting her know they had arrived. What happened with a couple and the three strangers is a very innovative and imaginative story and one I found so interesting. I was so curious to find out who was the Irish woman and why was she important to the story and I just enjoyed the whole thing. It isn’t a long book but it is a good one. I want to thank the author and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Toni Everett · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of this is a totally different genre to what I normally read, but the blurb pulled me in… I’m glad it did as I found myself enjoying John and Adele‘s journey of rediscovering their love for each other in creative ways.
After more than 20 years together, John Nadell have become preplacement in their marriage, and seem to be just going through the motions. Join the two as they sit out for a spa holiday, but after running out of fuel somewhere along the road they meet Darius, Marija And Mary Catherine who offered their services as couples counsellors. They arrange for John and Adele certain tasks to complete and we join them as they work through their problems. I really enjoyed this book and it provided me with some insightful thoughts into how to work on difficult relationship situations.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book of two halves for me because although I loved the content, the storyline and messages, it really did take me a while to get into and to get used to the writing style.

I found the writing to be quite disjointed and there seemed to be a fair amount of padding but after a good portion of the book, I actually got used to this and really got into the whole storyline.

I loved John and Adele. Having been married for years and now with a son, their relationship had been taking a back seat for a while and they'd let things slide.
I'm sure we can all relate to this situation...especially once children arrive on the scene!
En route to their annual holiday, their car runs out of petrol and they are stranded in a remote location.
Coming across 3 strangers who agree to help them out, they feel their luck has changed, but the strangers have an odd feeling about them and they set the couple some challenges to address their marital problems.

It sounds like a strange premise, but I found this really intriguing and thought provoking - especially as it really made me take a good look at my own relationship and see if there were similar issues that I could address.

On the whole an interesting read.

[Emma Minazza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a real enjoyable and gets you thinking about your own experiences. John and Adele, husband and wife seem to have lost their way with each other. They meet a spiritual group of people who set them off on "the road". It is a road to find themselves again, find their love for each other and their love for shared experiences.

This book is such a simple concept, finding and loving yourself and working out how to save a marriage or to learn to love your significant other when the love is lost. Sometimes life can be like stuck in a rut, doing things on autopilot but missing the NOW, missing the time with your significant other and why you love them.

"The Road" and the challenges get you thinking about your own experiences, I rarely just sit and watch, or feel the moment. I'm usually on autopilot too, different day but same idea. This would be a good way to change up your own life if stuck in a rut.

I do feel inspired to try new things, not quite a massage but maybe painting, going out into the countryside, deep chats and memories uncovered.

Would recommend this book and feel that most people would get something from it. Darius, Marija and the group are good mentors.

[Amorina Carlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prepare for a journey like none you’ve ever been on before. Twists and turns, everything going perfectly right and perfectly wrong. John and Adele are about to see if they can learn to love each other again.

Steeped in magical realism, this novel delivers on it’s promise to take you on a mystical journey with the titular characters. The pair are experiencing marriage troubles and headed on vacation. It’s unclear to me why they would want to go on holiday together, because it doesn’t seem they can stand to spend time together. They must just be so steeped in habit they wouldn’t think not to go. Vacations are a rarity here, so that is a concept I can’t imagine. And if I was mad at my husband, I certainly wouldn’t lock myself in a car and a hotel with him for days.

Anyway, then readers get swept into a strange road trip/scavenger hunt to rebuild a broken marriage. It almost reads like the world’s most cerebral marriage self-help book, which is funny because when I went to the website to learn more about the author, they agreed it’s genre-bending. The author says it’s our job to decide if this story is a thriller, a guide to a good marriage, or something else altogether. Also, if you visit the website, you’ll find a nice surprise about the author! Links to author’s website and purchase information are at my #linkinbio.

I honestly couldn’t decide if I liked our MCs or not, but they were very well written. Their humanity jumped off the page. They absolutely seemed like real people you’d meet at the PTA meeting or at the pub down the street. And, if you were going to meet mystical marriage gurus, these three would be it! I did really like Mary Catherine, she seemed very sweet and like someone I’d love to meet. John seemed like a mean bully.

Who’s It For?
This is a really hard question to answer. Probably if you’re married, you’ll enjoy and appreciate this book. And if you enjoy cerebral, spiritual books and magical realism you will too. Overall, it’s one of those books that kind of defies genres so it’s hard to say exactly who will like it, but I know lots of people will!

Content Warning: SA, Divorce, Marriage Counseling, Harsh Language, Assault, Violence

[Julie B. (readingonthebrink) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queue music from Up Where We Belong ~ by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes

“🎵… Some hang on to used to be
Live their lives looking behind
All we have is here and now
All our lives, out there to find
The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step every day… 🎵


Once again, I must quote Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ Rule 39, “there’s no such thing as coincidence”, as I believe that some books read at the right time can affect and have a BIG effect on the reader. The Magical Journey of John and Adele has not only affected me but impacted my thoughts, observations, and actions in my personal life and relationships. And while the main topic of John and Adele’s journey focuses on their ‘couples’ troubles, the book allows for introspection into how to enjoy all aspects of life, nature, art, and self-discovery. There are so many good nuggets and take-aways moments, one of my favorites: “Good advice is only helpful if you put it into practice as soon as you receive it.” ~ Darius

I will admit there were times throughout the novel where the words read more like the author took what they learned in a marriage counseling class and crafted a fictional story around the textbook. However, many of the scenarios between John and Adele were very relatable, and the truths revealed often resonated with me, to the point my spouse requested to read it as well. (And I would definitely recommend listening to the songs mentioned in the novel as you read it!)

“🎵… Don't you ever forget our love (n'oubliez jamais)
Every generation (n'oubliez jamais)
In the sun (n'oubliez jamais)
N'oubliez jamais
Don't you ever, ever, ever forget (n'oubliez jamais) … 🎵
N’oubliez Jamais by Joe Cocker

I know I'll reference my copy time and again in the future. Thank you @anciusmmurray and @lovebookstours for my gifted physical copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #read #FreeReview #FreeBookReview #book #bookrecommendations #bookreview #readingonthebrink #self-help

[Dainele · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABsolutely wonderful, intriguing, pleasant to read... and much much more! While reading this book I found myself enveloped in a special uplifting aura, which actually let me understand that there is a lot of knowledge, practice and wisdom laying behind this pleasant reading. I enjoyed reading it very slowly, tasting and contemplating word after word, sentence after sentence, thought after thought....To go through life in a couple and at the same time pursue your unique mission as a human being, its a challenge. And this book says - yes, its possible. It is possible not to lose the real self while walking together, on the contrary - its a chance to grow getting to know yourself and your beloved deeper. The book also reminded me of the key to many hazardous situations in life - sensations. Through the simple channel of sensations (smell, taste, vision, touch etc.) heros of this book open themselves to each other, and the world, gain harmony and new meanings for their relationship. Moreover, the book enabled me, as a reader, to follow this self unfolding journey of John and Adelle till the point where they get to know who they are and what they really want in life one by one, what shows that they have grown as human beings. It seems that at this point they might fly seperately their own directions as "big birds fly alone"..However there seems to be the knowledge to go further together, structuring the mutual journey in a wholesome way and relying with heart on that ever lively Golden thread binding them together. Big thanks to the authors of this book for the truely magical and meaningful journey!

[Teresa Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

John and Adele have been married for years and like most couples have long forgotten what brought them together. They have run out of gas on their way out of town at a remote location. They find a house and three mysterious strangers but get more than gas. They are offered a challenge to heal their unresolved issues, to heal themselves and their marriage and to find the love that has been buried.

This journey will resonate with most couples. I loved that they are digging into the problems instead of putting a bandaid on it and moving on for the sake of getting through the day. There are multiple topics that I noted to go back and look at and try to pull even more from this book. For example, to be strong and firm in expressing ones individual needs. I think especially as a mom, you lose yourself when raising kiddos. The difference in inner beauty versus vanity and how inner beauty can shine through and make any situation beautiful.

Most of all, I enjoyed knowing that these problems don’t come with a one fix all solution and that you must be willing and open to change and to work on it. I will be keeping this book on my shelf and rereading this again very soon

[Shauna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was, unfortunately, not at all what I expected from the description. I had to DNF it at about a quarter of the way through. The flow of the writing was very disjointed and odd. There was so much extra and unnecessary stuff, just too many words essentially. Did it have to be pointed out that Adele sat at the table after a full paragraph of John looking over a menu? It feels like a bad translation or just bad editing overall. I did look up the author and found that it was a combination of three people who wrote the book together. For me, that explains the oddness of the writing flow.

However, the book did have a strange, whismy feeling to it, like a fairytale almost. It felt like it was almost a self help book. I was definitely intrigued by the concept of the random house and people the couple found that offered to help them. I assume that kind of random magical events carried through the rest of the book. That whimsical feeling was choked by the writing and that's too bad. I'm sure there are people that can read the overly deep introspection of the main characters' every thought, but it was not for me.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rifah Tasfia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pretty unique from what I actually read. I've never read anything like this one. This is like a gem. While the main two characters John and Adele go on a journey to fix their relationship, you'll feel that you're having that journey too. Going on a vacation, when they run out of petrol, they accidentally stumble upon a relationship counselling office. Both of them realised their relationship has issues that need a little guidance. They were assigned different tasks to realise the problems and solution to them and all these tasks brought them closer.

I loved all the tasks and how they understood each other beautifully. Mainly I have a huge respect for John for understanding his mistakes and toxic behaviour. This book gives you advice and knowledge which you can apply in your life. They were nit assigned any difficult tasks, some very normal tasks but these made them understand the situation more precisely and how to solve the problems.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the relationship of John and Adele. It highlights the challenges and struggles a relationship can face. When John and Adele run out of gas near the Couples’ Counseling office on the way to vacation they find themself finding help for more than just the empty gas tank. They are challenged to go on a journey, the Road, to save their relationship. Although skeptical they agree to travel the Road and find the challenge full of struggles as they have to learn to communicate honestly without hurting the other. Will the Road remind them why they are together or is it to late for their relationship? The story is easy to read and has a magical feel to it. There were many times when I thought about the challenges and what was learned and felt like it was good advice for any relationship. Full of life lessons and some magical moments this is a book for anyone looking for a thoughtful and uplifting read.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly an inspirational tale. This book very much feels like a self help book but written as a beautiful fictional story about a struggling married couple who are sent on a journey to repair their relationship.

A lot happens throughout the story and it is very interesting to learn more about John and Adele and see how they grow as individuals and as a couple throughout their journey. This book truly makes you feel as if you are on the journey with them. The book’s chapters are short and the writing style is simple so this is a very easy and quick read. I also found that there were many instances of divine intervention throughout the book which adds some magical realism to the story.

I found this book to truly be an interesting read and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick and inspiring story.

[Rogue Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book I normally would read. I was intrigued by the cover of this book. At the beginning of the book, I was not a big fan of John. The chapters were fairly short. I enjoyed that each chapter was named. The characters they met at the counseling office were interesting and mysterious. The concept of "the road" was interesting. The book kept my attention as I wanted to learn more about the characters and "the road". John and Adele had gotten lost on their way in their relationship. This book is about them working together to figure out what was wrong in their relationship and fix it. It was refreshing as not many people now days work on a relationship when it gets hard as it is easier for some to just give up.

[callistoscalling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about signs from the universe! When John and Adele’s car breaks down in the dark, the moonlight leads them to the only house around- The Couple’s Counseling Office. After twenty years, their relationship has reached a tumultuous point and their strange encounter with their new acquaintances brings issues to the surface. The Magical Journey of John and Adele delivers on its statement of a magical journey, a remarkable tale of Divine Intervention for those who are spiritual. A gentle reminder to keep your eyes and heads open for signs, especially when you feel there is nothing left to lose because there just may be so much to gain.

[Brian McNally · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s an engaging story about a middle aged couple who after years of marriage have become used to eachother and grown complacent. The initial spark that drew them together has seemingly disappeared as they negotiate the monotony and sniping of a marriage that has become mundane and lacking in excitement.
An accidental (or was it) encounter with three benevolent individuals who, with john and Adele’s permission guide them on a journey, a series of new experiences that eventually serve to bring them together. When the students are ready, the teachers will appear, this was not lost on me. I found the story to be a very nice tale with numerous allegorical lessons

[Alyssa Mohring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the premise of this book and the way it was written. The plot was amazing. Even though this is contemporary fiction, this book teaches us a lot about relationships. I enjoyed following John and Adele on their journey to fix their marriage and come back as one united. I believe couples can learn a lot from reading this book. I enjoyed seeing John and Adele's growth throughout the book with themselves and as a couple. I felt the book was magical in some way. Darius, Marija, and Mary Catherine did not seem real. I loved them and thought they were very wise. If you love road trips and journeys, this book is for you.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is almost a self help relationship guide for couples, but written as a fiction book. It's words are simple and gentle, yet somehow really make you think about yourself and your relationships with others.

At the start i didn't really like John, or Adele. They didn't seem to be able to communicate at all, despite the length of their marriage. They'd grown on me by the end. Darius, Marija and Mary Catherine were all interesting characters. I have a feeling they were "not of this world"

[Domi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read one of the first drafts of this book and I am amazed to see how far the journey of John and Adele has gone. While being an avid book reader, I am not often drawn to the magical realism genre. However, this book has managed to capture my attention with its touching story that has many layers of wisdom at its core. As a young person who isn’t married, I could still relate to the characters' adventure and find some precious pieces of advice about relationships that I can incorporate in my own life.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reinforces my belief there is no such thing as coincidence. The struggling couple’s journey starts by running out of gas - chalk up another fight. Why they’re on vacation when they don’t like each other baffles me, but hey. A mystical journey ensues in the form of a road trip - in hopes of saving their crumbling marriage. The story is well-written and the twists kept me reading. The characters are both real and unique.

[Sheila's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Aaron Nyanutse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Made me reflect over my life and took me on a journey; would highly recommend

[Devon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley - thanks team!

This book takes you into a whimsical journey of self discovery of a couple who are on that well known brink where the relationship could falter or succeed. The magical journey they impart on is as reflective for them as it is for the reader as they embark on rekindling their romance.

Although I think this book takes many things that can be learnt in couples counselling and applies them in an interesting overlay to this fictional plot that it ultimately fell short for me in a few different ways.

1. The dialogue: although some of the dialogue between our main couple is brutally realistic, a lot of the other discussions between themselves and with other characters felt blocky and it broke the immersion of the story a few times.

2. The degree of whimsy: partly my dislike of this may be due to my regular reading habits, however I found the facade of whimsy and almost lucid dreamlike state to be hard to follow. The journey our main characters go on is certainly magical without a breadth of fantasy, and knowing how hard as a reader to fall into the whimsy was inconsistent and unclear which made it harder to stay engrossed during the story.

Overall this book was enjoyable to read but it felt extremely jumpy and discombobulated at times which made it difficult to really enjoy watching John and Adele on their journey. I’d say this book is a good bridging gap for people who find it difficult to read non-fiction and want to bridge themselves over while using fiction with realistic elements within.