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The Pride of the Acre
The Pride of the Acre is a coming-of-age story. Charlie Tumulty passes out of a difficult childhood to find love, a goal in the boxing ring, and with the help of two valuable mentors, self-awareness and a love of reading. The road to Charlie's Olympic boxing goal, and to the love he yearns for, is fraught with difficulty. A hard decision has life-altering consequences and forces him to the threshold of an even tougher decision. What is the price that vengeance owes to a love cut short? And who will pay it?
292 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2024
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About the author
Stephen O'Connor
6 books3 followersStephen O'Connor is an award-winning writer from Lowell, MA, where much of his fiction is set. He is the author of two books of stories and four novels. For more information, visit lowellwriter.com
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 16, 2025
Reading distinguished Lowell, MA author Stephen O’Connor’s short stories and novels is always a joy. But his latest, “The Pride of the ACRE, is a gem! Move over Andre Dumas III, we have another compelling coming-of-age flick-worthy tale. But you don’t have to be from Lowell’s Mill City or the Baystate to appreciate this tender, poignant novel that vividly reflects how a tough life and difficult choices can impact the fate of its cast of troubled characters.
Readers will be enthralled by O'Connor’s protagonist, Charlie Tumulty, who tugs at your heart from his poverty-plagued childhood abandoned by his estranged father and raised by his struggling alcoholic mom through to his bouts in the ring and vows to be better than his drunken parents. The author ensures that every shred of foreshadowing is satisfied, every bad guy dies, every act of revenge is justified, and every worthy character has a cozy conclusion. If this were my masterfully written novel, I’d get it to Mark Wahlberg, who produced and starred in “The Fighter,” filmed in Lowell. Whoever portrays young Charlie would be just as vital as the subsequent boxer and ex-con. Meanwhile, don’t wait for the two-thumbs-up flick; get the five-star rated book here.
Readers will be enthralled by O'Connor’s protagonist, Charlie Tumulty, who tugs at your heart from his poverty-plagued childhood abandoned by his estranged father and raised by his struggling alcoholic mom through to his bouts in the ring and vows to be better than his drunken parents. The author ensures that every shred of foreshadowing is satisfied, every bad guy dies, every act of revenge is justified, and every worthy character has a cozy conclusion. If this were my masterfully written novel, I’d get it to Mark Wahlberg, who produced and starred in “The Fighter,” filmed in Lowell. Whoever portrays young Charlie would be just as vital as the subsequent boxer and ex-con. Meanwhile, don’t wait for the two-thumbs-up flick; get the five-star rated book here.
July 5, 2025
The city of Lowell is rich in rags to riches and riches to rags stories and Steve O'Connor has captured a great one. Your heart is breaking for a kid with whose parents make it almost impossible to rise from, but he does, even with the setbacks set against him. He matures, finds a skill and love along the way while losing and recovering in his struggle from his own values with a form of justice and righteousness he will live by. O'Connor's tie in with one of my favorite books, the Count of Monte Christo was icing on the cake.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews