The Golden Boy

by Patricia Finn

An unexpected letter sends a man and his wife into their pasts – and offers them both a shot at redemption

After an involuntary retirement from his high-flying Hollywood career, Stafford Hopkins has retreated to a luxury estate on Maui, along with his wife Agnes, both grimly resigned to life in a paradise where neither feels fully at home. Stafford is ready to retreat into himself, too, when a letter arrives with shocking news.

Stafford has been named guardian of four children he didn’t know: the grandchildren of his late childhood friend, Bobby Shepherd, whose ghost Stafford can no longer ignore. Returning to both the hardscrabble farming town and the dark secret he’d tried to forget for decades, Stafford is forced to confront his past in order to rebuild his future – and to redirect the fates of his family and the four young people suddenly in his care.

Slyly funny and deeply moving, The Golden Boy is a captivating debut about love, mercy, and second chances.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Family Drama

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 10, 2026

Reviews

[Seawitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

I’m a sucker for family sagas and I did like a lot about this one that meanders all the way from small town Canada to LA to Hawaii and back to Canada again.

There is childhood trauma (little t and big T) involved for most of the characters and the trauma underlies much of the “plot” and the behaviors of the characters.

Sometimes the story’s meandering is a bit distracting especially when the author gets wrapped up in lengthy descriptions about weather and such.

At times the meandering gets the reader to wondering where is this all going? There is an underlying connection/structure to ancient philosophy and personal histories repeat themselves. It feels as if the author has tossed out a jigsaw puzzle onto a table and then manages to put the puzzle pieces back together first slowly and then suddenly. The ending feels just a bit quick and too neatly fit and highly improbable. Also, confusing? What exactly was the lineage of this family? I wanted to see it all mapped out somewhere but wondered if it was deliberately convoluted.

All that said, I was rooting for everyone in the story. I loved the joke where Stafford corrects Agnes’s grammar and she reminds him she has a gun and they both laugh. 😊

(And I was happy about the swimming lessons and time in the water for the kids. Water is so healing…)

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tara Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is not often that I am less than a hundred pages into a book, and so enthralled by the writing that I check to see if the author has more books for me to read. I was shocked to learn that this was Patricia Finn’s debut into the fiction world, and just know that I will be first in line to get this book in physical copy and to read anything else written by the author. This book was a journey, a complex world of characters and family and history. I cried, I gasped, I had the full reading experience including staying up late to read because I couldn’t stop thinking about this book. The prose is beautiful, with wonderful descriptions. The dialogue is unlike most, but when I connected it to the way you would read dialogue for TV it all made sense. In some books ongoing exposition and information about the past can feel mundane, but not here. As we travel through the events of the current day, we also learn about the past and I’m left wanting more from both. If I could give this 6 stars I would. Thank you so so much to the publisher for the e-arc, I truly feel changed by this book and can’t wait to share it with everyone.

[Ashlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is why I wish Goodreads had ½ stars. 2.5. Good writing style so I’ll round up.

Well. This was a book. The author is talented. This book really did have great writing style. It just was not my kind of book. I feel like every new character, or side character, or even rando walking by, was given a huge detailed description of just how ugly they were. Or how people didn’t like them. Or all the negatives about them. It was weird.

The narrator was listed as Jason Culp. I have to say, this narrator was very talented. He had a very specific style of reading and a very distinctive voice. In looking over his resume, I can 100% see why he was selected for a number of other books. But not this one. I don’t think this was the right fit for his voice.

I really wanted to love the banter in this book. I kept reading about there being banter and humor. However, it didn’t always feel like fun banter. Sometimes it felt like resentment or angry bitterness. It made it impossible to like any of the characters.

Not a win for me. However, I always love a new book and to read/listen to something new. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, it is always an adventure.

[Shelby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this book was very intriguing. A second chance story where a man gets assigned legal guardianship of 4 children he doesn’t know? Sign me up. However, there was a whole lot of fluff before making it to any of that. You don’t even meet the children until 80% i to the book. I enjoyed the end with Stafford and Agnes interacting with the kids, so I wish we’d met them sooner. Unfortunately I found most of the story pretty boring. The two main characters were unlikable until the end. I kept reading because I was hoping it would be interesting seeing these two older people raising young kids, but if I knew there wouldn’t be much of that I probably would have DNFed. I just think the description of the book was misleading.

**ARC review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read it early.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Golden Boy by Patricia Finn 🌺🌺.5

Hmm. This book had potential, but I was bored. 🫣 The main characters are an uber wealthy television executive and his supportive wife. They each have baggage from their traumatic childhoods, but now their lives are full of fame and money, parties and red carpets, homes all over the world, golf club memberships, and an extravagant retirement estate on Maui. This book isn’t really about all of that, though. It’s about dealing with grief, guilt, and loss. It does have its touching moments, and I chuckled at the dialog between the married, sexagenarian couple. I just could not feel connected to their lives of excess.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Cardinal for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book. You can find it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

“It was eight o’clock in the morning, and the only thing worse than living in paradise was oversleeping in it.”
— Patricia Finn, The Golden Boy

[M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit, I was probably a bit irritated by the characters for the first 100 pages 😅 and I thought about DNF-ing, but it's not really my style. I hate doing that because I have been pleasantly surprised in the past. I still didn't feel the need to 4 or 5 star the book, but please do not take that as a bad sign not to read it. It was so much better learning about the characters in more depth and what shaped them. It's a family saga of love, loss, regret, and maybe even redemption.
I could see this book doing really well.

I am grateful to Goodreads and Grandcentral Publishing for this ARC copy

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of the book "The Golden Boy" by Patricia Finn, from NetGalley. at the beginning of the book Stafford, who has a very successful career in showbusiness, has been informed he has inherited four children who were the grandchildren of a childhood friend. Stafford lives in Maui with his wife Agnes. one of several homes they own in different states. Stafford is shocked since he does not know these kids or the father of the kids who is the son of Bobby his friend who has been deceased for years.
Now the book goes back in time when Stafford and Bobby were kids in Canada. they has their ups and downs as friends. we see them as kids in the book. The Golden boy meanders around a lot in this book which can be a bit annoying at least to me. Stafford does decide to fly to Canada to meet the kids he never knew existed. this is a good book for the most part. I wish it had not gone all over the place but a good story. I would give this a 3.5.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a preconceived idea about how this audiobook would go, and boy was I wrong.

First, Jason Culp’s narration gives it a nostalgic feel. I could hear him reading an old school noir, being the perfect voice for that hard-boiled detective. I loved the narration throughout the book. Some narrators deliver the book in a way that takes away from the book. Some deliver in a way that you really don’t notice them and enjoy the book. Others deliver in a way that makes the book even better. Culp’s narration is in the latter category. I highly recommend that if you are interested in this work, check out the audiobook.

Now, about the actual novel, written by Patricia Finn. The writing is witty in its depiction of characters and how they react. The scenarios and the story, in general, are great. My biggest issue was some of the language. I’m a high school teacher. I hear cuss words. Most of the novels I read have cuss words. But it felt like the author thought it added to the humor or had a word count and just couldn’t think of other words so lets add a lot of cuss words, that at times, don’t even really make sense. It also felt like an odd choice with as many scriptures that were used to introduce chapters. To each their own. To me, it detracted from the book and never added to the humor.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Stephie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance audiobook copy of The Golden Son by Patricia Finn through NetGalley, and I would give it 4.5 stars if I could.

The narration was excellent—warm, expressive, and perfectly matched to the tone of the story. It elevated an already strong novel and made the listening experience feel immersive and personal.

Finn’s writing style is a standout. There’s a wonderfully rambling, reflective quality to the storytelling that feels intentional and intimate rather than scattered. It pulls you into the characters’ inner worlds and relationships in a way that feels natural and deeply human. And it’s genuinely funny—I laughed out loud more than once.

At its heart, this is a story about family, friendship, love, loyalty, and the messy beauty of second chances. If you’re drawn to character-driven novels in the vein of Buckeye or The Dutch House, this one sits comfortably in that same emotional space—thoughtful, layered, and quietly impactful.

It’s the kind of book you don’t want to finish because you’ve grown attached to the people in it. And when you do reach the end, it leaves you with that bittersweet mix of sadness and warmth—the feeling that you’ve just spent time somewhere meaningful.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally from Canada, retired TV executive Stafford and his wife Agnes now find themselves living in Maui. Or their lodge in Aspen. Or sometimes their apartment in NYC. Or their house in LA. But wherever they are, their lives revolve around themselves. Until one day Stafford receives a letter letting him know that he has been given custody of the four orphaned grandchildren of his childhood best friend. So he sets off an adventure to meet them and find out how this happened.

While this sounds like a pretty action packed story, it’s all about the journey. The why of it all. Stafford doesn’t even meet the children until the very end of the book. Agnes only meets them in the final pages. So if you thought this would be about how two curmudgeons integrate four orphans into their fabulous Hawaiian lives … this isn’t that book. It isn’t “The Road to Tender Hearts”. And that’s fine. I was just expecting something different, something less interior, from a book that’s described as “slyly funny”.

So I liked but didn’t love this book. That said, my mom also read it and really enjoyed it. So boomers may be more of the target audience!

PS: Thank you to NetGalley and Cardinal for providing me with an Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

[Dawn H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing and narration are both wonderful in this debut novel. The main characters, Stafford and his longtime wife Agnes have an unusual relationship. It seems to consist mostly of bickering about unimportant matters. They are living in a magnificent home on Maui, one of many homes they own and neither one is happy.

This is a dual timeline novel. Stafford’s childhood and then the more current period of his life. The novel meanders a bit and I sometimes wondered where it was going but it all came together in the end. Overall it’s an enjoyable novel with interesting characters and events. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

3.5 out of 5 stars rounded up to 4

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was not what I had anticipated, it was much better and I loved it! I had expected more of the story to be on the care of the 4 orphan children, but this covers the backgrounds and lives of Stafford, Agnes, Bobby and others to get us to the point of the children. It is the last part of the book when the children are introduced just as it should have been.
My afterthought is that was exactly the way to tell the tale. It is perfect! I will most likely re-read this book just to enjoy it all over again and will be thinking about it for a long time.
Comes in with high 5 stars. The writing is excellent and the storyline is wonderful.
I thank Grand Central Publishing along with NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #NetGalley and #Hachette Audio for an advance copy of The Golden Boy. As the narrative unfolds, the significance of Stafford Hopkins and Bobby Shepard’s unlikely childhood friendship becomes clear. Patricia Finn crafts her characters with heartfelt realism. The novel explores rich themes of family and friendship, navigating life challenges that come from friendship, guilt, loyalty, and redemption. Life in the novel is portrayed as messy and complicated, full of mistakes and complexities. Despite the hardships, Finn offers a sense of hope for the future, weaving love and grace into the story through unexpected events. I recommend The Golden Boy, especially its audio version.

[Wondrously Bookish Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll be honest and say that I was enjoying this story as it was, a couple in their fifties moving from the ritz and glitz of the movie industry in the US to Hawaii and trying to establish themselves in the expat community there
I thought this would be a novel à la Olive Kitteridge where the unlikeable main characters atone for their abrasive personality because you get to know th and love them in Alll their perfect humanity.

However, 75% of the way in, the story takes an abrupt left and the reader finds themself in an extremely different story, with some mystery elements and new characters being added. In my humble opinion, this should have happened either way before or not happened at all. In the end, the story reaches a certain kind of imperfect happy ending, so it's not all lost.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this eARC!

A beautifully told story that follows two boys from separate families who grow up side by side, sharing a bond as deep and unshakeable as brotherhood. When tragedy strikes and pulls their lives in different directions, you feel the weight of every mile and every year that comes between them.
What makes this story so moving is that the bond never truly breaks. Through all of life’s twists and hardships, their connection quietly endures — and it is in their later years that it truly comes into its own, strengthening into something even more profound than what it once was.
A tender and deeply human story about the ties that hold us together, no matter how far apart life takes us. Highly recommended

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I am usually not fond of rich, showbiz type stories, but that part is more in the background here. What I liked most is the complex history of the wealthy couple's families, and their upbringings. There are multiple stories that unfold over a century entailing childhood traumas, and yet there is a sense of humor. The setting is mostly in rural areas and small towns. Especially the Canadian family history is very interesting.
Although the characters are not all likable they are very relatable. The writing of this debut novel is great. Thank you for the ARC, and I hope to read more from this author.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stafford Hopkins should be enjoying life. Once a high-powered television executive, he is now retired in Maui. He and his wife, Agnes, have everything they could want, money, power, prestige, and a child. However, both feel as if they are missing something. A letter arrives and Stafford has been named the guardian of the four grandchildren of his childhood best friend, Bobby Shepherd. All of the memories of growing up on a Canadian farm that Stafford has been trying to outrun come rushing back as he tries to decide if he has what it takes to raise these four children. Incredibly moving and at times very funny novel about love and building the life you want.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this ARC this morning and have mixed feelings about it. First the good, The story has a good premise (a couple in their fifties retiring to Hawaii suddenly find out the husband's childhood best friend has left him as guardian of his 4 grandchildren) I would have loved to delve into more of the part of the story. The problem was it didn't even get into that until the last 20% of the book. I found it very disjointed and hard to follow at times. The story kept jumping timelines and even characters who didn't seem to matter to the overall story. It was hard for me to keep up with who they were talking about and when it happened. Overall I gave it 3 stars. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

[Heather Gothie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is confusing. It took SO long to get to the actual part of the story that was written as the “plot”. Then it rushes through the only interesting part of the book in my opinion. There’s small flashbacks that seem to be mysterious and not complete events to revisit later? It just didn’t flow at all for me. The end was great and it kept me wondering why the heck we had to read hundreds of pages to get to the end that should’ve been the middle! The first half of the book was just the 2 main charters yelling and hating each other. This book had promise, but it just didn’t flow. I will keep following this author as I did enjoy the writing.

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GOLDEN BOY, Audiobook - A lovely story filled with life, emotions, regrets, shame, friendships, family, and not all is pretty. The road to receiving the four children is interesting and necessary. Interesting characters. Intriguing story lines. Well written. My peeve: vulgar language, yes one character is credited as such from her background. The narrator Jason Culp did a wonderful job. His voice and delivery is perfect for this book and brings life to all. Job well done. Source: Netgalley and Hatch Audio. 4*

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of this family drama that comes out in March. It tells a slow, detailed story of a man Stafford who finds himself involuntarily retired at his estate in Maui. But out of the blue he finds himself the guardian of 4 children by an old friend… and back to his old life to confront his past and learn about himself. I listened to this book and I loved the narration. It also had some bright moments of humor in a sometimes sad story. This was a story of redemption and I love those kind of stories. 3.5 stars rounded up.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ARC landed in my hands and despite having a huge TBR stack, I started on Golden Boy, and am so glad! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 because I loved her writing and the way the story unfolded. I found the Aristotle chapter sub-headings accessible and felt they lent a deeper meaning to each chapter without being overly erudite. I did not know which way the story was heading, but very much enjoyed going along for the ride.

[Laura Stahly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some unlikable characters that made it difficult for me to keep reading. There was also a lot of extraneous history that often took me out of the story. The ending rewarded my persistence and I wished that the upswing could have occurred earlier. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audio version of this book.

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one from the firsts opening sentence to the last. I laughed, and I mean I laughed out loud with a hoot and a cackle, and I cried as well. What a story of growing older, mistakes you’ve made and how sometimes those mistakes can end up a blessing. A beautifully written book and the narrator was perfect. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review.

[Heather Metz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC. I felt it was really promising at first but it didn’t really come together for me.
The writing was well done but the story dragged in places. I would have enjoyed more of the story towards the end of the novel. The middle third of the book did not really intrigue me.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story and characters were well-written and it probably deserves a better rating than what I'm giving it but the characters just didn't click with me until the very, very end of the book. By then it was a bit too late for me.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Parts of the story were a little confusing as it jumped around time periods, but overall, I liked the different ways you learned about the characters as it progressed. The characters' backstories had new things revealed throughout and I enjoyed the redemptive qualities in it.

[Jessica Rickert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of friendship, love, loss and second chances. It is rare the ending of a book makes you cry but this one will!


I won this on the Good reads giveaway

[Austin Soper · Rating 1 out of 5]

started off great then about half way through just got boring.

[Judy Bettencourt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars