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Reluctant Contrition
442 pages, Paperback
Published January 11, 2026
About the author
Bradford R. Egelston
1 book4 followersReluctant Contrition: https://a.co/d/hSdDJ05
Bradford “Brad” Egelston is, first and foremost, a math guy. He has taught mathematics to students of all ages since 2000, with a few detours into data and analytics along the way. He is not without a creative side, however. For many years, he drew his own comic strip.
Brad is also an avid music enthusiast and boasts a sizable collection of CDs and vinyl records. When he was younger and much cooler, he was a member of a rock and roll band, though he maintains that he was “not a musician, but an entertainer.”
From his engineer father, Bob, Brad inherited not only his mathematical aptitude but also a deep love of history. The past is filled with compelling stories: underdog victories, struggles between good and evil, love found and lost, laughter, and nail-biting cliffhangers.
After reading thousands of books over the years, Brad decided to try his hand at writing his own novel, drawing inspiration from a historical period and subject he has long found fascinating.
Brad spends his days as a husband and father, keeping up with his twins and their many sports-related activities. He works hard to help college students conquer math. To relax, he reads and hoards music like some kind of record-obsessed dragon.
Bradford “Brad” Egelston is, first and foremost, a math guy. He has taught mathematics to students of all ages since 2000, with a few detours into data and analytics along the way. He is not without a creative side, however. For many years, he drew his own comic strip.
Brad is also an avid music enthusiast and boasts a sizable collection of CDs and vinyl records. When he was younger and much cooler, he was a member of a rock and roll band, though he maintains that he was “not a musician, but an entertainer.”
From his engineer father, Bob, Brad inherited not only his mathematical aptitude but also a deep love of history. The past is filled with compelling stories: underdog victories, struggles between good and evil, love found and lost, laughter, and nail-biting cliffhangers.
After reading thousands of books over the years, Brad decided to try his hand at writing his own novel, drawing inspiration from a historical period and subject he has long found fascinating.
Brad spends his days as a husband and father, keeping up with his twins and their many sports-related activities. He works hard to help college students conquer math. To relax, he reads and hoards music like some kind of record-obsessed dragon.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 18, 2026
This is one you will not want to put down.
I normally read anything but war stories, but this is so much more than that! How invested I became with the main character, to cry for him, cheer for him, and not wanting the story to end. The writer gives great details to make you really know the people in the story. 5 stars.
I normally read anything but war stories, but this is so much more than that! How invested I became with the main character, to cry for him, cheer for him, and not wanting the story to end. The writer gives great details to make you really know the people in the story. 5 stars.
March 4, 2026
I finished this book feeling both impressed and unsettled in the best possible way. What stayed with me the most was Louis Fournier himself. He isn’t portrayed as a traditional wartime hero waving a flag or marching with an army. Instead, he’s a man acting largely on his own in a dark and occupied France, striking at German soldiers from the shadows. Those moments of quiet retaliation are intense, but what makes them powerful is the emotional cost that follows.
As the story progresses, you can feel Louis slowly being worn down by the very violence he believes is necessary. The author does a great job showing how revenge and justice can begin to blur together during war. Louis constantly seems to wrestle with himself — wondering whether he’s still fighting for something righteous or whether he’s becoming another kind of predator shaped by the chaos around him. That internal conflict is what really drove the story for me.
The arrival of the organized resistance adds another layer of tension. When his old friend pulls him into a broader movement, the stakes feel even higher. Suddenly the choices he faces aren’t just about personal revenge anymore — they’re about missions, sacrifices, and decisions that could cost innocent lives. Some of the moments in that part of the book genuinely made me stop and think about what resistance really means.
What I appreciated most is that the story doesn’t try to present war in simple black-and-white terms. Instead, it explores the uncomfortable space in between, where courage and brutality can exist side by side. By the end, Louis feels less like a hero from a history book and more like a real human being trying to survive morally in an impossible situation.
It’s a thoughtful, haunting story that stays with you long after the final chapter.
As the story progresses, you can feel Louis slowly being worn down by the very violence he believes is necessary. The author does a great job showing how revenge and justice can begin to blur together during war. Louis constantly seems to wrestle with himself — wondering whether he’s still fighting for something righteous or whether he’s becoming another kind of predator shaped by the chaos around him. That internal conflict is what really drove the story for me.
The arrival of the organized resistance adds another layer of tension. When his old friend pulls him into a broader movement, the stakes feel even higher. Suddenly the choices he faces aren’t just about personal revenge anymore — they’re about missions, sacrifices, and decisions that could cost innocent lives. Some of the moments in that part of the book genuinely made me stop and think about what resistance really means.
What I appreciated most is that the story doesn’t try to present war in simple black-and-white terms. Instead, it explores the uncomfortable space in between, where courage and brutality can exist side by side. By the end, Louis feels less like a hero from a history book and more like a real human being trying to survive morally in an impossible situation.
It’s a thoughtful, haunting story that stays with you long after the final chapter.
January 18, 2026
Egelston took a topic I normally wouldn’t choose, Natzi occupation of France, and turned it into a riveting story of two young friends who fight for what is right to the point of great personal sacrifice. The internal emotional and spiritual struggles of the main character force you to examine just how far you would be willing to go to fight for your beliefs. I found myself not wanting to put the book down while not wanting it to end.
January 25, 2026
This book captured my attention quickly. The author seemed very knowledgeable and included information on the war I had not read in other novels. I fell in love with the characters. I cried. I laughed. I liked being drawn into Louis' thoughts on right and wrong in those despairing times. I didn’t want it to end but when it did end I felt satisfied with how the author transitioned us to the ending of this page turner story.
February 25, 2026
Calling all lovers of WWII historical fiction......this book is a must read.
This captivating story transports you to Nazi occupied France and explores the moral dilemmas that resistance members faced when fighting such unbelievable evil.
The book is richly detailed, and the characters become more like friends than fictional creations.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
This captivating story transports you to Nazi occupied France and explores the moral dilemmas that resistance members faced when fighting such unbelievable evil.
The book is richly detailed, and the characters become more like friends than fictional creations.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
January 18, 2026
While not usually drawn to books of this genre, I found this one a page turner. Excellent story line based on a time period in history full of atrocities and evil. Left me with an impression of an accomplished writer telling me a story that made me want to hear more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews