Virtue

by John Moot

Virtue explores the vulnerability and randomness of human existence through the lives of Tom and Hannah Holder, each of whom are grappling with midlife crises. Tom's life unravels as he fends off attacks on his career, faces his estranged, cancer-stricken father and confronts a dark, hidden past. Hannah-sick of being a stay-at-home and fearing for her troubled teenagers-chooses to reclaim her life and rescue her children from an increasingly toxic situation. Will their marriage survive the most tumultuous year of their adult lives? 

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 4, 2020

Reviews

[Debbie Oliphant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love discovering new authors and this book surprised me in a good way. This story revolves around a family who find themselves questioning their value, their purpose and the missed opportunities as they assess their lives.

Tom is a professor who is in the process of writing a novel that he is seeking feedback from his peers so he can be in the good graces of the school's new president. He is aware that the president does not like him and it could impact his tenure. The feedback he receives requires him to compromise the content which would alter his point of view. He is beginning to feel resentment but doesn't have the courage to stand up for his beliefs. His wife, Hannah, wants to finish law school as their kids are older and she is feeling as if she has not lived up to her potential and she, too, is feeling resentment.

Tom and Hannah can't seem to communicate what they need or what is important to them so their relationship begins to suffer. Their kids are having their own crisis which adds another layer of pressure for both of them. Tom receives news about his father, who he has not spoken to in 20 years, but knows he must see him. This reunion ends up being a salve to the many issues that plague Tom and his family.

The characters in this story were easy to connect with and the author did a great job making them so likable in the process. The ending was perfect and provided the perfect moment of healing with imperfect characters. I loved this.

[Martie Nees Record · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Roads End Books
Pub. Date: August 4, 2020

Itsy-Bitsy Review

The media department for this novel reached out to me, via email, on reading and reviewing this novel. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in this book. First, the genre is not literary fiction as marked. “Virtue” is more a contemporary family drama intertwined with politics. Secondly, and this is my own entire fault, the email reads, “Virtue is similar to An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.” But, I was thinking the novel, “American Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld, which is modeled after the life of Laura Bush as recorded in Ann Gerhart’s biography “The Perfect Wife: The Life and Choices of Laura Bush.”

“Virtue” revolves around a marriage in trouble and their struggling teenage children. The wife wants change. She is sick of being an at-home mother. The husband is a college philosophy professor who is writing a political book. The President of the college wants him to tone down his political views, for fear of losing donors. He refuses and may lose his job. Since a good chunk of the plot revolves around politics, I didn’t realize my mistake until I started to write this review. Possibly, if I went in knowing I was about to read a family drama, which I can enjoy, I may have enjoyed the tale more than I did. The novel has some thought provoking elements. Still, I do not usually care for novels that end neat enough to be wrapped up in a bow, as this one does.

I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

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[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new to me author.
Ever meet a family that seems so picture perfect on the outside, perfect loving couple,the perfect kids?
I'll bet you wish your family could be just like theirs. Don't be so hasty in your assumptions though.
How we present ourselves to others and how our personal family lives are on the inside are usually much different than perceived.
This story deals with the drama of a family who seem to have it all together on the outside but inside they are confused,hurting and need help.
The parents marriage is falling apart, they don't spend enough time together and there is so much negativity.
The kids are teenagers and a real mess, they are not getting the answers and support they need from their parents because how can their parents give them support when they themselves aren't even sure to handle their own lives and personal decisions.
Will the parents and children be able to make a much needed reconciliation or will everyone just stay in their own little world as this family just drifts further apart?
Thought provoking story that may have you examining your own family life!

Published August 4th 2020 by Roads End Books LLC
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Ayushi (Sorcery of Chapters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about the book was the writing which was of high quality and that is what kept me hooked. The story-line in general was good and included a lot of elements of family drama, trust, friendship, rekindling, reconnecting with parent, finding oneself and I enjoyed the journey it took me on. If you enjoy reading family drama fiction, you should give this a try.

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[Susan O'Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Moot gives us two viewpoints - one from the husband, one from the wife - in "Virtue," a novel about circumstances and how you handle them. Told in alternating voices, Moot describes a family at a crossroads. Husband Tom is a philosophy teacher who is trying to finish a book that may upset the college president. Wife Hannah wants to go to law school and move the family to Boston. Their daughter is trying to come to terms with her sexuality. Their son is spiraling downward. Each has reasons - personal justifications - for each option. How far will one go to support the other? How much can virtues and beliefs be stretched? It's a good read that will have you questioning how you'd act if this was happening to your own family.

[Carol Perreault · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of family dynamics told in the persons of the husband and wife, Tom and Hannah. They have 2 teenage children. Tom teaches philosophy at a college in Maine and Hannah is a stay-at-home mom. Tom is writing a book. Tom is not happy with the college administration. Hannah is not happy with her current life. She wants to go to law school. She applies to schools in Boston, and decides to move down to the area with their children, while Tom stays on in Maine. They are not happy with this either. What will make them happy?

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story presented in Virtue. The characters seemed relatively believable and the family dynamic was engaging. I enjoy this kind of fiction in that it provides a bit of a family drama but nothing too intense. The couple Tom and Hannah had their own issues to deal with and the flipping between them gave a broader picture of the lives they share. Nicely written.

[Love and Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free advanced review copy (e-ARC) of John Moot's book 'Virtue' in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Kristen at Mindbuck Media for this opportunity.

Moot's book follows the lives of Tom and Hannah, husband and wife, who have one very difficult year. Hannah is eager to progress and is determined to go to law school in Boston, while Tom wishes to stay where they are until he finishes writing his book. Add their son Dillion, who has a little trouble sticking to the law, their daughter Madison who is coming to terms with her LGBTQ+ identity, and Tom's estranged father recently diagnosed with cancer into the mix, and that only complicates the situation further...

This book is a sweet little romance with a 'will they' 'won't they' situation, they both have their battles to face and must rely on each other to get through, but that's easier said than done. I thought this book handled some difficult issues very well, touching upon LGBTQ+ themes, estranged parent-son relationships and a cancer journey.

The characters were well written; plenty of emotion and personality shone through. Admittedly, I did prefer Hannah's side of the story as she was more relatable. Whereas, Tom was a little too focused on politics which unfortunately didn't interest me.

Moot's writing was also very good, with a dual narrative between Tom and Hannah, it allowed the reader to see both sides of the story and feel more involved. As previously mentioned, there are some hard-hitting themes, so as a trigger warning, this book does include mentions of drink driving, a cancer journey, estranged parents and also a suicide mention. There is also some strong language.

I'm glad to say that I did enjoy this book. It was a cute little romance that I quickly connected to, and I give this book a rating of four out of five stars. If you're looking for a romance novel, then this is definitely a sweet read, with some humour also.

If you'd like to read more of my reviews, you can find them on my blog here:
Love and Literature

[Bookworm Blogger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d like to thank Kristen from Mindbuck Media for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that could easily be read in one sitting, which is pretty much what I did. At less than 300 pages I found it to be very easy to read and enjoyable. I breezed my way through the chapters, before I knew it I was at 60%.

It’s safe to say that the Holder family have their issues and John Moot explores these in some detail throughout the book. He created characters that are likeable, relatable and honest but they obviously have an issue with communication. My favourite character was Kim, she pulled no punches and finally got Tom and Jack talking.

Whilst I did enjoy the story I felt it lacked some excitement in places. It fell into the predictable category for me which was a shame in some ways. There were a lot of issues covered from politics to LGBTQIA minorities, unresolved childhood issues and family life (to name a few). It felt that the story was being pulled in a lot of directions and not all of them necessary. My favourite story was between Jack and Tom it was very touching to see how their relationship changed and whilst the outcome was sad it felt that there was some closure for them both. Overall this was a lovely story and I did enjoy it I just wanted a little but more of a punch.

[Lindsay Montague · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was really nothing wrong with this book. It held my attention throughout, but it was just ordinary. It's just a regular familial drama, following the Holder family over the course of a year as they go through struggles with marriage, employment, and reuniting with a sick parent.

I would have loved to had seen more from the children. Madison's struggle with her sexuality and dealing with bullies, especially the fact that she tried out for the football team. The son Dillon was struggling with partying and drinking, even getting a ride home from the cops, and then it was never talked about ever again. These characters could have been fleshed out to create really compelling storylines. All the characters could have been expanded on to have given the reader a more well-rounded view of these characters. 

ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Aida Alberto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love discovering new authors and I think this author has a lot of potential. The writing is solid but I feel like his voice is a little muddled. It does keep your attention but it also felt as if it was too heavy with the politics. I would have liked to see the children better presented. Definitely worth a checking out though. Happy reading!

[Mana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unhappy married couple, both want to chase their dreams and goals. Teenage daughter is bullied. Characters speak for themselves. Family drama, pretty predictable storyline.

Unfortunately, it was too much written about the politics for me, nonetheless is a good reading.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, heartwarming family drama that shows you can “come of age” at any age. I really enjoyed reading about the Holder family and getting to witness each of their unique perspectives. The writing is great and story well-paced. Definitely worth a read!

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written book about the Holder family and the various issues that cause them to move to Boston, where things start changing due to Tom's past. I enjoyed this book and felt that the struggles of this family to begin again was a quick read.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and well-written read that ends up maybe being not what you would expect. However, it is a lovely, character-driven novel that hits on many thought-provoking subjects and leaves you very invested in the characters.

[Leona Naan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Keerthana · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Virtue” revolves around a marriage in trouble and their struggling teenage children.It discusses about the vulnerabilities and mid-life crisis,moral ethics and parenting.
The ending of the book has neat closure which may be a little unrealistic.the book is narrated by the two main characters- Tom and Hannah. the writing style was very engaging.
Overall It is an enjoyable read.

Thank You Netgalley,the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review #Virtue

[melhara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a character-driven driven story about Tom and Hannah Holder. Tom and Hannah (a married couple with two teenage children) are each faced with a midlife crisis.

Tom Holder is a philosophy professor who is writing a (potentially controversial) book about Trump that might threaten his career (and according to the college president, might ruin the reputation of the school). At the same time, he tries to reconnect with his estranged father, who has been diagnosed with cancer.

Hannah Holder, a stay-at-home mom, decides to study for law school. She wants to move out of their small rural town and live in Boston where she can go to law school and where her kids might fit in a bit more. But that means uprooting the family and potentially driving a wedge between her and her husband.

I very much enjoyed reading both Tom and Hannah's narratives. Both characters were faced with a series of challenges and personal struggles that really affected and tested their relationship. Thankfully, the family drama wasn't too over-the-top but was actually quite relatable and understandable. The characters were also likeable. The struggles that Tom and Hannah faced with their children's teenage troubles seemed to have been resolved a bit too easily though.

*** #10 of my 2020 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge - Read a book that takes place in a rural setting ***

I received an uncorrected proof from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anne Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for this time in quarantine from Covid-19.. It's of-the-moment issues will make you want to order the book that Tom has written, which is very critical of Donald Trump. Tom, a professor of philosophy at a Maine university, is trying to be true to himself while battling with a closed-minded college president. His students love him, but he runs into difficulty with the administrator over his popular weekly blog and his anti-Trump sentiments that are not popular with the university's largest donor. What could be more contemporary.

Written in alternating chapters by Tom and his wife Hannah, you see a marriage in trouble because of a lack in openness and communication. There is also the alienation between Tom and his father that has kept them from speaking for 30 decades.

Tom and Hannah have two teen age children who are dealing with coming out for one and drinking and hanging out for the other. Hannah's decision to attend law school and move, with her children, to Boston, creates more problems. Tom decides to see his father, who is dying of cancer.

How Tom becomes more introspective and communicative as a result of this bears the story along to its conclusion. It's amusing, entertaining, and fun to read while social distancing.

[Noor Kamaluldeen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Virtue is a novel that is told by Tom and his wife Hanna alternately, I liked that the novel discusses family issues that may face any of us, and those issues are mostly because the world outside puts pressure on the children regardless of how much Tom and Hanna try to encourage their kids to be better, stronger, and able to stand up for themselves. The part that I connected the most with is the one that discusses the gap that happens over time between man and wife and that suddenly people realise that they are facing a different person... I could tell that this was the main idea of the novel just looking at the cover and it drew me in. I thought some chapters were rushed and some issues were unrealistically resolved easily and well... fast! But over all I enjoyed it and would give it 🌟🌟🌟/5

[Romi Sigma · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title and the cover of this book caught my eye, as did the blurb underneath. I like stories that explore real human lives, the way we respond to our circumstances and what goes on in our minds. Virtue by John Moot is the story of a family of four: Tom, Hannah, Madison and Dillon. The story is told from the points of view of Tom and Hannah, the main characters.

Virtue is not the most exciting read. I don't know how to classify it, really. You will enjoy it if you're a person who likes to read about difficult life circumstances and how people deal with them.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Nancy Graben · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A philosophy professor forgives his father and cares for him during cancer treatments.