Swimming Upstream

by John Watson

There is no bond stronger than the one between a father and son. When Greig Ramsay loses his wife during childbirth, he is forced to raise Graham on his own. Their life takes another tragic turn when Graham is diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Determined to make their last few months together count, Greig decides to take Graham back to his hometown in Scotland to show him all the sights.

They both know that the journey will not have a happy ending, but the Ramsay boys will do all they can to make their trip a memorable one.

91 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2021

About the author

As well as robots, clowns, and living statues, John Watson has an extensive list of things that terrify him. He is of the belief that writing about these horrors will make him immune to their evils, but it is still a work in progress. Mr. Watson spends most of his time hiding out in the closet space beneath the stairs, where he is currently working on a series of scary short stories. He resides in Atlanta with his chef wife Penny and a pair of equally skittish fur babies.

Reviews

[NaiKa Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book...I dont know if I have all the words to Express how I'm feeling after reading this book. If you are familiar with John Watson then you know his norm is horror. However, Swimming Upstream is so far from horror it's not even funny. This book was so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. It was so beautifully written and had me crying from start to finish. I normally do not cry when I read books that are sad but this book had me bawling like a baby. The storyline, the characters, the description...all it was just...wonderful.

Kudos to Watson for writing something out of his norm and doing it so well.

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the deepest books I have read so far. Watson takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster with the Ramsay family. Like all of Watson's work this was vividly written which really adds a powerful punch and will have you feeling everything right along with the characters.

The ending on this couldn't have been better. Jaw dropping. Literally. I was left stunned for days. This is a book I will never forget. I loved it from beginning to end.

[Vicky Peplow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a book!

This book brought back so many memories for me and of where I'm originally from. The only disappointing thing for me is that the book wasn't longer. The characters and storyline are absolutely brilliant and even brought a tear to my eyes here and there. I have loved all of John's books and this one is up there amongst the best for me. Well done!

[John Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read that focuses on community rallying together when needed, lost love that cant be regained, and living life to the fullest. Its a novella so a short but powerful read. I defy anyone to read and not put yourself in the various characters shoes, thinking about how you would react in a similar situation. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[Joy Boutwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I loved it. The story is beautifully written, flows and has wonderful characters that take you on an emotional journey full of love, loss and heartbreak, with twists and turns along the way and then has an astonishing ending.