The Heartfelt Life of Max Hartfield: A Middle Falls Time Travel Short Story

by Shawn Inmon

When he was sent to Hartfield Academy, he adopted an entirely new family, including a brother, Max. Almost 40 years after he arrived at the academy, Michael and Max still live their quiet life where they shape boys into men and men into soldiers.

A trip to the war memorials in Washington D.C. turns out to be too much for Max and he begins to fade. Max has always depended on Michael for everything, but in the end, who is really depending on who?

The Heartfelt Life of Max Hartfield is a Middle Falls Time Travel short story. It includes a bonus note from the author.

Genres: Time Travel, Fiction, Audiobook

43 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 16, 2021

Reviews

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story absolutely tugged on all the strings of my heart ❤️❤️❤️!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Read for free with Kindle Unlimited *

Nice to finally get back to this series:)

This will pull on your heartstrings, it was nice to come back and visit with these two.

[Nirkatze · Rating 5 out of 5]

For all that this book is labeled Max Hartfield, it is told from the POV of Michael Hollister. It was really nice getting a reprise--since not only was he probably my favorite Middle Falls book, but he is also one of the few that we never got to see him past his twenties. We left him happily ensconced as the heir to Hartfield Academy, and didn't get to see him cycle his way to the end.

Here, the focus is on Max, but it's really a buddy story about two brothers of the heart: Max & Michael. It is a heartfelt capstone to Michael's story, and the ending especially tugs on the heartstrings.

[Daniel Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not sure how I never left a review for this book so I thought I should rectify that. I know a person with Downs Syndrome and if you do then you know that they are absolute blessings to everyone who knows them. Max Hartfield is no exception, I think Shawn Inmon must have some experience with someone with Downs based on some of the challenges that Max faces and his reactions to them. I will warn you this one will choke you up at times. So if you do not want a book to possibly make your suddenly have allergies or dust in the air you might want to skip this one. If you like getting kicked in the feels then pick this up and give it a read.

#timetravel
#shawninmon
#middlefalls

[JenBsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read(listened t0) books 1-14 in the Middle Falls series. It's a premise that really intrigues me. I saw that there were a couple "bitty books" that were companions, and during an Audible sale, this was under $1, so I bought it - not really even reading the blurb.

As I started this ... IF this had a number (it doesn't, but authors often give their novella's fractional numbers so readers know where they fall in the series). While this series does tend to build (sometimes there are past characters reappearing for small parts), some of them don't really matter if they are read out of order. This bitty book would be 2.5 ... picking up after the events of book 2.

While the title character is Max, it's not Max's POV ... it's Micheal ... Micheal Hollister. I hadn't remembered Max right off (to have placed this book with a character already introduced earlier in the series), but it didn't take me too long to have recollections of Max, and how he and Micheal were connected and where this fit into the overall storyline.

I really liked this small story - it was short, started and finished easily in one day. Glad I picked it up ... may need to give book #2 a relisten to remember Max more.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boring up until a clever twist at the very end. If you haven't read the previous books in the series to have a clue what it meant. I probably won't read further into the series because at this point it feels less like the continuation of interesting stories and characters and more like algorithm, clever marketing, and rehash

[Dale W]

GREAT Christmas Story for all to enjoy

This is what I love most about Shawn's writing - a character from a book gets to have their 'story' told.
This one to me is a story of Brothers who choose each other- we should all be so lucky.

[Erik Dreiling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful Tale.

Without spoilers, this is a warm and heartfelt story. A perfect novella to read during the holidays. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys family-based stories.

[Ashwin Dongre · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good (and a little bit) heartwarming story, although there's no time travel in it, although a little twist at the end. I felt like I spent my money unnecessarily on this one. The only part I liked about this story was that it feels like the epilogue of Michael Hollister.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Middle Falls book. This is a short story, but don’t read it until you have read the first and second books of the series. A nice story with familiar characters and a nice little twist at the end.

[Mia Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all the Middle Falls books

Reading all the Middle Falls books and love everyone of them. They make me laugh and cry. The stories are so touching. I only have a few left but these are stories I can read again.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short story that revisited Michael Hollister and his “brother” Max Hartfield. I enjoyed getting the chance to read more about Michael and Max. It was a very short story, but I did enjoy how it concluded.

[Gene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy little story that will only make sense to - or be appreciated by - readers familiar with the rest of the series

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

💜😌

It’s short, but a beautiful read. Hopefully, if you’ve the earlier books in this series, you’d get the full impact of Michael and Max’s story.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely

Middle falls stories are always touching, Max and Michael’s especially so. Great series, one of those you buy without even reading the synopsis.

[mark fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

As with all of the series which I have now this is a wonderful story with just a little twist right on the last page

[kathy pittenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The heartfelt Life of Max Hartfield

A good short story. A nice ending to the series. The exhibits are inspiring and emotional for those that lived through them.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a touching little story, I was wondering what happened at the Academy.

[Yessenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This made me believe in how the people that cross paths with us do so because there is a higher plan in motion. How beautiful that is. If only we appreciated it more. Life is better because of the people we get to share it with, and they walk with us until we don't need them anymore... And that is fine, too.

[Ray Chavarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great addition to the Middle Falls stories. A quick listen on audible and I had tears in my eyes at the end.

[Kathleen Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short fit nicely into the series where it belonged.

[Victoria Norris-MacLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this character and the Micheal story very much.

[Rosie Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love

Loved this short sweet story. Max’s response to Curt’s question about why it took him so long to reach Heaven, “Michael needed me”. Was so heart warming.

[Megan Diiorio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not long enough to be as heartfelt as one may want. Touching ending.

[janis matta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brothers' love


Caring for someone else was such a special thing. Michael truly cared for Max. Max as well was a truly loving person.

[Susan Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still not crying. You are too.

I'm glad it ended the way it did. I won't ruin it for anyone . Not as much of a tear jerker as the last

[Ron Courter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always love these stories. I wonder what Max’s life was like before Hollister’s Redemption.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey Max

I listened to this book in an hour. It was short but sweet. I enjoyed it immensely. We see the last week of Max's life as told thru Michael Hollister. Michael is now 44 years old and still running the academy. Max's is 49. He has Down syndrome, so his heart is giving out. This story shows the depth of love between the two that has grown over years of friendship. You may need kleenex at the end. I did.

I've started a Shawn Inmon group. If you are interested, please stop by.


https://www.goodreads.com/group/invit...

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, well-intended read from a favorite series. It didn’t blow me away, and a couple of points kicked me out of the narrative (Michael is in his early 40s, but referred to meeting his old friends 40+ years ago. The timeline didn’t work.) Still solid stuff.