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Boca by Moonlight
How does a widower start over?
George Elden has it all. A lovely wife. Two beautiful adult children. A condo on the grounds of the Boca Raton Resort & Club. But when his wife dies, he's suddenly alone in retirement. A lost man. Sure, he has his golf buddies to console him, but when his friend Willy dies, George is caught off-guard. Why did Willy's family stay away from the funeral? Why did the check to the mortuary bounce? And why did George and his buddies have to pay to bury him? More importantly, what can George learn from Willy's life to escape making the same foolish mistakes?
George Elden has it all. A lovely wife. Two beautiful adult children. A condo on the grounds of the Boca Raton Resort & Club. But when his wife dies, he's suddenly alone in retirement. A lost man. Sure, he has his golf buddies to console him, but when his friend Willy dies, George is caught off-guard. Why did Willy's family stay away from the funeral? Why did the check to the mortuary bounce? And why did George and his buddies have to pay to bury him? More importantly, what can George learn from Willy's life to escape making the same foolish mistakes?
- GenresFiction
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2021
13 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Brad Graber
4 books24 followersBrad Graber writes novels because he grew up in a family where no one ever listened to him - so he made up stories about them.
He is the award-winning author of The Intersect, After the Fall, and a collection of essays, What’s That Growing in My Sour Cream? Boca by Moonlight is Brad's latest novel. He also writes a humor blog: There, I Said It! Brad lives in Phoenix with his husband, Jeff. For more information on Brad, check out his website at: www.bradgraber.com
He is the award-winning author of The Intersect, After the Fall, and a collection of essays, What’s That Growing in My Sour Cream? Boca by Moonlight is Brad's latest novel. He also writes a humor blog: There, I Said It! Brad lives in Phoenix with his husband, Jeff. For more information on Brad, check out his website at: www.bradgraber.com
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 16, 2021
What a delightful and subtly funny book! The main character George reminded me a lot of Bill Murray in LOST IN TRANSLATION or Jack Nicholson in THE BUCKET LIST--not irredeemable jerks, but hapless, stumbling, wounded, and human.
The men and women in the novel are nearer the ends of their lives than the beginnings, and their own failings have been buried so deep they can barely acknowledge their own mistakes. And, yet, the wisdom is there, too. All it takes to set the plot in motion is the death of a golfing buddy.
When George and his golfing buddies show up for the funeral of a friend, they discover that their friend is not just a "stiff," but that he has literally "stiffed" them for the cost of his burial.
As George and his friends try to figure out what happened, they must peel back the wall of silence that keeps men from talking about emotions with other men.
Circling this gang of three are two women, each with her own baggage from the past and current dishonesties.
Don't let the fantastic dialogue and humorous asides fool you. These folks are just like you and me. We put up smoke screens to keep people from knowing our dark sides. We deflect questions. We play the victim in order to make ourselves the hero or heroine of our own dramas.
This is a novel that explores our self-protective behaviors, but like LOST IN TRANSLATION and THE BUCKET LIST, the novel's hopeful ending makes us believe that there's an inch of daylight streaming through the once-closed door.
The men and women in the novel are nearer the ends of their lives than the beginnings, and their own failings have been buried so deep they can barely acknowledge their own mistakes. And, yet, the wisdom is there, too. All it takes to set the plot in motion is the death of a golfing buddy.
When George and his golfing buddies show up for the funeral of a friend, they discover that their friend is not just a "stiff," but that he has literally "stiffed" them for the cost of his burial.
As George and his friends try to figure out what happened, they must peel back the wall of silence that keeps men from talking about emotions with other men.
Circling this gang of three are two women, each with her own baggage from the past and current dishonesties.
Don't let the fantastic dialogue and humorous asides fool you. These folks are just like you and me. We put up smoke screens to keep people from knowing our dark sides. We deflect questions. We play the victim in order to make ourselves the hero or heroine of our own dramas.
This is a novel that explores our self-protective behaviors, but like LOST IN TRANSLATION and THE BUCKET LIST, the novel's hopeful ending makes us believe that there's an inch of daylight streaming through the once-closed door.
September 11, 2025
Boca by Moonlight was an excellent tale, told very well. There were four best friends, retired Baby-Boomer golf buddies in sunny Florida. Their days were full, their lives seemed complete. Then Willy died. And recently widowed George, along with Herbie and Bennie, arrive at the funeral home only to find the front row of seats reserved for Willy's family empty, and the funeral on hold as Rabbi Sherman informs them that the check to the funeral home bounced. The three pull out their credit cards, split the bill, and get the show on the road. The foursome had been friends for years, but in retrospect, they know almost nothing about each other's families or their credit health. And they spend many wasted days trying to find the family members who made the funeral arrangements and wrote the bad check, the family that didn't even bother to attend the funeral. George is having to postpone payments on his wife Jeanette's extensive and very overdue medical bills from her extended cancer treatments, leading to her death. George hates to complain, as the others seem ok to wait indefinitely for reimbursement, but he can't get on with his life until Jeanette's bills are paid. Can't start the next step in life with those bills hanging over him, reminding him every day of the wife of 35 years who is no longer there. How the fellows handle the conundrum is wappy-jawed and extremely interesting. This is an author I will follow. He has a fine imagination and can express it very well.
REVIEWED on April 21, 2025, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, B&N, BookBub, and Kobo.
REVIEWED on April 21, 2025, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, B&N, BookBub, and Kobo.
December 15, 2021
Boca by Moonlight is a delightful novel about four long-time buddies ages 60+, around the themes of friendships, regrets, and the depth, or lack thereof of human relationships. I really enjoyed the author's keen wit and sense of humor throughout, from the opening scene (no spoilers.) There were times I laughed out loud on how Graber phrased things, which added to the story. I read Brad Graber's first book, and this one is even better. I have read a lot of books on female friendship, but few from the male perspective. Perhaps this is because we need more male authors like Graber to write on the topic, and from that perspective.
Four long-time friends, George, Herbie, Benny and Willy converge at a funeral, which then spins off a quest that carries through the story. "Boca" refers to Boca Raton, Florida, where there must be a large retirement community. I have never been to Florida, but I have a clear vision of the town after reading this book. I kept thinking of the phrase 'three friends and a funeral' a la the movie of a similar title. There are some surprising twists at the end (again no spoilers - you have to read the whole book.)
Boca by Moonlight was definitely a good read, and deserves a wide audience.
Four long-time friends, George, Herbie, Benny and Willy converge at a funeral, which then spins off a quest that carries through the story. "Boca" refers to Boca Raton, Florida, where there must be a large retirement community. I have never been to Florida, but I have a clear vision of the town after reading this book. I kept thinking of the phrase 'three friends and a funeral' a la the movie of a similar title. There are some surprising twists at the end (again no spoilers - you have to read the whole book.)
Boca by Moonlight was definitely a good read, and deserves a wide audience.
November 12, 2021
You enter this book innocently, unaware there is so much to be uncovered on multiple fronts. As you read on you are introduced to the characters and their lives unfold. You think you're on a quest to solve a single problem until you get to know who's involved and realize everyone is dealing with something. This book becomes more and more interesting as you read along. In the last few pages you can hear a finale; kettle drum and the final clash of the cymbals. I really liked reading this book it was entertaining and I could see it as a movie. It would make a good beach read with the added plus of a meaty plot.
January 23, 2022
This skillfully written and deeply perceptive story of four golfing cronies in an upscale Florida retirement community, explores relationships, aging, and loss with sensitivity and humor. An easy read! An easy five stars!
December 21, 2021
This book was a blast to read. The three main characters had a “Grumpy Old Men” –the movie—vibe. I enjoyed getting to know them for the first third of the book; then, I enjoyed their detective work as they discovered some intriguing truths previously unknown about their deceased friend.
I enjoyed the perspective the older men’s journey offered younger readers, what it’s like to look back on life and have regrets yet realize it’s never too late to make things right. The author eloquently explores the way men often crave more profound connections with their friends and how sadly, it’s not always available because it can be deemed less than masculine.
I enjoyed the perspective the older men’s journey offered younger readers, what it’s like to look back on life and have regrets yet realize it’s never too late to make things right. The author eloquently explores the way men often crave more profound connections with their friends and how sadly, it’s not always available because it can be deemed less than masculine.
December 26, 2021
Friendships
An interesting take on friendships and parenting. Brad takes us through so many emotions to think about . A great read!
An interesting take on friendships and parenting. Brad takes us through so many emotions to think about . A great read!
December 8, 2021
Great characters! I felt like I knew them. Being a baby boomer, these wonderfully flawed people are very familiar to me (and feeling more familiar as i age!). As always, I enjoyed
December 2, 2021
Page Turner!
Graber has succeeded in writing a book that makes you laugh, cry and roll your eyes … and sometimes even angry! Good character development within a nicely paced story. I did wonder at times if 60-somethings can really be so thin-skinned! Well done, Graber … keep up the good work!
Graber has succeeded in writing a book that makes you laugh, cry and roll your eyes … and sometimes even angry! Good character development within a nicely paced story. I did wonder at times if 60-somethings can really be so thin-skinned! Well done, Graber … keep up the good work!
November 30, 2021
The Boca resort has its social club, condos, pools, golf club - indeed anything the wealthy American retiree could desire. George & his golfing buddies have the perfect life. That is until George's wife dies and he is snowed under with medical bills he can't afford, his relationship with his adult children is disintegrating, and golfing buddy Willie dies suddenly. It seems life isn't quite as settled as George thought it was.
This is one of those books that starts well and then heads downhill fast. Though, to be fair, I quite liked the ending. The middle just wallowed about with mediocre characters and a plot which seemed more unlikely by the second. It is quite hard to read a book where you just don't like any of the characters. It isn't that they are particularly evil. They are just the sort of characters that if I met them I would try to avoid them in future - dishonest, womanising, snobby, discriminatory, self-centred......you can imagine the sort of person. As the plot is focused on these people, their interactions & their lives it did make the book quite hard to read. I wasn't interested in the characters or their lives.
The beginning of the book looked promising until I got to know the characters and then it went downhill. The plot didn't develop & it all got quite stale. The ending did work and made the book worth finishing. Not an author I shall bother to read again.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
This is one of those books that starts well and then heads downhill fast. Though, to be fair, I quite liked the ending. The middle just wallowed about with mediocre characters and a plot which seemed more unlikely by the second. It is quite hard to read a book where you just don't like any of the characters. It isn't that they are particularly evil. They are just the sort of characters that if I met them I would try to avoid them in future - dishonest, womanising, snobby, discriminatory, self-centred......you can imagine the sort of person. As the plot is focused on these people, their interactions & their lives it did make the book quite hard to read. I wasn't interested in the characters or their lives.
The beginning of the book looked promising until I got to know the characters and then it went downhill. The plot didn't develop & it all got quite stale. The ending did work and made the book worth finishing. Not an author I shall bother to read again.
I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.
January 14, 2022
This book’s blurb has a line that pretty much sums the book up in one sentence. It says that this is “the story of a man coming to grips with his mortality and the complications of human relationships.” Most of those complications that George, the protagonist of the story, as well as his best friends are experiencing are because they’re at a time of their life where things are getting shaken up. Adapting to retirement, deaths, evolving relationships with his children, and the discovery that some people weren’t what they appeared to be are a sample of the things George has to deal with. I enjoyed the read, wondering how it was all going to work out, pulling for George to figure things out and find the way to ta good ending.
While I think anyone could relate to the story at a high level because life is constantly changing for most of us in various ways, someone who is middle-aged or even a touch older would be most able to relate to George’s story as they’ll recognize things they’ve gone through or observed friends go through, or at least be able to see the possibility of the same kind of experiences on the horizon for them. I sure can.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
While I think anyone could relate to the story at a high level because life is constantly changing for most of us in various ways, someone who is middle-aged or even a touch older would be most able to relate to George’s story as they’ll recognize things they’ve gone through or observed friends go through, or at least be able to see the possibility of the same kind of experiences on the horizon for them. I sure can.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
November 16, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. These crazy, quirky people could not be in Century Village or Palm-Aire. This is most definitely a Boca story. George, his golfing buddies, the realtor and her friend... All are focused on their own problems and challenges, seemingly unaware of what others are going through. The entire time I'm reading, all I can think is crap, I hope I'm not like that when I get that old. Then I realize that I am that old. Thank God I live in Broward County! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 17, 2022
Boca by Moonlight is full of quirky, relatable characters who think they have it all figured out in their retirement years. Until they don't! Relationships are explored especially with the central male characters. Not everything is what it seems and everyone seems to be holding back on who they really are. Loved the author's sense of humor. and would like to read more.
January 22, 2022
Journey of the heart
George and his buddies were like grumpy old men and the sunshine boys in the beginning. What happened when the clown mask is ripped off suddenly and George faces the truth about his family and friends kept me turning the pages. Heart wrenching and heart warming!
George and his buddies were like grumpy old men and the sunshine boys in the beginning. What happened when the clown mask is ripped off suddenly and George faces the truth about his family and friends kept me turning the pages. Heart wrenching and heart warming!
March 6, 2022
Good premise at start, all downhill from there,
Dumb, dumb, dumb. Liked the humor and the way the book started out but quickly turned into poorly scripted story. Felt for no one, and then it ended???
Dumb, dumb, dumb. Liked the humor and the way the book started out but quickly turned into poorly scripted story. Felt for no one, and then it ended???
February 14, 2023
There should be more books like this for men
This book moves fast and hits many of the bridges older men must cross. I really liked the whole book. I look forward to more books that address the challenges American men face today.
This book moves fast and hits many of the bridges older men must cross. I really liked the whole book. I look forward to more books that address the challenges American men face today.
May 14, 2023
Depressing read.
November 12, 2024
It felt like he tried to throw every situation in this book possible and then it ended without being finished.
June 8, 2025
One of the best books I've read.
May 5, 2025
March -Irene
Moved slowly, but liked the theme of "coming of age" for an eighty year old man!
Moved slowly, but liked the theme of "coming of age" for an eighty year old man!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews