Shattered Wings by Bryan Healey

How had it come to this?

I had a good job and a good home and a beautiful little baby girl who loved me unconditionally. And I had Charlie, my sweet Charlie; he cared for me and supported me and wanted me to succeed, even when I so earnestly didn't deserve his affection. It should have been more than enough to keep me moving, to keep me right, to keep me sane, to push me forward.

It should have been enough...

I don't know why I didn't let him be there for me when I needed him most, when he was able to help me, when there was something from me worth saving. I don't know why I failed them so completely. I don't know why I let myself become what I now am.

...what have I done...


I’m still in a bit of a shock at the ending. I finished it a couple of hours ago after having spent yesterday reading the majority of the book, and let me tell you, this is one powerful book.

So, John is a recovered alcoholic who seems to have everything figured out: he has a wonderful partner, Charlie, and an adopted daughter Cassie, who love him very much, a house, a job that provides for all of them well. And suddenly, it all falls to pieces. He loses his job and the downward spiral begins. We follow him as he makes one wrong decision after another, gasping at his choices, all the while asking ourselves “what would I have done?”The plotline sounds relatively tame, but I can assure you it is anything but. Some scenes are so thick with tension I actually had to put the book down and watch some meaningless tv show. The author has managed to captured the oppressed atmosphere that John is living in, and the reader also begins to feel trapped, begins to wait for a cell phone to ring that never does.

The writing itself is good. There are some editing issues that could have easily been fixed, such as missing consonants, etc. but none of it should deter anyone from picking this book up. Just make sure you have something light to turn to when you start feeling overwhelmed.