Book Blurb:
An engaging and creative story filled with tremendous challenges, and of never giving up even in your twilight years.
It's 1975, and Misty Menard unexpectedly inherits her father's business in Lake Placid, New York. It never occurred to her that she could wind up as the CEO of a good old-fashioned manufacturing company.
After years of working for lawyers, Misty knows a few things about the law. Her favorite young attorney is making a name for himself, helping traditionally owned companies become employee owned, using a little-known, newly-passed law. When he offers to help Misty convert Adirondack Dowel into an ESOP, pro bono, Misty jumps at the chance.
The employees are stunned, the management team becomes hostile, and the Board of Directors is concerned. Misfortune quickly follows the business transformation. A big customer files for bankruptcy. A catastrophic ice jam floods the business. Stagflation freezes the economy. A mysterious shrouded foe plots revenge. Misty's family faces a crisis. The Trustee is convinced something fishy is going on, the appraiser keeps lowering the company's value, and the banker demands additional capital infusions. Misty thought she had left her smoking addiction and alcoholism in the past, but when a worker's finger is severed in an industrial accident, Misty relapses.
Disasters threaten to doom the troubled company. After surviving two world wars and the Great Depression, it breaks Misty's heart to think that she has destroyed her father's company. All she wants is to cement her father's legacy and take care of the people who built the iconic local business. Can a quirky CEO and her loyal band of dedicated employee owners save an heirloom company from foreclosure, repossession, and bankruptcy?
Get your copy of the thrilling If It's the Last Thing I Do now... if it's the last thing you do!
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/F1l9YDF
Author Bio:
David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.
Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.
Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.
Editorial Review:
When Misty Menard inherits her father’s company, she isn’t sure how it is going to go and it certainly isn’t what she had pictured for her life. Misty sets out to transform the company into an ESOP (employee stock benefit plan) that would put ownership of the company in the hands of the employees. The change doesn’t happen as smoothly as Misty had planned and her life and business become wrought with issues. All she wants is to save her father’s company and legacy and to do so, she will have to work together with her employees and overcome each looming disaster. Set in 1975 New York, the author brings in historical elements and does a great job providing an authentic historical setting that historical fiction fans will appreciate.
“It's funny how familiar people can become when they share an intensely emotional experience. It dawned on me slowly. Father's lawyer, Winslow Gloversmith, Esquire called me 'dear.' What does that mean? I'm old enough to be the man's… older sister. I looked back into his arresting eyes and he handed me a letter. My name was on the envelope in my father's handwriting, along with the words, open in private after the contents of the last will and testament are divulged.”
The plot is well-developed and easy to follow. The main character, Misty, faces a number of disasters and is forced to navigate several business deals. Much of the vocabulary used in the novel is not familiar to the average reader but the author does a fantastic job writing explanations into the text in a way that feels natural. Readers will easily be able to follow the story and understand what is happening without feeling overwhelmed. Fitz-Gerald is an excellent writer and makes it easy for his readers to stay engaged with excellent pacing as well.
“Most days I felt like I could run the company. Despite the fact I spent my working years as a receptionist, which was hardly the sort of job one takes if they'd like to become an executive, the company seemed to be doing better in the year after I inherited it than it did in the year prior. I loved Father's employees, and yet I often reminded myself that I was seventy years old. I knew I should be retired, enjoying my golden years, and spending all my free time baking cookies for Four, feeding birds, and collecting antiques.”
While the book falls into the historical fiction genre, historical events and the period are not the focus of the novel as is often the case in historical fiction novels. The author uses his knowledge of history in a way that enhances the story by creating a unique setting but the business and experiences of the main characters are really the focus of the book. Even without a strong historical focus, it is clear that the author understands the time period and culture of the 1970s in America and business.
“A woman in a dark, hooded cloak caught my eyes and I recognized Lois Phelps. I tried to remember the last time I had seen her hate-filled expression glaring back at me through oversized sunglasses. She stared at me as I made my way to the front door of the bank. A creepy sensation crawled along the back of my neck and I quickened my pace.”
Fitz-Gerald is also able to weave that knowledge of 1970s culture into the development of his characters. His characters are relatable yet still seem to fit into the era in which the book is set. He depicts an experience for a woman in business during this time period in a very real and believable manner while still leaving the readers rooting for Misty.
“A thumping sound interrupted my sobs. I was immobilized by fear and my half-shed tears froze in a flash. A garbled voice sounded like someone trying to shout with a mouthful of food. The sound came from the small closet where we hung the coats of our guests. I climbed to my feet and took a few wobbly steps forward, lifted my gun into position, and turned the doorknob.”
The likely intended audience is those readers who enjoy dramas and thrillers. While it does have historical elements and a historical setting, it is not a traditional historical fiction that many readers will expect from this genre. Those who enjoy legal or business dramas will find If It's the Last Thing I Do an enjoyable read. It is an interesting read that combines elements of several different genres making it an appealing book for a wide variety of readers.
“When I knocked, he greeted me at the doorway, kissed me politely on the cheek, and took my coat. I stepped into his narrow office and made myself comfortable on the sofa overlooking Mirror Lake. Then I looked into Winslow's emerald eyes and burst into tears. He poked a handkerchief into my hand and I covered my face. Winslow sat beside me on the sofa, extended a comforting arm across my back, and pulled me slightly against him.”
Overall, If It's the Last Thing I Do is an interesting read that will draw readers in but might prove to be a bit of a letdown for those who are seeking a true historical fiction novel that is based strongly on historical events or eras. A well-developed plot and characters combined with excellent writing and an accurate depiction of the time period and culture of the 1970s earn If It's the Last Thing I Do a solid 4.5 out of 5 rating. It is an entertaining story that readers will find themselves enrapt in from the very first page.
*****
“If It's the Last Thing I Do” by David Fitz-Gerald receives 4.5 stars from The Historical Fiction Company
To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission
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