Winter Loon

A Novel

By: Susan Bernhard

Narrated by: Vikas Adam

A haunting debut novel about family and sacrifice, Winter Loon reminds us of how great a burden the past can be, the toll it exacts, and the freedom that comes from letting it go.

Abandoned by his father after his mother drowns in a frozen Minnesota lake, fifteen-year-old Wes Ballot is stranded with coldhearted grandparents and holed up in his mother’s old bedroom, surrounded by her remnants and memories. As the wait for his father stretches unforgivably into months, a local girl, whose own mother died a brutal death, captures his heart and imagination, giving Wes fresh air to breathe in the suffocating small town.

When buried truths come to light in the spring thaw, wounds are exposed and violence erupts, forcing Wes to embark on a search for his missing father, the truth about his mother, and a future he must claim for himself - a quest that begins back at that frozen lake.

A powerful coming-of-age story, Winter Loon captures the resilience of a boy determined to become a worthy man by confronting family demons, clawing his way out of the darkness, and forging a life from the shambles of a broken past.

©2018 Susan Bernhard. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Daddy Issues

Just a never ending story about a teen with daddy issues. I kept thinking, 'When's it end?' Interesting enough to keep me going but it was just meh.

Excellent ending

Not a happy book, but a good one. A view of humanity, when love is twisted and mistakes are weapons. Family history is clearest in hindsight.

Great Story

The narrator is easy to listen to. The story was really good. I appreciated the details.

Solid 5 Stars 🌟 All The Way Around!

My, what a great story! About family, and love, and forgiveness, coming of age, and more. So well written….a real gem of a find on Kindle Unlimited with narration, no less. If you subscribe to KU, please do not pass this one up!

My only wonder is why doesn’t such an exceptional book such as this become a best seller?? At any rate, take advantage of this exceptional bargain while you can!

Wrong Words and Dropped Phrases but Great Story

I loved the story; however, there is much abuse, abandonment, alcoholism, substance abuse, cussing, and sex. I rated the performance lower because as I followed along on my Kindle app, I noticed several times where the narrator did not read the sentence correctly, and it wasn’t just drop offs of nonessential words, but he would say a word that did not actually fit the sentence instead of reading what was there.