Book Review - The Man He Never Was: A Modern Reimagining of Jekyll and Hyde by James L. Rubart

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When Toren Daniels disappeared eight months ago, his family were a bit relieved and started to move on. While he was a supportive and kind father, he had a short temper that he could no longer control. Little things would cause Toren to go into a fit of anger. When Toren shows up out of the blue at their home, they are shocked to see him alive but still angry over the hurt he has caused. Toren tells them that he has changed, but he has done so in the past with little results to show for it.

However,  Toren and the family start to notice little changes in him upon his return. He started to become kind, patient, understanding and fun to be around. He is no longer the angry father and husband his family knew him as. While is he is learning to become a better person, pieces of his old hostile personalities are starting to break through. Will Toren be able to keep his anger in check? How did he manage to control his anger?

I have read the classic "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and "Frankenstein" while reading another book by the author. The first few chapters I was completely captivated, but then towards the middle of the book, it started getting boring and repetitive. The story became predictable and in some parts, hard to follow. I also had a tough time liking any of the characters. The wife was upset when Toren showed his anger, but she would do things to purposely make him lose his anger. Toren, who grew up in an abusive relationship with his father didn't like what his father was doing to his family, but yet Toren continues to treat his family in the same way. I also found it annoying that they made Toren chose either his family or his chance to play in the NFL. It made it seem that for him to become a better person he only had to focus on his family.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Book Review - The Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart

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**May contain spoilers**

What happens, if you wake up one morning and you decide you are not where you want to be in your life? What happens, if you actually have the power to change that?

Everything in Brock Matthew's life is starting to unravel -- his marriage, his enterprising coffee company, his faith, and his relationships with his family.  Brook has also lately starts having ominous nightmares about his dead father. His relationship with his father was strained at best -- complete opposites who yearned for each other's love but unknown to them how to ask for it. Not knowing what to do, he turns to his best friend, Morgan for help. Morgan offers him a book on lucid dreams and how to help control his dreams, while understanding their purpose.

At first, Brock thought it would be a novel experiment.  He would try and understand what his father is trying to tell him and hopefully, he can find a way to fix his coffee business and repair his marriage. Unfortunately, not everything is what it is seems. Instead of just dreaming about the day he proposes to his girlfriend, he unintentionally travels back into time and changes his past and inconsequentially his future. As the saying goes, "With great power comes great responsibility", Brock travels back into time to talk to his younger self in hopes to change the present. The only question is, would he succeed?

The book is a quick and fun read. It offers many twists and turns with the reader rooting for Brock. It also teaches us to focus on the more important things in life because once they are gone --- they are gone.  It also teaches forgiveness, love, understanding, acceptance and putting others before yourself. We all have done things in the past in which we feel guilty of, but it's up to us to make it right. A great piece of fiction that will make you analyze yourself and make you want to be a better person. There is no point in sitting around and saying "if I can go back and change this and that" --- when you can always try to be a better person in the present.


**Disclosure - I received a copy of an uncorrected ebook for my honest opinion --- this had no impact on my review and feedback**