Shock and Awww in the Cul-de-Sac

Life was turning out just how my wife and I had planned. We were living the dream we had envisioned in years past. She was a partner in a law firm. I had been teaching for 10 years. We had two kids in college, and our youngest was graduating high school the next day. But as I had been envisioning how our journey together would unfold in the future, my wife had been busily counting the days to its end…

John and Jessica had it all: a seemingly perfect balance of careers, family and love. But after 23 years of marriage—and on the day after their youngest child’s graduation from high school—Jessica lets John know that she no longer wants to be married, leaving John, the kids, their family and friends floored by this stunning revelation.

Shock and Awww in the Cul-de-Sac is the story of John’s journey through the uncharted territory of life as a single father: therapy sessions, the pain of repeatedly telling family and friends the sad news, reentering the dating scene, and ultimately finding a new life for himself. All the while, John tries to appear strong on the outside for the kids as he goes through the many ups and downs of divorce. Emotional memories pop up, new life experiences are formed, and the pitfalls of the divorce process are revealed in a realistic yet upbeat and humorous way. The story takes many twists and turns, as a man who is emotionally devastated tries to find the strength and will to reshape his future—a future that will undoubtedly be very different from the future that he had pictured. 

This is a heartfelt, honest book that will resonate with anyone whose life path has taken a sudden and unexpected twist.