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For You I Would Make an Exception
★★★★★ “Intelligent and laden with surprises... Marvelous.” Lorrie Moore, author of I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home
Will Sorley, a native Californian, is barely surviving his days teaching college in rural Pennsylvania when he receives an email from a teenage girl in Kenya claiming to be his long-lost daughter.
This explosive note leads to a trip halfway around the globe to find this young woman and uncover more about her enigmatic mother, while trying to stay connected to his new girlfriend.
Swerving from the comic to the tragic, For You I Would Make an Exception follows Will from Pennsylvania to Kenya, San Francisco to India as his life expands in ways he never imagined.
Will Sorley, a native Californian, is barely surviving his days teaching college in rural Pennsylvania when he receives an email from a teenage girl in Kenya claiming to be his long-lost daughter.
This explosive note leads to a trip halfway around the globe to find this young woman and uncover more about her enigmatic mother, while trying to stay connected to his new girlfriend.
Swerving from the comic to the tragic, For You I Would Make an Exception follows Will from Pennsylvania to Kenya, San Francisco to India as his life expands in ways he never imagined.
280 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 25, 2023
A great title and cover, combined with an intriguing premise drew me to this book.
Will Sorley, an English professor at an American university and a self-absorbed and therefore rather irritating man, is thrown into panic as an email hinting at dire circumstances arrives from a girl claiming to be his daughter, Petra, from a long-ago affair - one that appears to have stunted his emotional development ever since.
At the urging of Will’s current girlfriend, Angie, and despite his protestations to the contrary, his curiosity about Audra, the girl’s mother, he decides to travel to Kenya on a ‘rescue’ mission. Angie, my favourite character, works in a diner and is a good-hearted and pragmatic woman with a bent for Buddhism, goes along for the ride.
Things go south the moment they arrive at Nairobi Airport. From the detour made by their ‘fixer’, Simeon, to continuing misadventures in India, the book carries us along to a satisfying end.
For You I Would Make an Exception is part novel, part travelogue, part geo-political lesson. Belletto’s research has been prodigious and has produced an engaging read with flashes of dark humour, which leavens the occasionally over-descriptive writing.
Will Sorley, an English professor at an American university and a self-absorbed and therefore rather irritating man, is thrown into panic as an email hinting at dire circumstances arrives from a girl claiming to be his daughter, Petra, from a long-ago affair - one that appears to have stunted his emotional development ever since.
At the urging of Will’s current girlfriend, Angie, and despite his protestations to the contrary, his curiosity about Audra, the girl’s mother, he decides to travel to Kenya on a ‘rescue’ mission. Angie, my favourite character, works in a diner and is a good-hearted and pragmatic woman with a bent for Buddhism, goes along for the ride.
Things go south the moment they arrive at Nairobi Airport. From the detour made by their ‘fixer’, Simeon, to continuing misadventures in India, the book carries us along to a satisfying end.
For You I Would Make an Exception is part novel, part travelogue, part geo-political lesson. Belletto’s research has been prodigious and has produced an engaging read with flashes of dark humour, which leavens the occasionally over-descriptive writing.
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September 7, 2023Steven Belletto MA’00, PhD’06
Will Sorley, a native Californian, is barely surviving his days teaching college in rural Pennsylvania when he receives an email from a teenage girl in Kenya claiming to be his long-lost daughter.
This explosive note leads to a trip halfway around the globe to find this young woman and uncover more about her enigmatic mother, while trying to stay connected to his new girlfriend.
Swerving from the comic to the tragic, For You I Would Make an Exception follows Will from Pennsylvania to Kenya, San Francisco to India as his life expands in ways he never imagined.
Will Sorley, a native Californian, is barely surviving his days teaching college in rural Pennsylvania when he receives an email from a teenage girl in Kenya claiming to be his long-lost daughter.
This explosive note leads to a trip halfway around the globe to find this young woman and uncover more about her enigmatic mother, while trying to stay connected to his new girlfriend.
Swerving from the comic to the tragic, For You I Would Make an Exception follows Will from Pennsylvania to Kenya, San Francisco to India as his life expands in ways he never imagined.
September 18, 2023
Will Sorley is at loose ends--mired in the summer, fall, winter and spring of his discontent--teaching college English in Pennsylvania when he'd rather be anywhere else. When he gets an email from a teenage girl in Kenya, claiming she's his daughter, Will's new girlfriend urges him to travel there to find the girl. But what if it's a scam? Will takes his girlfriend's advice, and what follows is a three-continent, combination thriller, travelogue, and love story, as Will's world--and heart--expands to encompass parental love. This was a fast and engaging read with well-drawn and endearing characters. And the scenes in Kenya and later India, are thoroughly compelling.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 24, 2023
I'm a sucker for epic quest stories where characters travel the world in pursuit of a goal for self- or community-improvement. The promise of that kind of adventure in For You I Would Make an Exception by Steven Belletto drew me to the book.
The narrator, Will, begins the story in a relationship with a woman he admires, in a job as an English professor that he likes sometimes, and lives in a location in Pennsylvania that he loathes. So, his life is good enough but there's something missing that keeps him from feeling peaceful. He's passive, letting external forces like his girlfriend and job dictate his future. When he gets life-changing news that he might have a daughter, it's not even Will who decides to find her. His best friend and girlfriend put that quest in motion for him. For the duration of the story, through foreign countries and situations he never thought he'd encounter in his lifetime, Will lets other people guide him, rarely acting on his own behalf.
What Will lacks in self-determination, he makes up for with a strong voice, which is a driving point of the narrative; so, even when the story's pace ebbs and flows, and Will gets wishy-washy in his decision-making, and the scenery of Kenya is skimmed over, Will's narration keeps the plot engaging and advancing. I don't often choose books with male-centered stories anymore, so I was pleased to discover strong, dynamic female characters with an abundance of ambition, exuberance, and wit are ever-present in the story. I would also argue that these women all push and challenge Will to become a better version of himself. And he lets them.
For You I Would Make an Exception is worth the read, especially if quests towards challenging and changing a person’s identity and worldview speak to you.
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
The narrator, Will, begins the story in a relationship with a woman he admires, in a job as an English professor that he likes sometimes, and lives in a location in Pennsylvania that he loathes. So, his life is good enough but there's something missing that keeps him from feeling peaceful. He's passive, letting external forces like his girlfriend and job dictate his future. When he gets life-changing news that he might have a daughter, it's not even Will who decides to find her. His best friend and girlfriend put that quest in motion for him. For the duration of the story, through foreign countries and situations he never thought he'd encounter in his lifetime, Will lets other people guide him, rarely acting on his own behalf.
What Will lacks in self-determination, he makes up for with a strong voice, which is a driving point of the narrative; so, even when the story's pace ebbs and flows, and Will gets wishy-washy in his decision-making, and the scenery of Kenya is skimmed over, Will's narration keeps the plot engaging and advancing. I don't often choose books with male-centered stories anymore, so I was pleased to discover strong, dynamic female characters with an abundance of ambition, exuberance, and wit are ever-present in the story. I would also argue that these women all push and challenge Will to become a better version of himself. And he lets them.
For You I Would Make an Exception is worth the read, especially if quests towards challenging and changing a person’s identity and worldview speak to you.
[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]
October 3, 2023
Steven Belletto's debut novel presents a a witty, observational dive into both far-off locales and thirtysomething daily life. The opening sections take place in a Pennsylvania college town where lower-ranking professor Will Sorley is on the fence about his relationship with his girlfriend and dealing with irate parents who think their kids deserve more than a B+. Scenes that in the hands of a less competent author would come across as trite or mundane take on new life under the skill of Beleltto's pen: Sorley's less-than-glamorous apartment (with its "dirty-grout tile countertops installed just before hard stone surfaces had become standard") his feelings about children ("Angie and I had sort of jokingly danced around the topic of kids, pretending it was a topic so far off as to be theoretical"), and his girlfriend's parents lack of familiarity with Mexican food ("I was amused to see Angie's parents poking around on their own tacos and wondering why in the world anyone would put raw onions on anything").
Beyond a Richard Russo-esque academic satire, though, is Sorley's discovery of the daughter he didn't know he had, setting into motion his journeys to Kenya and rural India. As Sorley follows the clues to his daughter's whereabouts, he encounters deep-seated poverty, tourist extortion, expat hideaways, suicidal driving, and political insurrections, all of which fill the novel's later chapters with exciting discoveries and vivid characters. The combination of the novel's distinct sections, brought to life by Belletto's razor-sharp prose, makes for a unique, innovative story of adventure and self-discovery.
Beyond a Richard Russo-esque academic satire, though, is Sorley's discovery of the daughter he didn't know he had, setting into motion his journeys to Kenya and rural India. As Sorley follows the clues to his daughter's whereabouts, he encounters deep-seated poverty, tourist extortion, expat hideaways, suicidal driving, and political insurrections, all of which fill the novel's later chapters with exciting discoveries and vivid characters. The combination of the novel's distinct sections, brought to life by Belletto's razor-sharp prose, makes for a unique, innovative story of adventure and self-discovery.
September 11, 2023
This a wild — and wildly compassionate — book about a youngish man who journeys to find the teen daughter he didn’t know he had.
What might seem like a straightforward trip turns into a wild goose chase when he arrives to find the girl has been whisked away by her globe-trotting mother, a high-powered businesswoman.
Will Sorley starts out as a 37-year-old literature professor stagnating at a Pennsylvania college. Then comes a desperate email from his 13-year-old daughter claiming him as her father. His spitfire girlfriend, Angie, encourages him to take the bait and find the girl. Within days the duo are on a plane to Kenya. When she has to return home, he continues on. And on and on.
I found the whirlwind odyssey a fast and engaging read because the hook is so good: does he find his daughter? And if so, what do they think of each other?
I also really loved the main character, who, despite his elitist opinion that he’s a cultured man stuck in some backwater, turns out to be a soft touch who responds to his girlfriend’s message to jump in and live life. She, too, is a salt-of-the-earth coffeehouse barista-working aspiring photographer who had me rooting for the narrator to see the light and commit to his love for her.
Lastly, I loved all of the travel scenes! They’re detailed, harrowing and easily as funny as any Bill Bryson adventure.
What might seem like a straightforward trip turns into a wild goose chase when he arrives to find the girl has been whisked away by her globe-trotting mother, a high-powered businesswoman.
Will Sorley starts out as a 37-year-old literature professor stagnating at a Pennsylvania college. Then comes a desperate email from his 13-year-old daughter claiming him as her father. His spitfire girlfriend, Angie, encourages him to take the bait and find the girl. Within days the duo are on a plane to Kenya. When she has to return home, he continues on. And on and on.
I found the whirlwind odyssey a fast and engaging read because the hook is so good: does he find his daughter? And if so, what do they think of each other?
I also really loved the main character, who, despite his elitist opinion that he’s a cultured man stuck in some backwater, turns out to be a soft touch who responds to his girlfriend’s message to jump in and live life. She, too, is a salt-of-the-earth coffeehouse barista-working aspiring photographer who had me rooting for the narrator to see the light and commit to his love for her.
Lastly, I loved all of the travel scenes! They’re detailed, harrowing and easily as funny as any Bill Bryson adventure.
October 8, 2024
Steven Belletto crafted a novel that captures the rich settings of Africa and India, and post-industrial Pennsylvania, with the everyday worries and concerns of an almost middle-aged academic. The main character's journey around the globe itself is crazy, and you have to question his sanity for chasing a girl who finds him via email and claims to be the daughter he never knew about.
William travels to Kenya when he realizes the child could be his, and tracks down her residence on a remote island in East Africa. She has suggested that she is in trouble, but when he arrives, he finds she has gone and that her story of being trapped at a boarding school is untrue. When she gets in touch again, she reveals she is now in India.
And William continues the goose chase.
But he finds his daughter in India-- with his former lover, an international businesswoman specializing in the development of underutilized regions. They are living a global life with what seems endless means.
William's journey forces him to explore family, and despite strangeness of the situations and his reactions to them, they all demonstrate the volatile and exploitative state of the world in a realistic manner.
Plus it was a fun read.
William travels to Kenya when he realizes the child could be his, and tracks down her residence on a remote island in East Africa. She has suggested that she is in trouble, but when he arrives, he finds she has gone and that her story of being trapped at a boarding school is untrue. When she gets in touch again, she reveals she is now in India.
And William continues the goose chase.
But he finds his daughter in India-- with his former lover, an international businesswoman specializing in the development of underutilized regions. They are living a global life with what seems endless means.
William's journey forces him to explore family, and despite strangeness of the situations and his reactions to them, they all demonstrate the volatile and exploitative state of the world in a realistic manner.
Plus it was a fun read.
September 18, 2023
Steven Belletto's prose is witty and well-written. Following Will's adventures from teaching in a rural college that is far from the protagonist's longed for lifestyle to his epic quest through Africa sparked by a sudden email also becomes a meaningful journey for the reader.
Questions of education, social class, teaching and the anticipation of what a career is compared to its reality, art, past choices, and future possibilities commingle wonderfully in this novel.
The twists and turns in this book kept me intrigued to find out if and how Will Sorley will be united with his unexpected daughter, how his identity will evolve now that he is a father, and if the relationship with the daughter's mother will spark or fizzle once they are reunited.
A riveting read, especially for readers interested in stories of career frustration, international travel, and unexpected family. Not to be missed.
Questions of education, social class, teaching and the anticipation of what a career is compared to its reality, art, past choices, and future possibilities commingle wonderfully in this novel.
The twists and turns in this book kept me intrigued to find out if and how Will Sorley will be united with his unexpected daughter, how his identity will evolve now that he is a father, and if the relationship with the daughter's mother will spark or fizzle once they are reunited.
A riveting read, especially for readers interested in stories of career frustration, international travel, and unexpected family. Not to be missed.
October 4, 2023
This book peaked my interest with its interesting premise. The main character Will Sorley was a little pompous and irritating in the beginning which made the book get off to a slow start. As tue story goes on though I liked seeing him change his ways. I also really enjoyed seeing his travels around the world, it was great to see each country through him and meet with interesting characters in each country. While reading it felt like I was on his adventure with him and I was on the edge of my seat.
I would recommend this read to join Will on his exciting journey to becoming a better person and to find the daughter he didn’t know he had.
Thanks very much to BookSirens for the free ARC. All opinions are my own and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
I would recommend this read to join Will on his exciting journey to becoming a better person and to find the daughter he didn’t know he had.
Thanks very much to BookSirens for the free ARC. All opinions are my own and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
November 8, 2023
I was completely carried away by Belletto’s writing in For You I Would Make an Exception. It’s so funny and smart and finely-observed. My favorite moment was when one character, talking to the protagonist Will, observes, “You like cats,” and Will responds, “I have four, but no.” That sort of sums up Will, and maybe the book, for me: comfortable with contradiction, wry, a little mean, but also full of heart.
December 29, 2023
3.5 stars, closer to a 4 than a 3
December 27, 2024
Steven Belletto brings us the world of Will torn into upheaval as the teenager daughter he had unbeknownst contacts him out of the blue. Will finds himself from Pennsylvania to Kenya to India in the blink of an eye and between his now life with his new girlfriend and his past life merging into his daughter and her mother’s life.
A well told story, capturing WIll’s culture shock to being a father and being outside the US. A recommended read.
Thanks to Book Sirens and the Vine Leaves Press for the ARC.
A well told story, capturing WIll’s culture shock to being a father and being outside the US. A recommended read.
Thanks to Book Sirens and the Vine Leaves Press for the ARC.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews