My Book Review of T.J. Klune's "Bear, Otter and the Kid"

I didn't think I'd find a book that could move me as much as Mary Calmes's "Trusted Bond" but I did.  T.J. Klune's "Bear, Otter and the Kid."  Here's the Blurb and my Review:

Bear, Otter, and the Kid

by T.J. Klune (Goodreads Author)

 4.55  ·   rating details  ·  82 ratings  ·  42 reviews

Three years ago, Bear McKenna’s mother took off for parts unknown with her new boyfriend, leaving Bear to raise his six-year-old brother Tyson, aka the Kid. Somehow they’ve muddled through, but since he’s totally devoted to the Kid, Bear isn’t actually doing much living—with a few exceptions, he’s retreated from the world, and he’s mostly okay with that. Until Otter comes home.

Otter is Bear’s best friend’s older brother, and as they’ve done for their whole lives, Bear and Otter crash and collide in ways neither expect. This time, though, there’s nowhere to run from the depth of emotion between them. Bear still believes his place is as the Kid’s guardian, but he can’t help thinking there could be something more for him in the world... something or someone

Bear, Otter, and the Kid by T.J. Klune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*Stands and applauds*

This book was filled with so much angst, anger, hurt, betrayal, loss, love, forgiveness, redemption, strength, character, wisdom, laughter, tears and deep-rooted connection and passion that I felt as if my entire body was tied up in knots as I read it.  I groaned and cried with Bear and the Kid.  I cheered Otter.  I hated Bear's mother with a passion.  I hid my face in shame with Bear.  I applauded the Kid's wisdom and I admired Otter's fortitude and determination to never give up on the man that he loves.

There were times when I hissed in agony over some of the conversations, not because they were badly written, but because they were so beautifully written that I felt as if I were the one being torn apart emotionally.  That it was me having my heart broken.  That I was the one being left and neglected.  I was the one being pushed away.  Like I was the one being betrayed.

I rooted for Bear, Otter and the Kid throughout this entire book and as the book grew closer to the end I grew nervous and despaired that maybe the author Mr. Klune just didn't see this couple the way I did.  I needn't have worried, however, because if Mr Klune could write a story of three people so wonderfully created to be together, their story so beautifully, shockingly and hauntingly real, then I should have known that the end of this book would be just as beautifully, shockingly and hauntingly realistic.

I think that even if I hadn't heard stirrings about a possible sequel, I still would have been satisfied by the ending.  The whole book was written from one person's perspective and then right there at the end, again in a beautifully brilliant way, the POV changes right there in the Epilogue.  It was so perfect and put tied such a wonderful bow on an already beautiful story that when it was over all I could do was sigh and applaud.


View all my reviews