“Every life has a second verse” is the theme reiterated throughout Jason Wright’s novel Recovering Charles.

Luke Millward receives a phone call that turns his normal life upside down. On the heels of Hurricane Katrina, Luke is told that his father is missing in New Orleans. Estranged from his father for many years, Luke decides to make the journey and join in the search. The search for his father turns out to be a discovery of the soul, both past and present, for Luke.

This novel was a wonderful, compelling read. I was caught up in the plight of the main character as he was swept into the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and started to put together bits of his past as he tried to find his father. A great story that is universal in appeal — for anyone who believes in a second verse.

Rated: None