This Was Not the Plan - Cristina Alger

Touchstone, October 18, 2016.

Three Stars

Charlie Goldwyn had his whole life planned out – happy marriage, adorable son and a career on partner-track at a prestigious New York law firm. However, his plans changed drastically when his wife died in a tragic accident, leaving him to be a single dad to five-year-old Caleb. Charlie spends all his time at the law firm, determined to be more successful than his estranged father. Meanwhile, Caleb is at home with Charlie’s sister Zadie, who becomes a surrogate mother to the quirky young boy.

Everything changes again for Charlie when he makes one humiliating mistake at an office party, and the video goes viral. Charlie suddenly finds himself unemployed and faced with spending his summer at home alone with Caleb – he loves his son, but the emotional distance between them is difficult. Caleb is an old soul – obsessed with natural disasters and fascinated with girls’ clothing, he is an outcast at his snobby preschool. Charlie is also intimidated by the other parents at the school, who seem to have it all together while he is struggling just to get Caleb dressed in the morning.

This Was Not the Plan explores themes of fatherhood and male identity in a surprisingly thoughtful and fresh way. Charlie and Caleb both grow throughout the novel, developing into realistic and flawed human beings. When Charlie reconnects with his own estranged father, he learns the importance of small moments and being present for family. The Goldwyn family is filled with unique, distinct characters, convincing and real.

This novel is fairly formulaic, with no big surprises or plot twists – even the truth about Charlie’s wife’s death is not all that shocking – but it doesn’t matter, because the strength of this story is in its characters. Even though the plot is predictable, it is entertaining and multidimensional. The novel is quick and light, with just a bit of an edge. It is unique because of the exploration of perceived gender roles – a single dad and a son exploring his identity – but other than that, the story isn’t all that memorable. In fact, I had to keep looking up the plot description to remind me what it was about. This book is more of a palate cleanser – a heartfelt, comforting read. It is not my usual genre, but sometimes you just need a happy ending.

I received this book from Touchstone and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.