Dr. Joe Bosco is at the top of his game. A successful transplant who’s fulfilling his father’s wish for him to be an even bigger success. A tall order. His father, “the original Dr. Bosco,” the president of Tulane University, Nobel prize winner, and successful biotech engineer, stands on the principle that second place is the first loser. Unfortunately, Joe happily accepts runner up graduating Harvard medical school behind the love of his life—Kate. Together, they head for the west coast and notable positions at Stanford. In no time at all, Joe is a rising star, with a God-complex. Tired of his all-consuming career and over-inflated ego, Kate heads to Africa to fulfill her dream. Joe’s womanizing ways and cold disposition push away those who care about him. Believing himself invincible, he dances on the precipice of ethics and eventually pays the price.

This novel by David Weill was a surprising gift. Unsure how it would unfold as it started off with a flip-flopping mixture of present day and backstory; I struggled to ascertain where the author was heading. But a few pages in, I was hooked. Even knowing where the story would lead, I couldn’t put it down. The continual hooks catch you off guard. But they’re cleverly rooted and uplifting, gradually rising off the pages and satiating the reader’s thirst with a rewarding read.

The protagonist is very real in the scope that you probably have brushed elbows with elements of him at some time or another. You know the guy (or gal) that has risen to the top and cultivated an enormous sense of amour propre on their rise. Then there’s the one who’s not only addicted to success but any high they can attain. But here’s the thing, you sympathize with Joe. The pressure to perform and adopt unyielding measures under the expectations of administration are unsettling and yes, very eye-opening. Long hours, grueling pressure, and holding lives in one’s hands could easily send the best of us down the same path. When he hits the wall, the reader will too, and like me, applaud Joe’s efforts to turn around his life and those he befriends on his “awakening” journey. An altogether great read!

Book and image courtesy of PR By the Book