From Readers’ Favourite, an independent website which reviews new books

100% OF AUTHOR ROYALTIES IN AID OF CANCER RESEARCH UK

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers’ Favorite

“A wonderful blend of humor, satire, and drama, Sally’s Road by Jon Elkon opens a whole world of entertainment to readers, with deftly developed characters and an interesting plot. The reader is introduced to Sally, a cancer patient whose condition seems to be rendered more painful by her failing marriage and her mundane existence in an estate in Shropshire, England. Her life is uneventful until a young girl, Annie, who looks like a tomboy, suddenly arrives at the estate with her story of kidnap and murder. Now, Sally’s life experiences a dramatic change as she connects with the tomboyish young girl. The reader is in for a story of romance with unexpected twists and exciting turns.

“In Jon Elkon’s masterful hands, a mundane, painful experience is transformed into a work of entertainment. The story reads like journal entries told in the protagonist’s own words, and this alone makes the reader feel like they are part of the narrative. The tone is light and detached, humorous, but not without the emotional power that pulls the reader in. It opens with a peculiar explanatory letter that tells Graham, who has been a part of the protagonist’s life, the reason for which this story is written and, as one reads, it feels like the narrator is sharing a part of her world with this special person in her life.

“Sally’s Road features a unique style of writing and the point of view comes across powerfully and unmistakably compelling. I enjoyed the humor, the excellent pacing, the strong characters, and the way the author builds the scenes. Sally’s world is vividly portrayed in the story and readers get revealing glimpses of what it is like to live with a terminal illness. This is an immersive and inspiring story, crafted with awesome dialogues and quirky descriptions of places, characters, and scenes. You won’t put it down.”

Reviewed By Arya Fomonyuy for Readers’ Favorite

“Sally is suffering from cancer and her days are gloomy. At the beginning of the story, the narrator draws the reader’s attention to the setting, a Sunday without church bells ringing and no usual sounds heard in the rich estates of the stagnant backwaters of Shropshire, England. But she can hear the lawnmowers. Her marriage isn’t working out well and she finds herself curiously reaching out to neighbors and people who are weird in some sort of way. Things change when teenager Annie stumbles into her estate — with a story involving kidnapping and murder. What follows is a ride that will keep readers laughing throughout the narrative and caring about the characters.

“Written in the form of journal entries, Sally’s Road by Jon Elkon is a riveting story of love and hope and friendship, and an unusual romance. The author throws in some elements of crime and makes an awesome seasoning with satire, drama, and comedy, transforming a grim experience into an interesting read. I was hooked from the beginning by the use of the epistolary style, such as in a humorously written letter in a tragic tone, letting the reader know what the story is all about. “Dear Graham, It is only fair that I send you this, my Journal, my misery memoir, my Cancer Diary, my Dice with Death so that you can find out why the tabloids will soon be describing me as a murderer, a rapist and a thief.”

“The reader is caught up in the emotional tide right off the bat and there is no escape from it as they are drawn irresistibly into Sally’s morbid world. But that isn’t all there is to find in this gripping story. The rich writing reflects the culture within which the story evolves, captures the setting in clear images, and creates very exciting characters. The use of the present tense and the first person narrative makes the reader feel as if the story is unfolding before their gaze, and this style has a dramatic effect on the reader. Jon Elkon creates worlds that are exciting in Sally’s Road and readers can feel powerful resonances as they follow the story.”

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers’ Favorite

“Sally’s Road by Jon Elkon is a hard-hitting yet humorous jab at cancer. Sally has cancer. Her husband of just a few weeks has moved them to a show house on an estate in Shropshire, an estate with no soul or at least that’s how it seemed to be. But then Sally begins to learn who her neighbors are and their true colors are revealed. Sally spends her days getting into some strange adventures with some of her neighbors, including Annie, a young tomboy who may be older than she looks and who tells a tale of kidnap that may or may not be true. She drags Sally into something that, once upon a time, she would not have wanted to be involved in, but now, with death hovering over her, Sally throws herself into her new life. And, in between all these adventures and a marriage without love, Sally endures the horrors of cancer treatment, becoming determined to find another way of curing herself.

“Sally’s Road by Jon Elkon is a bittersweet comedy, sometimes riproaringly funny, other times sad. This is a superbly written story, packed with every emotion known to man and one that is sure todraw you in and hold you close. That’s what it did to me. I read it and then I read it again to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, but I hadn’t. I love the way the author has chosen to get his revenge on the terrible disease of cancer with a hard-hitting yet humorous novel written in what could only be described as good taste, but with some bad people in it! And I mean that in the best possible way, of course. The character development here is second to none, with every detail of their lives laid bare for all to see. The plot itself was very clever and full of action and humor. Every chapter leads seamlessly to the next, and there are enough hooks in the story to make you want to keep on reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from this author.”

OK, so Americans can’t spell “Favourite” but they know what they like….

“SALLY’S ROAD” BY JON ELKON IS AVAILABLE IN BOTH PAPERBACK AND E-BOOK VERSIONS FROM AMAZON AND ALL GOOD ONLINE RETAILERS NOW