Vox Critici: What Readers Say About the Jim Garraty Stories

Vox Critici: What Readers Say About the Jim Garraty Stories

Reunion: A Story – The Jim Garraty Chronicles Book 1

(Originally written in 1998, based on a college creative writing class assignment in 1987. First edition published in 2018; second edition published in 2023)

From the Publisher:

It is June 1983. Jim Garraty is a senior at South Miami Senior High. He’s a staff writer for the school paper, a college-bound scholar who plans to become a historian and author of books on military history. He’s well-liked by his peers and teachers, and his future looks bright.

But as commencement draws near for the Class of 1983, Jim must deal with unfinished business. The girl he loves from afar is also graduating, and rumor has it that she is going away for the summer before starting college in the fall.

Worse still, Marty doesn’t know how deeply Jim’s feelings for her are – unless he tells her. But when an opportunity arises on the last day of classes at South Miami High, Jim hesitates…and the window of opportunity closes.

Now, 15 years later, James Garraty is an up-and-coming history professor whose literary career is on the rise. Respected by his fellow faculty members, liked by his students, and recipient of popular and critical acclaim, Jim has it all. Except for one thing. True love.

Patti Aliventi’s Review:

There are very few people in this world who don’t have a story of “the one that got away.” Whether it was a breakup or realizing that you had something great within your grasp but not the courage to “go for it” we spend our lives wondering “what if.” Indeed, there are whole genres of books written on the “what ifs” of life. Reunion: A Story is not alternate history, though. It is simply the story of a man who is reflecting on not having the courage in high school to ask out the girl he has fallen for.

Jim Garraty is visiting the cemetery where that first love from high school is buried. He’s a divorced historian who has drifted through the world but found that Martina Elizabeth Reynaud was never far from his mind. A week before, Jim received a phone call from his high school buddy Mark telling him that Marty had died the day before in a car accident. Everything he had tried to bury from those past high school days suddenly comes flowing back, and Jim is overwhelmed by the “what ifs” and the life he never had a chance to have.

Author Alex Diaz-Granados is excellent at painting pictures with words. I can see Jim Garraty in the cemetery, in his school office trying to draw the day to a close, and in his apartment that was decorated by his ex-wife that he still hasn’t had the inclination to change. This gives Jim the quality of a person who ignores the details in his own life while meticulously researching the details in the lives of others, particularly those in a book he is ostensibly working on. Jim seems restless, however, even in his work on the novel. He cannot get to a point in writing that book that he is satisfied with.

Does all this stem from the “what ifs” of a life he never got to live? As the reader is brought back through those days in high school when the world seemed filled with possibilities for the future, it would seem Jim is haunted by his inability to ask the girl he had fallen for out on a date. The author faithfully recounts the details of those days as Jim reflects on them prior to his trip back to his hometown of Miami, making it seem that indeed, the decision not to pursue the girl of his dreams has haunted the rest of his life.

The novella is not terribly long at just 44 pages for the paperback version. It’s an easy read that grabbed me within the first couple of pages and brought me back to my own time in high school. The setting is all too familiar to those of us who came of age in the early 1980s, including social mores that are quite unique to that time. It is a fine piece of writing and an easy read that will bring up that nostalgia for many people approaching their 60s or already there.

Reunion: Coda – The Jim Garraty Chronicles Book 2

(Written between March 2023 and April 2005, published in April 2005)

From the Publisher:

In Reunion: Coda, Jim Garraty’s journey continues as he navigates the intricate dance between past regrets and present hopes. Now a successful history professor, Jim’s life is a tapestry of unspoken love, haunting memories, and the pursuit of emotional closure.

As Jim reflects on his high school years and the profound impact of his relationships, he grapples with the lessons learned from missed opportunities and the unpredictable nature of life. Through introspective moments and heartfelt letters, Jim uncovers the strength to confront his deepest fears and embrace new beginnings.

Reunion: Coda delves into the complexities of love, loss, and the enduring power of memory. It also explores the significance of friendship and the unpredictable turns that shape our lives. This poignant novel is a heartfelt exploration of the choices that define us, the connections that sustain us, and the hope that guides us on the journey of self-discovery.

Thomas Wikman’s Review:

The Mystery of Life and Love

This is a love story complicated by life. Jim Garraty is a successful history professor who has tragically lost love and found love again. The story follows two timelines. One is focused on Jim’s high school days and his secret love, Martina Reynaud, as well as everything that goes on in high school. The second timeline is focused on Jim’s life as a professor at Columbia University, memories of lost love and a divorce, as well as a newfound love, Maddie. The switch between the two timelines is obvious and clearly stated, yet seamless. The two timelines are built upon each other in a way that creates a captivating story and the fascinating world of Jim Garraty and his lovers and friends. I should mention that there are surprising connections between the two timelines, serendipity if you will.

The story is touching and romantic but also real and thought-provoking. I found the many subplots fascinating and insightful. For example, the story about one of his students becoming ensnared and bamboozled by far-right propaganda and acting upon it. That story was a good story on its own, but it also added to the overall narrative. Life is complicated and difficult; people will disappoint you, and mishaps in your professional life as well as traffic affect your romantic life as well. There were many other subplots. The book enlightens us on subjects like lost love, courage, disappointments, tragedy, integrity and forgiveness. Life can be good but never perfect. We recognize ourselves in the stories and it helps us feel and grow.

The character development is astounding, and the prose is beautiful and lyrical. The writing is of a very high quality and the storytelling is epic. I read the hardcover version of this book, which featured a lot of black and white illustrations. It is far from a graphic novel, but I appreciated the appealing and interesting illustrations. I highly recommend this book.

Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen – The Jim Garraty Chronicles Book 3

(Written and published in Summer 2025)

From the Publisher:

Boston, 1984. A party Jim Garraty never wanted to attend. A girl who didn’t look away. A night stitched together by mixtapes, quiet courage, and the ache of choosing to stay.

Jim isn’t chasing romance—he’s just trying to outrun the noise. But when Kelly Moore enters the room with her drink, her Rachmaninoff references, and her uncanny ability to see without pressing, everything shifts. Over cassette tapes and Heineken beer, conversations deepen, touch becomes language, and for the first time, intimacy feels less like performance and more like breath.

Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen is a quietly luminous companion to the Reunion Duology, capturing one night’s transformation from awkward beginnings to the kind of closeness that rewrites your inner dialogue. It’s about music, memory, and the rare kindness of someone meeting you where you are—with patience, humor, and unexpected grace.

This isn’t a story about first love.

It’s a story about the first time you didn’t have to explain yourself.

Denise Longrie’s Review:

A Lovely Tale of Empathy

At a party where Jim is more observer than participant, a young woman approaches him and asks him, “You’re not having a good time, are you?” Feeling dejected, disliking his beer, which by now has grown warm, Jim is struck by the confidence of the woman who introduces herself as Kelly. Kelly listens and does not push, mock, or judge (other than to call Budweiser “horse piss.”) She sees, something Jim, invisible up to that point, is grateful for.

The story is not a romance, but rather an enjoyable, insightful journey into empathy and the importance of human connection. It portrays the gift of intimacy set against a backdrop of alienation—college, often one’s first time away from home. The author adds music to the narrative, not only to evoke the 1980s (UGH), but also to enhance the conversation between Jim and Kelly.

I enjoyed reading this brief, lyrical tale.

The Summer of Two Movies – A Jim Garraty Story

(Originally written in March 2026 as flash fiction in this blog)

Pooja Gudka’s Review (in Lifesfinewhine)

The Summer of Two Movies by Alex Diaz-Granados Review

Background Information

I’ve reviewed multiple books by Alex Diaz-Granados before. You can read the reviews here. And I’ve talked about how I find Jim Garraty’s character particularly interesting. So when Alex told me he had written a short story about a past experience of the character Jim Garraty (the main character in his books), I was quite excited to read it. And I’m glad I did.

I decided to share my review of The Summer of Two Movies by Alex Diaz-Granados as well because I feel a lot of you would really enjoy it. Especially those of you that have read the books. You can read The Summer of Two Movies here.

The Summer of Two Movies by Alex Diaz-Granados Review

I thought The Summer of Two Movies was a short but interesting and immersive read.

One of my favourite things about Alex’s writing is the descriptiveness. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this on my other reviews too because it’s something that stands out. His writing is neither too descriptive nor lacking proper descriptions. It really helps the reader feel like they are there with Jim, experiencing what he did and seeing what he did.

This might be a bit of a spoiler, but the story does include references to Star Wars, which if you don’t know the original trilogy is probably my favourite movie series of all time. So, that was cool to read because it was a relatable thing.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed The Summer of Two Movies by Alex Diaz-Granados. I thought it was very well-written, and I loved seeing more of Jim Garraty’s backstory. I would very much recommend reading it on his blog. 

If these reviews have sparked an interest in my stories, I want you to know that I recently published The Jim Garraty Chronicles: A Life in Four Movements. It’s an omnibus that collects the first three books about Jim, Mark, Marty, and Maddie in a convenient and affordable omnibus edition. As a bonus, I’ve included The Summer of Two Movies, a brief glimpse of Jim’s preadolescence I originally published here last Spring. It’s available in both print and Kindle e-book editions.