Tate Barkley grew up in the small towns of North Carolina, where money was tight, dreams seldom came true, and family secrets were kept hidden. His Grandmother's house was a sanctuary where he felt loved--and her big Sunday dinners nourished his stomach and soul.
After his parents divorced, he discovered his mother's new boyfriend, and eventual husband, was his biological father-- a charming dreamer who would disappear for months at a time, leaving his family to fend for themselves.
As a teen, Tate began drinking. His father was a heavy drinker, and Tate was always looking for ways to connect with him and hold on to the moment before he slipped away again. Drinking gave Tate a sense of calm, and it numbed him from the love he was missing in his life. After years of drinking, losing his law practice, and hitting rock bottom, he realized he either needed to take responsibility and change--or he'd end up dead.
This is a Southern boy's story of surviving in a good ole boys' world. Tate fought his way back, ended a life built on lies, and forged a path to accept his true self--with or without his father's love.
