Joe Peas

Author: Sam Newsome
Genre: Inspirational Fiction

Who is Joe Peas? Is he a simple Italian immigrant house painter, or is he a complicated man with much to hide, even from himself? When the aging painter develops health problems, his life intersects with that of family physician James King. Dr. King is drawn to the curious Italian, whose life is a stark contrast to his own orderly life. The free-spirited painter and doctor forge a unique friendship—a friendship that only grows when Joe breaks a hip, and becomes a patient in a long-term care facility where he does rehabilitation under Dr. King’s care. As Joe interacts with other residents at the facility, he learns of their struggles, their triumphs, and witnesses their close relationships with their families. The spirited little Italian enriches the lives of the other patients—and encounters with the residents change Joe in ways he never expected. Through these interactions, Joe realizes just how much he missed in his own life. While Joe struggles to come to term with his past, Dr. King faces his own struggles living in a community that values conformity over individual expression. Eager to help his friend, Joe hatches a plan. But that plan—as colorful and vibrant as Joe himself—sets in motion a chain of events that sheds light on the secrets of the enigmatic painter. Things are not always what they seem on the surface. Could there be more—much more—to Joe Peas than meets the eye? And will the truth about the mysterious painter finally be unveiled?

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Reviewer: Mary Hosmar
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​Joe Peas is a complex man. The Italian itinerant house painter is much more than he seems. Mr. Newsome has taken what seems to be a simple story with a simple hero and turned it into a convincing and interesting character study of both Joe Peas and human nature.
 
Although I found the introduction of new characters in almost every chapter in the first part of the book somewhat mystifying and confusing, I kept reading. 
Eventually, it all came together into a good story which made the reading effort very worthwhile. The characters are well developed, interesting and believable although some of the situations they found themselves in were hard to imagine.

The author, being a medical doctor himself, brings in a lot of medical (and at times, legal) information, some of which, although informative, was too long and 
detracted from the story.

I was disappointed towards the ending. It seemed as if the author was in a rush to tie up loose ends, some of which might have been better left for the reader to 
wonder about. The rush to finish the story left this reader with a dissatisfied feeling. The last part of the last chapter, however, brings the story back to the 
beginning and is a fitting way to end.

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