Publication Date: December 28, 2013"A fantastic read which will have people talking about it for many weeks and months to come." -Sarah's Book Reviews By the bestselling author of DON'T LET ME GO and PAY IT FORWARD, WHEN YOU WERE OLDER is the heartrending, thought-provoking, and life-affirming story of two very different brothers who try to build a new life together, against the backdrop of an uncertain and uneasy time in our shared history. Russell Ammiano works on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center. On the morning of September 11, 2001, the phone rings while Rusty is rushing to work. The news is devastating: Rusty's mother has died of a stroke, leaving his brain-damaged older brother Ben alone. This news also saves Rusty's life. He's still at home when two planes hit the World Trade Center--and only one of his friends and colleagues survives. In a single day, the life Rusty built in New York crumbles to the ground. Rusty returns to his tiny hometown and the brother he was more than happy to leave behind. Ben hasn't changed a bit, but the town has. Tensions are running high in the wake of the terrorist attack, while Rusty struggles to put the the past behind him and care for the exasperating brother he loves. He finds refuge drinking coffee in the early morning with beautiful Egyptian-American Anat in her father's bakery. Rusty is beginning to get his life back...until one awful night threatens to take it all away again.

On 9-11 the main character gets an early morning call which is good because it makes him late for work in one of the twin towers. It's bad because the call is to inform him that his mother has died of a brain aneurism and that he needs to come home and take care of adult brain damaged brother.

Upon arrival home he falls in love with an Egyptian woman, whose father is very strict. The father and daughter own a bakery which is vandalized in the aftermath of 911 by people who think that everyone from the mid east is a terrorist.

There is the very needy brother to look after, a forbidden romance, and emotional turmoil from 911 and the loss of so many friends and colleagues. And do much more.

I liked to book but it felt contrived because so much was stuffed into it. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of these two brothers who are thrown back together by events surrounding 9/11. the main setting is in "Nowhereville," Kansas, and I felt that I knew this town and others much like it. The mixed emotions that came after 9/11 are superbly handled by Hyde. Sympathy for the brothers and the kindling romance kept me interested to the end. ( )

Russell is late leaving for work when a phone call tells of his mother's death. He must go home immediately to look after his brain damaged older brother, Ben.

Russell's lateness means he was not at work in one of the towers destroyed on 9/11. It takes him several days to get home due to transport disruptions.

Ben is unable to comprehend the loss of his mother. He has frequent meltdowns and Russell is ill-equipped to deal with him.

This is a very moving story of how life unfolds for the two brothers. Recommended. ( )

I loved this book. It gripped me from the opening pages and I didn't want to put it down. The two main characters are brothers, Russell and Ben, who have been apart for several years but are re-united when circumstances intervene. We hear how as the terrible tragedy of 9/11 unfolds a phone call is made that saves the life of Russell. This leads him to having to return to his home town and take on the care of his brain damaged brother Ben. As the two brothers rekindle their bonds Russell discovers love with a girl of a different nationality to himself, this leads to encounters with ugly prejudices. The author gets across the vast difference between patriotism and racism and both themes are explored in an intelligent and expressive style. This novel covers love, loss, racism, patriotism and loyalty in a thought provoking manner. A fabulous read that I highly recommend. ( )