Who can a self-help
expert turn to when his own life spirals out of control? Can the rules apply
even for those who have lost their way in their own field?
In Quest, Inc.
by Justin Cohen, we travel a very shaky yet compelling road to improvement.
Robert Rivera has found himself in a nightmare he is unable to escape. He has
become extremely overweight and unfit; he has lost his home, his wife, and his
own will to live. Life had become a steady downhill spiral since he and a group
of young achievers had won The Presidential Service Acknowledgement in the
Presidents Living Well Campaign some years earlier. Living his dream was no
longer even close to the dismal future he faced. Even as he decides to throw
himself from the roof of an old dilapidated building he finds he does not even
have the courage for that either. Contemplating his life from the edge, he is
shaken.
The woman sent to talk
him down is in disbelief. She recognizes Robert and with good reason. She was a
part of the group that received the President’s Award. How could this have
happened? As Carter looked askance at Robert, trying to access the situation,
she is in disbelief at what has become of him.
Enlisting the rest of
the group from their Living Well Campaign, they put together a plan for Robert.
After much soul searching and turmoil he is able to regain a semblance of his
prior life. When they realize the impact they have made and how Roberts’s
turnaround with their help was such an amazing and gratifying feeling, they
decided to get together and open a self-help program called Quest, Inc.
Little do they realize
that they and their business will be under scrutiny by the investigative
Journalist, Victoria Holt? Convinced that the self-help crowd is more about
selling snake oil and making money then about real help, she is prepared to
expose them for the charlatans she feels them to be. Setting them up is only a
part of her game plan. Can they really make good on their promises or is what
they propose really beyond their means. Can they really help their clients to
lose weight, fix their relationships, or get rich? Can they help the homeless
get back on track and is it possible to take racism out of a racist. Only as
they realize the scope of their dilemma do they find that fire deep within to
drive their clients to the best case scenario.
Cohen has written a
charming and novel story, based on real life. The background and basics of the Quest,
Inc. group are based of real life strategies. The development of his
characters is both amusing and interesting. He has taken a little of many
different issues and filled his characters with both charisma and just a bit of
need. Taking both the good and bad he has given us topics that are
controversial and yet real to the lives we know and live.
I enjoy how he has
developed his gurus into real people, the challenge was in reducing the starch
of success, and bringing them to the level of those they needed to work with. I
was also amused with the differing tactics, and charmed by the mannerisms. The
journalist was so convinced of her rightness, it is interesting to see how each
of the characters found unique ways of dealing with her.
If you love a great
story and enjoy reading self-help novels this is both an interesting and unique
work. If you enjoy compassion, and romance as well as the inner workings of the
self-help industry you will find Quest, Inc. to be very satisfying. The
successes and challenges would make this a great book for a reading or
discussion group, the nuances make it very appealing. This is a refreshing and
riveting look at one of the newest industries of the day.
Justin Cohen's Web Site:http://www.justinpresents.com/
Justin Cohen's Blog:http://www.justinpresents.com/jchome/?feed=rss2
Justin Cohen's Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/people/Justin-Cohen/522277183
Justin Cohen's Twitter:http://twitter.com/#!/justinpresents
Justin Cohen's Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1094440.Justin_Cohen
Justin Cohen's YouTube:http://www.youtube.com/user/justincohen?feature=mhee
Quest, Inc. Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13576148-quest-incTribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186
Quest, Inc. blog tour site:http://questinc.blogspot.com/ Quest, Inc. Book Summary
2 comments:
Leslie, thanks for the well-written, in-depth review of Justin's book. Appreciate it!
Thank you so much for your insightful review Leslie, it's wonderful to see a reviewer recognize and express my underlying intention. Much appreciated!
Post a Comment