Who else missed Woodstock and regretted it? Three baby boomers relive their 1969 trip to Woodstock. One final road trip. One last chance to say Goodbye Emily.

Walt and Emily met at Woodstock, and the love lasted a lifetime. Then she was gone, cancer took her away. Within a short time so was his college teaching job. Heartbroken and lost Walt is on a dangerous path between depression and broken heart syndrome. Being determined, he reunites with his two best friends to help him return to the place where love bloomed. This was a very endearing love story. It was about life lessons. The cast of characters included Walt and Emily’s daughter Cloe , a lawyer his best friend Josh who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Buck who is now owner of an auto body shop. After going to the Emergency Room and having Cloe swoon over the Doctor there, he finally realizes that the thoughts of puffy clouds and smiley faces won’t heal him. When Walt then decides on a road trip to place Emily’s ashes where the love bloomed.

There is much more to this novel than just going to Woodstock and remembering the past. When Cloe pushes him to get out and stop smoking and drinking he resists all attempts. He is content to be miserable. He just wants to be unhappy while he drinks and smokes. Actually he is shocked that everyone expects him to move on after Emily dies.

The professor Walt, Josh and Buck head to Bethel. There are many musical references that are perfectly placed. You will learn a lot about Alzheimer’s. When Walt meets his hated neighbor’s Daughter Megan he sort of feels romance. Megan’s daughter Heather introduces them and then Heather stats to play guitar with Walt and Buck to see if music is the key to get into Josh’s head. The day Josh had a lucid moment was when the plan to head to Woodstock was born.

Goodbye Emily is the about a journey of self-discovery for a man who thought he’d left all important journeys in life behind him. It was VERY well written and sometimes you feel a little guilty about laughing when the premise is about death, but it worked!

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