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Book Cover for: Welcome To Your Life, Paul Costoff

Welcome To Your Life

Paul Costoff

Welcome to your life. It's probably not what you expected it to be.


About to turn thirty years old, Guy Bradford finds himself trapped in his dead-end job at the Gas and Go on the outskirts of Richmond, Illinois. Stuck caring for his perpetually ungrateful father in the tiny hometown he's never been able to escape, he wonders when he'll finally be able to begin living his own life.


Sophie Ross spent her twenties living in other people's homes, caring for their aging parents. The work brought her to Richmond and dozens of other small towns like it. Although she's ready for something new, this is the only way she's found that ensures her little sister gets the opportunities she herself never had.


After a brief meeting at The Duke on her last night in town, Sophie and Guy decide they might be kindred spirits... and maybe even more. But once she leaves, their struggle to find out is complicated by her transience and his father's health. In order to finally meet again, Sophie will have to weather a devastating betrayal and Guy will need to avoid falling prey to the scheming of an alluring former classmate. If they don't succeed, they'll both be sentenced to a lifetime of wondering what might have been.


This is a story about the sacrifices we make for family and the small towns and their little bars where people struggle to find meaning in lives they didn't plan on living.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Keeper Publishing
  • Publish Date: Dec 2nd, 2020
  • Pages: 398
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 9.00in - 6.00in - 0.89in - 1.28lb
  • EAN: 9780578806037
  • Categories: LiterarySmall Town & RuralFamily Life - General

About the Author

Costoff, Paul: - Paul Costoff is a teacher, an aspiring minimalist, and the author of the new book Welcome to Your Life. Much like Guy Bradford, one of the protagonists in his first novel, Paul grew up just outside of Richmond, Illinois and worked at a gas station/convenience store on the edge of town. Unlike Guy however, he was able to escape out west for more than a decade before returning to the region. Now that his kids are grown, he's looking to escape again. Paul enjoys writing fiction as a way to consider some of the bigger questions about life, the choices we face, and how we make our decisions. When he's not writing or grading papers, Paul can usually be found somewhere outside. And someday, he'd really like to live in a van.

Praise for this book

"What a fun read this was. I like a good slice of life book once in a while to restore my faith in humanity and Welcome To Your Life sure fit the bill. Funny, yet poignant, with characters that you know from daily life.....everyday people just trying to make it and find their way. Well worth your time to read and enjoy." -Josepi-from Amazon


"Relatable characters, and a story that makes you look forward to reading it and seeing what happens next. Thought provoking and yet well written so as to be light enough to read even after a long day at work when you want to kick back. My favorite character is Jacque!"

-Road-from Amazon


"Engaging from page one, with authentic settings and relatable characters. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read!" -Karen Kruckenberg-from Amazon