Timmy's Review of A Way Back to Then by Robert Halliwell

I really like John Goode’s writing, and I LOVE the Foster High books, so I was a equal parts worried and excited to read Mr. Halliwell’s new book. The fact that he was writing the book to finally explain my fave character in the Foster High series was thrilling! I have been waiting for Robbie’s story for over a year now. However, the fact that his story was being written by someone else had me worried. Mr. Goode set a high bar to meet as far as writing this series, and I am happy to say that Mr. Halliwell met that bar with ease!

Mr. Halliwell said Robbie’s character was loosely based on him so, to me, it made sense that he would write Robbie’s story. I was not disappointed. I loved this book. It explained Robbie and his actions in such detail. The story had me both crying and laughing, but the seriousness of the story wasn’t lost on me. The loss of Robbie’s one true love was a part of his life he just couldn’t let go. I don’t think I could have been as strong as he was—which is ironic because he acted as though it was a weakness.

After staying in a town he hated after the death of his lover for years, he finally moves back home. He is ready to start living again, to move on. I really liked how the author wrote his story. I liked how he told a story within a story. I felt so close to Robbie already from reading about him from the other Foster High books, but this story was what I needed to get that closure that the other books didn’t offer.

While trying to overcome his depression and anxiety issues, he meets someone new through his sister. He gets his second chance at love, but this time he doesn’t hide who he is. He works on his problems with the help of Sebastian instead of trying to hide that part of himself. As for Sebastian, he has his own demons to fight. Together they make a great team and a great couple.

While this story is an adult story, all the sex is off page and not graphic or over the top. This is a great book for both young adults and adults. Thank you for giving me the gift of understanding Robbie. This book gives hope to those who have lost someone they don’t think they can live without. It teaches us that because one part of your heart has died, it doesn’t mean you can’t fill the rest of your heart with another person. And while you may never and should never forget the lost love, you didn’t die when they did, and you need to learn how to continue living. I give this book 5 marbles and hope to read more, either in Foster High books, or books written by Mr. Halliwell.~Timmy

A Way Back to Then is available 

in eBook and print at Dreamspinner and Amazon,

and in Nook & print from Barnes & Noble

About A Way Back to Then

A Tales from Foster High Story

Snarky yet good-hearted Robbie DeCaro made his first appearance in the pages of Tales from Foster High: End of the Innocence, years after the loss of his first and only love. A New York transplant, Robbie now decides that his work is done in the town of Foster, and the time has come for him to leave Texas.

Returning to his childhood home on Long Island, Robbie reunites with his family members. Each using their own unique methods, they try in vain to help Robbie reset to a life he knew before he left it all for the fairy-tale love he found, then tragically lost. 

As he remembers some of the darkest moments from his past, Robbie wonders if he’ll ever find the “after” in “happily ever after.”

About Robert Haliwell

Robert Halliwell hails from the mysterious land of Ronkonkoma in the Island of Long and grew up dreaming of the day the dark, handsome Mediterranean Prince of his dreams would whisk him away from the boring life he was accustomed to to a land far, far away...from his mother. A magical place full of roller skates and rainbows called Xanadu. Unfortunately, that never happened, but was instead whisked away to the dark kingdom of Westchester County and the "prince" turned out to be a very pale country bumpkin from Schenectady. Yes, it's a real place. When he's not spending the day writing, Robert can be found at home taking care of his four-legged children, Kira, Carter & Willow and viewing unhealthy amounts of QVC much to the dismay of his husband, Kevin. Robert is still waiting for Lynda Carter to sign the adoption papers he sent her in 1998.

Find Robert on Goodreads, his Goodreads blog,

on Facebook, and on Twitter @WonderRobbie