Reading this can make you rich (in knowledge) and pay off your student loans – Breakfast Tea & Bourbon Review
Authors: Pete Bissonette
Publisher: Learning Strategies Corporation
Release Date: 2/9/2017
I have always wanted to go on a treasure hunt. Mainly because of The Goonies and Muppet Treasure Island. However, life ending traps aren’t my cup of tea. It turns out I just really like solving puzzles and problems. I’ll let Nathan Drake and his amazing forearm strength tackle the deadly traps while I lay on the couch and let my mind do the work. Luckily, Breakfast Tea & Bourbon understands my wants and has provided a novel that doubles as a treasure hunt.
But, before the treasure hunt, let me talk about the story. The story is about an extroverted introvert named Nelson, commonly referred to as Nels, and the treasure hunt him and his friends embark on. The story begins with Nels hosting a bourbon tasting party to celebrate the start of the treasure hunt. Nels learned about the treasure hunt through an ad in a newspaper, it cost $5,000 to enter and receive the clues, but there is a $50,000 prize for the winners. Nels put the 5k on his credit card, got the clues, and immediately solved all of the puzzles before showing them to his friends. Kind of a dick move, but it does guarantee the grand prize and he can oversee his friends to make sure they also figure out the clues. The treasure hunt takes Nels and his friends on a journey of adventure, self-discovery, and a celebration of friendships. Leading them to find a treasure even greater than $50,000. (I don’t want to go too much into the story summary because the major revelations and summaries are the cornerstones of the book. )
Breakfast Tea & Bourbon is a well-written story of the often used themes of self-discovery and understanding of value. The general theme is not unique, but the approach is well crafted and extremely detailed. Nels is a character that I believe many, especially those settling into adulthood, will relate to. His place in society and social circle are pretty firmly established, and he is dedicated into pursuing his new passions that he could not truly comprehend or afford in his younger days. The story and description of Nels’ discovery of good tea and bourbon is a perfect approximation of how people learn to love the depth of something they often did not like before or never really thought about. It also beautifully symbolizes the entire story and parallels his appreciation of the treasure hunt and the relationships in his life. Not to mention it masterfully represents what it’s like when a person’s friends are their family. Lastly, I think the method of explaining and analyzing is relevant to the treasure hunt. It reads very naturally, but it is noticeably methodical that I can’t help but think it is connected.
My favorite part of the story is how each character is obviously a type, yet just as obviously unique. This aspect also adds to the relatability of the story as a whole, but something I think many stories are unable to really balance. If you look at typical rom-coms or action flicks, many characters have a type and can basically be replaced by someone performing the schtick. Whereas there are movies with characters who are so unique that they purposely aren’t able to be a type. I personally believe everyone is a type, but that does not mean we’re not all unique. It’s kind of like how all dogs are dogs, but not all dogs are pugs – and not all pugs are my pug. My point is, my dog is cuter than your dog! – kidding, not really- my point is that it’s an aspect many stories don’t approach and many are not able to do well. Breakfast Tea & Bourbon does it extremely well and is able to perfectly capture how every group has an a-hole, but are happy and proud of their a-hole despite realizing they are an a-hole.
Another aspect to this book, is that it also contains clues to a real-life treasure hunt. Here’s how it works as stated from their website:
My Breakfast Tea & Bourbon Review gets a 5/5
Head to the Breakfast Tea & Bourbon Website to pick up your copy find out more and sign up for the Treasure Hunt!
The Verdict
- Breakfast Tea & Bourbon
Summary
Aside from the treasure hunt, Breakfast Tea & Bourbon is a story. A story that really resonated with me and I believe it is a great reflection of what it’s like to be in your mid 20’s to early 30’s. The overarching themes are by no means original, but the approach is extremely relateable to the point of being new and nostalgic at the same time. The story beautifully captures the types that people can be categorized as, yet also celebrates how that category does not fully define a person. The fact that the story is also a fully realized treasure hunt is a testament to the brilliance of the writing. It’s harkened to Aesop’s Fables, where the story is a fully realized piece of work but also doubles as a life lesson. Breakfast Tea & Bourbon tells a story, teaches life lessons, and can lead someone to $50,000.
