“Bungalow Terrace has all the components of a great read: endearing characters, sharp details, excellent prose, and a plot that is always escalating. Starting in the 1950s with a group of Catholic-school boys, I was immediately a reader and a protective mother – I wanted the best for these boys. Needless to say, as they grew, they challenged my hopes for them with a series of bad decisions, and in true young man form, often no thought before action. Before I realized it, I was rooting for badly-behaving rock stars because I KNEW them so well and wanted them to succeed. This story really played with my heart strings, and it has made me think about fame and its pitfalls. I promise you, after reading this story, you will find yourself thinking about the person behind the persona in everyone you meet.” − Peggy L. Deblois, Author of The Toll Road North
“Monroe spins a fascinating story of four young men who grow up together during the fifties and sixties, while striving to overcome difficult childhoods, personal challenges, and the temptations that society provides. This is a compelling story that the reader will be hard pressed to put down until they reach the end of the story!” − Diane Madden, Co-author of The Story of Neeps and Tattie
“From their meager childhoods through their adolescent rise to fame and ultimate stardom, the four friends in Robert Monroe’s Bungalow Terrace teach us that who we choose to make music with in this life is what matters. As we lose ourselves in the complex inner struggles of each character, the demands—and tolls, of their friendship and successes, it’s clear we’re in the hands of a storyteller who knows his subject and his audience.” – Danette Laver, Author of Chasing Aces
“If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a rock star, the story of Bungalow Terrace, a boys’ band from a working-class neighborhood, will shake you up and leave you wondering whether talent is a blessing or a curse. With his debut novel, Robert Monroe, a former casting director, delivers a story so finely tuned readers will want to sway with the music and sing the lyrics of “The Midnight Wind” and “Season of Loneliness,” two hits by Vince, Steve, Kevin, and David, the scrappy boys who met on a playground, discovered their talent, and defied gravity. Monroe’s Bungalow Terrace may forever change the way you view fame and fortune.” − Irene M. Drago, Author of Daughters of Long Reach, The Maine Point, and Lavinia Wren and the Sailmakers