A Gripping Tale of Brotherhood...
In an evocative follow-up to his Los Angeles Times bestselling Arroyo, Chip Jacobs returns with a gripping tale of brotherhood, recklessness, and footloose souls in the anything goes of late-seventies Southern California.
As their elite, all-boys prep school turns coed, transforming from suburban Lord of the Flies to gender-roiled soap-opera, two unlikely friends—Luke Burnett and Denny Drummond—alternate rescuing each other from self-destruction amid troubled home lives. Eager to maximize their era as invincible seniors at Stone Canyon Prep, they and their pals commandeer Bob’s Big Boy, explore the secret world beneath Caltech, stumble into a possibly-supernatural lab animal, and grapple with near-ODs at a playoff game. Just as our heroes manage to graduate, their bond is shattered by a wild gunshot that'll haunt them for decades.
Twenty years later, Luke is a high-powered journalist with a nosediving career, Denny a visionary software engineer with plenty of explaining to do, when Denny is socked with devastating news. Desperate to make amends for that misbegotten shot while he can, he guilts his estranged friend into helping him, climaxing with an unforgettable meeting with Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross to decode what mortality means, while reconnecting with what matters most.
Later Days is a powerful exploration of the ties that bind and break us. Perfect for readers drawn to rollercoaster friendships, forgiveness, and the raw beauty of life skimming its edges to Near-Death Experience. With insight into Pasadena’s buried histories and the psychological baggage of growing up in the shadows of “Great Men” fathers, Jacobs’ second novel is as emotionally resonant as it is intellectually sharp.
* Vroman’s Bookstore No. 1 Bestseller
* “Emotional and brilliantly written … One of the most compelling and honest coming of age stories that I’ve read … This one’s special” – Book Reviewer David Morgan
* “A powerful portrait … that simmers with maturity, life expectations and dreams, and satisfyingly unexpected evolution” – Midwest Book Review
* “Heartfelt, sharply observed story about friendship, forgiveness, and the fragile line between youth’s invincibility and adulthood’s reckoning … — Moving, smart, and unforgettable” – Cassies Book Reviews
* “With a style that stirs echoes of early John Irving, Jacobs hands us a roadmap, a flashlight, and a cold Mickey’s Big Mouth, leading us through the underground tunnels of our adolescence” – author Shannon Capps
* “Later Days is more than a novel, it’s a reminder that even after everything falls apart, there’s still room for grace, humor, and second chances” – Book Reviewer Nurse Jackie
* “From wild teenage nights to the hard truths of adulthood, this story blends humor, heartbreak, and hope in a way that lingers long after the final page“ – Book Reviewer Marilyn Gon
* “Jacobs has created a lyrical coming of age mottled with the complexities and fragility of growing up…a compelling tale of … the bond that ties us forever” – For the Love of the Page
* “Humor, drama, and a poignant coming-of-age tale … an enthralling read” – Readers’ Favorite
* “The writing here is not just immersive, but also deeply emotional and raw; we are not just spectators, but we feel “ – Book Reviewer Susan J. Ballard
MEDIA & AUTHOR ESSAYS …
* Interview – Drinks with Tony
* “The Tree and the Voice and Writing a Novel” – Essay /Writers Digest
* “Famous Interviews with Joe Domino” – Podcast
* “Musing Time” Interview – Instagram Live with Diana Daniele
* “Books and More with William Cooper” – William Cooper podcast
* “The Best Coming-of-Age Books That Take Me Back to My Own Adolescence” – Essay / Shepherd
* “The Lost Art of Album Release Parties” – Essay / Boomer magazine
* “The Liberty and Tragedy of Greatest-Generation Parents” – Essay / Suddenly Senior
* Later Days Interview – Chapter Break Book Blog
* “In ‘Later Days,’ Chip Jacobs draws on Pasadena and La Canada Flintridge’s past” – Southern California News Group
* “Larry Wilson: Chip Jacobs’ New Novel: ‘Later Days’: Prep Before it was Prep” – Southern California News Group
APPEARANCES …
* “Local Author Chip Jacobs to Join Friday’s Episode of ‘Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman” – Pasadena Now