Renewals by Gregory F. DeLaurier
Welcome to today’s stop on the Renewals book tour with iRead Book Tours! I’m excited to review this gritty, character-driven novel by Gregory F. DeLaurier. Set in a decaying small town hollowed out by corruption and despair, Renewals digs deep into what it means to fight back—one imperfect step at a time.
Part literary fiction, part amateur sleuth mystery, and entirely heartfelt, this novel follows Richard and a misfit group of allies who dare to push against the rot. It’s not an easy story, but it’s a necessary one—and I’m glad to share it with you today.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Lauren at iRead Book Tours for the opportunity to participate in this tour.
Quick Summary:
Set in a gritty, working-class town on the brink of collapse, Renewals by Gregory F. DeLaurier blends literary fiction with a sharp edge of crime and social commentary. As Richard returns home, he’s drawn into a community hollowed out by corruption, apathy, and neglect. But this isn’t just another whodunit—it’s a raw, emotional look at what happens when broken people try to rebuild something worth saving.
Giveaway:
Win an author autographed copy of RENEWALS (one winner) (USA only) (ends June 13)
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Renewals by Gregory F. DeLaurier #LiteraryFiction #AmateurSleuths #Redemption #iReadBookTours #Gregory.DeLaurier
Book Details
Renewals
By Gregory F. Delaurier
Published by Indpendently Published on 02/20/2025
Genres: Adult Fiction 18+, Amateur Sleuth, Literary Fiction
Formats: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 278
When academic Richard returns to his hometown he discovers a scam that has ruined the city, he must unite his friends and family to uncover the truth, but this pits him against the scam’s architect, aging but violent drug kingpin Giacomo Duchamps, who could destroy everyone Richard loves should he fail.
Renewals captures the nature of a hardscrabble small town and those who live and struggle there, in this pitch perfect tale of corruption and renewal. It tells not only of the renewal of a city, but of people as well: a sexually abused young woman searching for autonomy, a young ex-con seeking redemption, and others.
Source: iRead Book Tours, Kindle Unlimited
Content Rating: The book is rated R for one attempted child sexual abuse, not explicit, and violence. There is adult language throughout.
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Purchase Links for Renewals
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Purchase Renewals online from your local bookstore.
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My Review: Raw Fiction That Resonates
This isn’t your typical small-town redemption story. Renewals dives deep into the emotional and physical wreckage left by years of neglect. Gregory F. DeLaurier captures the harsh reality of urban decay and disillusionment with unflinching honesty. You can practically feel the weight pressing down on the town—its boarded-up buildings, its tired people, its aching silence.
And yet, buried in that bleakness is something far more powerful: unlikely heroism. Richard isn’t your traditional protagonist. He’s weary, conflicted, and sometimes just as lost as the people he’s trying to help. But that’s what makes his journey so relatable. He doesn’t storm in with answers—he listens, connects, and slowly rediscovers purpose. The same can be said for his companions, each fighting their own battles, each contributing in flawed but meaningful ways.
This is the kind of character-driven fiction that doesn’t flinch. The town in Renewals isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a full-on metaphor for lives left behind by failed systems and bad deals. If you’ve ever loved stories rooted in blue-collar communities or fiction that shines a light on urban decline, this book will resonate. The redemption arc doesn’t come easy, but when it does, it hits hard.
What really struck me was the theme of redemption through community. It’s not just about saving a town—it’s about people learning to trust again, even when it feels safer to give up. This book reminds us that fighting back against apathy doesn’t require grand gestures. Sometimes, it’s as simple as standing up, reaching out, or believing change is still possible, even when hope hurts.
Renewals is a thoughtful blend of gritty crime fiction, literary realism, and socially conscious storytelling. The slow-burn plot and deeply flawed characters make it perfect for fans of small-town fiction and emotional tales that explore trauma, healing, and unexpected hope.
If you love small-town fiction with a punch of crime, emotional depth, and the kind of character development that lingers long after the final chapter, this one’s for you. Fans of redemption arcs, found-family dynamics, and social commentary will find plenty to connect with.
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review represents my honest and unbiased opinion.
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I love to read books through my Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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I'm a retired college professor who has returned to his first love, fiction writing. My first fiction publication was when I was thirteen, in a contest for high-schoolers: Brother's pants held up by pin Father's shoes too large Poverty is sad Not bad for thirteen. But then, I entered academia after four years in the Air Force. Pretty good publishing success, but not really fulfilling. I live in Melrose, MA (lovely town). I have a daughter in her 40s who lives in Brooklyn and has a job I don't understand with the Municipal Art Society, and a 21 year old son attending Berklee College of Music (the age difference is a long story). I enjoy long walks on the beach and cooking (a lie, I hate both, but I do play a pretty good guitar). So keep in touch. New to this novel writing, and (polite) feedback is welcome. Peace Gregory F. DelaurierAbout Gregory F. Delaurier
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Guest Post from the author of Renewals
Gregory F. DeLaurier shares the real-life inspiration behind his novel Renewals—a story deeply rooted in his hometown’s history and his belief in second chances.
How I Came to Write This Novel
The idea for this novel has floated around my brain for many years. I grew up in a small, working-class city in northern New York. While not a wealthy place it had a thriving downtown, with stores, restaurants, bars, a movie theater. On any Saturday it would be packed with shoppers and teenagers, like myself, hanging out. But in the early 1970s it got ‘Urban Renewaled’; all the buildings were torn down and replaced by new ugly buildings and for some reason a huge wall around the whole area. It was meant to be a pedestrian mall, but noone came and the downtown died.
This has always bothered me, and so I thought a fictional account of why this happened, complete with graft, corruption, and bad guys might work. The book follows the main protagonist Richard, an academic who has returned to his hometown, as he and a motley crew of new and old friends investigate what happened, at their own risk from a ‘gang that couldn’t shoot straight’ array of villains.
Richard, Brenda (a friend hardened by life), Itchy (a gay guitar genius), Theresa (a sexually abused and exploited young woman), Marat (a young ex-con) do indeed uncover what happened as the tale follows their amateur sleuthing, and hopefully renewal of the city.
However I chose the title RenewalS as this is the story of not only the renewal of a city but of people as well. I’ve always rooted for the underdog, and there are many of them here, who for many reasons find themselves on the down side of life.
To me, the most interesting character in the story is Theresa. Sexually abused by her father, tortured by her mother, she is rescued by her cousin Teddy (the subject of the novel’s Prologue). But as she matures she is sexually exploited by him, pimped out to a rapacious old crook named Leonard Vivelamore for whom Teddy works. Richard rescues her, but traumatized as she is, Teddy still holds sway over her and convinces her to tell him what Richard and his pals are up to. She is found out and returns to Teddy. But finally, not easily and not without misgivings, she breaks free of him and slowly discovers her own autonomy.
I grew to love and admire Theresa, yet others follow their own path to renewal. Marat, with the support of Richard, discovers he is able and intelligent. Brenda leaves her regrets behind and opens up to life. Richard’s corrupt brother, in on the doings of the crooks, repents and shows both courage and bravery.
There are other tales of renewal, but I will save them for readers to discover.
In all, Renewals is serious but leavened with a great deal of humor. It is more than a who-done-it (though that is there). It is also a meditation on hope and life.
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Giveaway!
Win an author autographed copy of RENEWALS (one winner) (USA only) (ends June 13)
Please visit more stops on the tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for Renewals
Full Tour Schedule:
May 19 - Liese's Blog – book spotlight
May 19 - Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's – book review / guest post / giveaway
May 20 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
May 21 – @ adriftinfictionalworld – book review / giveaway
May 22 – Frugal Freelancer – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
May 27 – @Leannebookstagram – book review
May 28 – Bigreadersite – book review / giveaway
May 28 - Deal Sharing Aunt – book review / author interview / giveaway
May 29 – Cover Lover Book Review – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 2 – Happily Managing a Household of Boys – book review / giveaway
June 3 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book review / guest post / giveaway
June 3 - Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway
June 3 - FUONLYKNEW - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 4 – Country Mamas With Kids – book review / author interview / giveaway
June 5 – GetUrBook – book review / author interview / giveaway
June 6 – Ilovebooksandstuffblog – book spotlight / giveaway
TBD – gluedtobook – book review / giveaway
RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier Book Tour Giveaway
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Book Title: RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier
Category: Adult Fiction (18+), 276 pages
Genre: literary fiction, amateur sleuths
Publisher: Independently published/Gregory F. DeLaurier
Release date: February 2025
Tour dates: May 19 to June 6, 2025
Content Rating: R. My book is rated R for one attempted child sexual abuse, not explicit. There is adult language throughout.
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This looks like an awesome read. Thanks for sharing.