Books- The Men We Become by Richard Hugh Blackford

Four Jamaican men - each shaped by loss, mistakes, and the quiet ache of unrealized dreams, board a Caribbean cruise without knowing their lives are about to be profoundly changed.
Andrew, 65, is starting over after two divorces and years of emotional and financial strain.
Stewart, 66, the charming bachelor, hides behind laughter and “visiting relationships,” terrified of becoming the father he never had.
Keith, 61, still grieving the death of his beloved wife, clings to memories that keep him alive, and keep him stuck.
Ralston, 63, a gifted chef estranged from his children, lives in the kitchen because it’s easier than living with the truth.
Separated by geography, histories, and pain, they are brought together on the open sea—drawn not by coincidence, but by the magnetic pull of shared humanity.
Through shared meals, late-night talks, island excursions, and quiet moments of truth, the men unravel the fears that held them hostage for decades:
the fear of being forgotten, Fear of failing their children, Fear of letting go, Fear of being seen, Fear of not being enough
What begins as polite cruise-table chatter grows into deep brotherhood—one that carries them beyond the ship, back into their everyday lives, and into the possibility of forgiveness, reconnection, and renewed purpose.
Set against the vivid backdrop of the Caribbean, this novel is a tender, triumphant celebration of aging, male vulnerability, Caribbean identity, and the healing power of connection.
This is the story of four men who thought their best years were behind them until they discovered the courage to begin again.