From Afar

Stanley Morgan is looking for love. all.in.the.wrong.places.

How does an ordinary, nice guy find his soulmate? He's already been burned but determined to find the love of his life.

You can't help but become emotionally invested in Stanley's quest for love. You really want him to find someone. The characters he meets both on his way to Russia and while he is there are pretty crazy. I kept groaning over his lack of discernment with women in different situations.

I've been wanting to go to St. Petersburg for a while and was interested in his first-time experiences in the city.

Although this was a simply written book (with plenty of spelling mistakes) I could not put the book down. I kept thinking "this would make a great movie with someone like Tom Hanks playing the lead role").

A great vacation read, especially on the plane. Note: avoid the vodka.

Morgan Stanfield has been unlucky in love and this story is his journey in search of a love that he knows few ever find. Heading to Russia, Morgan is looking for his soul mate from an internet dating site. I won't tell you what he finds, but I will tell readers they will have a great time as they join Morgan. First of all I loved the character, Morgan is a romantic with some underlying depression and he touches your heart. Secondly the story is well told. The author did a great job making the reader feel like they too, walked through the streets of Russia. This is a great story that is well written and will stay with your heart and soul long after the last page has turned and the cover has closed.

influence my perception of the work. That being said, I'm in love with love. I'm the kind of guy who starts every relationship with my doe eyes covered by rose-tinted glasses and proclamations that she's the one. I've rushed every relationship that I've ever had, and those close to me will give you the look to let you know that I am still very much understating this. So when I read the description for Frank Scozzari's From Afar (man travels to Russia in search of love), I expect the kind of fantasy romance that I envision with every woman that I have committed myself to.

However, From Afar is far from your standard romance novel, and it is its deviations from standard that truly make it shine.

Morgan Stanfield is a man in his thirties who puts the "hopeless" in "hopeless romantic." The beginning of the book details some of his misadventures in love before he attempts to travel to Russia in order to meet his Russian Mail Order Bride. I promise this is much more tasteful than it sounds. Stanfield is a nice guy, desperate and misguided, in love with being in love, but nice nonetheless.

During his search for the one, we glimpse into his state of mind. Many pictures are given with detailed and/or suggestive implications, but Stanfield, being the romantic that he is, is much more interested in their eyes and their ideas than their bodies. His adventures in Russia turn out to be much different than either Stanfield or the reader imagined, aided along by wit and a series of interesting side characters, each with their special brand of charm.

The writing itself can be rather plain at times, but that seems to work in favor of From Afar as one of the things that I feel is particularly interesting about the book is the depth of sincerity that every passage is scripted with. What sentence and scene lack in flair, they more than make up for in honesty and actuality. An example of what I mean by this occurs fairly early on in the book with Stanfield detailing his past heartbreak. He states that whenever people split, their friends do too, with each revealing their true loyalty—an observation that anyone over the age of twenty-something can sympathize with. Many men can craft poetry with words, but it is a tremendous credit to Scozzari's talent that he can craft them through the actions of his story.

For a book as entertaining as it is honest, check out From Afar by Frank Scozzari, it is well worth your time.

In Frank Scozzari’s novel, From Afar, Californian Morgan Stanfield travels to Russia in the search for true love. It was interesting following Stanfield’s trek towards love, from his unlucky attempts at American online dating to his soulmate search in St. Petersburg. Stanfield is a very introspective character, and Scozzari does a great job of crafting Stanfield’s musings in the protagonist’s first-person narrative. Scozzari did a lot of research in St. Petersburg to write this book, and I enjoyed subtly learning about the city as I read the novel. The book has a pleasant conversational feel to it. From Afar shows that the quest for love can be both beautiful and bittersweet.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Looking at the cover and blurb, I expected a read that was interesting, though a little dry. Big was my surprise that From Afar was actually hugely entertaining. I particularly laughed out loud when Russian beauty Anastasia takes her new-found 'boyfriend' on a shopping spree, picks out the most expensive items, expects him to pay for it, and then scolds him because he let her buy clothing that she later considers not pretty enough.
But From Afar is also a sad story as it shows how far a man can go in his quest for love. You totally get his feelings of loneliness and abandonment as he is left to fend for himself in this far-away city.
A beautiful story of life and love.

As someone who usually doesn’t read anything unless it’s in the Sci fi or fantasy genre, this book surprised me and I enjoyed it. It did a great job as an internal narrative of a man looking for love after a very lonely existence, and I found that I related to him pretty quickly. It had the right amount of humor in the beginning and didn’t weigh too heavily on the depressed guy aspect. I found myself really tearing through the middle part of the book, as our main man heads off to find his love in a foreign country. I really enjoyed pretty much his entire time there, and found myself considering visiting Russia in the future the more I read…
But for all that it has going for it, I wasn’t sure where the ending was going felt sort of underwhelmed when it happened. The last few chapters were heavy on the introspective thoughts about love and loss, depression and happiness, and it got sort of dry. I can’t blame the guy, really, he just had a really depressing past few days. All in all, I will be talking about this book to others because it was a fun story and recommend it.

From Afar is an embracing and insightful story about a man's search for true love. As the story unfolds and progresses, it embarks on a journey filled with seemingly unfortunate events that lead to a more profound realization of what true love is. It presents one's utmost intention of finding true love that could cross bridges or defy distance. Filled with historical accounts and poetic references, this book is deliberately written to challenge the reader's imagination and literary comprehension. Indeed, it is an exemplary piece from the author.

Biggest takeaway I got from this book - online dating is for the birds.

Morgan is just looking for love - online dating in the US didn't do it for him, so he started looking for a Russian bride. Problem was, there was no such thing as a sincere woman looking for the love of her life. And despite negativity from his friends, he goes to Russia, expecting to meet the woman of his dreams.

All Morgan found was cold weather, expensive shops, and a woman who only wanted his money. He could have found that here in the US :)

I liked Frank's book - go a little too descriptive, but nice if you are ever going to Russia and want to know what to go see.

The search for love is the eternal struggle that has plagued the world for generations. From Afar by Frank Scozzari takes a look at the modern day search for love with online dating sites and international searches.
The story opens with a man, Morgan, who is looking for love. He has tried all the dating sites and on a whim, he tries a Russian bride site. He finds Natasha and “falls in love” and when he contacts her, she politely declines because she has already found someone. He then finds someone else and is determined to go to Russia and meet her. All his friends thinks he’s crazy and warn him about the dangers and scams that these sites can hide but he is determined to find love, even if he has to travel thousands of miles. When he arrives in Russia, nothing is to his expectations. He learns that foreigners get charged one price while locals get charged another. He travels around the city of Moscow and learns about the beautiful and tragic history of the Russian people. He meets Anastasia, who is only after his money, thinking that all Americans are rich like on TV. He becomes discouraged until he meets an older married couple who like to discuss the works of Alexander Pushkin who discusses the eternal struggle of love. Will Morgan ever find love?
I enjoyed this book immensely. I enjoyed the setting and the contradiction that is Russia. As the author puts it: a conundrum of love and war, friendly and unfriendly, warm and cold, laughter and tears, the hero and the villain. I enjoyed that this story wasn’t a typical romance story where man travels of miles, falls in love and they live happily after. From Afar leaves the audience with thought provoking ideas about love and how the world sees love. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a great and atypical love story.

Frank Scozzari has a very unique voice, which I really think is the strength of this book. You really feel like you connect with the main character, Morgan because there is something very personal about the writing. I also loved the setting choices and how the setting was like another character in the story as opposed to just a place.
It was also a quick read, which was nice. There is a lot of emotion in this book and I think that it can really be enjoyed by both men and women. Looking forward to seeing what Scozzari will do next.

Men discover love through their eyes, or at least that's what Morgan believes as he leaves America to find love in Russia. Life can teach harsh lessons and often does. Not my usual genre of choice, but I have to say I really liked this well constructed and beautifully crafted story of love loss and betrayal. I was sufficiently impressed to encourage my wife to read the novel, and she's enjoying it as much as I did. A great book that would make an excellent film.

The main character in From Afar reminded me at times of a Woody Allen type character. Morgan is pretty desperate when it comes to women. He is a hopeless romantic. Often while reading the story, I wanted to stop Morgan from making a stupid mistake and getting himself into trouble, again. The story engaged me completely. I felt like I had been to St. Petersburg from the detailed description. I wanted it to end more happily, but the ending fit everything Morgan had experienced in his search for love-in all the wrong places.

In "From Afar," Frank Scozzari explores how far we should go in search of love. After unsuccessfully trying online dating services, Morgan, the protagonist, decides to search for his soul mate on a Russian web site. Looking at pictures of beautiful women and reading about their expectations seems like an easy way to find the right relationship. This journey will take him to Russia where his search for love will have many twists and turns. I kept turning pages to see if Morgan would reach his goal of finding love. A must read for everyone searching for love.

Frank is a fantastic author! This book has you really thinking about online dating and marriage! I do online dating as well but reading this book has me thinking otherwise.

Morgan's (the online dater) buddies on the other hand should let him decide if it's right for him...it is his life after all.

Frank, overall this is a very good read and I highly recommend purchasing and reading it!!!

From Russia without love. The majority of the book is spent in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, Russia. It is during a very cold winter. Having been there myself, I can say that it is an intriguing and confusing place, such beauty and such coldness. The main character is attempting to find someone to love in a far off land where many have tried before - and have lost. Instead he finds friendships with real people and maybe that is the lesson, beauty is only skin deep.

After reading the synopsis for From Afar, I was intrigued. It's not everyday you get to read a romance novel written from a male's perspective.

And Morgan Stanfield is a true romantic, i.e. in love with being in love. Although I didn't always agree with Morgan's idea's about love I couldn't help but sympathize with him. As desperate and gullible as he was, I also found him to be courageous and honest. That honesty was the most captivating part of the book for me.

And then there was Russia. I’ve never given much thought to Russia ( I'm more of a Venice kind of girl ), but now I think I’d like to see snow falling down around a cathedral someday ...

To sum up, From Afar is a modern romance tale that never gives up hope. I recommend this book to anyone whose ever been lonely, lost, or disillusioned and to anyone whose curious about Russia.

I received a copy of “From Afar” in exchange for an honest review, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Morgan Stanfield’s often emotional journey, later set in vivid detail in the streets of St. Petersburg, Russia, quickly captured my attention. And Mr. Scozzari’s wit and sarcasm had me laughing out loud. It was a quick, fun and thoroughly entertaining read. I highly recommend it!

My sincere compliments to Mr. Scozzari. He writes very well and knows how to hold a reader's interest. It sounds as though this man knows Russia well. He takes one on journeys in that faraway country and describes places and things with confidence and clarity. He also develops his main character, Morgan, very clearly. Without divulging too much of the story, let me say that if a man were really looking for true love, he'd be wise to look just about anywhere other than here. Even Russia offers interesting possibilities in this fine and descriptive novel.

I loved the tale of Morgan Stanfield and his quest to find love. I was upset that he didn't find Natasha, his first choice, and got excited when he seemed to see her twice but had no luck finding her. I'd love to find out what happened after he got back to California! There were twists and turns and although he didn't find love in the end, he seemed to find peace. I would recommend this book to everyone. It was great! Makala Thomas xXx

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From Afar, is the story of a desperate American man’s search for love which takes all the way to Russia, a country proving to be a minefield, especially as regards dating. I liked the way the story were written and the obvious wit that characterized it. I don’t know if he is writing from personal experience, or from pure imagination, but I enjoyed his take on “dating from afar” and the murky world of mail-order-brides from Russia. It is very easy to read and each page leaves you wanting to read more. A very entertaining read.

This is a driving, well-written romance that starts with a man pursuing superficial characteristics in Russian women and ends with some surprisingly deep reflections about the nature of love. As you'd expect, he encounters angst and deception along the way, but comes out of the experience stronger. Dating sites are involved.

Definitely a decent, quality read that makes the author worthy of keeping tabs on.

Have you ever internet dated? This is an incredible story of one man's search for true love, but what he finds and falls
for along his journey will make you laugh and long for him to find that true heart. Great history and dialogue writing. A very well and thought out masterpiece of what we all long for. I want to play the doorman at the hotel when the movie is in production. A must read for anyone who has ever been searching for love.

This story, set in beautiful St. Petersburg, Russia intrigued me since I am planning to visit this iconic city this summer. I wanted to get a glimpse of it, and this story did not disappoint. This unconventional love story about a man on a quest for love had me engaged from the first paragraph. It also had me laughing, and rooting for Morgan, the protagonist, a down-on-his-luck regular Joe. One word of warning: this is not a traditional romance, but it’s worth the read!!

My sincere and true compliments to the author : Frank Scozzari, he makes you travel a lot
and provides an excellent description of great characters.
His remarkable book gives me the sincere wish to make a trip to Russia but without
having Plans to meet any woman!
Too stressing and sometimes even dangerous!
My true appreciation to the author and I hope to read another novel from Frank Scozzari
real soon.

In "From Afar," Frank Scozzari explores how far we should go in search of love. After unsuccessfully trying online dating services, Morgan, the protagonist, decides to search for his soul mate on a Russian web site. Looking at pictures of beautiful women and reading about their expectations seems like an easy way to find the right relationship. This journey will take him to Russia where his search for love will have many twists and turns. I kept turning pages to see if Morgan would reach his goal of finding love. A must read for everyone searching for love.

I loved the tale of Morgan Stanfield and his quest to find love. I was upset that he didn't find Natasha, his first choice, and got excited when he seemed to see her twice but had no luck finding her. I'd love to find out what happened after he got back to California! There were twists and turns and although he didn't find love in the end, he seemed to find peace. I would recommend this book to everyone. It was great! Makala Thomas xXx

As a millennial, the book clearly depicts the modern way of how most people found love (near or from afar): the digital way! I like how this story is fictional but very realistic in every way! I feel like I know at least 5 people going through the same thing/process. The way the author wrote the story is very easy to read. I have read pages after pages and very fascinated with the main characters. A must read!

It is hard to categorize Frank Scozzari’s From Afar, a romance cum travelogue cum philosophical treatise on love. Scozzari has done a remarkable job however you brand it. The narrator, Morgan Stanfield is a Mench, a regular guy. He wants to find love—true love—and has been thwarted, cheated on, and swindled once too many times. Morgan is dumbfounded by the beauty, and domesticity of Russian girls he finds online. After a couple of false starts, he finds himself on an Aeroflot jet to Saint Petersburg, finally to meet the girl, well one of several girls of his dreams. Things miscarry and Morgan is left to wonder and wander about the beautiful if frigid “Venice of the North.”
The misgivings of long-distance love all prove too real, and Morgan leaves Mother Russia sadder, poorer, by infinitely wiser. He finds good hearts and wise heads among those he meets, some musing on Eugene Onegin and his preference for love from Afar.
I enjoyed the book immensely. A little weltschmertz is probably good for us all, a little humiliation for the cause of love probably inevitable, as well. The protagonist comes off as a good guy with good intentions who learns much of himself in this sojourn in a frigid metropolis. The author’s familiarity lends a real feeling of authenticity. I heartily recommend this book.