"Ten Days in Paradise," by Linda Abbott

"A fantastic, thought-provoking debut novel." Family and relationships are given a deft touch by author Linda Abbott in this moving novel set in Florida's gulf coast. Read on!

Ten Days In Paradise, by Linda Abbott
Price: $3.99 $1.99 (save 50%)
345 pages, with a 4.3-star rating from 61 reviews

"This is by far one of the best books I have read this year. I was truly impressed with the number of characters and story lines … I was even more impressed when I discovered that this book is a debut book for this author. No character was shown as perfect however; which I found kind of refreshing. Each and every one had their own idiosyncrasies and problems but they also all had their own triumphs and capabilities as well. A truly well-rounded story … I would gladly recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a truly awesome book set in an awe-inspiring locale. Two thumbs up for Ms. Abbott." -- Amazon reviewer

Vacationing on beautiful Sanibel Island off Florida’s Gulf Coast, Ellen Bennett has never felt so guilty—or more alive.

This wasn’t the way things were supposed to turn out. The 45-year-old successful career woman, wife and mother traveled to the island paradise for solitude and a much-needed break from her family. But a chance encounter with a fellow traveler sparks a powerful attraction, forcing Ellen to make a decision that could change her life forever.

Against an idyllic backdrop of white sand beaches, azure waters and lush palms, Ellen struggles to subdue a firestorm of emotions. David, the father of three young children, confronts the fault lines in his own marriage that lead to a stunning revelation.

Their relationship unfolds as David’s family gathers on Sanibel to celebrate their parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Tensions are running high. David’s mother is worried about her husband’s strange behavior and inexplicable memory lapses. His sisters, Julia, an over-achieving corporate exec, and Maggie, a hard-partying renegade who just announced she’s gay and leaving her husband, haven’t spoken for months.

On the island, a small congregation battles to save a beloved seaside chapel to make room for a lavish oceanfront mansion. Ellen takes up the cause when she meets 76-year-old Liz Taylor, a vivacious widow with a sparkling wit and a secret passion of her own.

A compelling and heartfelt novel, Ten Days in Paradise masterfully explores the inner landscapes of marriage and family relationships.


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Meet the Author

Linda Abbott's love for Sanibel Island shines through her debut novel, Ten Days In Paradise. Though she worked for many years as a professional writer—first as an award-winning journalist and then in public relations—Linda is a late bloomer to fiction. She found the muse while vacationing on Sanibel, where she wrote the opening chapters of her novel. Linda's writing career took another turn last year when she founded Never Forget Legacies & Tributes to write life story books for individuals and families. She feels blessed to have two new careers and can't wait to get started on her next novel. A Chicago native, she lives in Middleton, Wisconsin with her husband.

"The Unheralded King of Preston Plains Middle," by Jedah Mayberry

The Unheralded King of Preston Plains Middle, by Jedah Mayberry
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330 pages, with a 4.6-star rating from 11 reviews

"It's a rare novel that captures the entire tapestry of a family history. The Unheralded King of Preston Plains Middle is one of those books. Though the story is about a young boy's entry into manhood in the midst of tragedy, it is also about the men and women whose lives intertwined in order to allow his story to exist. Jedah Mayberry has written a novel that will sit among the likes of The Known World by Edward P. Jones, Sula by Toni Morrison, and The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat. In other words, The Unheralded King of Preston Plains is a marvelous and ambitious first novel, and Jedah Mayberry is a writer to keep your eyes on." -- Amazon reviewer

A lushly told reflection on a young man's passage into manhood
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From irascible patriarch Alonzo "Grandpa Tuke" Tooker on down, the Hopkins family -- altruistic Dottie, dissatisfied Chester, and their sons Langston and Trajan -- are no typical residents of the Thames River Valley town of Preston, Connecticut. This is perhaps most true of Langston, a boy whose peers declare him to be the "King of Preston Plains Middle School": a vibrant young man dedicated to his dream of competing in Olympic-level Tae Kwon Do, as well as to his growing passion for his beautiful classmate Angelica Chu.

Yet when a terrible accident brings Langston's Olympic dreams to an abrupt close, Trajan Hopkins, the family's youngest son, must learn to cope alone with the coming trials of adult life: his slowly changing relationship with self-destructing childhood friends, his initiation into the world of women at the hands of a former teacher, and his growing awareness of the risky world outside his family's circle within the shadow of a Haitian drug lord's operation and the often-threatening local police who watch over it.

Jedah Mayberry's The Unheralded King of Preston Plains Middle marks the debut of a striking new voice in American fiction: intelligent, richly cadenced, slyly funny, and deeply thoughtful about what it means to be a son, a father, and a man.

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Jedah Mayberry's is an emerging fiction writer, born in New York, raised in southeastern, CT, the backdrop for his fiction debut, The Unheralded King of Preston Plains Middle (March 2013, River Grove Books). He was a top ten finalist for the 2013 Best New Author Award sponsored by the National Black Book Festival. He also garnered honorable mention in Glimmer Trains April 2012 Family Matters Short Story Contest. He currently resides with his wife and teenage daughters in Austin, TX.

Discover the "Gastien" series by Caddy Rowland

Looking for a new series to get lost in? Discover Caddy Rowland's engaging series about Gastien and the Beauchamps family, appealing to lovers of historical fiction, drama, family sagas, and psychological novels.

Gastien Part 1: The Cost of the Dream (The Gastien Series), by Caddy Rowland

"What is Gastien? What is a family saga? I didn't know either of these things at first, but it sounded interesting. It was so much better than interesting though. This review will never come close enough to how this book made me felt, but I will try.

Have you ever had a goal in life, one that no matter what, you would never give up on? Were you in a position in life that stated, by almost everyone, you'll never make it? That was Gastien's world. Born to a bitter and abusive father, in order to accomplish his dream of painting, he must run and never return home. He was a dreamer who refused to quit, and he will take himself to the most bitter edge of starvation to accomplish it. When others would say `I would rather eat' or `I would rather live somewhere nice', he chooses to never give up and use that money for his art. Foolish or brilliant?

Gastien will rise and fall multiple times. When will he get his ultimate dream? A job? When will he at least get off the streets? Just when you think `he's okay', it all comes crashing down again. Just like in life, you never know what to expect in this book. You could be crying emotionally for three pages at a time, and then the next start bouncing with joy. It is a rollercoaster ride that I do not want to get off of. I think my heart will break a little when the journey is finally over.

This book is sexually charged. Besides painting and art, Gastien is definitely about the sex. That is who he is though, without it, this book would not be the same. Having such a hard time as a child, growing up to love is tough. Sex is a substitute to feel wanted and warm. I have a feeling the second book is really going to be putting Gastien to a test, if the summary is anything close to it!

The highest I can rate it is five. However to me, this is one of the best books I have read in years. It will be a long time before another book will be able to take its place." -- "Trying to Live” Book Blog

When young Gastien Beauchamp flees the farm for Paris, the late nineteenth century bohemian era is in full swing. Color has always called to him, beseeching him to capture it on canvas and show people a new way of seeing things. His father belittled his dream of being an artist and tried to beat him into giving it up. The dream wouldn’t die, but Gastien would have had he not left.

He also yearns to become a great lover. After the years of anguish he has endured at the hand of his father, it would be heaven to feel pleasure instead of pain.

However, the city of Paris has a ruthless agenda. Unless a man has money and connections, Paris unfeelingly crushes dreams and destroys souls. With neither of the required assets, Gastien faces living in alleys, digging in trash bins for food, and sleeping where a man is often killed for his threadbare blanket.

Left with only his dreams, Gastien stubbornly pushes on. He vows that absolutely nothing will stop him, not yet realizing what keeping that vow might mean. Sometimes the “impossible” is possible – but the cost can be extremely high.

This historical fiction novel is book 1 of a 5 book drama/family saga for adults (The Gastien Series). Each book can stand on its own, but is most compelling read in order.

Historic people, places, events and things mentioned: Impressionism, bohemia, Acdémie Julian, bourgeois, Crémerie Restaurant Polidor, absinthe, hashish, L'Estaque, Le Procope, Montmartre, Notre Dame de Paris, artist, gentry, peasant


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Meet the Author

Caddy Rowland grew up with a stack of books that almost reached the ceiling before she was five. Books, along with her vivid imagination, have always been some of her closest friends.

She lives with her husband, who was her high school sweetheart. They are owned by two parrots. Besides being a writer, she is an artist. One can often find her "makin' love to the color" (painting) with loud music blaring.

Her goal as an author is to make readers laugh, cry, think, and become intimately connected with her main characters. She writes dramatic novels showcasing the sublime joy and bitter tragedy of being human.



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"Three Days on Mimosa Lane," by Anna DeStefano

Three Days on Mimosa Lane (A Seasons of the Heart Novel), by Anna DeStefano

“A beautifully wrought, intense story of courage, strength and love…One of the best books I've read all year. Anna DeStefano is a rare talent, able to blend marrow-deep love with family drama in an intense, gripping story.” -- Kristan Higgins, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author

One day can change your life forever…Three days change a painful past into a beautiful tomorrow…

Once, Sam Perry had it all. A loving marriage, an amazing job she adored as a preschool teacher, and a beautiful home. She was safe, happy and secure.

Then the unthinkable happened…

Watching his once carefree wife withdraw into herself was almost more than Brian Perry could handle. The only thing that kept him going was knowing that he loved her more than life itself. Moving her out of New York to Chandlerville, a small, quiet suburb of Atlanta, felt right. Anything, to get her away from the memories of the buildings, and her world, crashing around her.

Now, two sons and many years later, Sam cherishes the new life on Mimosa Lane that Brian built for them.

Until lightning strikes twice…

Called a hero by her small community, Sam feels more like a coward than ever. Instinct draws her into an altercation at her children’s school—an instinct that also drives her away from the warm cocoon of her family.

Brian refuses to lose his wife again. He agrees to give her the space she asks for, but he soon realizes space isn’t something they and their children can afford. He knows their love can still conquer all. But this time he’ll need their entire community to help him win his wife back.

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Anna DeStefano is the award-winning, nationally best-selling author of more than sixteen novels, including Three Days on Mimosa Lane, Christmas on Mimosa Lane, Secret Legacy, Dark Legacy and the Atlanta Heroes series. Her background as a care provider and adult educator in the world of crisis and grief recovery lends itself to the deeper psychological themes of every story she writes.

With a rich blend of realism and fantasy, Anna invites readers to see each of life's moments with honesty and clarity. Her stories search for hope and transformation through intense emotional journeys. Anna's characters face the ultimate of human choices: finding the courage to conquer their fears and thrive until, despite every obstacle, they become the beautiful things they're meant to be.

The past president of Georgia Romance Writers, her writing has been recognized with numerous awards, including twice winning the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, the Holt Medallion, the Golden Heart, and the Maggie Award for excellence. She has also been a finalist in the National Reader's Choice and Book Seller's Best awards.

An author, workshop and keynote speaker, writing coach, and freelance editor, Anna's creative vision permeates every challenge she undertakes. Her interactive presentations on the writing process regularly attract standing room-only crowds. She also teaches half-day and one-day seminars to smaller groups interested in a more intensive, interactive experience.

She blogs regularly. Join Anna each week on her blog (www.annawrites.com/blog) for Soul Of The Matter, Dream Theories, Things My Teenager Says, How We Write, Waterfall Challenges, and more.

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