50 in 2013: Book Four

The Paradise Guest House by Ellen Sussman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Always in search of something more exciting and thrilling, Jamie has found her life’s niche in adventure tourism. On assignment in Bali, tragedy strikes. Caught in the center of the infamous Bali nightclub bombings, Jamie’s adventurous, breezy life is forever altered. Sleep only brings back vivid images of the night she lost the freedom of dreaming. Now, quiet moments and stillness brings back the smell, the images, the screams…

A letter finds its way to her mailbox beckoning her to return. Uncertain but in desperate need of closure, she boards the plane. Pain and loss have enveloped the island, many of its inhabitants have lost a loved one or friend, their carefree community ripped apart. Jamie has thrived off challenge and conquered many difficult climbs and hikes. Yet, this tragedy has forced to deal with matters of the heart, a challenge that brings her to her knees. What follows is a journey of rebuilding, second chances, and love. Beautiful, moving, quick read.