The Paradise Guest House - Ellen Sussman
Release Date - March 26, 2013
Ellen Sussman
Ballantine Books
Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth
Her life is shattered by the Bali bombings, but one year later, Jamie Hyde returns for a memorial of the events that changed her life. Jamie survived the bombings, but her boyfriend did not. She's still haunted by the white flash, deafening noise, and then resulting chaos with the injured scrambling to get to safety and many more trying to find their loved ones among the bodies.
Jamie is in Bali both to face the tragic events and to find the man who took her in while she healed. Finding Gabe may not be easy, but Jamie feels this is the part of her that most needs closure.
The Paradise Guest House is short, just under 200 pages, but also very poignant during those times. I do remember the bombings of the bars in Bali on that day, though I was half a world away. Ellen Sussman does a great job at painting the horror of that attack with realism.
Her characters fascinated me, especially the innkeeper where Jamie stays. He's a true gem and I wouldn't mind seeing him again in his own story. I also adored the little Balinese boy that has a bit of a mysterious past you learn about as the book progresses.
If you want a quick, emotional read, The Paradise Guest House is a perfect choice.
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