The Paradise Guest House: A Novel

A riveting and poignant novel of one woman€s journey to Bali in search of love, renewal, and a place to call home€"perfect for readers of Elizabeth Gilbert€s Eat, Pray, Love and Alex Garland€s The Beach.
 
It starts as a trip to paradise. Sent on assignment to Bali, Jamie, an American adventure guide, imagines spending weeks exploring the island€s lush jungles and pristine white sand beaches. Yet three days after her arrival, she is caught in Bali€s infamous nightclub bombings, which irreparably change her life and leave her with many unanswered questions.
 
One year later, haunted by memories, Jamie returns to Bali seeking a sense of closure. Most of all, she hopes to find Gabe, the man who saved her from the attacks. She hasn€t been able to forget his kindness€"or the spark between them as he helped her heal. Checking into a cozy guest house for her stay, Jamie meets the kindly owner, who is coping with a painful past of his own, and a young boy who improbably becomes crucial to her search. Jamie has never shied away from a challenge, but a second chance with Gabe presents her with the biggest dilemma of all: whether she€s ready to open her heart.
 
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Praise for The Paradise Guest House
 
€œTwo survivors of Bali€s terrorist bombing find love and spiritual rebirth on an island whose inhabitants believe in reincarnation in Sussman€s touching panorama of paradise. . . . Throughout, Sussman celebrates lovers, quiet healing, and the sweetness of the island and its people.€€"Publishers Weekly (starred review)

€œA story of healing and redemption, of finding love in the most unexpected places, and of the importance of moving forward . . . Sussman has drawn a vivid, well-balanced portrait of a woman and a country working to recover from an unimaginable event and a very personal look at a global tragedy.€€"Booklist
 
€œEchoing Bali€s difficult recovery from [the 2002 terrorist bombing], the characters tread the difficult terrain of post-traumatic attachment. . . . A respectful and earnest . . . treatment of devastation€s aftermath.€€"Kirkus Reviews
 
€œ[A] moving story about making sense of life after a tragedy . . . This touching tale will cause contemplation about what closure truly means.€€"RT Book Reviews


From the Trade Paperback edition.