The Paradise Guest House, Ellen Sussman
The Paradise Guest House, Ellen Sussman
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The Paradise Guest House

Author: Ellen Sussman

Narrator: Ann Marie Lee

Unabridged: 8 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/26/2013


Synopsis

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
 
“Two 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)

“A 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
 
“Echoing 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
 
“[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

About The Author

Ellen Sussman is the author of the novels French Lessons and On a Night Like This, both national bestsellers. She has two daughters and lives with her husband in Northern California.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Tiago

[URL not allowed] A novel well in the genre of "Eat, Pray, Love" (one of my favorite books), which describes well the beauty of Bali the island, the sea, the rice paddies, the huts by the sea, scenarios that transport us soon to a serenity without equal, a passion that we can easily und......more

Goodreads review by Ionia

Jamie returns to Bali, to the scene of a tragic event she was involved in, to make peace with her past and figure out her future. This is a story of love, loss, and the power of the human spirit. With a complex story line and believable characters, this is a book that has a little something for ever......more

Goodreads review by Anne

I read and reviewed Ellen Sussman's last novel; French Lessons back in December 2011. What impressed me most about that novel was the author's ability to tell quite an intimate, fairly complicated story in such a sparse style. This is the story of two quite isolated people; Jamie and Gabe. Flung tog......more


Quotes

Advance praise for The Paradise Guest House
 
“Two 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)

“A 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
 
“Echoing 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
 
“[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