Love and Redemption in the Tropics,

Book excerpt: Adriana Bardolino’s spicy memoir finds her out of her element, and missing her happy place. This new world is nothing like the magical tropical island of Maui she left behind. There, her life was filled with love, beauty, art, and romance. Everything goes topsy-turvy when a dear friend’s promise dissolves into the humid Miami air. When her new life in Florida turns out to be less than expected, she misses her island home. Life events send her through dark clouds and tumbling tides. Gauguin (Art) keeps Adriana stable through most storms, but eventually even Gauguin deserts her. She floats through the universe without a spacesuit, searching for creativity to return. She visits new lands in hopes of a renewed spark. Adult life forces her to grow up, to learn to forgive herself and others for past mistakes, but there are deep emotional losses along the way. Will Adriana find Gauguin?