The Diary of Isabelle Marquette

Book excerpt: Isabelle Marquette is a woman of mystery. After she loses a large percentage of her investments and her husband during the Great Recession, she must create a new life in order to support herself and her two children. Her journey leads her from New York to Las Vegas, where Isabelle becomes immersed in a chaotic world that leaves her struggling to keep her sanity. As she reflects on her life through a series of diary entries that include flashbacks, Isabelle shares glimpses into her tortured childhood, personal struggles, and the dark world of gambling. She secures adventurous and lustful encounters, and attempts to work through her troubles with the help of a therapist. Having been a repeat victim of betrayal by people close to her, Isabelle must somehow find a way to trust the one person who loves and believes in her. In this compelling novel, a woman who loses almost everything during a financial crisis must learn to rely on perseverance, her inner-strength, and courage as she puts up a relentless fight to survive in a dangerous world.