Thank you for joining us for part two of our talk with Michele Ashman Bell. If you missed part one, click here.
Michele, when we left off yesterday, you were midway through telling us about your novels. Can we hear about the rest of them?
My next book is “Without a Flaw” – I love Isabelle, the main character in this book, and the growth that she goes through with this story. Isabelle is in a very controlling marriage and she knows that she is not safe with her husband. One day he will go too far with his anger and abuse. She stages her own death and goes to live with an aunt in England since all the members of her own family are gone. She lives in fear that her husband will find her, but she becomes strong and gains control of her life and when she finally confronts him again, she able to stand up to him.
“Written in the Stars” – I wrote this book when my husband was bishop. I felt that one of the most important things I had learned from that experience was that we need to have balance in our lives and especially in our marriages. Michaela decides that the only way to show her husband that they need to focus on their marriage is to kidnap him and take him on a tropical vacation. But once they get to the Bahamas their situation gets scary when they get caught in a tropical storm and are stranded on a deserted island. They begin to communicate and work through their issues as they fight to stay alive and the experience teaches them and the reader the importance of putting effort into our marriages to keep love alive and never take each other for granted.
“Timeless Moments” – this is the story of a woman who wore a POW/MIA bracelet in the early 70’s during the Vietnam War. She always wondered what happened to her solider and if he returned home safely. Finally, she decides to find out. She learns that he did survive and lives in Newport Beach, California. With the help of her son, she goes to visit this man and they end up becoming friends, and falling in love. He’s dealing with great issues from serving in Vietnam and she’s struggling with a difficult divorce and a destroyed self-esteem. Together they help each other heal.
“Forget Me Not” – This is the sequel to Timeless Moments. Paige and Dalton from the first book decide to go back to Vietnam and visit the sites where Dalton served in the war. They take Dalton’s daughter, Skye, from his first marriage. She is part Vietnamese and has never met her mother’s parents. Her mother passed away years earlier and this has been very hard on Skye. Dalton believes this experience will help her find closure from her mother’s death. This book is gritty and intense and shows that even though there is still animosity with our two countries, there is goodness and kindness to be found.
“Finding Paradise” – I wrote this book because I believe that most choices in life aren’t always good vs. bad, but are usually good vs. good. This is the case with Morgan Rose as she travels to Cancun, Mexico to her friend’s wedding. She meets Justin, the best man, and tries not to fall for him, but he is charming and funny and she finds out that he is LDS like she is. They have a wonderfully romantic time together in Cancun and when it’s time to leave they promise to continue seeing each other. But he lives in New York and she lives in California and the distance becomes a huge obstacle in their relationship. Not to mention that she meets Manny, a wonderful young man who treats her like a queen. Morgan learns to rely on prayer and personal revelation as she makes a choice between these two men.
“Perfect Timing” – Kennedi is a sister missionary on her way home from her mission. But unlike most missionaries, she doesn’t ever want to go back home. Her mother passed away with cancer while Kennedi was gone and her father has already remarried a younger woman with three kids. Kennedi goes through great challenges and adjustments as she struggles to accept this woman and her children. While looking for a job she begins babysitting for Camden, her brother’s best friend. He is divorced and has custody of two young girls. Camden becomes a treasured friend and helps her with her struggle to accept her step mother. This book is about the challenge of blending families and how faith and love can help build bridges.
What a fabulous array of books, Michele, and thanks for the summaries so we can choose the ones we’d enjoy the most. I’d like to talk to you more about them tomorrow.
Be sure to join us as we continue our discussion with Michele Ashman Bell. In the meantime, check out her website.
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