More Great Reading Ideas: Unlikely Relationships And Light-Hearted And Harrowing Memoirs

“Wounded Angels” by Chuck Miceli

(NAPSI)—Maureen Bower remembers the Fourth of July when she was 14—the day her father walked out of her life forever. She struggles with her fear of abandonment until Frank Russo enters her life. Together, they overcome family prejudices, separation, war, and loss. Their life becomes full until the unthinkable happens. Maureen’s fear of abandonment rises to the surface and consumes her.

Enter Doris Cantrell, the product of an abusive childhood, a troubled marriage and estrangement from her own daughter. Maureen finds her fascinating. Neither the inconsolable widow nor the uncontrollable social misfit have the energy or the inclination to save anyone, but could their wounds be the key to supporting and even healing each other? Buy at https://amzn.to/2E8eh8n.

“The Parrot’s Perch” by Karen Keilt

“In January 1976, I was a bliss-filled, 23-year-old newlywed. Three months after our wedding, my husband and I were awakened at 3:00 a.m. by men with guns. We feared we were being kidnapped by hardened criminals. Kidnapping is a common occurrence in Brazil. As we were driven from our home, fearing death or worse, my husband and I knew our lives would never be the same.”

Karen Keilt offers a brave account of how she and her husband were illegally incarcerated on trumped-up drug charges, tortured for 45 days by the Brazilian police and then forced to rebuild their broken selves without retribution from Brazilian authorities or answers from her own complicated family. From She Writes Press. Purchase at https://amzn.to/38cPXQu.

“Evergreen” by Mya O’Malley

June is the rich girl next door who finds herself fulfilling her passion of caring for homeless animals by volunteering at the local animal shelter.

Unlucky in love, she sets her sights on finding the one—the perfect canine companion, that is—meant just for her.

Things get complicated when an interesting man, Graham, delivers an enormous Great Dane to the doorstep of the shelter. The dog remains a mystery, appearing out of thin air, as if destined to try to bring Graham and June together. The question is, will their relationship survive, or are the obstacles set before them too much to overcome? Buy at https://amzn.to/34cWk33.

“Mostly True: Short Stories” by Arlene Cohen

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” So notes Arlene Cohen within her collection of short stories presented as slices of her life that describe a constant, curious struggle to understand the world around us and the people within it.

Good intentions often backfire in this potpourri of humorous, sometimes-outrageous episodes involving actors, travelers, storytellers, madmen, hikers, hippies, flappers, boyfriends, cookies, castles, and credit cards.

Cohen writes in a simple style that is easy to process. Each vignette does not hit readers over the head with a hard message but rather allows them to process the various lessons and relatable feelings that they generate. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2t8hQcu.

• BookBites is a continuing series bringing readers information and ideas for their next read. For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com and subscribe to the weekly newsletter.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)