PITCH: A passionate teacher flees to Spain to escape her cheating fiance and crosses paths with a depressed writer seeking answers. A bond forms, leading to friendship and maybe more, but not if the ex-fiance gets his way...
BLURB: Betrayal and death destroy the love of two unrelated people. Healing is needed before either could ever risk love again.
READER ENDORSEMENT: (from reader Chiquis_02): "This was wow! ...The plot was very well developed and I love the way everything progressed. It was such a slow burn, but the ending was just amazing. Well ... overall this book was very good and the whole concept of the Camino and everything was just amazing."
SUMMARY: May 2010: Makena Nielsen flies to Europe after her July wedding plans explode, beginning a six-week hike over the French Pyrenees and west to Spain's Atlantic coast. The pair of sisters who would have been bridesmaids now become Makena's support system on the trail. All have different styles of fending off unwelcome male attention. But the sisters face their own crisis that will force Makena into choosing to quit or continuing alone. When she persists, she faces unwelcome suitors, physical challenges, the pursuit of her ex, and her issues with trust.
Jordan Everest starts an 800-mile journey at the Mediterranean, walking north across Spain, reeling from his young wife's passing. He faces physical and emotional pain while seeking to solve his writer's block. Different women show interest in him, but Jordan's challenge is deeper. Having lost the only woman he's ever loved, is life worth living again? His long pilgrimage challenges his health, resolve, and whether he is willing to open himself up once more.
Makena and Jordan follow separate spiritual "Caminos" (paths) toward the holy city of Santiago. Their treks eventually intersect near Saint Jame's Iron Cross, the legendary site where pilgrims seek to unburden their problems while seeking hope for their futures. Their shared passion for soccer begins their friendship as all of Spain prays it might win its first World Cup ever. Makena supports Jordan's work on a novel about ancient pilgrims in Spain and he encourages her to seek the teaching and coaching job of her dreams, building trust. Will former lovers block their chances, or can the Camino de Santiago help them open their hearts to love one last time?
CHARACTERS:
Jordan Everest (+ father & sister) 29, California teacher, author, ex-soccer star, British and Nepali ancestry.
Makena Nielsen (+ her parents) 26, Seattle teacher with Scandinavian ancestry, played soccer in college
Greta Wagner - hotel entrepreneur becomes Jordan's friend and more, then creates a challenge
Luis Martino - Makena's fiance with integrity issues, can't accept her decisions about him
Delta and Bayou LeBlanc - Makena's best friends, also soccer teammates since childhood
Carlos Estacion - Greta's employee and friend, introduces her to Jordan
Ximena and Arrosa Lope Garcia - Basque sisters and hiking friends of Seattle trio
Raul Osuna - Cordoba teacher, hiking friend of Jordan
Luis Santana - Spanish professor, Jordan's instructor at University of Salamanca
Grace MacGowan - lodging manager in Salamanca from Northern Ireland, becomes Jordan's friend
Santiago Alvarez - hotel owner, chef, and philosopher in a village near Santiago
Matias and Miranda Gonzalez - medical doctors in Santiago, friends of Jordan and Makena
TARGET AUDIENCE: People in relationships, international travelers, lifelong learners, hikers, soccer lovers.
GENRE: Romance plus adventure. A heroine and a hero, their losses and loves, with an international cast.
AUTHOR: William T. (Bill) Geary. I've hiked across Spain (pic is from hiking to Santiago) and on six continents, played and coached some soccer (& many other sports), and taught all levels from primary school to graduate school. I loved some wonderful women, but this is fiction. All people and events are from my imagination and used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to anyone, living or dead, is coincidental. I live in Hawaii, where I write, hike, sing, read, dance, cook, and (whenever possible) hug friends and family.
INFO: Peaceful content usually although there's some conflict, with occasional colorful language spoken or within someone's thoughts when upset, and love scenes but no private parts described.
Please vote (click star), comment, and/or follow. Aloha! -Bill
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Love at Spain's Iron Cross
RomanceBetrayal and death destroy the love of two unrelated people. Healing is needed before either could ever risk love again. It's 2010, the summer that Spain's soccer team competes in the World Cup. Makena Nielsen heads to France to escape her adultero...
