River of Angels (1)

When a prostitute is beaten on a Caribbean island, no one realizes that this seemingly minor event will light a fuse to blow apart the old, corrupt social order. Pursuing healing for the wounded young woman and for other poor workers, members of the community become targets of ruthless entrepreneurs planning to reap big profits while despoiling the island’s rich environment: • Monica, a prostitute by choice, controls every aspect of her life and her bordello, until her world crumbles and she must make hard decisions. • Rosie, an American professor and healer, must forsake the comfortable roles of teacher and wife as she faces her husband’s involvement in the schemes. • Pide, a homeless beggar, brings unexpected wisdom, humor, and friendship to those he touches. • Abuelita and Don Tuto, leaders of the island outcasts who live in the darkness of its vast cave system fed by an underground river, guide the way toward a new relationship with the land. These characters and others must heal their own hidden wounds before bringing light to bear on the shadowy power brokers. Along the way, they illuminate the complex island issues of drug dealing, prostitution, urban growth, and environmental destruction, holding out hope for new directions. River of Angels, does what the very best books do—it paints pictures of a place one has never been, people one has never met, and situations one has never encountered, and makes them real. There are no cardboard characters here and no theater-flat settings. Rolnick weaves a story of tangled relationships and intrigue on a tropical Caribbean island where everyone is struggling, sometimes within themselves, to make a life. I love the way she has seamlessly woven Spanish words and phrases into the book, making the setting even more real. This is a great debut novel, and I look forward to her next book. Chuck Robinson, Co-Owner, Village Books, Bellingham, WA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- River of Angels explores. From the caring descriptions of the landscape with unusual woods and trees and exotic underground caves and rivers, this book is a journey of the senses to Puerto Rico where the author lived for seven years. The sights and smells are rich in themselves, but the characters are what make this book come to life in a unique way, with cultural nuances, facts, and stories. Some of the characters are based on the author’s relationships and all are treated with a combination of respect, curiosity, wonder, and affection that ensure they will endure. A very unique read about a neighbor worth knowing. Joan Arioldi , Library Director, WA ---------------------------------------------------------Abbe Rolnick's novel begins at a zip along pace. It builds and blends out-of-the-ordinary characters and intrigue into an island fever of a stew. The tropical setting serves as quite a cauldron -- there is mystery, politics, sex, folks of good and evil intent, greed and the wonders of nature. Rolnick very skillfully charts all these courses and has an excellent eye for the details of her character's emotional lives. That talent for detail is also demonstrated in her portrayal of the island's landscape, in which a massive cave system feels like a living organism and real character within the novel. Atmospheric, intricately plotted and fast paced, River of Angels is a dive into an exotic, dangerous and sultry world. Shelley Ring Diamond, author, Los Angeles CA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Frances Barbagallo--- Librarian- De

Abbe Rolnick grew up in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. Her first major cultural jolt occurred at age 15 when her family moved to Miami Beach, Florida. In order to find perspective, she climbed the only non-palm tree at her condo-complex, and wrote what she observed. Here history came alive with her exposure to the Cuban culture. This introduction to the Latino Culture proved fortuitous. At Boston University she met her first husband, a native of Puerto Rico. Her first novel, River of Angels, stems from her experiences during her stay in Puerto Rico. Stateside, she capitalized on the knowledge she gained as an independent bookstore owner and worked for one of the finest bookstores, Village Books, in Bellingham, WA. More recently she opened a healthy foods cafe. Color of Lies, her second novel, brings the reader to the Pacific Northwest where she presently resides. Here she blends stories from island life with characters in Skagit Valley. Her short stories and travel pieces have appeared in magazines, and have won honorary mention by Writer’s Digest for her short story, Swinging Doors. Her next novel, Founding Stones, will be the third in the series, continuing the stories of characters from the two previous novels, introducing new themes that connect Skagit Valley to the larger world.