From author Kat Mack, ‘Broken Dreams & Second Chances’ is the poignant tale of four people who grow up believing their lives will go one way, and the inevitable surprises that lie in store. As their stories interlock and their paths cross, Mack’s characters remain immensely relatable – by turns flawed, joyous, grieving, complex and above all, human.
Toronto, ON -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/23/2014 -- As the famous saying goes, “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
The four individuals featured in the sparkling and powerful first novel by Kat Mack, find out all too well that famous sayings are often rooted in truth.
In ‘Broken Dreams & Second Chances’, readers will follow Mack’s characters from the golden days of their youth, when anything and everything seemed possible, to the disappointments and discoveries of adulthood. The stories merge during a chance trip to the sunny isle of Antigua, as Kate, Janet, Shane and Rick embark on a vacation that will change their lives forever.
“Their journeys felt organic – very natural,” says the author. “It was vital to me that they feel real – they’re not movie stars or billionaires. Janet is an accountant, Kate is a stay-at-home Mom, Shane is a widower and Rick is a divorced womanizer. They’re relatable, and I think every reader over forty will feel an instant connection to one of them.”
As each character travels to the tropics in search of something they’re missing, they find their voyage is just beginning.
Synopsis
In their youth Kate, Janet, Rick and Shane each chose a path in life believing it would take them to where they wanted to be, but they were unprepared for the detours and road blocks which lay ahead. This would leave them to ask later in life, “How did I end up here?” They travel to the island of Antigua for a week of fun in the sun. Little do they know that this enchanted island can take their broken dreams and turn them into second chances.
For Mack, writing the book became more than just crafting a story and instead, turned into a deeply personal experience.
“I don’t think any person can make it to their forties without going through something major in their life – and I’m no different,” says the author. “Everyone has had to navigate death and the darkness of loss. Most people will have had a relationship crumble or been fired. It’s how you manage to keep on going that matters. It’s how you survive what happens to you in your life.”
Continuing, “When you’re young, you believe that you’re invincible and that the world is your oyster. It’s as if you’re untouchable, isn’t it? But of course that simply isn’t true, and in my book, the characters feel that reality very keenly. The rug has been pulled out from underneath each one of them. They’ve gone to Antigua to mend their lives and put themselves back together again. I think people will be cheering them on. Ultimately, we all want to believe in happy endings.”
Since its release, the book has received glowing reviews from readers.
“In this, her first novel, Kat Mack starts from the place her characters do... in their youth. As the novel progresses and the characters age, the novelist's style becomes more mature. The characters are relatable, infuriating, funny and exasperating in turn. The interactions become more complex as the book unfolds. While the characters are taken on a journey through time they grow in their understanding of the world. The writer gave me more than I expected from a first novel. When her next book comes out, I'll be one of the first to read it,” wrote Laura.
Calling the book “riveting”, Leslie Martin wrote: “Buy this book you will not be disappointed - you will laugh, cry, be happy, be sad, be angry, be hopeful and you will easily fall in love with the characters and root for them as they experience life and the ups and downs it brings to everyone.”
‘Broken Dreams & Second Chances’, published by CreateSpace, is available now: http://amzn.to/1jnAW0Y also available through www.amazon.com and www.amazon.ca. www.kobobooks.com www.chapters.indigo.ca
http://www.books.google.com http://www.barnesandnoble.com http://www.booktango.com
About Kat Mack
Kat Mack was born in Toronto, Canada. The book Broken Dreams & Second Chances, is her first novel. It was originally written under the working title Midlife Crisis. Before writing this novel, Kat was a-stay-at- home Mom with two kids. Like many other moms, she fell into a rut. She began writing this novel as a way of dealing with her own midlife crisis. During the process, she discovered a passion for writing. The character of Kate Martin, in the novel Broken Dreams & Second Chances, is based on Kat Mack herself.