Sunsets of Tulum is a first book from travel writer Raymond Avery Bartlett and a romance novel to warm up those cold winter nights. This love story is about how we are changed by those who we love and those who love us. It speaks of love as the ultimate catalyst for personal growth. Barrel Fire Press | August, 2015 | Hardcover | 350 pp
Reed Haflinger is a New England traffic reporter who has had the last straw when his helicopter, piloted by an inexperienced man-child, nearly crashes in the early morning hours on a frigid day. He needs a vacation and some time to reconnect to his wife Laurel, a beautiful news anchor. They book a flight to Mexico and he swears that this time he will actually learn to swim. Maybe they will even think about adoption once they are there, something he’s always wanted to do.
The weather is warm by the pool, but conditions are still icy. After a heated argument, his wife leaves but Reed decides to stay. His marriage is falling apart so why not try to enjoy the time he has? A water-logged book dropped by a beautiful young woman leads him on a chase fueled by curiosity to a hostel in Tulem where the atmosphere is completely different from his high-end resort. Here, people spend their days at the beach rather than poolside and every night is a party.
Reed connects with the young Clione, an idealist with a good heart and a soft spot for hungry dogs. The attraction is mutual and a love affair blossoms between them. While Reed normally wants nothing to do with the water, Clione is an avid diver and wants to show him the ropes. Slowly but surely, Reed is coaxed into the water and begins to do things he never thought possible. Clione, filled with a love she didn’t expect, goes through her own transformation.
“Love is letting someone change you forever.”
Reed is still a married man but he knows that part of his life is over. He is going to get divorced and come back for Clione. Just when his future seems clear and his life has been changed for the better, not all the stars are aligned – and a massive hurricane threatens to smother new bonds.
A passionate, engrossing read that combines travel fiction with a bit of kissy-kissy. Okay, a lot of kissy-kissy. But with character growth, confessions, heroic deeds and puppies, there is clearly something for everyone.
Sunsets of Tulem
by Raymond Avery Bartlett
