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For fans of Liane Moriarty and Maria Semple, this contemporary debut novel weaves together romance, mystery, and adventure as a woman travels to the Grand Canyon seeking answers to an old family secret.
“An engrossing and often moving novel about the ways in which disaster can create newfound fortitude.”— Kirkus Reviews
“Mills’s efficient prose sketches an entirely believable landscape in Cyd’s mind, roiling with confusion over the breakdown of her marriage and the shocking revelations about her family. Cyd’s mental state unfolds through intermittent flashbacks of marital ups and downs, her childhood, and the family secrets that drive the novel, all delivered with rich symbolism. Mills even uses an incoming hurricane as a token of the emotional storms brewing in Cyd’s life… Mills effectively examines the self-destructive thought patterns women often fall into in their quest for happiness… Readers will savor Cyd’s intense journey, rooting for her to navigate her trauma and emerge on the other side, ready to become a woman who “believed she would find her way.”— Publishers Weekly BookLife
“Jayne Mills’s Bottom of the Breath is about struggle and acceptance, secrets and losses—and also both frank and hopeful, a willing and wise embrace of what is.”—Michelle Wildgen, author of Wine People
“Mills drops her readers into the middle of a life, a marriage, and a quest for answers about the past and future, in other words, into a situation we can all relate to. Set against the grandeur of the American Southwest, this is a story of seeking—not only for answers but the physical strength and spiritual clarity needed to recover from a profound emotional blow. Guided by an eclectic cast of characters, this inspiring journey takes us to the depths of the Grand Canyon and reveals the resilience of the human heart.”
—Kerry Sanders, Today Show Correspondent (retired)
“Finely crafted and emotionally rich, Bottom of the Breath is a captivating debut from a fresh voice in fiction . . .”—Deborah Sharp, author of the Mace Bauer Mystery Series
“The novel examines the complexity of human emotions, the strength found in vulnerability, and the power of taking control when life feels unmanageable. It captures the beauty of introspection and the courage to embrace change. . . . a contemporary drama about the human condition.”—Reader’s Favorite, FIVE STARS
ABOUT BOTTOM OF THE BREATH:
After crashing into a devastating revelation, Cyd’s tranquil life on the Florida panhandle is upended when she receives a letter announcing an inheritance from an estranged aunt.
The inheritance contains mysterious “items of a personal nature” which Cyd must collect in person halfway across the country.
In a last attempt to salvage her deteriorating marriage, Cyd agrees to travel with her husband on what he promises—and she questions—will be the trip of a lifetime.
As they set out, a hurricane threatens their hometown.
Fueled by the growing threat of the storm and the tension brewing between them, the couple’s long-suppressed problems erupt. Cyd continues the journey on her own, unsure if either her home or her marriage will survive.
Clues and instinct lead Cyd to Sedona and then to the Grand Canyon.
She descends into the vast chasm alone searching for answers to newly raised questions and age-old mysteries.
She steps off the beaten path, literally, knowing she must make peace with her pain-filled past and her uncertain future.
The narrative delves into themes of self-discovery, the complexities of marriage, the impact of family legacies, and the resilience required to navigate life's challenges.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jayne Mills is a financial advisor who has secretly nurtured a lifelong dream of writing a novel.
She expressed her literary aspirations through Financial Wellness Monthly , a newsletter combining her interests in finance, yoga, and meditation.
Additionally, she developed a program called The Wealth-Wellness Connection, designed to help people better understand their complex relationships with money.
Jayne holds degrees in journalism and finance and is a registered yoga teacher.
In recent years, her favorite way to vacation is as the navigator in a custom van (she hates talking maps) on a quest to visit every national park with her partner (he knows better than to ever let her drive) and their Border Collie, Elvis.
She lives peacefully in St. Augustine, Florida
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