Heaven and Hurricanes

by Sean Norris

FBT review:

Step into the world of Heaven and Hurricanes, a captivating teen and young adult book by Sean Norris. Set in the idyllic backdrop of Key West, Florida, this novel follows the life of Alexander Murphy, a bartender who left behind a promising future for a carefree existence on a tropical island. But everything changes when Iliza D'Ambrosio enters his life. Like a hurricane, she disrupts his comfortable routine, forcing him to question his choices and rewrite his story. Norris delivers a tale of love, self-discovery, and the unpredictability of beauty. Perfect for fans of indie books seeking inspiration and a unique reading experience, Heaven and Hurricanes will leave you breathless and craving more.

Publisher Description:

When he was 22 years old, Alexander Murphy turned down a full scholarship to law school in order to move to Key West, Florida and become a bartender. Driven by his lack of direction and fueled by his love of literature, he was able to make that small island paradise his home. He spent his days on boats and on beaches, and his nights working at a bar called The Broken Seahorse. He wasn’t challenged but he was comfortable, and for two years he felt content in his complacency. All of that was before a girl named Iliza D’Ambrosio walked into The Broken Seahorse one summer afternoon and ruined everything.

“From the moment I met her, Iliza reminded me of Key West. One second she could make me feel like I had died and gone to heaven. The very next, she was a hurricane — determined to destroy. On more recent reflection, I wonder if the same cannot be said for all things beautiful in this world…”

Iliza was the plot twist Alex never saw coming and over the course of that summer she would force him to reevaluate, reimagine, and rewrite his story — not always for the better.

“To look in Iliza’s eyes was to see myself in their reflection, and while I was surely scared of what those big blue eyes would see in me, I was far more terrified of what they had to show me."