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Lookin' for Love

A Novel

Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Based on a compelling and sometimes tragic true story, this novel follows young mother Ava from the go-go bars of the 1970s to the heart of Florida’s drug trade to a Kenyan prison to, ultimately, a place of forgiveness, faith, and love through recovery.

Inspired by a gripping true story, Lookin’ for Love begins in 1963, when Ava, nineteen and pregnant, marries a violent alcoholic and is disowned by her abusive mother. She bears two sons, leaves her husband, and turns to go-go dancing to provide for her children, using alcohol and drugs to numb herself to the degrading work. Then she meets Mike, a charismatic drug dealer who promises to give her “a beautiful life.” They move to Florida and begin working for The Crew, one of the largest drug smuggling organizations in the country. The Crew sends Ava and Mike to Kenya to find farmers to grow marijuana—but while they’re there, their home is raided, they’re charged with international drug smuggling, and Ava is sentenced to serve time in a Kenyan prison.

After her release, Ava struggles with sobriety but soon returns to dancing, alcohol, and drugs. Eventually, she hits bottom and surrenders her will to God. Once sober, she learns the power of forgiveness, faith, and love.

About The Author

Susen Edwards is the founder and former director of Somerset School of Massage Therapy. During her tenure she was nominated by Merrill Lynch for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. After the successful sale of the business, she became an administrator at her local community college. Susen is currently secretary for the board of trustees for her town library and a full-time writer. She is the author of two adult novels, What a Trip and Lookin’ for Love—as well as Doctor Whisper and Nurse Willow, a children’s fantasy. Her articles have appeared on Residence11.com, BooksByWomen.org, and DIYMFA.com. Susen lives in Middlesex, New Jersey, with her husband, Bob, and her two fuzzy feline babies, Harold and Maude.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (October 15, 2024)
  • Length: 424 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781647427917

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Raves and Reviews

"An endearing narrator and surprising turns elevate this novel's
cycles of abuse, addiction, and recovery."—Kirkus Reviews

"Honest, uplifting journey through drug and alcohol
addiction."—BookLife Reviews

"Author Susen Edwards puts heart and soul into this evocative work to craft an emotional journey based on real events. . . . Lookin' for Love is a powerful work that fans of uplifting, realistic fiction everywhere will appreciate."—Readers' Favorite

"A gritty, compelling, fascinating read from start to finish, Lookin' for Love by Susen Edwards is an original and strongly commended pick for community/public library Contemporary General Fiction collections. An impressive blend of mystery, suspense, and romance from a Christian perspective."—Midwest Book Review

"If you enjoy a thrilling ride that is based on a true story. This woman needs a very long vacation from life with everything she's been through. This was one of those stories that you can just sit there, hold on, and enjoy the ride. This is an inspiration to life."—Crossroads Reviews, 5-star review

"This narrative is illuminating, and Susen Edwards’ writing is exquisite, with a first-person narrative voice that is grounded and that brilliantly offers a finely drawn image of Ava’s psyche. . . . Lookin' for Love is a captivating tale with a message as resonant as the heroine is genuinely flawed.”—The Book Commentary , 5-stars

“. . . a true testament to the destruction of despair and the power of God to forgive and uplift. It’s a bittersweet story. Nothing is swept under the rug in the end, and the honesty is palpable and beautiful.”—ReadersLane

"In Lookin' for Love, author Susen Edwards delivers a gripping narrative that spans decades, immersing readers in the tumultuous journey of one woman's battle with addiction and the harrowing descent into the underbelly of society. Edwards masterfully portrays the dark allure of substance abuse and the relentless pursuit of survival against all odds . . . this turbulent and unflinching tale is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit."
—Joanne Howard, author of Sleeping in the Sun

Lookin’ for Love by Susen Edwards is a wild ride that not only keeps the pages turning but keeps you guessing as well . . . After every page you ask yourself: 'What will Ava do next?'”
—J.M. Adams, Emmy-nominated journalist and author of Second Term

“How does a young woman get drawn into the international drug trade — and how does she come back again? Susen Edwards’s fast-paced, unflinching novel takes the reader around the globe on Ava’s search for unconditional acceptance. Lookin’ for Love is a raw, powerful, ultimately uplifting reminder that we are never too broken to become whole.”
—Ginny Kubitz Moyer, author of The Seeing Garden

Lookin' for Love by Susen Edwards is an inspiring story of harrowing trials and tribulations followed by incredible redemption. The story is riveting, leaving you wondering how Ava is ever going to dig herself out of the devastating drug-riddled, messy relationship hole she dug herself. Bit by bit, she builds up faith in herself and in God, coming out on the other side as a dignified woman, stronger than ever before.”
—Ginelle Testa, author of Making a Home Out of You

“Recovering addicts and members of faith-based recovery programs will find a familiar—yet wholly original—protagonist to cry with and ultimately cheer for.”
—Ashley E. Sweeney, author of Hardland

“Ava is a child of the sixties whose journey over many decades forms a long and winding path toward what she wants out of life—thrill and adventure, love and belonging, and ultimately sobriety and salvation. Susen Edwards’s fast-paced work of modern Christian historical fiction will touch readers seeking stories of ordinary people finding faith and redemption.”
—Jude Berman, author of The Die and The Vow

“This roller-coaster story has sharp turns, steep slopes, and jaw-dropping tension, careening from crisis to crisis. Ava, a go-go dancer, latches onto a series of men and learns that our love life sometimes leads us into trouble with life-changing consequences, leaving us shattered until we find strength to carry on. Strap on your seatbelt for this scream-machine ride and witness the drama in Ava’s topsy-turvy world.”
—Vivian Fransen, author of The Straight Spouse: A Memoir

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