Lookin' for Love

A Novel

by Susen Edwards

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Pub Date Oct 15 2024 | Archive Date Oct 01 2024

She Writes Press

Historical Fiction | Parenting & Families | Women's Fiction

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Description

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.

Advance Praise

"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