A woman’s temporary escape turns into a permanent reversal of fortunes.
Protesting what she sees as exploitation, Cole Lavetsky storms away from her CFO-level Hollywood job. She decamps to a rent-free condo on Ambergris Caye, Belize with her vintage guitar, the beginnings of a revenge novel, and a timeline to reinvent herself—outside the shadow of her golden-boy twin brother, a former child star.
In a country where high school is a privilege, Cole expected to encounter plenty of deprivation. Still, meeting Elias—a seven-year-old prodigy living amidst the ruins of a fantastical, pink-painted resort—melts the edges of her frozen heart. Despite getting mixed vibes from the boy’s grandma, an elderly Mayan wisdom keeper, Cole pledges her help. Anything—even if it means collaborating with the island’s infamous (and annoyingly good-looking) expat, the educational philanthropist Thatcher Ames. As business beach walks segue to dinner dates, Cole tells herself there’s no harm in having a little fun. Until the elderly wisdom keeper hands her an unwelcome prophecy, and Cole begins to fear that in denying her past, she’s put Elias’s future—and the hearts of everyone involved—in jeopardy.
At turns charming, irreverent, and achingly candid, Little Pink Houses is ultimately a testament to the possibilities that open up when we grant ourselves—and others—the grace to be imperfect.
(Bonus! Click HERE for the accompanying playlist: A mix of Cole’s favorites, songs that play a role in the book, plus other tunes that inspired me while I was writing.)
Lisa Binsfeld author 