What are you willing to sacrifice for security? Author Cleyvis Natera invites readers to explore this question and more on a breathless seven-day trip to The Grand Paloma Resort, a Dominican Republic luxury resort where White Lotus-esque thriller meets sharp social commentary. As two local girls go missing and a hurricane approaches, sisters Laura and Elena live and work amidst stark class distinctions. The resort siphons water for lush gardens while local communities face drought, tourists operate under systems of private justice, and staff navigate knotty power dynamics for survival. Join host Katie Fogarty and Natera as they wander The Grand Paloma and explore the complexities of midlife: are we obligated to take responsibility for others, what is the moral cost of compromises for security, and how to thread the delicate balance between protecting those we love and allowing them autonomy. Bonus! We also crack open Natera's critically acclaimed debut Neruda on the Park, uncover how aspiring authors can get the most out of writing workshops, and discover why Natera credits "getting lost" as essential to building a creative, values-driven midlife.

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What happens when unrealized potential sediments inside us "like tar or asbestos, slowly releasing its poison"? Croatian novelist Lidjia Hilje examines this haunting question in her hypnotic debut, Slanting Towards the Sea, a love story spanning twenty years along Croatia's stunning Dalmatian coast. Following university students Ivana and Vlaho through marriage, dissolution, and an unusual friendship triangle, the novel explores how family secrets and unspoken truths shape our most intimate relationships. Join host Katie Fogarty and Hilje as they survey the peaks and valleys of midlife reassessment, how geography shapes identity, and the poetry of place. Hilje also shares her remarkable reinvention story—transforming from practicing attorney to novelist and mastering the craft of writing in English as her second language. Perfect for lovers of atmospheric literary fiction that bridges love, loss, and second chances.

Find our midlife book content 24/7 on social @themidlifebookclub and on our website: www.themidlifebookclub.com

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What does it mean to be truly "grown" when we're constantly evolving? Join host Katie Fogarty and novelist Sarai Johnson as they explore Grown Women, a gorgeous debut spanning four generations of complex Black women navigating motherhood, intergenerational trauma, and healing. From Charlotte's teenage flight from abuse to privileged Camille's awakening, Johnson’s characters grapple with forgiveness, the cost of emotional and physical scarcity, and how the ties that bind shape both our happiness, sorrow and sense of self. Sarai reveals how writing Grown Women transformed her own parenting and why moving forward—not moving on—allows us to progress and heal even when forgiveness feels out of reach. Perfect for anyone navigating mother-daughter relationships, seeking stories about growth at any age, and lovers of sprawling stories and luminous prose.

Find our midlife book content 24/7 on social @themidlifebookclub and on our website: www.themidlifebookclub.com

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