In this novel, the author explores how a restless young woman learns to overcome her dysfunctional family, face her personal demons and find the happiness she so richly deserves.   How does one person connect to another in a meaningful and satisfying way?  Can a tortured past and tangled family history impede prospects for finding happiness in the future?  The author worked for over thirty years with families in crisis.  She saw firsthand how even the most flawed people had a deep desire to make better lives for themselves, even if it meant facing almost insurmountable odds to make that happen.  The author's experiences lend an authenticity to the characters and the situations in which they find themselves.  The multi-dimensional character Amber Cushing is a young woman whose conflicted relationship with her mother propels her into a whirlwind of bad choices.   Pregnant and abandoned by her boyfriend, Amber soon becomes obsessed with a man she meets by accident.  Her growing addiction to this love object pushes her out of control and thwarts any chance of happiness.  But when she begins to explore her own feelings and understand the reasons behind her actions, Amber begins to forgive herself and to forge a brave new future. Then, with the help of a retired social worker, Denise Richardson, who runs a boarding house, Amber finds the guidance and direction she desperately needs.                         Excerpt A beautiful overcast day greeted the two old friends on that early Sunday. They sat in the breakfast nook of Gia’s Mill Valley home for their prearranged breakfast meeting, hoping to catch up on each other’s lives and perhaps do some shopping later in the day. Gia poured the herbal tea, gazing out toward the wooded backyard, missing Mackenna already. She was with her father again, and even though Gia enjoyed the free time, she felt a little empty without her. What had triggered these feelings? Could it be the fact that Mackenna was growing up so fast and becoming her own person? She certainly had a mind of her own! Smiling to herself, Gia turned to Hilary. “So tell me. Is it still perfect between you and Steve?” Hilary laughed ruefully. “Almost perfect. If only we could be together twenty-four/seven…” “No work? No anything else? That sounds like a perfect disaster,” Gia quipped. “But I know what you mean. Being together every evening would be an improvement, wouldn’t it? Ever thought of relocating here?” “What are you suggesting?” “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you could join our practice? And there’s a lovely cottage up for sale just down the road. Why don’t you take a look at it…just for the hell of it?”

Professional Reviews
Review for Midwest Reviews
Review of EMBRACE THE WHIRLWIND by Laurel-Rain Snow
By Christy Tillery French
Last edited: Sunday, July 13, 2008
Posted: Sunday, July 13, 2008





EMBRACE THE WHIRLWIND
By Laurel-Rain Snow
Book Surge
ISBN 9781419660757
Paperback, 365 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction

Abused at a young age by her mother’s boyfriend, Amber Cushing has lived a chaotic life, leaving home at an early age, wandering from job to job, using drugs, and working for a short time as a prostitute. Amber harbors resentment toward her mother because of the abuse and keeps her mother and grandmother at a distance, sporadically interacting with them. When she discovers she’s pregnant, Amber begins a long journey to find herself and make some sense of where her place is in the world. But Amber’s journey is filled with diversions and only when she comes under the gentle guidance of a former social worker who runs a boarding house does Amber begin to understand who she is and what she needs to do to have a happy, successful life.

The author, a retired social worker, offers much insight into the dynamics within families and the pressures young women face as they make their choices in today’s world. Snow provides a compelling read, filled with characters revealed in great depth that readers will easily identify with, enfolded within a powerful, edifying plot. Her skill as a writer serves to enhance the important message she delivers with this wonderful story.

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