Description
Love is in the air. Everlasting for some, disastrous for others. And the continual need to be accepted never wanes for the inhabitants of the small seaside village.
The council is up to its usual tricks, planning unthinkable horrors that could destroy the peace and tranquillity of the whole region. Everyone pitches in to fight against the redevelopment of their forgotten haven. But is it all to no avail?
Riley is still lurking around in the background trying his best to become one of the locals, and at the same time, causing more tension between them than ever before. His only real friend is a swearing cockatoo.
And whatever happened to Bryce?
PREFACE
ESCAPE To Patonga had always been a standalone story. I had never intended for there to be a sequel. The thought had simply never occurred to me.
After nearly fifteen years of assessments, rewrites, and edits, it was not until the second to last read through before publication that I finished the book and said to myself, “Oh? Whatever happened to Bryce?” Then I wondered if I should add another bit to finish off his story, or…leave him to dominate the sequel.
I agonised over the prospect of writing a sequel for about six months, trying desperately to not even think about it. In a moment of weakness, I hurriedly scribbled out a possible plot from start to finish. Again, I refused to entertain it. More months went by.
And then, in a mad fit, I bashed it out in six weeks of long, inspired nights. It was the first new writing I had done after a ten-year hiatus.
No! There will not be a third instalment. I made absolutely sure there were no loose ends this time.
Enjoy! TJ
Martti Orsen –
UNREST In Patonga. Wow! Unrest in Patonga by Travis James absolutely consumed me from the very first page. Having read Escape to Patonga, I was already deeply attached to the quirky, stubborn, and loveable characters of this little seaside town but this sequel takes everything to another level.
There’s something magical about how James captures small-town life the gossip, the grudges, the strange sense of belonging that exists even among chaos. The humor here is sharper, the emotions deeper, and the tension beautifully layered beneath the surface of that seemingly sleepy community.
I laughed out loud more than once at the council’s antics (seriously, how do they keep coming up with these ridiculous schemes?), and yet there were moments that completely broke my heart. The undercurrent of longing to be accepted, to be understood, runs through every page. Riley’s attempt to fit in, despite his past mistakes, was both infuriating and oddly endearing. And Bryce… let’s just say his absence lingers like a ghost in the salt air.
The ending left me sitting quietly for a while that rare kind of silence that follows when a story truly hits home. Travis James doesn’t just write about a place; he breathes life into it. You can smell the sea breeze, hear the chatter at the local pub, and feel the unspoken history between every character.
If you loved Escape to Patonga, this sequel is an emotional, funny, and deeply satisfying continuation. And if you haven’t yet visited Patonga trust me, it’s time.
Dr John Brown PhD Clinical Psychologist –
Another gripping story in this duology, even better than the first! The easy flowing story, relatable chatacters, evocative descriptions of both strong characters (including our favourite Cockatoo!) and subtle gestures, with good pace makes it a good quickly holiday read that you won’t want to put down. Highly recommended.