The Thunder Beneath Us - by Nicole Blades (Paperback)

About the Book

Contains excerpt from Hot Flash by Carrie H. Johnson.

Book Synopsis

To the world, Best Lightburn is a talented writer rising up the masthead at international style magazine James, girlfriend of a gorgeous up-and-coming actor, and friend to New York City's fabulous. Then there's the other Best, the one who has chosen to recast herself as an only child rather than confront the truth.

Ten years ago, on Christmas Eve, Best and her two older brothers took a shortcut over a frozen lake. When the ice cracked, all three went in. Only Best came out. People said she was lucky, but that kind of luck is nothing but a burden. Because Best knows what she had to do to survive. And after years of covering up the past, her guilt is detonating through every facet of her seemingly charmed life. It's all unraveling so fast: her new boss is undermining and deceitful, her boyfriend is recovering from a breakdown, and a recent investigative story has led to a secret affair with the magazine's wealthy publisher.

Best is quick-witted and headstrong, but how do you find a way to happiness when you're sure you haven't earned it--or embrace a future you feel you don't deserve? Evocative and emotional, The Thunder Beneath Us is a gripping novel about learning to carry loss without breaking, and to heal and forgive--not least of all, ourselves.

Review Quotes

"Blades layers her narrative with twists, snap decisions, and deep introspection, building a story that feels realistic and human...The book is a fascinating look at the way people process their own survival in the wake of death, and the many ways the past can wreak havoc in the present." - Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Nicole Blades is a writer and journalist who has been putting her stories on paper since the third grade. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, by Caribbean parents, Nicole moved to New York City and launched her journalism career working at Essence(R) magazine. She later co-founded the online maga-zine SheNetworks, and worked as an editor at ESPN and Women's Health. Now a freelance writer, her features and essays have appeared in MORE magazine, Cosmopolitan, NYTimes.com, WashingtonPost.com, BuzzFeed, xoJane.com, BlogHer.com, and HuffPost. She also maintains Ms. Mary Mack, a blog that aims to bring compassion and common sense back to parenthood. Visit her online at NicoleBlades.com.