Laura McBride Bücher

»Vier Frauenschicksale verwoben zu einem Panorama, das zu Tränen rührt.« Deseret News Vier Frauen, sechs Jahrzehnte und ein Ort, der Schicksale bestimmt ... Mitternacht ist ein Ort: »Midnight Room« – so heißt der Nachtclub im El Capitan, einem Casino in Las Vegas. June Stein und ihr Mann haben das Casino in den 1950ern aufgebaut und in eine goldene Ära geführt. Doch die ist längst Vergangenheit, als Honorata, eine junge Philippina und »Katalogbraut«, Jahre später hier den Jackpot knackt und sich mit Junes Hilfe die Freiheit erkauft. Honoratas Leben ist verwoben mit dem der mexikanischen Einwanderin Engracia und dem von Carol, einer schwarzen Lehrerin, die schon lange nach ihrer leiblichen Mutter sucht – eine Suche, bei der ihr nur June helfen kann.

“Your heart will break…then soar” (Redbook) when, far from the neon lights of the Vegas strip, three lives collide in a split-second mistake and a child’s fate hangs in the balance.Avis thought her marriage had hit a temporary rut. But with a single confession in the middle of the night, her carefully constructed life comes undone. After escaping a tumultuous childhood and raising a son, she now faces a future without the security of the home and family she has spent decades building.Luis only wants to make the grandmother who raised him proud. As a soldier, he was on his way to being the man she taught him to be until he woke up in Walter Reed Hospital with vague and troubling memories of how he got there. Now he must find a new way to live a life of honor.Every day, young Bashkim looks forward to the quiet order of school and the kind instruction of his third grade teacher. His family relocated to Las Vegas after fleeing political persecution in their homeland. Now their ice cream truck provides just enough extra income to keep them afloat. With his family under constant stress, Bashkim opens his heart to his pen pal, a US soldier.When these lives come together in a single, shocking moment, each character is called upon to rise. “You’ll be thinking about these characters long after you finish this haunting, heart-wrenching, and hopeful book” (Houston Chronicle).

The narrative unfolds as Amanda Starr shares her vibrant theatrical life with young author Chad Seton, revealing a past filled with excitement and uninhibited experiences. During a summer at her country mansion, family members visit, each influenced by her stories. As her granddaughter seeks her own direction, a former actor re-enters Mandy's life, challenging her self-centered ways and offering a chance for renewed happiness. The story explores themes of family, personal growth, and the courage to embrace change.

Irina Spassky, after the death of her father, pursues her passion for art in New York with her inheritance. She becomes romantically involved with her much older teacher, Franco, who initially mentors her but eventually marries her, transforming his bachelor lifestyle. As Irina struggles with her lack of painting talent, it is Franco's supportive love that helps her uncover her true gift, leading to personal growth and a deeper understanding of her artistic identity.