Three men shipwrecked on an island. Three women back home with broken hearts. A character-rich and heartfelt journey that will make, or break, all of their lives. Ben, Stuart, and Paul are passengers on a three-day fishing trip. After their boat is sunk by a rogue wave, they wind up on a deserted island, where they fight to stay alive while hoping for rescue. They later discover that they share a common history—past relationships they wrecked, and seriously messed up decision-making when it comes to love. Ben never expected to find the road back to his ex-wife, but the struggle to survive on the island gives him the courage to try to heal the damage he’s caused. Michelle, though, may have other plans—she’s being romanced by an amazing new guy in her life. Stuart pretended for years that his broken engagement didn’t matter, but now he wonders if he’s had it wrong all along. He resolves to search for Jillian if he makes it back, but she doesn’t want to be found. She’s kept a life-changing secret for years and she’s not about to reveal it now. Paul knows he’s been a fool. He pushed away the love of his life, but now the island threatens his very life. He yearns to go home and make it all up to Sarah, but he’s the least likely to return. Three men set out on a short vacation but instead find themselves on a harrowing journey-of-a-lifetime, one that will either make them the kind of men they’ve always wanted to be or break them. ◆◆◆◆◆ The ocean swelled, cerulean waves moved endlessly, peaking and troughing. One wave, traveling hundreds of miles, crossed another, and the two continued as one, larger wave. Later, that wave crossed two more, growing increasingly larger, and so on, until a rogue wave was formed. Largely considered a maritime myth, now more than 125 feet tall, trough to crest, the rogue wave moved with alarming speed, despite its casual appearance. Traveling at over 44,000 feet per minute, the wave moved with urgency, but with no destination. It encountered little. Larger fish dove deep, sensing the disturbance above. Dolphin and other intelligent creatures moved laterally in advance of the wave, recognizing and adroitly avoiding the danger. Smaller fish were borne upward to enormous heights and violently returned below. Sea birds flew away, later winging back to follow in the wake of the wave and take advantage of the feast of small, stunned fish floating on the surface. The vast ocean around the growing wave lay undisturbed as the behemoth continued to gain power. It had come together without warning—no storm, no shifting of tectonic plates beneath the sea, no resulting earthquake. Here, on the open ocean, no oceanic devices captured the journey of the wave. No one saw, and no one knew. Ahead, completely oblivious to the enormity of the danger approaching, the passengers of the Princess Rose drifted serenely on the open ocean—eating, drinking—believing in their supremacy and, therefore, their safety. That would all change in an instant. Unlikely Return is an insightful slow burner of a book which I relished sinking my teeth into! It is an effortlessly stirring expression of the complexities of human relationships, extremely cognizant of human emotion and how one's sense of self is deeply influenced by one's formative years. It stirs empathy within the reader and explores a wealth of different perspectives that make for fantastic characterization. - Love Reading, UK A finely constructed and meticulously researched, emotionally accurate tale of survival and soul-searching. This is as much a fascinating, action-packed account of survival on the open seas and a deserted island as it's a story of love, family ties, second chances, and self-discovery. - The Prairies Book Review