After a lover threatens to kill her, 26-year-old Cara Lopez Lee runs away to Alaska. There, she finds herself in a complicated love triangle with two alcoholics: Sean, the martial artist, and Chance, the paramedic. Nine years later, sick of love and the abuse that destroyed it, she runs away again, this time to backpack alone around the world. Recounting one woman’s journey to self-discovery with dazzling honesty and humor, this memoir follows her year-long trek through Thailand, China, Nepal, Spain, and Ireland.
REVIEWS
“It’s rare when an author really opens up and divulges her innermost insecurities. No matter your background, you’ll be able to take something from this book, whether it’s how to stand up for yourself, how to steer clear of an unhealthy relationship, how to trust your instincts, or how to live according to your rules.”
—Susan Blumberg-Kason, author, Good Chinese Wife
“I loved Cara Lopez Lee’s memoir. The characters are as well drawn as those in novels, the relationship dynamics fascinating, and the journey of self-discovery very satisfying. The voice in the memoir is charming and honest, without being cloying or precious. It’s a voice you definitely want to spend time with.”
—Barbara Wright, author, Plain Language
“A delightfully engaging read. Lee reminds us that in travel as in life, the inward journey is as messy, important, and rewarding as the outward one.”
—Kyle Wagner, travel editor, Denver Post
“Lee writes candidly about her adventurous—and sometimes tumultuous—journey through life. Her vivid prose draws you into that journey. Her passion makes you want to stay for the ride.”
—Valorie Burton, author, What’s Really Holding You Back?
“With an open heart, Cara Lopez Lee relates her round-the-world journey to self-discovery with the unabashed, dazzling honesty of a good friend telling you her innermost secrets over a cup of coffee. The backdrop of intriguing cultures and landscapes further enriches Lee’s bold memoir.”
—Rose Muenker, winner, The Society of American Travel Writers Gold Award Travel Column
“Lee gets it right about life and love in the last frontier . . . Her adventures on the road had me laughing out loud with a heart-tugging message we can all relate to.”
—Lauren Maxwell, anchor, CBS 11 News This Morning, Anchorage, Alaska
“Lee takes you on a fun, fabulous adventure—perfect for any woman who wishes she could escape ‘life’ to travel the world.”
—Susan Kim, anchor, Live at Daybreak, Today’s TMJ4, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
“Lee’s ill-advised romances with a cast of Alaskan rogues had me alternately laughing and wanting to shout, ‘No, don’t do it!’ Meanwhile, her descriptions of the unusual people and exotic locations she encountered on her travels made me eager to experience them myself . . . until I remembered Asian rats and European robbers are not my thing.”
—Mark Graham, author, The Fire Theft