The Aloha Spirit

Published by She Writes Press * Distributed to the trade by Publishers Group West

“The poignant and atmospheric tale captures the pre–World War II diversity of Hawaiian culture, a melting pot of religions and ethos… Evocative and engaging, with a protagonist determined to keep the aloha spirit in her heart.” ~Kirkus Reviews

“It is an exceptional story of a woman whose unwavering spirit has been tested at a very young age and continues throughout her years.” ~Reader’s Favorite

“Good historical accuracy and an admirable glossary complement the author’s efforts.” ~Historical Novel Society

“Linda Ulleseit delivers a complex and intimate story of family trauma, parenthood, and the struggle for the promise of Aloha. Highly Recommended!“ Chanticleer Book Reviews

Aloha is the joyous sharing of life’s abundance.

Read my Paper Lantern Writers blog post about Christmas in Hawai’i, my blog post about Hawai’ian Superstitions, and my article on shepherd.com

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Summary

The spirit of aloha is found in Hawaii’s fresh ocean air, the flowers, the trade winds . . . the natural beauty that smooth the struggles of daily life. In 1922 Honolulu, unhappy in the adoptive family that’s raised her, Dolores begins to search for that spirit early on―and she begins by running away at sixteen to live with her newlywed friend Maria.

Trying to find her own love, Dolores marries a young Portuguese man named Manolo His large family embraces her, but when his drinking leads to physical abuse, only his relative Alberto comes to her rescue―and sparks a passion within Dolores that she hasn’t known before. Staunch Catholics can’t divorce, however; so, after the Pearl Harbor attack, Dolores flees with her two daughters to California, only to be followed by both Manolo and Alberto. In California, Manolo’s drinking problems continue―and Alberto’s begin. Outraged that yet another man in her life is turning to the bottle for answers, Dolores starts to doubt her feelings for Alberto. Is he only going to disappoint her, as Manolo has? Or is Alberto the embodiment of the aloha spirit she’s been seeking?