The Awakening: A Novel of Intrigue, Seduction, and Redemption

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A captivating novel that tells the story of the rise and fall, the passions, and the heartbreak of a Spanish family from the Spanish Civil War until the 1990s. The Awakening begins with the childhood of Diego Garcia, who spends his days barefoot among olive trees, harboring a forbidden passion for a beautiful local girl until his world is forever changed on the war-torn streets of 1936 Granada.
Decades later, Diego Garcia is now the gentle patriarch in a sun-scorched village perched among the rolling hills and olive groves of Andalusia, Spain. Diego survived the bloody Spanish Civil War only at great cost, and his enduring wish is that he could have saved others. His granddaughter, the lovely Lupita, is the town's physician, whose competence is surpassed only by her compassion. Together they breathe new life into a mysterious American stranger, brutally beaten and robbed, and suffering from amnesia, whose past is so scarred by his own malice and deceit that he dare not awaken--save through the guiding grace of love.
Together, the three forge a new beginning and find redemption in trust, love, and acceptance of the past . . . a past they would do anything to leave behind.

Reviews

"The Awakening is one of those rare books that tugs at your heart while intriguing the mind. The history of Spain in a time of unrelenting fascism and threat of war was a wonderful setting in which to reveal the goodness of simple people who carried their own, often complex, secrets. The country doctor opens her heart to the stranger and, in doing so, embraces a new world from whence her own fears are affirmed and accepted. The Awakening is a merry, thought-provoking gem in the genre of The Alchemist, but with a twist. It is an elegantly written novel of the human condition." --Torena O'Rorke, author of Gemini Girl Murders and other Astrology Mysteries

"The story is an intricately weaved narrative, exquisitely written, with characters that come alive in both their complexity and their humanity. The book flows seamlessly from past to present and from scene to scene. The author has the gentle touch of an artist and the clear voice of compassion." --Michael Pieracci, professor of humanities, Washington State University Tri-Cities

"This is a story worth telling, which, along with the intrigue, has a useful message. . . . It's a fashion show of metaphors." --Allen D. Brecke, 2013 Tri-Citian of the Year and recipient of the American Red Cross Heart of Humanity award

"The Awakening weaves effortlessly through time, from the battle-scarred streets of Spain in 1936 to nearly 60 years later . . . the author brilliantly illustrates the restorative power of time." Katelyn Orum, Washington State Magazine

Author Bio

Allen Johnson holds an MA from the University of Washington in communication and a PhD from Washington State University in psychology. He is an international keynote speaker and consultant. His platform style tends to be humorous and dramatic. He served for several years as a contract presenter for FranklinCovey. Johnson is also a jazz instrumentalist, singer, entertainer, and actor.