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Finding Tranquility Base
When a young girl’s family in west Texas is torn apart by tragedy, she takes a volunteer position at the local VA hospital to escape the suffering that has enveloped her home. As a shocking truth threatens to tear the town apart, she falls for a convalescing GI and together they discover the healing power of love. A suspenseful and touching metaphor for the turmoil of the Vietnam War, Janet Rebhan’s debut captures the flavor of small town Texas life with the visceral understanding of Larry McMurtry’s Last Picture Show and the soul of Billie Letts’ Where the Heart Is.
Sixteen year-old Riley Pritchard’s family is altered forever when a tornado destroys her home and triggers a series of dramatic events. When the ultimate tragedy punctuates their decimated lives, each family member, from her beautiful, self-centered mother and hardworking, sentimental father to her kick-ass, air-headed older brother, grieves alone, isolated in a suffocating sadness.
In a desperate attempt to extricate herself from the pain and sorrow of a home where the walls seem to be closing in tighter every day, Riley volunteers at the local Veterans Administration hospital. There she meets Johnny, a young soldier and survivor of a helicopter crash in Vietnam who has returned home with severe burns covering the lower half of his body. Together they begin to discover the redemptive and healing power of love.
A moving coming of age story about finding inner peace and fulfillment in the face of heartbreak and loss, Rebhan delivers a nuanced, captivating portrayal of blossoming adulthood. Showing remarkable felicity for time and place, she imbues her novel with the numbing desolation of west Texas as she explores the themes of self-reliance, self-preservation, and strength amidst adversity. As engaging as it is entertaining, Finding Tranquility Base is a thought-provoking, inspiring story that will change the way you view the world all over again.
Sixteen year-old Riley Pritchard’s family is altered forever when a tornado destroys her home and triggers a series of dramatic events. When the ultimate tragedy punctuates their decimated lives, each family member, from her beautiful, self-centered mother and hardworking, sentimental father to her kick-ass, air-headed older brother, grieves alone, isolated in a suffocating sadness.
In a desperate attempt to extricate herself from the pain and sorrow of a home where the walls seem to be closing in tighter every day, Riley volunteers at the local Veterans Administration hospital. There she meets Johnny, a young soldier and survivor of a helicopter crash in Vietnam who has returned home with severe burns covering the lower half of his body. Together they begin to discover the redemptive and healing power of love.
A moving coming of age story about finding inner peace and fulfillment in the face of heartbreak and loss, Rebhan delivers a nuanced, captivating portrayal of blossoming adulthood. Showing remarkable felicity for time and place, she imbues her novel with the numbing desolation of west Texas as she explores the themes of self-reliance, self-preservation, and strength amidst adversity. As engaging as it is entertaining, Finding Tranquility Base is a thought-provoking, inspiring story that will change the way you view the world all over again.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2012
464 people want to read
About the author
Janet Rebhan
5 books38 followersJanet Rebhan is an award-winning novelist whose emotionally layered fiction explores the deeper currents of healing, identity, and spiritual growth. Her stories often center on characters facing emotional crossroads, drawing readers into transformative journeys that mirror the complexities of real life.
Her debut novel, Finding Tranquility Base, earned praise for its lyrical prose and powerful portrayal of resilience. Her second novel, Rachael’s Return, was a 2020 International Book Awards Winner in Visionary Fiction and received an Honorable Mention from the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards in the same category.
Janet continues to craft fiction that blends inner insight with outer drama. When she’s not writing, she supports fellow creatives and speakers in finding their voice and purpose through storytelling.
Her debut novel, Finding Tranquility Base, earned praise for its lyrical prose and powerful portrayal of resilience. Her second novel, Rachael’s Return, was a 2020 International Book Awards Winner in Visionary Fiction and received an Honorable Mention from the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards in the same category.
Janet continues to craft fiction that blends inner insight with outer drama. When she’s not writing, she supports fellow creatives and speakers in finding their voice and purpose through storytelling.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 20, 2013
Amazing read! Easy reading, short chapters, twists & turns galore!!! Yet the author always manages to bring it all back together...Loved the time-table of 1969, but you didn't have to live then to FEEL it! This is truly a beautiful cycle of life story...
July 3, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! The small town, coming of age story reminded me a bit of "To Kill A Mockingbird." Being a veteran, I really appreciated the plot line about the veterans in the VA hospital. The smooth flow of the writing and the short chapters also made this a very quick and enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to reading her next novel!
July 10, 2017
A friend recommended this story to me and I read it in one day. It is captivating. The plot is complex and keeps moving out ahead of you. East Texas becomes even more inviting. You'll be glad you spent the time with this treasure.
February 27, 2014
My book club chose Finding Tranquility Base and I was initially intrigued by its cover. Once I finished the first chapter, I felt compelled to keep reading and continued until the last page was turned. As an educator, I appreciated the realistic development of the main character from teenager to adult and the accuracy of the historical details. The intricacy of the plot kept me guessing throughout. And Janet Rebhan's descriptions served up a feast for the senses.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews