Bella Vista

by Adam Strong

Bella Vista, in the end, is about fatherhood. About fathers and sons. It's about one father, Frank Pershall, how he went from a dope smoking car aficionado to a businessman. About how this businessman hatched a scheme to pry his son, Jay away from his Mom, who was developing a habit of drugs and staying out late, and generally being out of it most of the time, and how that father convinced his son to move down to Florida with him.
But as soon as they get there, all that high and mighty "I'll be a better father to you" breaks down because the first day they arrive at this house at this vision his father has for life known as Bella Vista, only then does he choose to turn the care of his son over to his Limo Driver, Cliff. Yes, all of a sudden Dad has all of this money that he tells his son comes from venture capitalists and this new business he is starting. Cliff drives people around for a living, and it is in this Limo Jay learns to carve out a life for himself away from his father, and to finally live life on his own terms.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2026

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In a heart-rending yet heart-expanding debut, Adam Strong takes us on a roller coaster ride with an anxious young boy caught between two dreams: any semblance of a relationship with his cruel, self-absorbed father or a frayed-but-coveted connection with his sidetracked mother—choices a child of ten or twelve or even eighteen shouldn’t have to make. Jay’s dad off-loads him with a quirky but caring limousine driver named Cliff, and the two of them find friendship and adventure on the mean streets of Miami, a bond that saves them both. Bella Vista sings of life’s complex realities—its shining beauty and its devastating sorrow.”
—Nancy Townsley, author of Sunshine Girl

[Steve Denniston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Strong's debut novel about a boy growing up in the 80's is remarkable in how he is able to write a character (Jay) with such a vulnerable voice, that even when Jay distances himself from everyone who loves him, we understand it comes from a place of pain and confusion. In many ways this is a story about how messy a path to forgiveness can be and the ability of Jay being able to look back on it with acceptance.
The prose is lovely, the characters feel real, and the emotions Strong evokes in readers is earned on the page.

[Brian Poteat · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional story of a boy searching for meaning and personal connection while growing up in a turbulent family - told simply and elegantly in a unique voice. An excellent debut novel. I look forward to reading the author's next creation.

[Andrea George · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Bella Vista", by Adam Strong, follows the narrative of Jay Pershall. Jay attempts to navigate his way through childhood and adolescents, basically on his own. His parents are both emotionally immature and not engaged/involved in his life. Jay's father convinces him to move to Miami with him, offering a better life, promising to be a better father, and wealth based on a plan that he has. Jay quickly realizes that other than wealth, the other promises are all lies. His father hires a Limo driver named Cliff to take care of Jay. They quickly form a bond, along with an education of life on the streets.
This novel felt very empty to me. There were a lot of loose ends that left me both confused and frustrated. For example:
Jay's father's job was never really explained
Jay skips school the majority of the time, yet he's heading off to college
Jay's relationship with Michelle didn't go into enough detail, especially their breakup
Jay's attempt at suicide was "brushed over". His mother stops by and his father marries days later.

These are just a few of the items that made this, in my opinion, a very shallow read.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had hope for this book; it had a pretty cover, and the print was large enough for my poor eyes.

Jay Persall lives in New York with an artist mother who gets hooked on cocaine. His pot-smoking father went to an all-day seminar, and abruptly changed! His father cuts his hair, changes his clothes, and becomes a perfectionist. Minimal love from the mother, and his dad has no clue about being a father.

The dad takes the body to Florida and hands him over to a limo driver of prostitutes and drunks and drives the boy around picking up the people. That is the closest the boy gets to someone who cares. There were some traumatic events, but there was no transition =between them, and so much was unexplained. The boy missed a lot of school, yet he went to college. How did this happen? How did his dad suddenly get a lot of money? Why did his father get away with it. Jay's mother made it out of addiction and said it was hard. That is all we know about that.

I didn't like the ending; it seemed that the author jumped a sort of happy ending without explanation.

[Tim Halbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam Strong is an acute observer of the frozen moment. Bella Vista moves from one sharply defined observation to the next, painting deeply felt and very visual images. The character of Cliff (no spoilers) seriously feels like someone I know. He's so warm and tries so hard without a lot of skills and it is endearing. I did not expect to find this book so stuffed with Swisher Sweets, my son's smoke of choice, but it absolutely is. Recommended.