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Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt
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PRIDE'S CHILDREN: PURGATORY (Book 1 of the Trilogy) Kindle Edition

by Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 58 ratings
IN A WORLD WHERE INSTANT LOVE IS PRIZED, WHAT IS INTEGRITY WORTH?

Reclusive ex-physician Kary Ashe transmutes personal tragedy into beloved best-selling novels. Actor Andrew O’Connell revels in the enviable status of leading man, with a reputation for perfectionism, an Irish temper, and broken hearts in his wake. Reigning Hollywood princess Bianca Doyle fears she’s already past her peak, and schemes to cement her position in the pantheon with Andrew as mate.

When Kary appears on a NY talk show to support a cherished cause, and becomes obsessed by fellow guest Andrew, movie star, she thinks she’s safe because she will never see him again. While Bianca, watching the show from far-off LA, is confident she can offer Andrew her own coveted insider rank.

But his next movie is filming near Kary’s Sanctuary, with Bianca as costar. Can Kary risk friendship with this intriguing man? Or will Bianca seduce him and meld her star to his? And will either ultimately satisfy Andrew’s twin lusts for fame and love?

Pride’s Children PURGATORY is a powerful literary debut. You don’t read PURGATORY, you live it. A deeply psychological experience, without flinching, from the driver’s seat right behind the eyeballs of three passionate people who can’t all get what they want. The choices, the devastating decisions, the consequences are all presented with the intimacy of a conscience. Ehrhardt conveys to you the gut-wrenching secrets of a disabled writer at the peak of her powers, a charismatic actor waiting in the spot where lightning strikes, and a ruthless woman who sees a golden future if she can but stick the Hollywood landing once and for all, as if you were wearing their skin.

Buy in ebook and print. Free in KU.

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  1. Print length
    490 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    October 28, 2015
  5. File size
    1.2 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Indies Today - 2021 Best Contemporary novel - "A flawless literary gem."

"Andrew O'Connell is a rising star whose talent is equal only to his charm. Hot off the heels of a wildly successful film, he is one of Hollywood's most desirable actors. The stage of a late-night talk show introduces him to Dr. Kary Ashe. Starting her career in medicine, she reinvented herself and has met with financial success as an author. But this seclusive woman does not relish the limelight. Kary struggles with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and her limitations take a back seat to nothing. Content with her private fortress home and fastidiously observed routine of rest, writing, support groups and more rest, getting wrapped up with a celebrity is way out of her comfort zone. But the heart is treacherous, especially when it comes to a handsome Irishman with an uncanny ability to rekindle feelings lost to a life of difficulties and heartbreak. And drama incarnate comes in the form of Bianca Doyle, a starlet with designs on expanding her resume. A cinematized New Hampshire town isn't ready for the intensity of emotions that these three dynamic characters spark as their lives become entangled.

"Pride's Children: Purgatory is like a colorful van Gogh painting broken into a 10,000 piece puzzle, waiting to be assembled by eager readers looking for a captivating, contemporary story about love, regret, ambition and obsession. With the outside edges as a guide, this story looks like a straightforward love story with a glitzy backdrop. Closer examination, however, reveals a much more textured and soul-searching novel that serves as a poignant reminder that we are defined by our choices, and that those decisions tend to stay with us. The treatment of an enigmatic and life-altering disorder is honest and meaningful. Rather than a shiny, compact version that might minimize the encompassing nature of an illness, Ehrhardt makes every effort to give readers an unglamorous view of a debilitating health problem that influences every aspect of life. There is so much to love about this elegant and refined masterpiece, an intimate character study of three dynamic individuals who travel in the same circle for a short time, but whose stories and personalities couldn't be more different. Mature and deliberate, Pride's Children: Purgatory is a flawless literary gem that takes readers on a lengthy but worthwhile journey." Jennifer Jackson, Reviewer

"...integrity and its impact on life..." - Midwest Book Review

"On one level, Pride's Children: PURGATORY, the first in a trilogy, is about movie stars, love, and thwarted passions and purposes; but look deeper and you'll find much more is going on here. A thread of death, resurrection, and revitalization affects each of the characters, along with a focus on abandonment, broken promises, challenging decisions, and the lasting consequences of bad choices.

"From descriptions of filming and the underlying relationships and social encounters of everyone involved ("He'd gotten used to the sense of royal progression whenever he crossed the set. Everyone had a job to do. Equals - but not.") to expressed values in life ("Children are the most important thing in the world." Kary's tone conveyed deep conviction. "Choices have consequences. Nothing else is as crucial as protecting the children.")... PURGATORY's real strength lies in Ehrhardt's ability to take the strings of emotion governing each character's choices and give them tugs that, in turn, tug at the heartstrings of her readers.

"...fine observations of different perceptions of integrity and its impact on life choices contribute additional facets in a story that is hard to put down.
"Readers of women's fiction and literature will relish the slow, methodical, involving progression towards change that each of the characters experiences along their paths to being true to themselves and those around them." Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer

Reviews

"This book was a feast...I found myself turning page after page, and DEVOURING the words, licking my lips figuratively at how delicious they were, and thinking: SHE CAN'T KEEP THIS UP! There is no way she can continue to let me walk around and see and hear and feel what the characters are experiencing; except she did...Kary is CLEARLY a hero, by any criteria you want to apply apart from armed combat, and she is the center of the book. She lives in isolation in New Hampshire, and writes ... She has other grief in her life, but she does not share the pain casually." - Amazon reviewer Pat Patterson

"...while much of the plot centers on the cautious romance, Pride's Children is also about a writer's way of interacting with the world, living with a chronic condition (CFS - when I saw another review mention this, I realized that I couldn't think of any book I'd read, recently, involving a character with a disability or chronic illness - a significant hole in terms of diversity), and the struggle to remain balanced and kind when new people and routines enter one's carefully-ordered sanctuary." - Amazon reviewer Sophia Nuñez

"Ehrhardt delves into the heart of her characters, imbuing this romance with an integrity often lacking in modern novels of this genre. Each obstacle the characters must over come is treated with depth and intimacy. It's not gooey (I hate that) but gritty in an intelligent and classy way. That's another plus, not only is this a work of literature, but it's set in stark modernity, with heaps of historical flashes and elucidation...Ehrhardt is a unique emerging writer and I yearn for more from these attractive characters, having gotten to know them in such depth, that living without them seems unfair." - Author Kelly McRae, Amazon review

"What it is, is exactly what I want in a book,...immersion in other lives, other personalities, other realities...I stayed up late and ignored my work and read and read and read...I honestly don't know how to explain the grip this book had on me from the first. I couldn't stop reading it, and I wanted it never to end. I've read other books that affected me this way, but the authors always hurt the spell by tossing a plot bomb in through the window. Ehrhardt may do that before the trilogy is over, but she doesn't do it in this book. The climax and ending are just as they should be: strong, natural, and satisfactory." - Author, blogger, and reviewer Marian Allen

From the Author

She has devoted the past twenty-some years to learning to write to the standards of the early classics she was steeped in, as she believes that messages in fiction must be surrounded by the utmost in quality entertainment, and that fiction is the most powerful tool we have for slipping through the barriers we put up around our hearts and our minds.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017AZLTLG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Trilka Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 28, 2015
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 490 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 58 ratings

About the author

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Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt

Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt

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Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt is hard at work on the final novel in the Pride's Children trilogy, working title LIMBO & PARADISE, scheduled for publication soon.

PC: PURGATORY, the first volume, was named Indies Today 2021 Best Contemporary novel.

PC: NETHERWORLD was published Sep. 2022.

Follow her on PridesChildren.com to be informed when her next story is available.

A voracious reader, she had always intended to write fiction, and, now retired, dedicates her whole life - when not spending time with her husband, family, and community - to exploring the concepts of integrity in relationships, and the psychological questions of why people do what they do and make the choices they make, including their life partners.

She has devoted the past twenty-some years to learning to write to the standards of the early classics she was steeped in, as she believes that messages in fiction must be surrounded by the utmost in quality entertainment, and that fiction is the most powerful tool we have for slipping through the barriers we put up around our hearts and our minds.

As a writer, she’s published traditionally in short story. She's been featured on Wattpad, where her story Too Late has received 67K reads, and where her debut novel Pride's Children: PURGATORY was serialized and currently has over 20K reads.

When she's not writing, you can find her enjoying the gardens in her new retirement community, or singing. Or riding her Airwheel S8 around the campus and the greenway in Davis, California.

Discover more about her opinionated opinions and quirky writing methods on her writing blog, at liebjabberings.wordpress.com.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
58 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this novel fascinating, with intricately developed characters and rich, nuanced writing that's literary without being pretentious. Moreover, the book's historical information is well-presented, and customers appreciate its beautiful art and leisurely pace.

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16 customers mention "Story quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this novel, describing it as a fascinating narrative that takes readers on a journey into heart and soul.

"...The character development, historical references, romance and action mixed with bits of Irish, Spanish, CFS and religion made the book quite..." Read more

"...all the best with her writing—it is clear all through that it is a labor of love, and that she brings to it deep talent and a delicate touch." Read more

"...Elegant literary fiction which is also literate, modern, gripping, and extraordinarily entertaining, to label the subject matter a 'love triangle'..." Read more

"...The narrative and dialogue were well written and nicely edited, which should be something readers can take for granted but isn't always so...." Read more

12 customers mention "Character development"12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the intricate character development in the book, with one review highlighting the strong intellectual woman protagonist.

"...The character development, historical references, romance and action mixed with bits of Irish, Spanish, CFS and religion made the book quite..." Read more

"...Just as Sayers has a strong intellectual woman and an appealing male character, so Ehrhardt has the physician-mom-turned-disabled-bestselling-..." Read more

"...The plot is more than character-driven; there is a sense in which the plot is the characters...." Read more

"...or not: It's immersion in other lives, other personalities, other realities...." Read more

12 customers mention "Writing quality"12 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as rich, nuanced, and literary without being pretentious.

"...The thoughtful quotes at the beginning of each chapter added yet another dimension...." Read more

"...Those pages revel in exquisite personal detail, carefully shown in subtle words and thoughts that reveal decades of suffering and conflict, deep..." Read more

"...Elegant literary fiction which is also literate, modern, gripping, and extraordinarily entertaining, to label the subject matter a 'love triangle'..." Read more

"...The narrative and dialogue were well written and nicely edited, which should be something readers can take for granted but isn't always so...." Read more

5 customers mention "Art"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the artwork in the book, with one noting its intricate yet graceful style and another highlighting its rich landscapes.

"...Those pages revel in exquisite personal detail, carefully shown in subtle words and thoughts that reveal decades of suffering and conflict, deep..." Read more

"...gift--a literary novel replete with fully developed characters, rich landscapes, insightful journeys into conscience, morality, and ethics...." Read more

"The writing in Pride's Children, Purgatory is beautiful - literary without being at all pretentious - but if you're anything like me, it's the..." Read more

"...I like the way the story unfolds, intricate yet graceful, with bends and twists that kept my interest throughout...." Read more

4 customers mention "Historical content"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical content of the book, finding the information interesting and well-presented, with one customer noting its exhaustive research.

"...The character development, historical references, romance and action mixed with bits of Irish, Spanish, CFS and religion made the book quite..." Read more

"...founded upon either the author's own experience or diligent, exhaustive research. ((I can't tell which. Ha!))..." Read more

"...No matter how interesting the historical information was presented, it was still a break from the main story and felt abrupt...." Read more

"...It includes history, art, family relations, love, nature and more. I recommend it for everyone...." Read more

3 customers mention "Interest"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging, with one mentioning it kept their interest throughout and another describing it as fascinating.

"...mixed with bits of Irish, Spanish, CFS and religion made the book quite fascinating...." Read more

"...unfolds, intricate yet graceful, with bends and twists that kept my interest throughout...." Read more

"A wonderfully written story of love and obsession...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pace"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the leisurely pace of the book.

"...She is glacially patient...." Read more

"...The pace is unhurried, almost meditative at times...." Read more

"...The pace is leisurely, like an afternoon tea in an English garden...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars I loved reading this wonderful novel
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I loved reading this wonderful novel! It was hard to put down and I found myself reading into the night and getting up early to continue reading in the morning. The character development, historical references, romance and action mixed with bits of Irish, Spanish, CFS and religion made the book quite fascinating. The thoughtful quotes at the beginning of each chapter added yet another dimension. I'm so glad it was part one of a trilogy...I can't wait to read the next book!

    To the author*:

    Here are some things I really liked about your book:
    1. I loved seeing what the characters were thinking and how they would decide what to do. I've always been interested in human behavior.

    2. Re CFS..... As a nurse, I appreciated learning more about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It was interesting to see how Kary had to make more and more adjustments as her life got more and more stressful. I appreciated seeing how she paced herself, her thought process and her accommodations just to make it through the day. I say that because I don't do that very well myself, so it was good for me to watch how she did it, especially towards the end when she was on overload.

    3. Andrew was extraordinarily patient. What a man!! Why? I'm not sure most men would get CFS. I do wonder why he was so extremely kind, understanding of the problem and intuitive as to what she needed.

    4. I loved that Kary was a good person and that she tried to do everything right, even when things didn't work out. Do they ever??? It is the story of so many of us...we try, but life and we come up short. I appreciated being privy to her inner struggles and growth. She is not perfect....but she tries to be a good person despite all the obstacles that come her way.

    5. I had to smile at the kids....Susan and Ronnie. As much as we love our kids...it isn't easy to be a parent.

    6. I loved the relationship Kary and Andrew created. It was based on the best ingredients. :-)

    Thank you for writing this book.

    * I knew the author when we were Girl Guides together fifty years ago in Mexico. I did not know she wrote until we reconnected recently. It only influenced me to start the book. My opinion comes only from reading it.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Cindy Rinaman Marsch
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dickensian Slowmo Romance
    Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I first became acquainted with Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt’s lovely prose through our interchange on a literary fiction blog, and I was intrigued about her novel when she said she is strongly influenced by Dorothy Sayers, one of my own favorite novelists.

    (Spoilers)
    Just as Sayers has a strong intellectual woman and an appealing male character, so Ehrhardt has the physician-mom-turned-disabled-bestselling-novelist Kary and the rakishly charming Irish movie star Andrew who kept reminding me of Sean Connery. The unlikely romance and its culmination is trumpeted with a gossip “news” item on the first page (titled “Prothalamion,” the term for the celebration of an upcoming marriage), but after more than 500 pages, we still haven’t reached that time. Because Ms. Ehrhardt has drafted the next two books of the trilogy, I suppose we can expect more development in the romance line in Book 2, though perhaps the culmination won’t even come until Book 3.

    And that’s a long time to wait. I understand Ehrhardt released this novel in serialized form (like Dickens) on WattPad over a couple of years but worked on the novel for fifteen years altogether. She is glacially patient.

    And that’s the main trouble with this novel—it has a glacial pace. After an evening’s meeting in the winter of 2005, Kary and Andrew do not meet again until May, and the next several weeks take 500 pages to cover. Those pages revel in exquisite personal detail, carefully shown in subtle words and thoughts that reveal decades of suffering and conflict, deep human drama. But much of it comes in the last third of the book, so I found myself wondering why Kary wasn’t thinking about her religious commitments, for example, in the early passages, why her ex-husband was treated neutrally, really, until near the end. I depend on a rich novel of this sort to feed me little clues from early on that will come to fruition and satisfying maturity later. A tighter editing, perhaps to 400 pages or even 350, might have been a good idea. Even with a series like Sayers’s collection of Harriet Vane and Peter Wimsey novels, each story is complete in itself, with the romance in the background, in a way that this volume is not. So I left it feeling disappointed, especially because the next volume is not yet published.

    But I wish Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt all the best with her writing—it is clear all through that it is a labor of love, and that she brings to it deep talent and a delicate touch.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Dr Tracey Madeley-Jones
    4.0 out of 5 stars A romance in film
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The first thing you notice about this book is its length. In one sense this is good because you are given the time for a relationship to develop naturally. The problem is you have to develop significantly more memorable and distinguishable scenes or they all merge together and your reader loses interest. I think this book is a bit of a mixture in that sense.
    The opening scene is very direct, showing the contrasting personalities of Andrew and Kary being interviewed for a talk show. Andrew O’Connell is the extravagant, showy film star turned musician, there to promote his film and flirt with the presenter. Kary is the writer, nervous and unsure she has shunned the limelight for years. The presenter is interested in her critical acclaim and her tenacity in dealing with a physically debilitating condition. This contrast further emphasizes the shallowness of Andrew’s fame and the value of true achievement.
    Both Andrew and Kary undergo a crisis which brings them together. For Kary, it is an intruder in her house and for Andrew, a young fan getting into his trailer. Kary’s almost obsessional interest in Andrew’s career after the interview prompts her to offer him sanctuary when he contacts her. Although she is astute enough to keep her feelings guarded and under control when in his presence.
    Bianca is in her late twenties and is Andrew’s co-star. Her goals, motivation, drive, and ambition will not change throughout the novel and in this, she provides a contrast to Andrew’s journey. Events for him bring change, for her they are obstacles to overcome in the pursuit of her career.
    When Kary goes to see Andrew’s film Roland there is a lengthy description of the action which appears to do nothing to move the plot forward. The passages from Kary’s book shows that she is writing, but do we need to know the detail? There could be an argument that what Kary is writing mirrors what she is feeling, but I’m not sure. This level of detail can slow down the action for the reader and may become a reason for not finishing a long book.
    The ending is complete yet still leaves room for another book, should the author wish to continue Kary and Andrew’s journey. A movie making background gives it a little more distinction compared to an ordinary romance and the lead characters are warm, vulnerable and easy to relate to. Overall this is not a bad work of general fiction.
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