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Mohrbooks Literary Agency
Sebastian Ritscher
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English
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THE FAIRYTALE LIFE OF DOROTHY GALE

Virginia Kantra

A woman learns to forge her own road in this heartwarming novel inspired by The Wizard of Oz by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.
Dorothy (Dee) Gale is searching for a place to belong. After her mother's death, Dee and her sister Toni settled with Uncle Henry and Aunt Em in Kansas, and Dee attended the University of Kansas. But after falling in love with and subsequently being humiliated by an adjunct faculty member and novelist, Dee is unable to face him - and the rest of the school - and applies to the writing program at Trinity College Dublin.

At Trinity, Dee finds solace in a new group of friends: Sam Clery, who dropped out of college and now runs a newsagents ("No brains," his sister says). Dee discovers he is articulate and well-read - also hot, in a dissolute, Irish poet kind of way. Tim Woodman, who refused to take back his ex-fiancée ("You have no heart," she accused). Not relationship material, Dee concludes. Plus, he's so stiff she thinks he doesn't like her. And Reeti Kaur, who is kindhearted but too afraid to tell her parents she wants to teach underprivileged girls rather than obtain her MBA and work in the family business ("I basically have no courage," she says).

Throughout the semesters, the friends grow closer and encounter new opportunities, love, and heartbreak. Dee is faced with a choice that could dictate her future, but she still has feelings of doubt and insecurity. While she doesn't know where she belongs or what she truly wants, she is ready to make that decision - they say there's no place like home, but Dee comes to realize that wherever she ends up in the world will be where she's meant to be.

New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra is the author of almost thirty novels. She is married to her college sweetheart, a coffee shop owner who keeps her well supplied with caffeine and material. They make their home in North Carolina, where they raised three (mostly adult) children. She is a firm believer in the strength of family, the importance of storytelling, and the power of love.
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Book

Published 2023-12-05 by Berkley / NAL

Book

Published 2023-12-05 by Berkley / NAL

Comments

Virginia Kantra excels at bringing fresh life to American classic heroines. Fans of Dorothy and her journey will adore the new Dee!

Virginia Kantra takes on another beloved classic, bringing The Wizard of Oz into modern times and putting her own charming twist on it. Dee is a delightful heroine, and it's immensely satisfying to watch her make friends and rebuild her life after public humiliation destroyed her. The Dublin setting and the swoony-yet-surprising love story are the icing on the cake of this lovely homage to a classic.

In this vivid reimagining of Dorothy's journey to the Emerald City, Kantra serves up a fresh, empowering tale of a young American in Dublin - out of her comfort zone and off on a quest to rebuild her life after a tornado of humiliation and heartbreak. The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale is a poignant novel about recovery from the deepest wounds, the true meaning of home, and the delicious satisfaction of regaining control of one's own story.

Both deliciously escapist and emotionally honest, this book is a rare gem. Kantra is a deft, wise writer at the top of her game.

This might be my favorite Virginia Kantra book! Perfectly emotionally pitched and delicately fierce, I don't know how Kantra manages to capture the 'looking for home inside yourself' spirit of Wizard of Oz in such a contemporary way, but she does. I loved it!