Border Crossings

Kathy O'Faolain is an American woman who seems to have it all—a loving husband, a satisfying job helping troubled teens, and an adorable young son. She lives happily with her Irish husband, Pearse, in Dublin—but her life is forever changed when Pearse's brother is murdered by Protestant terrorists in Northern Ireland. When Pearse feels obligated to return home to the north and take over his brother's role as a Republica activist, Kathy's life is turned upside down. Struggling to understand the hate that plagues this troubled land, she watches the violence creep closer and closer to the people she loves—and soon she must make a heartbreaking choice between her husband and her son's future.
"A stirring first novel of terror, death, love, and hope, told with power and conviction and set in the troubled part of Northern Ireland where peace at long last seems almost possible." -- Andrew M. Greeley, bestselling author of IRISH GOLD, SUMMER AT THE LAKE, CONTRACT WITH AN ANGEL, etc...

"BORDER CROSSINGS is a searing look at a family caught in the maelstrom of a tragic political conflict. Carole Bellacera has captured, with amazing believability, the passions and the hatreds that fuel the Irish Troubles." -- Tess Gerritsen, New York Times Best-Selling Author of HARVEST, BLOODSTREAM, LIFE SUPPORT.

"For a first novel, BORDER CROSSINGS, is a fine achievement indeed. The characters are sharply drawn; one both understands and cares about their relationships. The central theme, that of a woman's love for a man caught up in violence, is not exclusively Irish. It will strike a painful chord with readers everywhere." --Morgan Llywelyn, author of 1916.

"A powerful and deeply moving story of terror, death, hope and love, Bellacera's novel is remarkable for its intensity and vivid portrayal of life in Northern ireland at a time when peace seems almost impossible." -- Library Journal.

"The futility of the continuing pattern of violence and hatred is wrenchingly portrayed. A most memorable novel". -- Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times -- 4 1/2 stars!

"BORDER CROSSINGS is a stupendously big book and Carole Bellacera is an important new talent. I devoured this one quickly and then wanted more! You could call it women's fiction because it will touch the female heart, but the issues of the Irish Troubles that never end are compelling well beyond gender." -- G. Miki Hayden, author of PACIFIC EMPIRE, BY REASON OF INSANITY.

"The opening scene of BORDER CROSSINGS hits you like a Mickey Rourke punch! With deft pacing and a rich cast of characters, Bellacera writes a tale that is at once high adventure, political thriller, and tender love story. She knows the stark beauty of Ireland, the partisan violence that scars it, and the secret ways that love can heal." -- David Daniel, Award-Winning author of THE HEAVEN STONE and THE SKELLY MAN.

"In BORDER CROSSINGS, Carole Bellacera has created a moving portrait of a family ensnared in the violence and uncertainty of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. American Kathy O'Faolain's struggle to come to terms with her beloved husband's devotion to a way of life she can never understand brings the political turmoil down to a human level, as the battle between the Protestants and the Catholics threaten the one thing Kathy has never doubted: her marriage to Pearse O'Faolain. A well-drawn cast of characters and a fast-paced plot will keep the reader turning pages, while Kathy's fight to save her marriage, and ultimately, herself, will live in reader's memories long after they reach "the end." -- Cynthia Sterling, author of PATCHWORK HEARTS and A WILLING SPIRIT.

"In BORDER CROSSINGS, Ms. Bellacera has created a moving, powerful and memorable story.