Change of View

Julia was a well-traveled, twice-divorced, experienced business consultant-trainer, and quite outspoken about many topics. Tomis, a workaholic engineer in the ferry- tourism business in Croatia, carried guilt over his late wife’s death in the civil war. The older couple had come from opposite ends of the world to meet serendipitously in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A fated-encounter, as it is one of the most extensively beautiful, but population-deprived areas of the States. It is also not easy to get to, with only one jet equipped airport for the area. Thus, rather strange for two international people to meet, and go site-seeing through the glorious-colored fall nature together.
She had recently moved from San Francisco, and he was visiting his sister, while his purchased old Staten Island Ferries were finished being refurbished. They found an odd common connection regarding international business, in that Julia had traveled extensively, and been a business trainer in Japan for seven years. His lack of fluent English was not a problem for her, but understanding her bent sense of humor, and quirky attitude was not easy for Tomis. Having overcome her own workaholism, she saw the vast surrounding autumn trees and water relaxing him to bring them both closer.
Surprising those people around them, after only four days together, their lives are extensively changed when she travels to New York, and then back with Tomis to Croatia. She was to consult for doing training in the seemingly innocuous, yet rapidly
growing tourism business. But, an Organized Crime faction, leftovers from the brutal war of twenty years earlier, wants to prevent Croatia from joining the European Union. They have had a wanton control over gambling, drugs, extortion, etc. and the EU would curtail their deadly power. Because of his business success and political connections, they made many attempts to kill Tomis, then infiltrated his employees’ union instead.
They see kidnapping Julia, the new love in his life, as key to extorting money from his business, and stopping his support of the government’s push for EU recognition. Fears of her personal safety haunt him, repeating the painful memories of the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter. But Julia will not play victim to anyone, and she almost kills one of the kidnappers. Though the State Police are determined to eradicate these criminals, Tomis feels quite powerless to help stop them, until the most unlikely of heroes arises to the rescue. It is a romantic adventure in the most unusual way, with twists and turns of situations filled with humor, and romping sexual intimacy that neither had known in many years.