Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. This was a really suspenseful, love story. I love the couple, Laura and Jack, and their spirit to overcome marital issues, I really like the tropical setting for this novel.

This Book is different than what I was expected and I really enjoyed this debut authors novel. I enjoyed that it took place in Indonesia . I embraced the characters, especially the protagonist Laura.

In Ashes in a Coconut Laura's husband Jacks takes a new job , which is located in Indonesia and Laura must leave her very different life in NYC which sends them to Indonesia and Laura must leave her New York Home, job, and lifestyle.

This book has elements of superstition, rituals, marriage trials, and self discovery.

The plot was great and there is an element of corruption which takes the reader on a rollercoaster of a ride.
At its core, this is a romance, but much more than that.

I think readers of all genres will enjoy this story.

This was a good story, but I did not feel too much connection to it. Laura and Jack are busy people from New York City. Jack is a banker, and Laura is a designer. Jack receives an offer to take over as president of the bank branch in Indonesia. Laura now must give up her life. As soon as they arrive in Jakarta, Laura starts having premonitions and bad feelings about not only Jack's work but also their home. Over time, Laura finds new friends and a new purpose. However, the good times don't last forever.

This book was really well-written, and Kearns is wonderful at catching the likeness of his characters. This story is outside the realm of what I normally read, but I still enjoyed reading it. It was a little slow paced for me, but there was never a dull moment. If you enjoy reading about beautiful experiences in a beautiful place, I recommend you check it out.

Laura Harrison accompanied her husband Jack to Indonesia when he is set to take over as president of a troubled bank. She's intending to save her marriage, even though she has the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. She finds meaning in helping to save endangered orangutans and their habitat, but her husband is caught up in a lot of shady dealings that start to force them apart.

Ashes in a Coconut is Bo Kearns' debut novel, and he had actually been in Indonesia as part of his career in finance. This is evident in how vivid his descriptions of Bali are when the book opens, and he describes even the accents of the people talking with Laura and Jack. They witness a funeral with a tour guide as they explore the location outside their resort on the way to Jakarta, and it's more like a celebration of life than quiet misery. Following the cremation, the ashes are placed inside a young coconut and it's floated into the ocean. This is obviously the source of the novel's title, and certainly sets the tone for the rest of the book.

A number of odd happenings and dreary circumstances seem to confirm Laura's premonition that life will be difficult in Jakarta, and the culture clashes are inevitable. Grift and bribery is almost a way of life for most Indonesians in the 1980's, and there is very little emotional support for Laura or Jack. Both react in ways they never thought that they would; situations like this can bring out the best or worst in people, and they're no different. The uneasy feeling that Laura had permeates the novel, and I felt bad for most of the people involved. There were times when I was sorry for them, despite their poor choices, and at other times I would've like to reach through the pages to shake them for their stupidity. The novel didn't end in the way that I expected it to, but it fits the story. I'm left with a melancholy kind of feeling, but it's tempered with hope for the future as well.

At first I had a hard time getting into this book because it is not what I usually read but I am glad I did! I thought the author did a great job with the characters and making you feel as if you were a part of their story. All in all it was a great one and I recommend it to others!

This Book is Fascinating and takes place in Indonesia . i quickly loved the characters and the main gal Laura. Her fascination with superstition and rituals went hand in hand with some strange phenomena and events happening in their new home . Her husband Jacks takes a new job , which sends them to Indonesia and Laura must leave her New York Home, job, and lifestyle.
Laura faces adjusting to new life, marriage trials and tribulations, and self discovery as well. It was a great thrill ride and exotic writting. Great plot, betrayl, corruption, and thrills.
Laura must face many things and finds herself responsible for her own destiny and life path.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it.