Love, Risk and Return
by Paul J Gallagher

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Pam O’Rourke’s second marriage is on the rocks. In a last bid to salvage it, she stands on the precipice of moving home to Ireland with her husband Craig. The decision is no small sacrifice—she’s leaving behind the community she built in Canada over seventeen years, and a prestigious job as an interior designer. But there’s another reason she hesitates to make the move: It means saying goodbye to Liam, the true love of her life. After divorcing her first husband many years ago, a chance meeting with Liam brought passion, laughter, and true affection back into her life. The timing wasn’t ideal—Liam was married, and Pam wasn’t ready to commit to something new—but the spark between them was too powerful to ignore. As Pam reflects on her illicit relationship with Liam, and the events that brought her to the moment of her departure from Canada, she wonders if she made the right choices along the way—and whether her connection with Liam can survive the ocean that stands between them.

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"A great read and a deeply welcome debut novel..." Marion Roach Smith, author, The Memoir Project, A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life

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A native of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Paul J. Gallagher has lived a life out of the ordinary. In his professional career, he was immersed in the fields of addictions and criminal justice, but he is perhaps better known for his work on the ice rink as an NCAA hockey player, coach, and NHL scout. These diverse experiences fuelled his itch to write a novel. Inspired by the ups and downs of human relationships, Paul captures rich emotions and complex love stories in his writing. When he isn’t putting pen to paper, Paul enjoys golfing, carpentry, and physical fitness. He currently lives in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, with his wife. Love, Risk and Return is his first novel.

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Paul J Gallagher