Books by Kathleen Beales

In the summer of 1974, after losing his mom to cancer, Billy McMillon, an inquisitive eight-year-old boy with an innate need to be near nature, goes on a sailing expedition with his eccentric grandfather, a famous scientist who is on a mission to uncover the truth behind a mysterious illness plaguing pods of bottlenose dolphins. Suddenly, tragedy strikes, and young Billy's life is turned upside down for a second time. He's back in New York, living with his Nana and shedding the memories of his extraordinary adventure with his grandfather. Years later, Bill finds himself looking back on his accomplishments. A marine architect, he seems to have it all-a great career, a beautiful home in New York, a loving wife, and two healthy, well-adjusted daughters. By all accounts, he's a success. Why should it matter that he hasn't set foot on a boat in over twenty years, he prefers the countryside to the big city, or that he's quite reclusive and distant toward his family? When his curious seven-year old daughter, Brooke, urges him to explain the contents of a mysterious box she finds, Bill comes face-to-face with his past, and suddenly, everything matters. A reflective tale of one man's attempt to build a relationship with his daughter through sharing stories from his unconventional childhood, rich with a bounty of unusual characters set amidst the beautiful canvas of the British Virgin Islands, A Return to Innocence is a whirlwind full of emotion, imagination, and adventure.