{"title":"Talya Tate Boerner","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-third-act-of-theo-gruene-paperback","title":"The Third Act of Theo Gruene - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA solitary man finds his quiet world turned upside down when a precocious young girl shows up on his front porch during a thunderstorm.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eMeet Theo Gruene.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheo is a quiet man with basic needs, preferring phone calls to text messages and books to movies. As a retired, seventy-year-old botanist, he spends his days preserving plant specimens for future university research. He appreciates a dependable routine and prefers solitude. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eEnter Penelope. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDuring a spring thunderstorm, a girl Theo has never met appears at his front door. Despite an oversized lime green raincoat, the child is drenched, and her eyeglasses are rain-splattered. \"Please, can I come inside? I missed my school bus by two measly minutes, forgot my apartment key, and don't want to be struck by lightning!\" Stunned and a bit suspicious -what if she is a scammer?-Theo invites her inside. He has no idea his life will soon be unrecognizable. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eEnter Ivy.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIvy is a single parent struggling to raise Penelope alone, juggling nursing classes and a low-paying job at the local VA hospital. She's remarkable, and with such a determined spirit, Theo believes she might set the world on fire given different circumstances. He also wonders if there might be more to Ivy's story. Theo suspects everyone has at least one secret closeted away like a scratchy, ill-fitting sports coat. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eEnter Covid.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs the pandemic spreads across the globe, even touching Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Theo has lived for almost four decades, Theo slowly opens his comfortable life to infinite possibilities. With an unforgettable cast of endearingly flawed characters, The Third Act of Theo Gruene is a poignant and humorous portrayal of love and loss and a joyful celebration of human connection, even during unprecedented times.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50101211332831,"sku":"9781951418113","price":25.63,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/QfQ-pzh5fK9781951418113.webp?v=1781068478"},{"product_id":"bernice-runs-away-paperback","title":"Bernice Runs Away - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eHave you ever dreamed of running away?\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLife hasn't always been easy for Bernice, but she is reasonably content at the ripe age of eighty-one. She has raised two children, buried both her husband and son, and is doing okay despite a few minor health issues. When Bernice's daughter, Sarah, insists the time has come for Bernice to forfeit her independence and move into her backyard carriage house, Bernice refuses. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"I have a perfectly good house in Arkansas. Why on earth would I move to Atlanta?\"\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDespite Bernice's protestations, Sarah moves forward with death cleaning and estate sale planning as though Bernice has no say in the matter. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eBernice has plenty to say about a variety of things.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWith Miss Fiona packed stem to stern with only those things that spark joy (thank you, Marie Kondo) and inspired by an old black-and-white photograph of her first true love, Bernice leaves her cozy home in Savage Crossing without a glance in the rearview mirror. And without a word to her family. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eOnce Bernice decides to run away, what unfolds is a heartfelt journey into long-ignored questions and change for the good.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA charming story of second chances and the transcendent power of love, \u003ci\u003eBernice Runs Away\u003c\/i\u003e clears away life's clutter and gets to the truth of what is essential in life.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50101535310047,"sku":"9781951418076","price":21.58,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/cAk7SZ_yN_9781951418076.webp?v=1781071677"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/talya-tate-boerner.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}