Patch is hiding from Thai police at rainbow resort. He injured a local policeman and does not want to go to prison. He works for room and board with the owners of the resort who are poor and struggling. Soon he becomes indispensable to them and grows to love them. The author paints a wonderful picture of the area called Ko Phi Phi and makes you want to hop on a plane and go there. Patch's brother Ryan and girlfriend Brooke arrive to try to get Patch to turn himself in.The tension in the novel arises as the reader waits for this tsunami to hit. It does but only near the end of the novel where the lose ends get tied up.
Not a deep or great novel by any means but not bad. I enjoyed learning about Ko Phi Phi and the Thai people's lives. ( )

This was my second John Shors book, and I found it horrible predictable and not very realistic. I guess it got the high star reviews because of the tsunami but it was sappy and predictable and I knew within the first 3 chapters exactly what was going to happen. ( )

I love John Shors' writing, and I loved this book. I could see, smell, and touch everything on Ko Phi Phi. I could hear the characters laugh, and I felt their happiness and sorrow. Cross Currents is beautifully written, but be prepared to weep towards the end. This is such a wonderful story, and I know I will keep it with me as if these were my own memories. ( )

Let me start off by saying that I loved the writing in this novel! Shors portrayed the beauty of Thailand so wonderfully that I would love to take my next vacation there. We have the opportunity to be given this story through several different viewpoints, which helps the story unfold in a way that makes you want to stay up late into the night reading.

Lek and Sarai are happy Thailand residents that own a small resort right on the beach. They love the life they have with their children in the small tourist community, but struggle daily to cover the costs of daily needs. Could the upkeep of the resort and the basic financial needs be more than they expected? Throughout the novel they consider uprooting their family to move to the city to give them more financial options.

Patch is a carefree man who seems to live one day at a time. After getting into trouble in Bangkok, he fleas to the remote Island of Ko Phi Phi, hoping to hide from the authorities. He turns out to be an answered prayer when he arrives at the Rainbow Resort, being able to help Lek and Sarai with maintenance issues they couldn't otherwise afford. Not only does this family let him into their resort, but they also open their home and hearts to him and treat him like a member of the family. Patch knows this can only last so long as he is hiding from the law.

Things start to change for Patch when his brother, Ryan, shows up to help him sort out his legal dilemma. Ryan brought his girlfriend Brooke along with him, hoping they will have a chance to strengthen their relationship while they are in paradise. He's not sure if they can strengthen a romance that never sparked in the first place.

I loved this novel that not only had me wrapped up in the lives and emotions of the characters, but had me holding my breath several times as I felt that something was about to shatter their lives as they knew it. I'm not going to give any more of this novel away, but this book will sweep you away with it's themes of love, forgiveness, familial obligations, and survival. I think it would also make a great book club selection and don't hesitate in recommending it. ( )

This was a wonderful novel about family, survival and love. The main characters were a family of 5 plus their grandmother from Ko Phi Phi island in Thailand and two American brothers. Shors did a masterful job of showing us the interactions between family members in their own family as well as between the two families. The vivid descriptions of the island, boats, restaurant, bungalows, the beach and the pier made you able to visualize the words and made you feel as if you were there - to see the sights, smell the sea and the foods, feel the heat along with the coolness of the water. There was love shown between the family members and the important role each one played in the family dynamics was explored. The devastation caused by the tsunami was made real in Shors telling and the ending itself was unexpected and caused many tears even though more happy endings than I expected were reported. The story flowed effortlessly and the richness in the telling was unexpected. I have not read other books written by Shors but they will be added to my to be read pile. I just hope the others are as well written as Cross Currents.

Favorite Quote: "...As the sun approached the horizon, its light changed colors, as if it were penetrating stained glass at an ancient cathedral, illuminating the island and sea in scarlet and amber. The sun's descent was slow and peaceful, as were the sounds of dusk - the beeps of tree frogs mingling with the distant drone of longboat engines."

Reviewed by JoAnne
Review copy provided by the author's publicist

http://www.romancing-the-book.com/2011/11/review-cross-currents-by-john-shors.ht... ( )