The Flamboyant — Lori Marie Carlson

Inspired by the life of a glamorous American heroine who divided her time between a lush Caribbean island and a New York lakeside retreat, and set against the vibrant backdrop of the 1920s and '30s, The Flamboyant evokes the romance of early aviation, particularly as it was experienced by women of that courageous generation.

Lenora Demarest -- the only daughter of a wealthy American doctor turned grapefruit plantation-owner -- is a complex ingenue whose sensibilities, ambitions, and desires are often contradictory. She yearns for love and cherishes traditional values, yet longs for independence and seeks to break away from the restrictions of Victorian norms. During the course of her unusual life, Lenora falls in love with George Hanson, a dashing aviator, and also befriends Amelia Earhart. In very different ways, these two individuals help to sharpen her self-understanding and set her on a path of exhilarating single-minded achievement.