Blue Flamingo by Joyce V. Harrison

A gritty road novella about uncovering the past and finding yourself, Blue Flamingo by Joyce V. Harrison is a nostalgic slice of American drama. After becoming an orphan at 24, Dylan Ryker hits the road and winds up in the Florida panhandle, working at a bar called the Blue Flamingo – a dive that his father once passed through – in the hopes of finding a fresh direction in life. Between ousting badly behaved drunks, pursuing his passion as an artist, and trying to charm the girl next door, Dylan is a relatable and endearingly flawed protagonist. The raw emotion of the narration and the atmosphere of small-town suspicion make for a rich and unpredictable backdrop, elevating this seemingly spare narrative into an impressively impactful read.