The backdrop for Catboat Road is the Massachusetts seaside town of Horton, cut off from the world. For Candace “Ace” Ragsdale, Mrs. Forest is an irresistible force of nature: luscious, tantalizing—and maybe not completely out of reach. On the surface, boats sway on their moorings, while below bubbles a primal brew of salt and sea life—much like the Ragsdales, a decidedly modern family whose humour and goodwill skim breezily above an ocean of smoldering emotions.

The Ragsdales aren’t moored to social convention—but they’ve learned to surf the wave of the unfamiliar and make the most of chaos. From Ace’s womanizing-yet-worshipful brother to her elusive-yet-loving parents, we watch this well-meaning family weave its way into a rich tapestry of townspeople, often to comic effect.

Into this infinite chaos careens a rebel grandmother who shows up to help the Ragsdales save the town windmill, whose mysterious energy whips up the coastal disturbances of a changing world. As this spectacle of public conflict and private anguish unfolds, we’re fully on Ace’s side as she pilots the turbulent waters of love, sex, and traditional small-town values.

Readers will race toward the finish line as this sly, seductive narrative moves at breakneck speed. “Spoiler alert: Catboat Road doesn’t end as you might expect,” Rounds said. “For every raised eyebrow, there will be raised hopes for a fresh vision of what it means to be family.”

Available from Bywater Books 

About the Author 

A veteran journalist, Kate Rounds has been a freelance writer, staff reporter, staff writer and editor in chief of a trade publication. She hit her stride at Ms. Magazine, where she was senior editor, news editor and Gloria Steinem’s editor — an experience that put her in the orbit of great feminist writers, artists and thinkers. A stint as executive editor at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America followed, connecting Rounds with stellar activists and brave advocates for women’s health and safety. For 15 years, as editor in chief of the Hudson Reporter organization, she mentored young reporters cutting their teeth on local news. Rounds has an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She lives in Jersey City — without a cat. She now turns her talents to a full-length book with Catboat Road.

For more information, please visit https://www.katerounds.com/, or follow the author on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/kate.rounds.3), Twitter (@RoundsKate) or Instagram (@katerounds96).

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.