Flight of the Monarchs - Hardcover

by M. H. Reardon (Author)

An evocative coming-of-age tale set in 1960s America

​When Jeremy Hill returns to his hometown of Pacific Grove, California, in the summer of 1967, the small town is gripped with curiosity. Having disappeared for eleven years following the tragic night he was found standing over his abusive father's dead body, knife in hand, Jeremy sparks a rush of memories, longings, and regrets for Celia, his childhood best friend, and three of their early classmates. What follows is a summer of reconnections and self-discovery amid the cultural revolution of a changing America.

Plagued with apprehension about his upcoming service in Vietnam and filled with the resentments of the past, Jeremy pushes a smitten Celia away despite her many efforts to mend their broken bond.

Fletcher battles with his own sexuality as he sees gay men assaulted and reviled. He must decide whether to face condemnation or go deeper into hiding. No matter which he chooses, though, he risks losing everyone he loves.

Angie struggles to embrace the new wave of feminism while trying to support her family in the wake of her father's betrayal. She delights in the sudden abundance of choices for young women, all of which tempt her to abandon her responsibilities.

Moose dives headlong into the cultural revolution with sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, inspired to question all forms of traditional thought.

From music festivals and psychedelic acid trips to San Francisco's burgeoning queer movement, Flight of the Monarchs, the first book in a trilogy, will transport you into the dreamlike haze of the famed Summer of Love.

Author Biography

Born and raised in California, M. H. Reardon got her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and works as a freelance editor. She currently lives with her family in North Carolina. When she's not writing, she can be found poolside with a steamy romance, on a trail of some kind, or on her couch bingeing Marvel movies with her youngest child.