No Peace in La Paz

by T.L. Ashton

NO PEACE IN LA PAZ

"The Maya know the danger where the jaguar is afraid to go!"

The woman he loved stripped Paul Brice of everything he had. Now he's in Mexico to get his revenge and settle the score. Can Gloria Gutierrez, a dedicated Latino professional anthropologist teach him a lesson about love and self worth? Their mutual struggle to survive the maze of modern Mexican politics leads them deep into remote Chiapas, where they are pursued by Zapatiatas, Mexican Federales, Narco Terrorists, Cuban Intelligence and the CIA. Armed only with an ancient Maya secret about a place where the jaguar is afraid to go, they must find their way out of a smoking volcano, and a Mexican standoff with Gloria's husband, the dangerous oligarch Don Ramon Gutierrez.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Adventure

355 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2020

About the author

TL Ashton writes books for smart sexy women and men. They know that smart is sexy because love lives in the brain, where we experience ultimate union. They want their vision and talent to be recognized because the self-respect that comes with success leads to genuine love, the love that helps us realize our greatest potential. Ashton started in New York City and expects to end there, but has lived in Los Angeles, Paris, London, Puerto Vallarta, and for long stretches in the Turks and Caicos. After attending four other schools, Ashton was granted a degree by Columbia University and spent several years telling people how good Keats and Shelley truly are. Needing the challenges that stimulate personal growth, Ashton left Lotus Land, and took a publishing job in New York, which in turn led to an invitation from the CEO of a major Wall Street firm to head up strategic communications. That experience was captured in a superb debut novel, Ms. Money, which women in finance have enjoyed. Ashton left Wall Street to head up an art gallery, leading to the very recent publication of a second novel, The Madonna Model. Not chick lit or women’s fiction, these are books about female empowerment. Ashton is currently reading the auction catalogue for the estate of Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was married nine times and insisted, “I want to choose the man. I do not permit men to choose me.” Visit Ashton at: www.ashtonsfictionpage@vpweb.com

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to the author, T.L. Ashton, and the publisher, Dryads Green Associates, for this ebook. This is the story of an American in Mexico and his adventures. It is action packed, with gun running, spies, kidnappings, mysterious oil fields, diamonds and a bit of romance thrown in. Pretty violent for me but perfect for fans of characters like Jack Ryan and Jason Bourne.
I received this book courtesy of a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodread drawing.

A guy goes South of the Border for revenge, and finds much more. It's a bit of an odd duck. The author tries to combine a Fawcett Gold Medal novel, with the Magical Realism so common in books written by Latin Americans. It's an uneasy mix, and one not really to my liking.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaway for the gift of this very unique novel. I have to say that the writing style was different, and although I loved it in many ways, I also suspect many would not. There were a few places where some character’s actions or thoughts seemed a bit off but it wasn’t such a big deal that I thought about it for long or wanted to stop reading. I feel like I learned so much about Mexico by reading this book. It was interesting on that level but the action would be enough to keep most people flipping the pages. I really enjoyed it. I am quite sure it wouldn’t be for everyone though.

[Cookie M.]

Not my style.

[Christine Staloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this book. It had a lot of action and a ton of new information to me which I enjoyed. I think that could have made it stronger was delving more into the characters. I didn’t really get a good sense of their personalities so didn’t feel a strong connection to them. But still a good read!

[T.L. Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The woman he loved stripped Paul Brice of everything he had. Now he’s in Mexico to get his revenge. Can Gloria Gutierrez, a Latino expert on the Maya, teach him a lesson about love and self-worth? Their mutual struggle to survive the maze of modern Mexican politics leads them to remote Chiapas, where they are pursued by Zapatistas, Mexican Federales, Narco cartels, Cuban Intelligence, and the CIA. Armed only with an ancient Maya secret about a place where the jaguar is afraid to go, they must find a way out of a smoking volcano and a Mexican standoff with Gloria’s husband, the dangerous oligarch Don Ramon Gutierrez.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers of T.L. Ashton will be thrilled to dive into “No Peace in La Paz” – a book that is at once a taut, white-knuckle thriller; travelogue; cultural anthropology; and history.

The book’s protagonist, Paul Brice, is a savvy, street-wise vet who’s been around the block a few times, but whose most attractive qualities are his essential vulnerability and humanity.

The book follows Brice around Cancun, the Yucatan Peninsula, into eastern Mexico and deep into the jungle near Guatemala. There’s deep-sea diving, Marlin fishing reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway, historic Mayan ruins, and a boiling volcano...among other delights.

This is one exciting read.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 66% read

I really wanted to like this book. There is a lot of interesting tidbits in here about the Mayan culture, the history of Mexico, and lots of other nonfiction information. Unfortunately, for me, this was presented in such a way that it overwhelmed whatever the actual story is. The plot bounced all over the place and never really settled on any one thing.

The characters were rushed and never really developed beyond one dimension. I do not understand the motivation for the main character and don't care for his womanizing. The plot is at best convoluted and at worst non-existent.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the history pieces got a bit lengthy and overly detailed when shoved into dialogue. This book should’ve been longer with the character development stronger and the plot given more time to develop instead of racing through it. Besides that, I loved the idea of the story and the meaning behind it, learning about Mexico’s history and politics, and enjoyed reading the book and would recommend others check it out because it was very interesting and unique and I loved the descriptions given!
I won a free copy in a goodreads giveaway.

[Teresa Silva · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won an e-book version of this book.in a Goodreads giveaway & was asked in return for an honest review.

I tried. I tried to read more of this book after finishing Part 1, I read maybe a couple more chapters but I just couldn't get into it. Is it possible to have too much & yet not enough details in a book? I don't know but some of this story wasn't making sense. Maybe it was the writing? Or maybe the story? All I know is it wasn't what I expected when I read the synopsis, & I couldn't get into it. So I stopped.

Maybe It'll try again in the future... Maybe not.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chasing trouble

A story with many twists and turns as one woman tries to solve Mayan mysteries and a man tries to atone for his past. Murders, cartels, lust, drugs, weapons and a fight for power and control. This book has it all. However, it did get a little confusing with many of the characters having two identities. Also, naming places and bodies of water with no map for reference really made it seem as though they were trying to make the book longer by having multiple locations that needed explained.

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[Lark Dunton · Rating 5 out of 5]

for me, a must read. and read again

I loved the introduction to Mexican and indigenous Central American history. I did find room for improvement in the editing. This is a novel based in reality, so no happy ending. It’s really more about the social climate of Mexico than the adventures of the cast of characters. Having lived in Oaxaca and Veracruz from 1974-82 then returned as a tourist in 2015, I witnessed a significant change in the way the country was run, and an increased armed presence. Reading this explains why, to some extent. Plan to read again.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This historical and cultural context of this book is to be commended. Those who are interested in Mayan and Mexican sociopolitical issues will not be disappointed. It was a tedious read for me due to character-driven prose that was more akin to a memoir journal than an action-packed adventure. The narrative seemed sexist as the researcher did dumb things and had to be rescued by a guy getting over his terrible ex-girlfriend. Both main characters seemed cold, and neither were very likeable.

[Bridget's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a GoodReads giveaway book. Full honesty here, I wanted to read this based solely on the cover. I know that's not always a good idea, but I was intrigued by the Dia de Muerto lady on the front. I'm giving this book a middle of the road three stars. It was fairly well written. However, it moved incredibly slow in places. I appreciate that it appears Paul, Gloria, and Blanca will have a happy ending. All in all, I enjoyed it, even if it did take longer than I expected to read.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Peace In La Paz

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This book is fast action-packed and political in nature as well. Some parts of the book kept me on the edge of my seat and some parts were a little hard to understand but that is not because of the author, it's because I'm not a big history or political buff. I would recommend this book to family and friends nonetheless. There is much sadness and truthfulness to be told. Thank you, TL Ashton for my copy!

[Elex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a best of both worlds for me.
An adventurous fiction piece but rich in history and facts.

I enjoyed the journey through the characters treasure search and unraveling of clues while navigating guerrilla warfare.

The ending left me a bit puzzled, as I guess I was hoping for something more cliche but I’ll take what I was given. It was thoughtful and poignant - not every story can be wrapped up nicely, and certainly not in the middle of a Reign of Terror.

[Alan Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiction out of headlines

A very good read. Part political, part thriller, part adventure grounded in the history of Mexico as backdrop in this novel. Gives the feeling of Pulp fiction with a twist of the real condition of native peoples in southern Mexico who are exploited by the upper classes.
Received a complementary copy via Goodreads Giveaways.

[Rosa Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this in Goodreads giveaway this review is my own opinion.

I’m sorry but this book just was not my cup of tea. The salacious descriptions of women were off putting . This felt like a riffable movie.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting

Great book, lots of history of Mexico. Really enjoyed this book. Sad reality of what the Mexican people have endured. I won this book from goodreads. Thank you to the author and publisher.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. I loved reading about the Mayan culture and history. It did grab my attention but at times the story was a bit slow. Character development needs a bit more but overall I did enjoy it

[Ashley Reel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not care for the way women were represented in this novel.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Held my attention from the first page to the last

[Angela Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

[Bruce Houck · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit hard to follow! Not really my type of book-

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. The sexism in this book was just too much to handle, especially with a poorly developing character. I only made it about 1/3 of the way through before I had to give up.