After losing her parents two years prior, Jean Molk, a small-town girl from Oslo, Illinois, and a student of the University of Miami works as a part-time librarian/researcher at Paye, Silva, and Mendoza — the city's most prominent public relations firm — to pay her tuition and keep her head above water. When faced with a conflict between her morally questionable workplace and her grandmother's interests, Jean finds herself firmly choosing family, quitting her job, and being threatened in court in the process. Jean is idealistic, believing that there is good in everyone and that a greater good can be achieved. She later is recruited by a client of her former employer and begins to make waves in a new work environment. So far, her unique sense of direction through dreams has helped, but what will happen when her interests and views inevitably clash with those of her peers? Read Joan of Miami by A. Parrish to find out.


Greed and the use of any means to reach set goals are more prevalent than ever. In Joan of Miami, A Parrish portrays this vividly and interestingly. Greed goes beyond color, race, or gender. It is inherent, but the author also shows a hidden part that we often overlook: the innate goodness in everybody. Narrated from the first-person perspective, we get to know Jean up close and personal. We also learn her core values and how her mother shaped her to be her own person, making her unique in the way she sees things. A striking line I really liked is: “Creating a better world begins with believing in a better world.” The author did a magnificent job with the narrative, taking time to build the backstory while advancing the plot, and relating how and why the characters behaved at different times. I loved how the author summarized the story of Joan of Arc in case the reader did not know the story beforehand. Readers will be able to connect it with Jean's dreams. Joan of Miami by A Parrish is a superb narrative of change that challenges us to do better.

Joan of Miami by A. Parrish is a fascinating novel that dives into the fast-paced worlds of Miami real estate and Manhattan advertising through the eyes of Jean Molk, a young woman with a complicated and intriguing life. Jean gets thrown into a world of power struggles, ambition, and corruption, where every decision she makes can change everything very suddenly. But what sets Jean’s story apart is the mysterious voices she inherits—guiding her, haunting her, or maybe a little of both. This unusual twist adds a layer of mystery to her journey, making her struggles feel even more intense and personal. Parrish brings this world to life with vivid characters in a sharp and sometimes unsettling picture of wealth and influence. But underneath all that, it's a story about pushing through the challenges life throws our way and about finding hope even in the most cutthroat environments.

Author A. Parrish has a flair for character development, bringing Jean Molk and her intricate world to life with remarkable nuance and emotional depth. Jean is a character who feels real—flawed, ambitious, and constantly evolving. The writing keeps a perfect balance between the harsh realities of the world Jean is trying to get by in and the hope that keeps her moving forward. The inherited voices add a unique mythical level to the story, making it feel even more layered and thought-provoking. It’s a book that kept me hooked not just for the drama but because I genuinely cared about where Jean’s journey would take her. Overall, I recommend Joan of Miami as a gripping and original novel about ambition, identity, and the challenges of carving out your path in a world that isn’t always fair.

Joan of Miami by A. Parrish is a wonderfully nuanced look at what motivates and drives us as human beings to seek certain directions in life and what guides our morality. Jean Molk lost her parents at an early age and was raised by her extended family. As she is working toward a Marine Biology degree in Miami, she becomes embroiled in a billionaire property developer’s desire to redevelop the land on which her condominium is located. The developer, Milo Chernak, is so impressed by Joan that he immediately offers her a job in his high-flying New York advertising agency. Jean has always been plagued or blessed, depending on your viewpoint, by inherited “inner voices” that tend to help her decide on the path to take. Jumping in with both feet, Jean heads to New York to an exciting, stressful, and uncertain future in an industry she knows nothing about. 

Joan of Miami is one of those novels that both tells an interesting story and also offers little gems of wisdom and life advice that benefit readers. Author A. Parrish has perfectly captured the balance between a fascinating narrative and an underlying message. I particularly enjoyed Jean’s growth as she began to realize her potential and to trust in her “inner voice”. The role of Milo Chernak, as the mentor and sage, was perfectly drawn; the older man, with a compelling backstory and self-made success, was the perfect foil for Jean struggling to find her feet and believe in herself in an alien environment. For me, the highlight of the narrative was when Jean goes in search of the truth about her parents’ disappearance, which becomes a journey of self-discovery to reconcile her doubts, differences, and personal gifts and move forward with confidence and courage. The easy, flowing writing style allows the author to create realistic and believable characters that a reader can empathize with. This was an extremely satisfying read that I highly recommend.

Joan of Miami by A. Parrish is a most intriguing book about life, people, greed, hope, love, and relationships. The main character is Lydia Jean Molk who meets a charismatic businessman, Milo Chernak. There are also so many wonderful characters that shape Jean into the lovely young woman she becomes. They all bring richness to Jean’s life and explain her unique way of viewing the world. Jean’s story starts when she loses her parents in a hurricane. Jean remembers the little Moltkehansen grocery, a reminder of struggle, compassion, and fairness, and her great-grandparents' business in Oslo, Illinois that helped form the family they had become. Milo Chernak brings Jean into his business as an advertising agent. With her unique way of viewing the world and listening to her inner person, Jean does a wonderful job, but with that comes some harsh realities and hard thinking.

In Joan of Miami by A. Parrish, after all the twists and turns the story takes, Jean finds joy, love, heartache, and peace as her story unfolds in this most beautifully told tale. There are so many interesting parts in the narrative that explain Jean and how she travels through life, what she learns as she goes along, and at each stage in her life how she grounds herself. This is a book that will encourage anyone who is struggling to find themself in the world of greed, and the 'me, me, me' syndrome. They should be at peace if they take a road that is not the one society dictates they should walk. This book is well worth more than one read. There are so many instances that will help a person navigate the world we are living in now, especially the ending. It was an inspirational read and a most delightful book in all respects.