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The Grand Paloma Resort: A Novel
The Grand Paloma Resort is a lush paradise in the Dominican Republic where the guests enjoy incredible luxury, and the staff is always eager to please—that is, until they are pushed to the brink.
Laura is a local Dominican woman who, through sheer hard work, has risen through the ranks to become manager at the Grand Paloma Resort. Her idea to pair a “platinum” guest with their own resort employee to attend to their every whim has been wildly successful, and she’s just weeks away from a promotion that could blaze a path for her off the resort and toward a life of opportunity. If only her younger sister, Elena—who she’s looked after since the death of their mother—could get with the program.
Elena has tried to live up to her sister’s expectations, but to escape the drudgery of waiting on rich tourists, she’s become increasingly dependent on pills and partying. As a babysitter at the resort, she’s at the beck and call of guests who are indulging their worst impulses and need someone else to watch their kids while they do so. Now, after an accident, a child left in her charge is believed dead, and Elena knows she'll be held responsible.
When Elena runs into the child’s father at a nearby beachfront watering hole, he offers her an obscene amount of money for private time with two young local girls. Elena pockets the cash to fund her escape and prays she’s gotten the girls out of harm’s way. But then the girls are reported missing.
Set over the course of seven days, The Grand Paloma Resort offers an unforgettable story of class, family, and community, building to an intense climax in which the true costs of luxury are laid bare, redeemed only by true acts of love.
Laura is a local Dominican woman who, through sheer hard work, has risen through the ranks to become manager at the Grand Paloma Resort. Her idea to pair a “platinum” guest with their own resort employee to attend to their every whim has been wildly successful, and she’s just weeks away from a promotion that could blaze a path for her off the resort and toward a life of opportunity. If only her younger sister, Elena—who she’s looked after since the death of their mother—could get with the program.
Elena has tried to live up to her sister’s expectations, but to escape the drudgery of waiting on rich tourists, she’s become increasingly dependent on pills and partying. As a babysitter at the resort, she’s at the beck and call of guests who are indulging their worst impulses and need someone else to watch their kids while they do so. Now, after an accident, a child left in her charge is believed dead, and Elena knows she'll be held responsible.
When Elena runs into the child’s father at a nearby beachfront watering hole, he offers her an obscene amount of money for private time with two young local girls. Elena pockets the cash to fund her escape and prays she’s gotten the girls out of harm’s way. But then the girls are reported missing.
Set over the course of seven days, The Grand Paloma Resort offers an unforgettable story of class, family, and community, building to an intense climax in which the true costs of luxury are laid bare, redeemed only by true acts of love.
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Community Reviews
"Horrible people get away with terrible things all the time..."
This story explores the deceptive nature of appearances, the pull of greed and desperation, the illusion of wealth and privilege, and the false sense of paradise people often chase. Set against the backdrop of a luxury resort, it offers brief glimpses into the lives of various characters, from guests to resort management and laborers, as they navigate personal crises during a violent storm.
I liked the symbolism of a powerful storm, beyond anyone's control, blowing through this beautiful place and churning up a lot of ugly, dirty things from the sea, another powerful force, while people either tried to run away from it, or tried to pretend it was all totally fine and nothing bad was happening. The storm eliminated what was separating the Haves from the Have-nots, bringing everyone back to a basic human level.
However, the narrative sometimes broke the “show, don’t tell” rule, relying too heavily on unnecessary description and even repetition. In some areas, the prose was overly wordy; in others, it lacked the atmospheric detail needed to fully convey the mood.
While the core ideas were strong, I feel that with tighter editing, the execution could have been elevated.
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