Janine, of Paradise: Deluxe Edition

Paradise: warm, wet, wild. It's the locale of which dreams are made, a once-forgotten Pacific-Ocean dependency of the British crown, rejuvenated in recent years by an influx of new ideas and old money. Jonnie Comet's serial adventure collection, A Tale Of Two Paradises, lets the rest of the world in on what life is really like in a remote tropical archipelago at the turn of the 21st century.

Sweet Janine Hewlett is just a normal 2nd-form girl growing up in the most exotic territory on earth, taking it all in stride. When her friend Sally introduces her to older, desirable Charlie, the inevitable enlightenment soon leads to a surprise birthday gift... and the social and emotional entanglements afterwards. Both Janine and Charlie will have to alter their attitudes and expectations to have a go at a real relationship.

Intelligent and conservative, young Janine narrates her own coming-of-age saga from wide-eyed innocence to healthy scepticism with modesty, eagerness, compassion... and startling candour. Read on, if you dare, but remember: in Paradise, all things are possible.

This deluxe compilation volume from Surf City Source (Third Edition) features the novella The Initiation of Janine, which opens the story arc, as well as the further episodes Janine's First Date, Janine's Growing Pains and Janine's Night to Remember, plus addenda from The Essential Paradise, the setting's sourcebook. Further information about this fascinating fantasy/fiction realm is available at The British Paradise Islands Wikia, now online.

NOTE: this is a fictional story involving characters, practices and values belonging solely to a certain fanciful civilisation and does not depict or condone real-life behaviour. It may contain moderately risque elements (sexual situations, alcohol use, nudity) and is presented here consistent with a BBFC '15' rating.

* * *