Steep Climb to Elsewhere: The Fall (Steep Climb to Elsewhere. The Fall)

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Part One of the Steep Climb to Elsewhere Series: The Spanish Civil War lost, brothers Josep and Eduard Balaguer are exiled. The Balaguer women stay behind in their town in the Catalan Pyrenees to face Francisco Franco's vengeful regime until Josep returns home—alone. It will take decades of bribery, smuggling, imprisonment, love affairs, and other adventures to bring the family together again. But what will they have lost on the journey?It is the end of the Spanish Civil War and the Balaguer family is fighting on the side that is about to lose. A battle separates them and Josep Balaguer does some stealthy negotiating to rescue his brother, Eduard. But after such an ordeal can they ever be the same again? When they flee in exile, the trials begin for their sister, Àngels, who stays behind in their town in the Catalan Pyrenees. There she and her mother must face Francisco Franco's vengeful regime. When Josep deems it safe, he returns home—alone. For his years away, he has new enemies to show and a gaping rift with his brother. Once in Pujaforta, he finds his family and town changed, and two of his past loves waiting for him. Plus there is the dictator Josep fought so hard to defeat and the Guardia Civil always a step behind him. As his small contribution to the regime's demise—and for the sheer thrill of it—Josep takes up smuggling, first necessities and then more illegal and dangerous items. When he makes some unfortunate acquaintances, all the layers of his life and the story begin to collide, bringing the rest of his family with it. As the dictator's life ends, Josep reexamines his own. But will it be enough to bring Eduard home? Both tragic and comic, Steep Climb to Elsewhere is a story spanning almost four generations and seventy years—war, fascism, imprisonment, exile, human smuggling, bribery, contraband, love affairs, reunions, joy and devastation. What family would be strong enough to survive it all?