A Billionaire’s Odyssey

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BOOK GROUPS: Richard invites groups to read A Billionaire’s Odyssey and to discuss marriage as a lifelong journey. See his Book Club Questions   from the novel.

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A Billionaire’s Odyssey tells the story of Roland and Lillian Swanson, divorced billionaires who are desperate to reunite. Roland is in a deep funk. He misses Lillian and he has come to realize how much harm his business deals have caused to whole communities. Lillian can’t forget the man she married and the good years they had together but is adamant she will not forgive Roland and reunite with him unless he changes.

Their lifelong friends, Bill and Simone, concoct a scheme to help them retrieve the love and happiness they’d had. Their plan is to spend whatever money it takes from Roland’s vast wealth to buy them that love. Bill is desperate to get Roland back to work at the Swanson Fund. He persuades Roland to take a road trip around the United States in a motorhome. He designs a series of events to make Roland experience the real world again, complete with actors, props, and a security team.

In a campground, Roland meets Father Greg Holley who becomes his counselor during the rest of the trip. Their emails help Roland understand that he can atone for his sins and earn Lillian’s forgiveness by doing random acts of kindness.

Meanwhile, Lillian must contend with a stalker, a greedy lawyer, and a con man, all of whom try to court her for her wealth. Simone takes Lillian on a vacation trip to Chautauqua, NY for its restorative lectures and music. Roland’s voyage of self-discovery also takes him, per Bill’s plan, to Chautauqua. There, he is surprised to see Simone and Lillian. This leads to the reconciliation that Bill and Simone hoped for.

More than a simple romance, A Billionaire’s Odyssey deals with love, marriage, infidelity, sin, forgiveness, and atonement. It also considers the responsibility a billionaire has to use his wealth to better the lives of the people and communities his business deals affect.