Carnival

For two husbands and fathers looking to blow off steam, temporarily escape their troubled marriages, and recapture their carefree glory days, a secret Caribbean getaway during the tantalizing merriment of the festival of Carnival seems like a dream come true—until it takes a nightmarish turn . . . Best friends since college, former pro athletes, and successful business partners, Mark Bartos and Mike Cooper-Watson have always had a lot in common. Now in their 30s, the list unfortunately includes struggling marriages. To escape the strain before he blows up his life, Mark decides he and Mike need a getaway. He books them tickets for Trinidad and Tobago—during the temptation-filled celebrations of Carnival . . .   Mike, more committed to working on his marriage, is reluctant to go, and astonished that Mark wants to keep the trip a secret from their wives. Still, he finds himself caving to Mark’s powers of persuasion and his promise that they’re “just going down there to watch” . . .   Fit, youthful, and handsome, bearing the swagger of past basketball stars accustomed to the spotlight, Mark, six-foot-five and White, and Mike, six-foot-two and Black, make a stand-out pair on the islands—attracting attention from the locals, especially beautiful women. But some of that attention has ulterior motives . . .   When the men are targeted as wealthy, naïve American tourists, Mark and Mike get much more than the pleasure-seeking adventure they bargained for. And when they find themselves running for their bank accounts—and their lives—home starts looking pretty good . . .     A thrilling, fast-paced cautionary tale, Carnival puts a tense new twist on the timeless adage to be careful what you wish for . . .