Synopsis:

“Your husband is a landowner,” they told her.

“Food and clothing is so plentiful, it grows on trees.” 

“You will be able to go to school.” 

Of the three lies the matchmaker told Willow before she left home as a picture bride in 1918, the third hurt the most. Never one to be deterred, Willow does all that she can to make the best of her unexpected circumstance. But it isn’t long before her dreams for this new life are shattered, first by a husband who never wanted to marry her in the first place, and then by the escalation of the Korean independence movements, unified in goal, but divergent in action, which threaten to split the Hawaiian Korean community and divide Willow’s family and friends.

Braving the rough waters of these tumultuous years, Willow forges ahead, creating new dreams through her own blood, sweat, and tears; working tirelessly toward a better life for her family and loved ones. 

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What To Expect:

Readers can expect a unique historical fiction revolving “picture brides” with themes of love, found family, and resiliency.

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Content Warnings:

Language: Mild

Sexual Content: None – Mild comments of women’s appearance and roles in childbearing, implied relations

Violence: Moderate – Domestic abuse, war time violence

Substance Use: Mild

Prejudices: Mild to Moderate – Xenophobia + sexism

Religious Themes: None

Other Topics: Spouse abandonment, family deaths

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