Synopsis:

San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace. 

His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice. 

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What To Expect:

In this historical fiction you can expect themes of found family, feminism and a love of the arts. An action packed high paced female led heist with LGBTQ+ rep.

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Content Warnings:

Language: Mild

Sexual Content: Mild – Fade to black romantic scene

Violence: Mild – Gun violence and death, no gore

Substance Use: Mild – Emphasis on use and consequence of drug use (opium)

Prejudices: Heavy – Themes of xenophobia, antisemitism and racism

Religious Themes: None

Other Topics: Gambling & natural disasters

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