Hoopoe FictionPaperback, 2 February 2021

A GREAT GROUP READS SELECTION

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2022 RUNCIMAN AWARD

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD

An American-born traveler to one of Istanbul's oldest communities receives an unexpected welcome in this heartwarming and romantic debut

Fanis is at the center of a dwindling yet stubbornly proud community of Rum, Greek Orthodox Christians, who have lived in Istanbul for centuries.

When Daphne, the American-born niece of an old friend, arrives in the city in search of her roots, she is met with a hearty welcome. Fanis is smitten by the beautiful and aloof outsider, who, despite the age difference, reminds him of the fiancée he lost in the 1955 pogrom.

Kosmas, a master pastry chef on the lookout for a good Rum wife, also falls instantly for Daphne. She is intrigued by him, but can she love him in return? Or will a family secret, deeply rooted in the painful history of the city itself, threaten their chances?

This story of love, hopeful beginnings, and ancient traditions introduces a sparkling new literary voice sure to transport and entertain.