Publisher's Synopsis
Occupied Baghdad: A love story between an American soldier and an Iraqi teacher - a love that defies two worlds. Zahra Quraishi lives in Baghdad, Iraq. A war torn country that has had the heart and soul of it scattered. Zahra has seen - and survived - the worst that the invasion of her country, the insurgency and civil war afterwards have thrown at her, but nothing could have prepared her for the day an explosion at the school she teaches at brings her face to face with US soldier Zack Sullivan, a man whose very presence in her life threatens her safety, but a man to whom she can't help but feel a dizzying attraction to. After spending more and more time together, the tension between them is obvious - and although they know it is best to stay away from each other - over time they realise they have fallen in love with each other, and are willing to risk everything they know and love to fight for each other. Zahra is a loving, caring person who dedicates her life to teaching and who feels like the responsibility is on her to take care of her family. Zahra has a close relationship with her father - someone she looks up to and respects, and has previously, before Zack entered her life - never gone behind her father's wishes. Zack is a good soldier, a man trying to do the best he can for a country and for people unhappy at the American presence there. The more time he spends with Zahra, the more he can't bear to be apart from her, but to turn their relationship into something lasting will mean going against both his superiors and Zahra's family - they have to face the world together - a world full of conflict, and if they stay together - full of consequences. Just as it looks as though they might yet overcome all the obstacles ranged against them, Zack is faced with a terrible possibility that will force him to question everything he thought he knew about Zahra, everything about their relationship, and everything they went through together in Iraq... Where The Palm Trees Whisper is a fast-paced romantic thriller, full of suspense, passion and will keep you guessing till the end."
