In the spring of 1939, dashing young William Burton and the beautiful Constance Han set sail from London on the same ocean liner to Hong Kong.
Romance blossoms while they enjoy games of deck quoits and spend sultry tropical evenings dancing under the stars. Connie is intrigued by Will’s talent for writing poetry, and she offers to give him Cantonese lessons to help him with his new job— a cadet in the colonial service.
But once in Hong Kong, Connie is constrained by filial duty towards her Eurasian parents, and their wish for her to marry someone from her own background. She can’t forget Will however and arranges to meet him in secret under the magnificent canopy of a flame of the forest tree—where she fulfils her promise to teach him to speak Chinese.
Before too long, trouble looms as Japanese forces gather on the border between Hong Kong and mainland China. Will joins a commando group tasked with operating behind enemy lines, and Connie becomes involved in the fight against local fifth columnists.
When war breaks out, they find themselves drawn into a wider conflict than their battle against prejudice. Can they survive and achieve a future together? Or do forces beyond their control keep them forever apart?
Based on a little-known true story, The Flame Tree is a tale of love and survival against all the odds.
PRAISE FOR THE FLAME TREE
“A convincing and very moving romance, a fascinating slice of history. Coupled with the most wonderful storytelling, this book delivered everything I could have possibly wanted.” Five-star Goodreads reviewer.
“Five stars without a moment’s hesitation, highly recommended if you enjoy historical romance.” Goodreads reviewer.
“Wow! Just WOW! What a completely absorbing read The Flame Tree is. I absolutely lapped up every single word.” Five-star Goodreads reviewer.
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Hong Kong 1941 and the streets are filled with Japanese soldiers. Two young people are brought together then separated by terrible cruelty.
Fifteen-year-old Kate lives a rarefied life of wealth and privilege in the pre-war Hong Kong expatriate community, but when the Japanese invade she’s interned in squalid Stanley Camp with her parents.
Enduring cramped conditions, humiliation, disease, and starvation, Kate befriends seventeen-year-old Charles, who is half Chinese, and they give their hearts to each other under the orchid tree.
Meanwhile, forty miles away in Portuguese Macau, thirteen-year-old Sofia’s suspicions are aroused when her father invites a Japanese family to dinner, an event which leads to a breach between Sofia and her controlling half-brother, Leo.
In December 1948, adult Kate returns to Hong Kong, determined to put the past behind her. Sofia dreams of leaving Macau and starting a new life, and she won’t let anyone, not even Leo, stop her.A young Englishman, James, becomes the link between Kate and Sofia. The communist-nationalist struggle in China spills over into the colony, catapulting the protagonists into the turmoil with disastrous consequences.
PRAISE FOR |THE ORCHID TREE
“… wonderfully fast-paced and readable… I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to be transported to a different place and time and wants a thoroughly absorbing read,” Ann Bennett, bestselling author of ‘The Orphan House.’
“A fantastic story, so evocative of both time and place,” Jo Bartlett, bestselling author of ‘The Cornish Midwife’.