The grand painted arches and turquoise tiles in front of me exactly match those in the photograph in my hand. I’ve found my beloved aunt’s villa. The place she loved – and feared. And the place she tried so hard to keep secret…

Egypt, 1942. After her husband and baby son are killed, Nadia flees to Villa Eden in Cairo. The gorgeous scents of the blooms and calming water garden soothe her aching heart… and give her the strength to keep fighting.

With a group of other young Europeans at the villa, she works undercover against the Nazi threat to Egypt. Friendships form as they host extravagant parties for ambassadors and generals – and gather vital information whispered in quiet corners.

Until betrayal snatches yet another person she loves from Nadia. And the villa’s high walls may be the only place to keep a dark wartime secret safe…

Cairo, present day. After the death of her fiancé, Sophie arrives in Egypt, clutching an old photograph of her aunt. Sophie always loved her stories, but all Aunt Nadia would say about the villa was that she could never return.

Sophie hopes that solving the mysteries of her aunt’s past will help her deal with all the loss in her life. But when she finds a note in her aunt’s handwriting, tucked in the villa’s library, it seems Nadia has lied to her for her whole life…

Sophie is left questioning everything. Will the truth from the war tear her apart, just as it did her aunt? Or will facing these secrets help heal not just her own heartbreak, but also one from decades ago?

Full of heartbreaking romance and family secrets from the darkest days of war, this is perfect for readers of The Letter, Fiona Valpy and Barbara Davis.

What readers are saying about Amanda Lees:

‘LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVED IT!!!… Absolutely stunning!!!… I was completely swept away!!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing… Phenomenal… I loved every minute… I couldn’t put down this heart-pounding read… What an amazing escape… I literally went back in time. I didn’t want the book to end… I loved it.’ PageTurners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gorgeous… Incredibly moving, gripping page-turner… Kept me glued to the page… I couldn’t put this down… Beautiful.’ Msbookshelf_reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking and inspiring… Had me flying through the pages… Broke my heart and left tears running down my cheeks… I loved this.’ PageTurners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fantastic. I read it in 2 days, hard to put it down… A book you need a box of tissues for… Gripping.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Definitely unputdownable… Pulled at my heart strings… My eyes were filled with tears as I turned the last page.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐