About the Book

It’s the late 1980s and Chinese economic reform is in full swing. The newest province – Hainan has just been formed, and is granted status as the largest Special Economic Zone by the central government, attracting many young and ambitious graduates to pursue their dreams of a better life. It’s also a story about how unpredictable life can be.
Twenty-seven-year-old Samantha Smith, with a university degree in literature and administration management, takes a two-week holiday in Haikou, the tropical coastal capital of Hainan, to see what the area can offer in business and in her love life. She sends a letter of introduction given by a friend in her hometown of Sichuan to the general secretary of Haikou, who opens many doors for her. Samantha becomes a journalist at the Haikou evening newspaper before her two-week holiday is over. Her life is then overtaken by a series of twists both emotional and professional.
Samantha is at the peak of her career in PR at the China branch of the multinational group beginning to develop a major economic zone in South China, when the Tiananmen Square event takes place, resulting in economic sanctions by the West. How will these grim sanctions directly affect her own world? Will she remain in China?

About The Author

Alice Nash grew up in Sichuan, China. As the first generation of immigrants to England from China, she wants to tell her children and descendants why their family immigrated. She also wants to let her son know that there is a deep connection between him and China. “I want to show my son the greatness of his mother’s motherland, and be fully aware of his Chinese heritage.”