"She was my crescent moon. I could not see a future for Syria, but I saw a future for us."

Damascus, 2011: Equal parts heartwarming and heart-wrenching, Shawn Tenbrink's unforgettable debut novel captures the essence of modern civil war and love against unimaginable odds. Based on the author's true story, a U.S. diplomat and Syrian woman embark on a journey under the Assad Regime that will change them both forever.

Shawn feels everything that a twenty-something feels as they fall in love: nervous, euphoric, and at home. But nothing is normal about this love story. He is 6,000 miles from home, in a desert city that is 5,000 years old, on the brink of a war that would kill over 300,000 Syrians. He has come to love this city as much as he loves this woman.

At any moment, he could lose both.