When the Apricots Bloom

by Gina Wilkinson Narrated by Raghad Chaar

Overview

Inspired by her own experiences stationed in Baghdad during Saddam Hussein's rule, former foreign correspondent Gina Wilkinson's evocative, suspenseful debut is told through the eyes of three very different women in Iraq at the turn of the millennium.



At night, in Huda's fragrant garden, a breeze sweeps in from the desert encircling Baghdad, rustling the leaves of her apricot trees and carrying warning of visitors at her gate. Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, lives in fear of the Mukhabarat¿the secret police who watch and listen for any scrap of information that can be used against America and its allies. They have ordered her to befriend Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador's wife. Huda has no wish to be an informant, but fears for her teenage son, who may be forced to join a deadly militia. Nor does she know that Ally has dangerous secrets of her own.



Huda's former friend, Rania, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family's wealth is gone, and Rania too is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads. As the women's lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for Gina Wilkinson and When The Apricots Bloom

“In Wilkinson’s vivid debut, set in early 2000s Baghdad, secrets and lies mingle as easily as the scent of apricot blossoms and nargilah smoke. . . . Wilkinson weaves in the miasma of fear and distrust that characterized Hussein’s regime with convincing detail. . . . Richly drawn characters and high-stakes plot.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A deeply involving and important novel by a master storyteller. Gina Wilkinson highlights the humanity at the center of a brutal conflict. She brings her lived experience to every page of this harrowing, dramatic, and ultimately hopeful book.”
—Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author

“Gina Wilkinson’s breathtaking novel explores the plight of ordinary people who must flee their country to survive, as three women living under the tyrannical regime of Saddam Hussein and his brutal secret police risk their lives to protect themselves and their children. Riveting and profound! I adored this book!”
—Ellen Marie Wiseman, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Collector

"A thrilling yet heart-wrenching education in what it is like to live in a country without freedom and how friendship and forgiveness are sometimes the only way to enable profound change.  This must-read novel is mesmerizing, captivating, and profound."
—Deborah Rodriguez, bestselling author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul
 
"I truly felt for the memorable women risking their lives to protect themselves and their families . . . Baghdad springs into vivid violent life . . . Outstanding!"
—Dinah Jeffries, number one Sunday Times bestselling author of The Tea Planter’s Wife

"A thrilling yet heart-wrenching education in what it is like to live in a country without freedom and how friendship and forgiveness are sometimes the only way to enable profound change.  This must-read novel is mesmerizing, captivating, and profound." 
—Deborah Rodriguez, bestselling author of The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul

"I truly felt for the memorable women risking their lives to protect themselves and their families . . . Baghdad springs into vivid violent life . . . Outstanding!"
— Dinah Jeffries, number one Sunday Times bestselling author of The Tea Planter’s Wife 

“Huda, Rania, and Ally provide a glimpse into the world of Iraq during the reign of Saddam Hussein. Their lives are so different, and yet common bonds create a friendship that withstands the distrust and paranoia that pervades the dictator’s rule. It is hard to imagine how hard life must have been, although Wilkinson does a marvelous job depicting the fear that all of these characters experienced. Her personal experience in Iraq during in the years prior to the Iraq war adds genuine depth to this story and the characters’ lives. Reading this story gave me an appreciation for my life in a free country! It was riveting from beginning to end. I loved the characters and their strength and perseverance. A great read!”
—Stephanie Crowe, Page & Palette (Fairhope, AL)
 
“Wilkinson’s atmospheric and suspenseful novel explores the complicated relationships between two Iraqi women and a diplomat’s wife during Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical rule. It powerfully illustrates the peril women faced under his misogynistic, autocratic regime, and the risks, lies and betrayals they had to commit in order to protect their families. I read this novel with my heart in my throat.”
—Lisa Johnson, Penguin Bookshop (Sewickley, PA)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176050370
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	02/02/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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