Synopses & Reviews
A USA TODAY Best seller!
Four hundred years before Oskar Schindler there was Suleiman the Magnificent, an Ottoman sultan who rescued thousands of Jews from the fires of the Inquisition. One of the many families he saved was that of José Mendez, nephew of Doña Antonia, a wealthy Portuguese widow who organized an underground Jewish resistance. Inspired by this amazing and little-known moment in history, Nicole Dweck has imagined a stunning family saga where the kindness of one man is repaid generations later.
Its 1544, and young José Mendez and his family escape the Inquisition in Portugal with the aid of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Yet its only just before fleeing that José even finds out hes Jewish—and that his own parents died for their faith. As he makes a new life in Istanbul, he yearns to feel connected to the parents he lost, digging deeper into his Jewish roots. But when his own daughter secretly falls in love with the sultans Muslim son, José finds himself in a life-changing dilemma, one that will shape generations to come.
Centuries later, when Selim Osman, the last living descendant of the sultan, is diagnosed with a fatal condition, he abandons the only life hes ever known and flees Istanbul, taking refuge in a New York hospital. In a twist of fate, he meets Hannah, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and an artist striving to understand a father she barely knows. Unaware the connection they share goes back centuries, they feel an immediate pull to one another. But when something from Selims past comes to light, the act that bound two families centuries ago ripples into the future, threatening to tear them apart.
From the 16th-century harem to WWII Paris to modern-day New York, Nicole Dweck spellbindingly weaves together the histories of two families—one Jewish and one Muslim—revealing historys lingering shadow but also its power to set us free. Loosely inspired by true historical events, and rich with love, period detail, and spirituality, this enchanting saga will absorb readers from the very first page.
Review
“I was enchanted by The Debt of Tamar. This lyrical tale of lovers lost and found across the centuries had me hooked to the last page. Nicole Dweck is a natural storyteller.” —Amanda Hodgkinson, New York Times bestselling author of 22 Britannia Road
Synopsis
A USA TODAY Best seller!
In Inquisition-era Portugal, young Jose Nissim discovers that his family is secretly Jewish—and that no one else can find out. When their religious ties become suspect, the family escapes to Istanbul with the help of Suleiman the Magnificent, an Ottoman “Schindler” and the most celebrated sultan in all of Turkish history. Though life is seemingly idyllic in their new home, Jose cant help but feel that his family owes the Sultan for his kind actions, and as the man of the house he must assume this burden. When a marriage presents itself as the perfect opportunity to pay the debt, however, Jose finds himself in a life-changing dilemma, one that will shape generations to come.
Centuries later, when playboy prince Selim Osman is diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, he abandons the only life hes ever known and flees Istanbul, taking refuge in a New York hospital. There he meets Hannah, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and an artist striving to understand a father she loves but barely knows. As their story intertwines with that of their ancestors, buried secrets come to light. Bound by a debt that has been passed on by their families for centuries, they must right the wrongs of the past if theyre ever to embrace their future.
From the 16th-century harem and Tiberias to WWII Paris and modern-day New York, Nicole Dweck spellbindingly weaves together the histories of two families—one Jewish and one Muslim—revealing historys lingering shadow but also its power to set us free. Loosely inspired by true events, and rich with love, historical detail, and spirituality, this enchanting saga will absorb readers from the very first page.
Synopsis
A USA TODAY Best seller
Bestselling author Nicole Dweck brings to life one of history's greatest yet overlooked stories of love and resilience.
In 2002, thirty-two-year-old Selim Osman, the last descendant of the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, flees Istanbul for New York. In a twist of fate, he meets Hannah, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and an artist striving to understand the father she barely knows. Unaware that the connection they share goes back centuries, the two feel an immediate pull to one another. But as their story intertwines with that of their ancestors, the heroic but ultimately tragic decision that bound two families centuries ago ripples into the future, threatening to tear Hannah and Selim apart.
From a sixteenth-century harem to a seaside village in the Holy Land, from Nazi-occupied Paris to modern-day Manhattan, Nicole Dweck's The Debt of Tamar weaves a spellbinding tapestry of love, history, and fate that will enchant readers from the very first page.
About the Author
NICOLE DWECK holds a BA in Journalism and a Master's Degree in Global Affairs from NYU. When The Debt of Tamar, her debut novel, was self-published, it was a USA Today bestseller and received honorable mention in Writer's Digest's Self-Published Book Awards. She lives in New York City with her husband and their son.