What Was Lost

A product of China’s ‘one child’ policy, and ‘too good’ for his contemporaries Jake Wu is enchanted when Philly born Isabella Aconi and her mother move in to his guest house. Izzie is everything Jake wishes he could be, feisty, outspoken, and fun. Though he knows that his housekeeper’s daughter should be off limits, Jake can’t help his feelings for her.

Defying his parents and all conventional wisdom, Jake falls hard. When his parents discover the truth about Jake and Izzie’s relationship, they send Jake away to a posh boarding school. Knowing he can’t have the one girl he wants, Jake dedicates himself to being the child his parents always wanted, high achieving, obedient, getting engaged to the woman of their dreams and a perfect Chinese fuerdai.

When his father’s betrayal nearly ruins his life, he leaves China behind and strikes out for the only place he’d ever felt at home, the United States. And for the only woman he’s ever loved, Isabella.