{"product_id":"istanbul-dreaming-paperback","title":"Istanbul Dreaming - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDenise Derya Brandt\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor fans of Alka Joshi and Marjan Kamali, a gripping historical novel set in 1950s Turkey about a young woman who flees an arranged marriage to pursue independence in Istanbul, where she finds forbidden love with an American airman.\u003c\/strong\u003eIn 1950s Turkey, against the backdrop of the social and political unrest that will culminate in Turkey's 1960 military coup d'état, a dutiful daughter is torn between family expectations and her dream of becoming a modern Turkish woman.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne night, seventeen-year-old Ayten sneaks away to Istanbul for a night of dancing with her best friend. When her father discovers her rebellion, he forces her into an arranged religious marriage to a distant relative who bullied her as a child. Initially, Ayten resigns herself to her fate--but after her husband sexually assaults her on their wedding night, she flees him and her family for haven in Istanbul.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLiving with friends and working as a seamstress at her friend's boutique, Ayten tries to rebuild her life. Then she meets Earl, an American airman, and they begin to fall in love--but as their connection deepens, secrets and her past threaten to upend all she's built. Torn between her family and a future with Earl, Ayten must decide what she's willing to sacrifice for freedom and forbidden love.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDenise Derya Brandt \u003c\/b\u003eworked in international development for more than twenty years and led women's health projects in Afghanistan, Liberia, and Myanmar before becoming a published author. A Book Incubator graduate, 2024 Women's Fiction Writers Association Rising Star Award finalist, and 2025 Poets \u0026amp; Writers Publicity Incubator Fellow, Denise has degrees from Arizona State and London School of Economics. As a Turkish American, she can fool tourists but not taxi drivers! Raised in Arizona, Denise now lives in northern Kentucky with her husband.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 328\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.01 x 8.41 x 5.51 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 29, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57209271451953,"sku":"9798896361541","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1004\/9532\/7537\/files\/w-F69FML3F9798896361541.webp?v=1793361147","url":"https:\/\/mitchellofficial.com\/products\/istanbul-dreaming-paperback","provider":"MITCHELL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}