Forbidden Blossom
Reader's Favorite Review

Forbidden Blossom is a simple, fun, and easy-to-read book that poses some interesting questions about who we are, racism, sexism, and the anti-immigrant and especially anti-Asian rhetoric that has infected America far longer than just since the Covid-19 crisis. Author Nola Li Barr has undoubtedly drawn on her own experiences in formulating the young, feisty character of Anne Huang, easy to empathize with and root for but by the same token, on occasions, her extreme naivety gave her a deeper, more complex personality. I appreciated the split nature of the narrative that was told through Anne's perceptions of the current time and Rose's eyes, through her journals, back in the 1940s. This certainly gave the story the extra dimension it needed. The romantic angle in the story was subtle and readers will still be left wondering about Sebastian's true motives. This conflict of interest was one of the highlights of the narrative. The latest family secret revealed at the end sets the stage perfectly for the second book and I'm excited to discover what new twists Anne, her mother, and Sebastian will discover on their forthcoming journey to Taiwan. I enjoyed this easy read and can highly recommend it.

- Grant Leishman with Readers' Favorite (5 Stars)