"An ancestry that draws hateful glances. A heart that still dreams of happiness. When his protector becomes his tyrant, can he break free?
Baltimore, 2014. Abdul aches with shame. Used to bearing the brunt of people’s judgment, the Afghan immigrant can’t reconcile his love for his charming boyfriend with the bruises the man leaves on his face. So when a handsome activist’s flirtatious exchange offers solace, he goes against his beliefs and enters into a secret tryst.
Drowning in guilt over the brief affair, Abdul struggles to reset his personal compass even as a racially motivated shooting twists his adopted city into a minefield. But his firm conviction that the troubles he’s facing are fair payment for the sins of his past keeps drawing him back to his beau’s punishing fists.
Can Abdul conquer his demons and unlock his true inner strength?
Stolen Moments of Joy is a gripping contemporary LGBT novel. If you like heroes who fight to be brave, complex relationships, and thoughtful explorations of heavy topics, then you’ll adore Hamour Baika’s story of hope.
Buy Stolen Moments of Joy to find courage among chaos today!"
"In 1980, as the world is captivated by the Iranian hostage crisis, aspiring doctor Hesam drops out of medical school in Rome and returns to Iran to serve his country. A member of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, he becomes a prison guard in Ahwaz, assigned to investigate and interrogate political prisoners. The more he learns about ethnic and religious tensions, however, the more he finds the concept of revolutionary justice questionable. Hesam finds solace in speaking with a defiant young prisoner with whom he develops a passionate bond. But when Hesam discovers damning evidence about the detainee, he has to choose between his political ideals and his conscience in a country where same-sex love is violently condemned.
On the Enemy’s Side is contemporary historical fiction, inspired by real events during a tumultuous period preceding the Iran Iraq war. Baika has crafted a memorable cast of characters of divergent and conflicting political allegiances, all who struggle to do the right thing in a morally complicated world. Astutely crafted, meticulously researched, and emotionally engaging, On the Enemy’s Side is a haunting modern classic about love during a civil war."
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