Gavrielle

From the author of “The Lonely Tree” and the five books of the “Olivia” Series. A fascinating look at life in Israel in the 1970s. Israeli girl meets Afro-American boy. So different-So alike. Life and love in a tough part of the world. History seamlessly woven into a well-paced story. Two strangers from opposite sides of the globe, both at a crossroads in their lives, meet in Rome. They could hardly be more different, so why do they feel such an immediate connection? Following the losses and general trauma of the Yom Kippur War, Gavrielle, an officer in the Intelligence Branch of the IDF, is also dealing with a personal crisis. Born an orphan, she recently learned of a man in Florida who may be able to lead her to the father she has never known—and who is unaware of her existence. Should she get on a plane for America? Instead, she boards one for Rome—for a vacation and time to think. There, she signs up for an Italian language class, where she meets Charlie Freeman (a descendant of Olivia Killion and Mourning Free). Charlie, a young African-American, has just graduated from the University of Michigan and plans to go on to grad school and a career in architecture. But he first has a personal obstacle to be overcome. What better place for a student of art and architecture to take time for reflection than the open-air museum called Rome? These two strangers—who seem to have absolutely nothing in common—discover they share a basic reality that other people will never understand. Their unexpected friendship takes them together from Rome to Sinai, Jerusalem, and Michigan. Though set in a specific historical/political context, this book is about personal relationships—love, friendship, and family.