Almost China

Almost China is a sweeping, emotionally charged novel set in the turbulent years of China's reform era, where old loyalties, new ambitions, and forbidden love collide.

When Pete Teh, a sophisticated Singaporean designer, travels to Xiamen to accompany his aging father back to the ancestral hometown he left fifty-five years ago, he expects a brief family obligation. Instead, he finds himself captivated by a China far more vivid, chaotic, and alive than anything he had imagined.

Drawn into the city's expatriate business world, swept up in the restless energy of a nation transforming at breakneck speed, Pete begins to build a life of his own in Xiamen. But just as China begins to change him, so does Ann, his beautiful and musically gifted cousin, whose presence awakens in him a love as irresistible as it is dangerous.

Their connection deepens with every stolen moment, every return visit, every risk taken in secret. Yet in a world shaped by family pressure, social expectation, and the relentless demands of tradition, their love is never truly safe. As suspicion grows and the forces around them tighten, Pete and Ann are pushed toward choices that will alter their lives forever.

Rich in atmosphere, passion, and emotional tension, Almost China is both a moving love story and a vivid portrait of a society in breathtaking transformation. Perfect for readers who love forbidden romance, cross-cultural fiction, family drama, and historical settings brought to life with warmth and detail.