Review: The Syrian Virgin by Zack Love

Anissa is traumatized by the most brutal conflict of the 21st Century: the Syrian Civil War. In 2012, Islamists in Homs terrorize her Christian community and destroy everything in her life. Narrowly escaping death, Anissa restarts her devastated life as a college student in NY. She is bewildered and lost -- a virgin in every sense.

But despite her inexperience with men and life in the United States, Anissa is quickly drawn to two powerful individuals: Michael, the Syrian-Christian American who leads the political effort to protect his community, and Julien, her college professor who runs a $20 billion hedge fund. Complicating matters, Michael is still attached to his ex-girlfriend and Julien is the most sought after bachelor in Manhattan. Anissa's heart and her communal ties pull her in different directions, as she seeks hope and renewal in a dark world.

LIFE shattered her. LOVE empowered her.

Review

 

The Syrian Virgin by Zack Love is a beautifully written story about a young woman's journey from the tragedy she endures as a result of the Syrian Civil War as a 15 year-old, to a young woman starting to live her life again two years later.  Anissa's story is told through diary entries where she recounts her life from the start of the Syrian War to her current life as a college student. The harrowing journey has you gripped from the opening pages and leaves you feeling shocked and heartbroken for Anissa to the point you have to stop for a moment. 

Out of the destruction she does slowly rebuild her life and it's in college that Anissa starts to open up. She meets Maya, a friend who she instantly connects with and two men who will no doubt change her life. Michael is the Syrian-Christian student who she is enamored with from the beginning. Julien, her billionaire professor who may have more in common with her than she thinks. What this leads to is a remarkable story.

Zack Love does a superb job with The Syrian Virgin. He takes you on a emotional journey with Anissa that you are going to remember for a long time. He makes you think, cry, laugh, get angry and gives you hope as you read this book. At the end of it, you are eager to get your hands on the next book in this series. The amount of research that went into this story is evident in every single page. Zack brilliantly takes current events and turns it into a contemporary romance that unlike any other book out there. After you read it you want to know more about the situation going on in Syria and the Middle East.  The Syrian Virgin is a book that needs to be on your must read list. I can't recommend this book enough. It's a thought provoking story that is Zack's best book to date. 

Rating:
5-Star