When Romanian college student Ioana Nitobe Lee first meets Ken, she doesn't know much about him. She doesn't know, for example, that he is the son of Japanese aristocrats. She doesn't know that their relationship will pose many challenges. All she knows is that she loves him, and that is enough for her.
Then Ken proposes, and Lee happily accepts. It looks like the start of a fairy tale life, but Lee is in for a harsh reality check when she follows Ken back to Japan. In a strange and unfamiliar country, Lee has to learn how to connect with her new in-laws and navigate a foreign culture. Lee is curious and eager to learn, but that may not be enough to help her overcome the huge cultural divide.
Although she loves Ken, Lee longs for her parents, her friends, and her homeland, and she begins to feel torn between two worlds. Does her future lie in Japan with her partner or back in Romania with her family?
The Cherry Blossom Rarely Smiles is a gentle and heartwarming tale of love, family, culture shock, and acceptance.
About the Author: Ioana Nitobe Lee has always had a passion for travel and a deep love of other cultures-especially Japan. Lee specialized in Japanese language and English literature at the University of Bucharest in Romania.
Lee taught Japanese for five years at a private university in Bucharest, and then she went on to teach English language and literature for two years in Tokyo, Japan. While living in Romania, she produced the television show International Club and interviewed a series of important ambassadors and cultural figures.
After many adventures in both Romania and Japan, Lee now lives with her husband and their toy Pomeranian in Washington, DC. She serves on the international committee of the University Club and focuses on her writing. Lee is currently working on her fourth book.
