In 1941, Maddie Kern's life seemed laid out before her. A gifted violinist, she was destined for great things in her life. But she didn't count on falling in love with her childhood friend, Lane Moritomo. The two young lovers had to hide their relationship from her parents, and Maddie was prepared to deal with their anger and disapproval. But when events set into motion by the bombing of Pearl Harbor threatened to tear Maddie and Lane apart, they did what any young couple recklessly in love would do -- they eloped.

Now, as the Japanese-American families of California are viewed as the "enemy," Maddie must decide whether to stay with her own family or follow Lane and his family as they are sent to a war relocation camp. She chooses her husband and moves into the camp that is surrounded by barbed wires and tensions that threaten to erupt at any moment. As Maddie struggles to help provide for Lane's family, Lane volunteers to enlist in the Army to prove his allegiance to the United States, and they are torn apart once again. Would their love be strong enough to survive?

Kristina McMorris pulls her readers back in time with this thoughtful and heart-tugging story of two people and their fight to overcome prejudice in order to be together.

I never knew much about the Japanese internment camps during World War II and was well-educated through Kristina's story. Her characters, her descriptions, and her remarkable story-telling skills bring to light details of these camps that most people will find fascinating.

A beautiful love story as well as a fascinating historical story, BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES is one story that will linger with you long after the last page is turned.

Book Summary

Los Angeles, 1941.

Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants.

Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.

Skillfully capturing one of the most controversial episodes in recent American history, Kristina McMorris draws readers into a novel filled with triumphs and heartbreaking loss--an authentic, moving testament to love, forgiveness, and the enduring music of the human spirit.

Read an Excerpt

Book Club Extrast