This is a softcover book, When the Apricots Bloom by Gina Wilkinson. It is a First Kensington Trade Paperback Printing from February 2021. Wilkinson was a foreign correspondent in Iraq for over a year in the early 2000s, under the rule of Saddam Hussein. This novel was inspired by her time there, and by one friendship in particular. Here's a synopsis from the publisher: "Inspired by her own experiences stationed in Baghdad during Saddam Hussein's rule, former foreign correspondent Gina Wilkinson's evocative, suspenseful debut is told through the eyes of three very different women in Iraq at the turn of the millennium. A secretary, an artist and a diplomat's wife, each must confront the complexities of trust, friendship, and motherhood under the rule of a dictator and his ruthless secret police... At night, in Huda's fragrant garden, a breeze sweeps in from the desert encircling Baghdad, rustling the leaves of her apricot trees and carrying warning of visitors at her gate. Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, lives in fear of the mukhabarat - the secret police who watch and listen for any scrap of information that can be used against America and its allies. They have ordered her to befriend Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador's wife. Huda has no wish to be an informant, but fears for her teenage son, who may be forced to join a deadly militia. Nor does she know that Ally has dangerous secrets of her own. Huda's former friend, Rania, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family's wealth is gone, and Rania too is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads. As the women's lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families." Book is in excellent used condition. All pages are intact and clean, there's no writing in it, and the cover looks great as well. There is a name sticker inside the front, but I see no other issues to mention. Asking $4.00 obo. Everything I have listed for sale is "or best offer", so feel free to make an offer. ~~~~~ ALL ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL PICKUP. I sell a huge variety of stuff to supplement my income and help me put the last of my kids through college. Some items come from flea markets or estate sales, and some come from around our home, but many items come to me from my extended family of hardcore hoarders. So, the variety really can be vast and unpredictable. Please check back often, because you really never know what I will have from one day to the next! Thanks for visiting and have a great day!