When Dr. Nadia Harris inherits a London property from an unknown benefactor, her academic research skills take on a forensic precision. She uncovers the tragic details of the real-life love affair between Tassos and Princess Azzah: a love that spanned the decades and had its roots in a war-torn Europe and a Middle East that, though clinging onto tradition, was battling against a painful, imposed identity crisis.

Her research provides Tassos Charalampis with a life-changing revelation, while he—now an old man—becomes increasingly eager to share his epic love story with her. Nadia also comes to view and understand her own enigmatic childhood and heritage from a new perspective.

“For all the love that could have been…” So runs the novel’s dedication. The wasted potential, the cruelty of fate, together with the ruthless machinations of global politics are set against the backdrops of a Baghdad palace, an Italy in turmoil under Il Duce, and the beauty and simplicity of the Dodecanese: an azure island home with its enchanting history of sponge-fishing and its equally enchanting readiness to embrace "the footnote princess".

If you loved Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Hadi's wonderfully researched, lyrical novel will steal your heart. Born in Kingston-upon-Thames, England, Basheer grew up in England with parents of Iraqi origin. He graduated with a degree in politics, philosophy, and law from King’s College, London, in 2018. Working as a lawyer, he continues to divide his time between London and the Middle East, and remains actively interested in history, politics, and journalism. At the age of 25, during the global pandemic lockdown of 2020, Basheer was inspired to write his first fiction novel when quite by chance he heard of the story of Princess Azzah. The author researched the events extensively, and this audiobook is the outcome.