With Dominican characters and setting, Lydia San Andres based the concept of this novel on a true story! In her words, "Not too long ago, while perusing 19th-century documents in the Dominican Republic's national archives, I came across a fascinating account of a man who had been forced to sign a marriage contract under the threat of imprisonment…this kernel became the basis for Sebastian and Paulina's story." Set in San Pedro de Macoris, a city two hours away from where the author lived herself, Lydia takes us back to the 19th century "Sugartown," when a storm causes our protagonists to seek shelter together overnight, with the resulting scandal changing the course of their lives forever. 

Tropes: Forced proximity, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers