Zenith of Tea

A cookbook, a glimmer of fairy tale, a spoonful of history, and a teacup of hope.

In the early 1920s, accomplished martial artist Wang Mijen is haunted by her past and the red birthmark that she believes prompted her family to abandon her at six. She survives by robbing ancient tombs and living in a cave concealed from the soldiers. When she saves Joseph Cheung, a Chinese Christian educated in Canada, from bandits, her insecurities whisper that such a man could never love an “ugly” girl like her.

Growing up in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Joseph experienced anti-Chinese prejudice. Still, he helps Mijen move to Canada to avoid danger. In Vancouver, amidst anti-Asian riots and the looming Chinese Exclusion Act, Joseph helps Mijen open a teahouse. As they work together to rescue young women trafficked into brothels in North America, Joseph’s unwavering faith and fight for equality challenge Mijen’s hardened heart.

From China to Canada, can Mijen and Joseph overcome their challenges, rediscover their identities, and open their hearts to each other?

A stand-alone novella in the Apron Strings Tea series, inspired by The Nightingale.