A decade apart, a painful secret—can two childhood sweethearts find their way back to a love that defies cultures and time?
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from The Summers Between Us by Noreen Nanja, which is out May 13th 2025.
Lia Juma thought she’d buried the dreams of her heart long ago. But when she’s forced to return to her family’s summer cottage on Pike Bay, the life she’s carefully crafted begins to unravel. The perfect immigrant daughter, Lia has carved out a successful career as a corporate lawyer and has just started dating a man who fulfills all her mother’s criteria for the ideal son-in-law. But underneath her polished life lies a secret she’s never spoken of—one she fears could have destroyed her family a decade ago.
Back at the bay, Lia stumbles upon memories she thought were long forgotten and, at the centre of it all, is Wesley Forest—the boy she left behind, the boy who knew her dreams better than anyone. Their friendship and young love once burned bright, woven through long sun-drenched days and whispered promises of a future together. But when family pressures and heartbreak pulled the two lovers apart, they were forced to follow separate paths.
Now, Wes is back in her life, and with him, old wounds and feelings surface. As the two confront the choices and secrets that divided them as teenagers, Lia must decide if she can heal from the past and finally embrace the life and love she’s always craved. Could a second chance with Wes be worth risking everything for?
Told over the course of five years in the past and one summer in the present, Lia will discover that sometimes, the only way forward is through the heart’s deepest scars.
Chapter 1
Present day
June
Summer has finally arrived and I should be happy, sitting here at a lacquered black table with my handsome date. A candle flickers between us, the lighting in this glitzy Italian restaurant clearly intended to create a romantic atmosphere, but I’m pinched and tired after finishing a major merger this week. All I want to do is flick my pointed heels off my aching feet and nestle into a fluffy blanket on the couch with a book and a cup of chai.
Now, though, I need to focus on the clinking of silverware and polite, flirtatious laughter. It’s unfamiliar. I haven’t been on a date in months. But it’s time for me to get back out there and meet someone who will have me gowned in satin white so my mother can throw the wedding she’s been nagging me for ever since I finished law school.
And for once, I’m out with a guy who has potential.
“You did a killer job on the Toasties and Salad King merger.” Hassan gazes at me, an appreciative glint in his eye. The slate grey of his suit makes his mahogany skin seem even warmer, a smile softening his usually stern face. Almost no one would get how hard this job is, how much work I put into it, but he does.
“I still can’t believe I closed it,” I answer, focusing on all there is to celebrate. Closing another deal, being asked out by the second-best senior associate at Gold & Wright.
Ever since Hassan took a job at the firm a year and a half ago, he’s been following me around like a wheaten terrier. At first, I thought he was trying to throw me off my game, since in corporate law you don’t really have friends. You have colleagues you are friendly with, who would happily stab you in the back for a promotion. So when he first started circling me, I’d backed away. We were neck and neck in our billing hours and both had our sights set on junior partner, after all.
But then I started to see the similarities between us. Both of us have been busting our asses to make our immigrant parents proud. He’s the kind of guy I can respect—and pretty attractive too.
So I finally said yes when he asked me to grab a coffee for the tenth time, and again to grab a bite after we worked on a case together. And now here we are on our first official date in one of the most exclusive restaurants in town. This man really knows how to wine and dine. Maybe I should have given in earlier.
Hassan winks at me. “I probably could have closed it faster.” His smirk gives away that he’s teasing, and I kick him jokingly under the table.
His grin broadens.
We’ve just finished our main courses, which lived up to the social media hype. A rare steak for him, spinach ravioli for me. Usually, I’d kill for a piece of chocolate cake to end my meal, but I’m not sure my form-fitting navy dress can take the added pressure.
Hassan’s hand catches mine. “You’re a brilliant lawyer.”
“I know.” My mother would love him. She’s been telling me for years that I need to get my head out of my ass and onto the dating market. My task is to bring home an accomplished man from the same cultural background so she can see her grandchildren before she dies.
Satisfaction wells in my chest as I picture him and my mother meeting for the first time.
Now I focus on the heat of his broad fingers against my slimmer ones, coaxing the respect and camaraderie I feel into a flame. His mouth twists into a smile that’s somehow both fond and mischievous.
“Hey,” he says, voice deeper than usual. “I’m so glad you said yes to tonight.”
“Me too,” I whisper. “But will this make things weird at work?”
“Of course not.” His smile is guileless. “Take a chance on me, Lia.”
It’s so easy to say but hard to do. Last time I took a gamble on dating was with a cardiologist that my mother set me up with through mosque. Our first date was an unpleasant surprise. Dinner with his entire extended family. After that evening, I never called the guy back, and instead invested in a new electronic version of a boyfriend that never disappoints.
But I can’t exactly walk a vibrator down the aisle and Hassan is leagues ahead of almost every other guy I’ve dated. He’s looking at me with warmth in his eyes, tilting closer as if he’s going to kiss me. I take a breath and make a choice, leaning in and letting the scent of his oud cologne reassure me.
Right before our lips touch, my phone rings. A steady chime, the ringtone I’ve assigned to work, a contrast to the shrill alarm that I’ve designated to my mother’s messages. Hassan leans back, giving me a look, but unlike most guys I’ve been out with, he’s curious, not annoyed.
I pull it out to check. It’s Eleanor, the only female partner at the firm, despite all the diversity, equity and inclusion measures we’re supposedly implementing. Eleanor hasn’t really taken an interest in me, but maybe that’s changed since my performance in my latest merger made waves in our firm.
The phone chimes again.
“I should take this,” I say, pulling away from the table, giving Hassan an apologetic smile that he doesn’t see. He’s already pulled out his own phone.
I clip across the room, almost bulldozing through a server carrying a tray laden with ravioli and thin-crust pizza. “Sorry,” I mouth as I get to the lobby and accept the call right before it goes to voicemail. I don’t want to anger Eleanor, I’ll need her in my corner if I ever want to make partner.
“Lia,” Eleanor says in her business-like tone. “Sorry to call this late. I hope I didn’t disturb you.” She doesn’t sound sorry.
“Not a problem. How can I help you?” I twirl a lock of my carefully straightened hair. Partners ring whenever they damn please, but this is the first time Eleanor’s called me. Maybe she has last-minute briefs that need to be reviewed and the junior
associates are screening her calls.
“I wanted to give you a heads-up that we’re going to be expanding the Chirper-Brittle team. Are you interested?”
Suddenly fire blazes in my chest. There’s a lot of buzz on social media around conglomerate Chirper taking over Brittle, the up-and-coming West Coast microblogging site. It’s the most coveted file the firm is handling this year, and Eleanor is retained by Chirper. It’s a dream come true. I can barely form words.
Eleanor misreads my silence. “We need support in drafting and reviewing the agreements. Your recent work has been impressive, and I think this would be a good way to show your dedication to senior management. Are you interested? If you’re not, I can certainly find someone else . . .”
“I’d love to, but—” I stop myself as the words bust out. HR has been on my tail about taking my mandatory PTO and I finally booked time off starting the week after next.
It’s like Eleanor can read my mind. She’s that much of a shark. “I took the liberty of peeking at your calendar. You can work during your vacation remotely. I won’t tell HR if you don’t. I wouldn’t want you to lose the opportunity to be on such a big case.”
“That’s true,” I say, buying in. It’s relaxing to do work at home in your joggers, right?
“Even if you’re remote, I’d need utmost dedication,” Eleanor says. “The workload will be heavy. There’s a large volume of documentation that we have to review for due diligence, and we’re on a tight timeline. The board wants to close in two weeks. If you can’t fully commit, then I’ll need to work with someone who can. I will say, however, that if you perform well on this project, I’d advocate for you next time there’s an opening for junior partner.”
I blink. Becoming a partner at a prestigious Toronto law firm is the dream. It’s worth sacrificing time off for the opportunity.
“Then I’d love to be on the team,” I say, crossing my fingers. It’s finally happening. My dad always told me to be the best at what I do. One of the few things that weighs on me is that my father won’t get to see me rise to the top.
“Great.” She hangs up without a goodbye, and I slide my phone back into my clutch. My hips sway as I walk back into the restaurant and I can’t suppress the smile on my face.
Hassan’s head is bent over his phone as he furiously types. My phone buzzes again. A text from my older sister, Meleka.
Mel: Hey, are you free to chat?
I swipe the message away and tuck my phone back into my clutch.
“Good news?” Hassan asks, hitting send and putting his phone down.
“Eleanor might need an additional associate on one of her new acquisitions,” I say, forcing myself to keep my voice light as I slide into my seat. I can’t exactly squeal and jump in the middle of the restaurant, even though I feel like a hot-air balloon about to float away. “Would have been nicer to get the news during the workday, though.”
“Congratulations,” Hassan says. “That’s a call worth answering after hours.” His teasing smile makes my cheeks warm.
“For sure.” I take a swig from my glass. “I’ll have to work during my time off but . . . a multi-million-dollar technology company acquisition might be worth it.”
Hassan cocks an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“The perfect addition to my portfolio.” I laugh. “But we’re not at work, so let’s focus on something more fun. Like us.”
He clears his throat and sits back in his chair. “You’re right.”
This call has given me renewed energy, and suddenly the world is a little brighter. My mind races; maybe I’ll do some reading on Chirper and Brittle this weekend, get my bearings for Monday.
Hassan smiles at me. I force myself back into the room with him, even though half of me is far away, dreaming of how amazing it will feel to get promoted and have everything I’ve worked so hard for be recognized. A great match and a promotion. This year is looking up.
He looks behind me, gesturing his head meaningfully. A server with a black tie places a delicate apple tart in front of us.
It’s a sweet gesture, even if I would have preferred the chocolate cake I spotted on the menu.
“I thought we deserved a treat after working so hard this week.” His breath catches, belying his satisfied smirk. He wants this to be something.
And I do too. “You’re so thoughtful.” I lean forward at the same time he does. Our lips meet, a firm, gentle pressure, and I find myself pressing closer for more. When we pull back, his
deep brown eyes glimmer with tenderness.
But part of me is disconnected from the moment, like my body is on autopilot and I’m somewhere in the ether, still searching for something I lost.
My kiss leaves behind a smudge of red lipstick on his lips, and I laugh, wiping it away. A little thrill of excitement runs through me as my thumb presses against his mouth.
“I’m having a fantastic time with you,” Hassan murmurs.
“Me too,” I say dreamily. Maybe this summer, things will finally come together and I’ll be able to fulfill the dreams my parents set out for me.
