This moving debut novel by Gregory Erich Phillips won the Grand Prize for best book of the year in the Chanticleer Reviews International writing Competition.

Pre WWI, Elsa came to America with her eyes wide open, realizing it was up to her to make a life
for herself. Surviving a sweatshop in lower Manhattan, a chance job with a Long Island elite
family opens up her world. Invited in, up to a point, she unwittingly, albeit precariously, crosses
the social divide with her now open heart which puts all she worked for in jeopardy.

What a truly wonderful story! I’ve read it three times, and with each
reading I find myself caring about the fabulous characters and their
lives even more.”
— P. J. Alderman, New York Times Bestselling Author

“From the riveting opening . . . until its gripping conclusion, this enthralling
novel vividly portrays the desperate times of German immigrants
landing at Ellis Island in 1905. A timely read . . . it illuminates the issues
that we are experiencing a century later. . .Phillips reminds us that love,
light, and perseverance can help us find a way to overcome almost any
obstacle.”  
— Chanticleer Reviews