rong>"My name is Ona Judge, and I escaped from the household of the President of the United States. I was the favored maid of George and Martha Washington, but they deemed me a slave and thought me property, and I hear ten dollars is offered as reward for my capture. Now I must write the truth that I have lived, and tell my story..."

Chincoteague, Virginia, present day. Rain soaks Tessa Scott as she runs from her car to the old, vine-covered property she has been called to survey. She's too busy to accept a new job, but doing this favor for the grandmother of her childhood sweetheart delays a painful decision she must make about a future with her controlling boyfriend.

But when Tessa finds a tattered journal carefully hidden inside the house's ancient fireplace, the tragic story of how Ona was ripped from her mother's arms to live and work in the palatial Mount Vernon, and the heart-shattering betrayal that led her to risk her life and run, has Tessa spellbound. Could discovering this forgotten scandal at the heart of her nation's history force her to confront her own story? As she races to reach the final page, will anything prepare her for the desperate moment when Ona's captors find her again? Will it inspire Tessa to take ownership of her own life and set herself free?

A completely heartbreaking tale of love, loss and redemption, based on an astonishing true story from the founding of America. Perfect for fans of Before We Were Yours, Marie Benedict and America's First Daughter.

What readers are saying about Suzette D. Harrison:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "If I could increase the ratings on this I would... I was literally blown away by this story... I can't see anything surpassing this. I need more books like this." Read Along with Sue

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "My, My, My and Wow, just Wow!!... What an excellent and amazing story!... Whew!!... Hallelujah!! This is an awesome book!!" Geri's Things

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "23 hours. I devoured this book in 23 hours. It's been a long time since I've felt so consumed by a book... This book destroyed me in the very best way... I will absolutely be recommending this book to EVERYONE!" Netgalley reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "WOW! Deserves 10 stars... Touched my soul... I laughed, cried, cussed." Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Where do I start? For the first time, I am left speechless after reading a book. Speechless because the narrative just grabbed me by my core... I laughed, but mostly cried... Five stars." Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Wow, I can't possibly do this book justice in a review, I'm not going to even try-read it, it's AMAZING!... A fantastic five stars from me!" Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I loved it so much... By the end of the book I was crying because of how great this story was. This story touched my heart so much." Goodreads reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I was hooked from the very first page... Be prepared to laugh, cry, and find that your mouth is unexpectedly dropping open!... A MUST-READ!" Goodreads reviewer