The Walled Garden

1922: Helena De Vries is an East Coast heiress dispatched to Southern California, where she wants to help her eccentric aunt establish a museum-while her parents aim for her to court young men of suitable stature. Lonely and dissatisfied, Helena flees a glittering soirée, only to encounter a man who presents her with an impossible appeal.

Thoughtful, witty, and kind, Michael Byrne is a son of one of the nation's wealthiest families, yet has lived his entire life confined to one wing of the Byrne mansion. Born with cerebral palsy and deemed incapable of public appearance, Michael has never been allowed to meet anyone like Helena. For him, their friendship is an unexpected gift.

But after the first sparks of warmth-and desire-Helena finds herself longing for more. Equally afraid to expose their affection to public censure and to give Michael promises that she might not be able to fulfill, Helena faces an irresolvable dilemma: how can you confess your love for a man who isn't supposed to exist?

The Walled Garden is a sparkling, lush, and sensual Jazz Age romance novella, featuring a rich cast of characters who struggle to reconcile exacting social expectations and the demands of the heart.