Synopsis

“Bernard’s resonant novel . . . about the birth and demise of ragtime . . . is a lively tale in which romance and creative passions abound.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

The world of ragtime is the backdrop for a remarkable story about the price of freedom, the longing for immortality, and the human need to find forgiveness. Seventeen-year-old May Convery, unhappy with her privileged life in turn-of-the-century New York City, dreams of becoming a poet. When she meets the poor but talented Mike Bernard, an aspiring concert pianist, she immediately falls in love. But after their secret liaison is discovered, neither is prepared for the far-reaching consequences that will haunt them for decades. From vaudeville’s greatest stars to the geniuses of early African American musical theater, an unforgettable cast of real-life characters populates this richly fictionalized historical saga.

Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard is author of the historical thriller THE BEAUTY DOCTOR, Finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Award, National Indie Excellence Awards, AZ Literary Awards, and Medallion Honoree of the Book Readers Appreciation Group. Her second novel, TEMPTATION RAG, is based in part on the life of her husband’s grandfather, Mike Bernard, who won the title “Ragtime King of the World” in 1900.