MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
Publisher St. Martin, September 2007
When a young Japanese woman’s American fiancé jilts her in San Francisco
with no visa, no money and nowhere to go, she resolves to find the "American
dream" on her own
Midori Saito's dream seems about to come true. Too independent for Japanese
society, she is a young woman who has always felt like a stranger in her
native land. So when she falls in love with Kevin, an American English
teacher, she readily agrees to leave home and start a new life with him in
San Francisco—as his fiancée. Kevin seems to be the perfect man. That is,
until he dumps her for his blonde ex-fiancée, whom Midori never even knew
existed. Midori is left on her own, with just a smattering of fractured
English, not much cash, and a visa set to expire in sixty days. Unable to
face the humiliation of telling her parents she's been jilted, and not
wanting to give up on her “American Dream,” Midori realizes she's in for
quite a challenge. Her only hope is her new acquaintance (and potential
landlord) Shinji, a successful San Francisco graphic artist and amateur moon
gazer who fled Japan after a family tragedy. And eventually, Midori
surprises even herself as she proves she will do almost anything to hang on
to her dream of a new life. 
“Midori by Moonlight is part wasabi, part ginger, and as scrumptious as a
California roll. You'll devour this book in a day!”
-- Cara Lockwood, bestselling author of Dixieland Sushi
“A delightful fusion of East meeting West, as if Banana Yoshimoto and Meg
Cabot got together to create a romantic comedy.”
-- Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of Vertigo
Wendy Nelson Tokunaga's charming heroine 'severed the seven-thousand-mile
umbilical chord' and moved to San Francisco to marry Kevin. Ditched a week
later, Midori Saito ("crisis is her middle name"), takes us with her on an
American adventure. Midori is endearing, feisty and funny; the novel is a
delight.”
-- Ellen Sussman, editor of Bad Girls and author of On a
Night Like This
“Wendy Nelson Tokunaga finds grace, strength and humor in Midori Saito’s
unlikely and highly entertaining journey from jilted fiancée into an
enterprising young businesswoman who is determined to make it on her own in
San Francisco. Shedding light on Japanese culture and modern dating,
relating and living woes, Nelson Tokunaga blends both with an insider’s eye
for nuance and a real love for her characters. Delightfully sweet, just like
Midori.”
-- Margo Candela, author of Life Over Easy
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