Echoes over Stormy Sea (Dual-time Odyssey Book 1)

Experience adventure and romance in distant lands, a mesmerizing tale by Whong, named a 2025 Featured Author by the Minnesota Anoka County Library.

Two remarkable women, separated by eras, united by unyielding resolve.

Two eras, one stormy sea. Two women navigate love and heritage across centuries. Book 1 in this dual-time odyssey series braids together a mesmerizing tale about loyalty, redemption, and transformation.

Debra Gong, a PhD student in biochemistry, eagerly counts down to her upcoming 2020 wedding in Chicago. The unexpected death of her father, a famous writer, brings her back to Hong Kong. Then the sudden closure of borders because of the pandemic leaves her trapped and separated from her fiancé. Her father’s will requires her to complete his last, unfinished manuscript about a pirate princess to honor his memory.

In 1800, Shih Yi-Lan, a martial arts master and the fierce daughter of a pirate captain, faces the cultural expectations of matrimony. Unwilling to be confined by traditional roles, when her father demands her to cement an alliance through marriage, she devises a test for any would-be he must beat her in two out of three contests to win her hand. A mysterious contender with a pigtail unlike the other sea marauders rises to the occasion and triumphs.

As both women explore their worlds in flux, the stakes grow higher. Can Debra continue her PhD work, honor her father’s legacy, and find love and commitment? Will Yi-Lan maintain her resilience and passion amid the challenges? Their parallel journeys unfold against the backdrop of tumultuous times, connecting their fates in unexpected ways.

Note: This book won a few awards, including the 2025 HOLT Medallion Contest and being chosen by readers on Manybooks as one of the best books of the month for January, 2025.