Dallas author Jacintha Griffith has written a compelling novel that captures the pain, frustration and disappointment of immigration for a 20-year-old woman seeking to reunite with the man she loves.
Griffith’s first novel, “Coveting the Dream”, is already getting rave reviews from readers because its fictional story reflects the national debate on immigration reform.
“So many people can relate to this story,” says the McKinney, Texas resident, who is a native of Grenada, a small island in the West Indies. “Yes, it’s fiction, but immigration has become such a nightmare for so many who want to live the American Dream. I know this book touches a nerve that resonates with everyone.”
The book, rich in detail, engaging dialogue and constant intrigue, has been getting favorable reviews from readers around the country.
“This book is a page-turner starting with the first sentence,” writes Lindsay Biel, author of Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues, on Amazon.com. “I instantly cared about the main character and empathized with this smart, interesting woman as she set about coming to the US and tried to obtain legal immigrant status. Written in a style that is warm, wise, and accessible, this book opens up a window to the heart and teaches us about some of the terrible challenges illegal immigrants go through.”
In the book, Serena, a naïve 20-year-old woman from Belize, embarks on a dangerous journey to get into the U.S. to re-unite with her boyfriend, Nick. She lands in Brooklyn and is faced with the ultimate betrayal. Devastated, but determined to create her own American Dream, she pursues several avenues to obtain the coveted green card, including a fraudulent attempt, which leads to her arrest and detention by the Immigration and Nationalization Service. Faced with deportation, and the reality that the dream is swiftly slipping out of reach, Serena makes a desperate attempt to keep it in sight.
Griffith, a practicing pediatric occupational therapist in Dallas, says she has been working on the book for years. As the nation’s headlines filled with stories about how legislators were pushing hard to pass anti-immigration legislation, she felt that the timing for this story was just right.
