It is the early twentieth century and British Army officer Arthur Hart-Synnot is sent to Japan to study the language and assist in the alliance between Britain and Japan during the Russo-Japanese War. Arthur meets Masa Suzuki, a kind Japanese woman who offers her assistance. They soon fall in love and spend as much time together as possible during his station in Japan.

Their relationship continues to grow through letters as Arthur's duties take him throughout parts of Asia and Europe. Obstacles of culture and class create hardships that neither of them are fully prepared to face. Love is not enough to combat the historical turmoil heading their way.

This is not a heartwarming love story. It is a tragic one of love and loss. It is the meeting of SWORD AND BLOSSOM. The birth and death of a nation's alliance have devastating consequences for the love of Masa and Arthur. This is a story of two nations brought together by one war and torn apart by another.

One of the interesting aspects of this story is the historical backdrop as a timeline. Masa and Arthur meet during the Russo-Japanese War. As their relationship progresses we are taken through WWI and its aftermath. The book closes with the impact WWII had on the relationship of Masa and Arthur, and of their countries.

Peter Pagnamenta and Momoko Williams have journaled this story through collections of letters and the historical events of the times. Much of what we learn about the people we meet in this story comes from their own hands. It is difficult to look at the characters and judge their decisions. These are not merely fictional creations to analyze. They were real people living in difficult times and making choices they believed to be best at the time. It is not an easy read because of this. You want to get caught up in the love story but know that it is just a matter of time before history catches up to Arthur and Masa.