Istanbul Dreaming is a historical novel set in 1950s Turkey about a young woman who flees an arranged marriage to pursue independence in Istanbul, where she finds forbidden love with an American airman.
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About Istanbul Dreaming
In 1950s Turkey, against the backdrop of the social and political unrest that will culminate in Turkey’s 1960 military coup d’état, a dutiful daughter is torn between family expectations and her dream of becoming a modern Turkish woman.
One night, seventeen-year-old Ayten sneaks away to Istanbul for a night of dancing with her best friend. When her father discovers her rebellion, he forces her into an arranged religious marriage to a distant relative who bullied her as a child. Initially, Ayten resigns herself to her fate—but after her husband sexually assaults her on their wedding night, she flees him and her family for haven in Istanbul.
Living with friends and working as a seamstress at her friend’s boutique, Ayten tries to rebuild her life. Then she meets Earl, an American airman, and they begin to fall in love—but as their connection deepens, secrets and her past threaten to upend all she’s built. Torn between her family and a future with Earl, Ayten must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice for freedom and forbidden love.
Praise for Istanbul Dreaming
“Istanbul Dreaming is a tender portrait of Ayten, a young woman at an unexpected crossroads, unsure if she’s courageous enough to forge her own path. Rich with tradition and culture and set against the backdrop of defining events in Turkey’s history, Ayten’s story is also universal, offering readers a chance to reflect on their own take-the-wheel moments.”—Nadia Hashimi, author of The Pearl that Broke Its Shell and Sparks Like Stars
“Brandt’s debut [Istanbul Dreaming] is a captivating exploration of what it means for a woman to dare to imagine a life for herself in the face of family disapproval and complicated ties. Rich with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Turkey, this novel is an ode to self-determination and the pursuit of a life of one’s own.”—Marjan Kamali, author of The Lion Women of Tehran and The Stationery Shop
“In this moving debut [Istanbul Dreaming], Denise Derya Brandt transports us immediately into a world that is at once foreign and familiar. Vivid and full of heart, Istanbul Dreaming is about many things: how abuse and trauma echo across generations, how a deep longing for freedom can build courage, and how true friends help us be braver. It’s a historical drama, but really, it’s a modern-day love story that is also about the power of female friendship. I loved these characters, and I believed in them.”—Mary Adkins, author of You May Feel a Little Pressure and Before You Read This
Istanbul Dreaming is “Heartfelt and richly textured. . . . a tender love story and a moving portrait of a young woman awakening to her own strength amid the conservative constraints of mid-twentieth-century Turkey. Denise Derya Brandt has penned a truly promising debut.”—Lidija Hilje, author of Slanting Towards the Sea
Istanbul Dreaming is “Tender, inspiring, and historically rich, this story will transport you to a different world you’ll find hard to leave.”—Kim Danielson, author of Piece by Piece: A Life Remembered through Things Lost
“Brandt’s reflective prose brings the sociocultural aspects of the setting to life, thoughtfully exploring the tension between tradition and modernity. . . . the author expertly uses Ayten’s journey toward agency to examine themes of womanhood, trauma, and freedom.”—Kirkus Reviews
About Denise Derya Brandt, Author of Istanbul Dreaming
Denise Derya Brandt worked in international development for more than twenty years and led women’s health projects in Afghanistan, Liberia, and Myanmar before becoming a published author. A Book Incubator graduate, 2024 Women’s Fiction Writers Association Rising Star Award finalist, and 2025 Poets & Writers Publicity Incubator Fellow, Denise has degrees from Arizona State and London School of Economics. As a Turkish American, she can fool tourists but not taxi drivers! Raised in Arizona, Denise now lives in northern Kentucky with her husband. Istanbul Dreaming is her first novel.
You can connect with Denise Derya Brandt on her website, Facebook and Instagram.
Source: Publisher
Publisher: She Writes Press
ISBN: 9798896361541
Pub Date: Sept 29, 2026
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