Jeff Russell

The Rules of Love and Law Jeff Russell

It is 1938 in Baltimore, Maryland. The worst of the Depression is over, a troubled Europe is an ocean away, and all races seem to know their place. But on Thanksgiving Day, a violent assault brings two very different people together and changes each of their lives forever. Juliana Corbeau lives in the city's most prestigious neighborhood, attends private school, and is a near-perfect example of blue-blood upbringing. But when she makes the mistake of taking a walk through Wyman Park at dusk and is attacked by a man, it is Will Stahl, an immigrant's son, scholar, and near-perfect example of a first-generation American, who rescues her. As their unlikely love story begins, they are set on a path where they must not only confront the biases that separate them, but also a tragic miscarriage of justice, a fateful Supreme Court decision, and danger for family trapped in Nazi Germany. When the war finally reaches America at Pearl Harbor, everything changes again, forcing them to make impossible choices about love, justice, family-and ultimately their very lives. In this historical tale, two young lovers brought together by chance must somehow find a way to keep their love and dreams alive amid prejudices, uncertain times, and forces beyond their control.