What does it cost a woman to claim her freedom?

In a world where power is negotiated in boardrooms and silence is enforced behind closed doors, Crude Alliances: From Silence to Sanctuary is a gripping literary novel about one woman’s journey from quiet endurance to irreversible defiance.

Fereshteh Amini has spent her life navigating the invisible boundaries placed around her by culture, by marriage and by a system that demands obedience. A devoted mother and dutiful wife, she has learned that survival often depends on what is left unsaid.

But when she is unexpectedly sent to Canada as part of a high-stakes Iranian oil delegation, everything begins to shift.

Far from home, in a world governed by different rules, Fereshteh finds herself drawn into a dangerous emotional terrain: one where desire, power, and long-suppressed identity begin to collide. As political negotiations unfold behind closed doors, a more personal reckoning takes place within her.

One decision. One moment of defiance.
And nothing will ever be the same.

What follows is a story of disappearance, consequence, and a desperate search for sanctuary set against the backdrop of geopolitical tension, corporate power, and the fragile illusion of control.

A novel of power, exile, and the courage to choose freedom.

Crude Alliances is not only a story of political intrigue and forbidden connection; rather it is a deeply human exploration of what it means to reclaim one’s voice in a world determined to silence it.

What readers are saying:

“Crude Alliances is a brave and timely novel. It illuminates the human cost of political systems, the quiet resilience of women, and the universal longing for dignity, agency, and love. It is the kind of book that stays with you and invites conversation long after you finish it.”
— Nelufar Mohajeri, Nonprofit Executive

“Crude Alliances uncovers the plight of women living under Sharia Law imposed by the Mullahs in Iran in an intelligently-written page turner that you won’t want to put down until the end.”
— Stephen Caswell, Journalist

Perfect for readers who are drawn to:

- powerful female protagonists
- stories of exile and identity
- literary fiction with political depth
- emotionally charged, character-driven narratives
- novels that explore freedom, power, and resilience


From silence to sanctuary…

Fereshteh’s journey is not just across borders — it is across the boundaries of fear, duty, and selfhood. And once crossed, there is no return.