She came to find herself. She stayed to fight a revolution. Some waves you can’t outrun.
Ready for Pre-order on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Bookshop.
Release Date, June 15
While American students protest the Vietnam war, rebellion brews below the border where a U.S.-backed dictator rules.
Lena Landon, an avid surfer and anti-war activist, wants to do something meaningful when she graduates with a degree in journalism. Feeling the sea’s restless energy pushing her toward some unknown destiny, she travels to San Balanque, her estranged mother’s homeland, to learn more about her Maya heritage.
There Lena teams up with fellow journalist Daniel Weatherly to interview the Aguileros fighting to overthrow Viktor Ortiz’s corrupt regime. Then she sees Raoul—the rebels’ charismatic leader—rising from a jungle pool. Everything changes. That dark wave sweeps her into a life she never imagined.
Lena’s transformation from pacifist to freedom fighter comes at a brutal cost as she witnesses the harsh realities of guerrilla warfare: executions, kidnapping, torture. All the while she guards a dangerous secret: her mother, the esteemed artist Dolores Machado, is married to the enemy—Ortiz’s Vice President and closest confidant.
As the revolution intensifies, Lena must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice for love, justice, and a cause worth dying for.
Praise for This Sea Within
“This Sea Within is a sweeping and emotionally charged novel that immerses readers in a world of revolution, forbidden love, and personal awakening, capturing the fierce courage it takes to fight for identity, justice, and the life you were meant to claim.” –NewInBooks
“This Sea Within is the story of Lena Landon, an aspiring photojournalist who is drawn into a revolutionary movement that seems to reflect everything she has ever dreamed about and wanted to do. She trains as a soldier and undergoes dangerous undercover work by infiltrating the government. This story of political is most suitable for those looking for well-written, epic protest literature that delivers a mesmerizing climax. Deborah J. Brasket captivated me with the seductive allure of an idealism of a powerful revolution and how it connects with nuanced morality. This Sea Within features complex and revolutionary characters, exciting prose, and streams of consciousness that lay bare the psyche of the key characters. Fans of The Red Sparrow trilogy by Jason Matthews and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini will enjoy how this book explores the way personal passion becomes inseparable from the cataclysm of history.” Divine Zape, Readers’ Favorite ★★★★★
“A captivating love story about freedom, rebellion, and willingness to die for one’s principles. It kept me turning pages late into the night.” D. W. Peach, award-winning fantasy writer
“At twenty, most of us don’t have it all figured out yet. That is certainly true for Lena Landon, a young woman who is passionate about everything she does and feels. Set in the early 1970s, This Sea Within is less historical fiction and more a story about all the ways history tends to repeat itself. Lena’s fight is against an oppressive regime in a fictional country, but the fight for justice never changes. The struggles with corruption, unfair practices, and brutality were present then and now, almost indistinguishably. From the novel’s earliest moments, Lena is an incredibly relatable main character. Besides meticulous character work, the worldbuilding is a reward in itself. A bold story about passionate people fighting for what they believe in, This Sea Within is an intimate coming of age novel perfect for readers who appreciate artful, poetic fiction with the highest stakes. Nicky Flowers, Indies Today ★★★★★
“A passionate affair, thrilling dangers, masterful writing, magical locales–what else could a reader want? This is a book you will feel and long remember.” Harvey Ardman, author of The Final Voyage.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Sea Within, a powerful novel that explores identity, family, and moral conflict through Lena’s compelling journey. She’s passionate and compassionate, and her emotional uncertainty makes her feel human.
Rather than treating romance as the main narrative, it simultaneously juggles romance, revolutionary politics, displacement, political conscience, and cultural belonging. Deborah Brasket crafts a story that is both intimate and politically charged, leaving readers with questions that linger long after the final page.” Aimee Bittourna, Rockin’ Riverview Book Club reader
“A stirring reminder that love lies at the heart of every revolution, This Sea Within by Deborah J. Brasket is a coming-of-age drama set against the civil unrest and rebellious spirit of the Yucatan Peninsula in the early 1970s. Encapsulating the “constant warfare and clash of civilizations” in the divided loyalties of one young woman, the novel probes the granular moments of building character – the dissecting, undoing, and remaking that defines our destiny. The prose is marked by lyrical imagery and visceral depictions of exotic landscapes, along with an unflinching dive into taboo ideas, making this an impressively timely and radical read, no matter the historical setting.” Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★½
“This Sea Within is an epic, page-turning tale filled with passion and beauty, political intrigue and revolution, about a young woman’s journey to connect to her past and find her future.” Mark Paxson, author of The Jump and The Dime
“This Sea Within is a political thriller about Lena, a young woman on the brink of discovering who she truly wants to be. However, her mother’s absence, and Lena’s anger on the subject, have gotten in the way. So, she decides to go to San Balanque, her mother’s homeland, to figure out the parts of her she’s missing. Lena soon learns of an underground revolution trying to overthrow the cruel dictator – and the activist in her wants to know more. When she meets Raoul, the leader of the rebel group known as the Aguileros, her world changes forever. This is an intense novel that doesn’t hold back. You’ll find yourself struggling along with Lena as she tries to reconcile her pacifist leanings to the freedom fighter mentality needed to overthrow the government. This is a must-read!” Teri M. Brown, author of Peg, Unhinged and Podcast Host
“This Sea Within is an engaging and fast paced book about a young woman on a journey. Lena travels to San Balanque in search of her roots, and finds much more: passion, rebellion, and purpose. Deborah’s book is a stormy mix of romance, adventure, and shifting feelings as Lena explores what it means to love completely. Read it to find out how much Lena is willing to sacrifice for love and country.” Brad Volz, poet, photographer, and blogger at Writing to Freedom
This Sea Within is ready for pre-order in ebook on Amazon, and in print on Barnes and Nobles and Bookshop.
Book release is June 15.
