Dear Orchid

These aren't just stories. They're love letters.
Told through a mix of true stories and new fiction, Dear Orchid opens the heart in unexpected ways: through loss and love, silence and recovery, and the hard-won resilience of people who don't always fit the mold.
With tenderness and heart, Dear Orchid is an Asian American author's homage to Mary-Louise Parker's Dear Mr. You, through letters to a girl newly freed from East Berlin, an aunt lost to Communist-era borders, and Purple Heart-decorated heroes. These intimate portraits explore the messy beauty of friendship, family, disability, and belonging.
You'll meet a wounded hero who jokes through his pain, a beloved cat with a crayon note taped to his back ("HELP ME"), and characters who refuse to be defined by what they've lost.
The final chapter brings a fictional reunion with the unforgettable cast from the Goodbye Orchid trilogy, offering healing, closure, and a second chance romance.
Told in a lyrical, letter-style format, this collection blends memoir and imagination in a deeply personal exploration of grief, identity, and human connection. It's a window into private moments that echo something universal, especially for those who have ever felt unseen, misunderstood, or left behind.
Underneath the heartbreak and humor runs the quiet pull between star-crossed lovers, whose stories unfold across time, distance, and impossible odds.
Whether you're drawn to true stories of survival or fictional narratives filled with tenderness and truth, Dear Orchid offers an emotional journey that celebrates love in all its forms.
A collection for anyone who's ever loved, lost, or longed to understand the emotional truth behind the quiet moments that shape us.
Includes elements of multicultural and medical romance, true stories, and unforgettable moments of vulnerability and hope.

CAROL VAN DEN HENDE is an award-winning novelist who pens stories of resilience and hope. Her novels Orchid Blooming, Goodbye, Orchid and Always Orchid draw from her Chinese American heritage, and have won 40+ literary awards, including the American Fiction Award, IAN Outstanding Fiction First Novel Award, and Royal Dragonfly Awards for Disability Awareness and Cultural Diversity. Buzzfeed, Parade, and Travel+Leisure named "heartwarming, heartbreaking" Goodbye, Orchid a most anticipated read. Glamour Magazine recommended this "modern, important take on the power of love." Woman's World called Always Orchid "One of 7 Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down" and The International Pulpwood Queens selected the Goodbye, Orchid series as Books-of-the-Month three years in a row.Carol's mission is unlocking optimism as a writer, speaker, global marketer, digital strategist, Board Trustee and Climate Reality Leader. One secret to her good fortune? Her humorous husband and twins, who prove that love really does conquer all.