Novels by Dolores Savannah Ponin
Daughters of the
Distant Shores
A sweeping historical saga of love, art, and the courage to live beyond borders.
The Trilogy
Daughters of the Distant Shores
Spanning continents and centuries, Daughters of the Distant Shores follows three women from one family whose destinies intertwine across empires, wars, and revolutions. Each novel reveals a different moment in history — and a new way that women turn art into resistance.
From the mystic verses of Rumi in nineteenth-century Istanbul, through the luminous seascapes of Aivazovsky on the Crimean coast, to the restless voice of Hemingway beneath the tropical skies of Florida — the women of this saga are bound by their yearning for freedom, truth, and creation.
Confronting the limits imposed by faith, politics, and love, they discover that the greatest masterpiece of all is the life one dares to claim for oneself.
"A vivid, emotionally rich journey for readers of Elif Shafak, Paula McLain, Kristin Hannah, and Kate Morton."
The Collection
The Books
Book One
Istanbul, 1840
Emilia: Under the Sky of Rumi
In the heart of the Ottoman Empire, a sheltered young woman is drawn into a hidden world of poetry, desire, and forbidden freedom — forcing her to confront the beliefs that once defined her.
Emilia, the daughter of a Polish rebel, arrives in the Ottoman Empire expecting a life of obedience and restraint. Instead, she enters the intimate, unspoken realms of harems and hammams, where women speak freely and Rumi's verses awaken something wild and questioning within her.
Perfect for readers of: Paula McLain, Lisa See, Elif Shafak
Read on AmazonBook Two
Crimea, 1860
Maria: Light Over Crimea
On the shores of Crimea, where beauty and the scars of war collide, a young artist must decide what she is willing to sacrifice for truth, art, and forbidden love.
Maria, Emilia's daughter, grows up by the sea her mother once crossed for freedom. Gifted and restless, she becomes a student of the legendary painter Ivan Aivazovsky and enters a world devoted to light and creation.
Perfect for readers of: Kristin Hannah, Kate Morton, Tatiana de Rosnay
Read on AmazonBook Three
Key West, 1934
Lilianna: The Edge of Paradise
At the sunlit edge of America, a grieving woman meets a restless writer whose brilliance mirrors her own — awakening desire, courage, and the hope of beginning again.
After years marked by loss, Lilianna — daughter of Maria and granddaughter of Emilia — escapes to the far edge of America. In the cafés and ocean-lit bars of Key West, she finds a world alive with storytellers, wanderers, musicians, and dreamers.
Perfect for readers of: Paula McLain, Kristin Harmel, Kate Morton
Read on AmazonThe Author
About Dolores
"Dolores Savannah Ponin is a Polish author whose work is shaped by a lifelong fascination with cultural diversity, women's history, and the meeting points between civilizations."
She is a graduate of the University of Warsaw, where she earned her degree in Polish Culture at the Faculty of Polish Studies, and later expanded her academic background with American Studies and Public Relations.
For more than a decade she worked in the international PR industry — both in agencies and multinational corporations — and was a member of the team preparing Warsaw's bid for the title of European Capital of Culture. These professional experiences grounded her in global communication and the power of storytelling.
Seeking to deepen her knowledge of the regions that had always captivated her, she completed postgraduate studies in Intercultural Relations at the Faculty of Oriental Studies. Her passion for the East — its histories, philosophies, and intimate everyday worlds — continues to shape her writing.
Today she focuses on creating rich, atmospheric historical fiction that explores art, longing, and the resilience of women across time.
Cultural Studies
University of Warsaw
Oriental Studies
Intercultural Relations
Historical Fiction
Art & Women's History
Visual Journey
Gallery
Explore the worlds that inspired the trilogy — from Ottoman harems to Crimean shores to the sun-drenched cafés of Key West.
Get in Touch
Contact
For press inquiries, speaking engagements, book club visits, or simply to share your thoughts on the trilogy — I would love to hear from you.
Connect
Whether you're a reader, fellow writer, book blogger, journalist, or simply curious about the stories behind the stories — your messages are always welcome.
"Every culture holds a story worth telling."
— Dolores Savannah Ponin