In 1972, a time of tumultuous political and social change, Clare and Lowell are idealists on opposite ends of the spectrum. Lowell is an ambitious grad student expecting an elite career in the Foreign Service and Clare is an earnest freshman antiwar activist. When they meet at Indiana University, an unlikely passion begins. Detours is a sensual and intelligent romance exploring politics, culture, and self-discovery in a story that spans more than a decade and travels from the States to Beirut, Mexico City, and Kuwait. The journey is spellbinding and unforgettable. "...Clare is a hippie from Indiana, while Lowell, who plans a career in the U.S. Foreign Service, is from a fine Virginia family. Despite their differences, however, a passionate, sexually charged romance ensues. Eventually, however, Clare's anti-war activity brings the relationship to a sudden, seemingly permanent end...When the former lovers meet in Kuwait City, though, Gates wisely avoids the temptation to have them simply run back into each other's arms, as if time and distance had not kept them apart... A well-plotted...international romance." -- Kirkus Reviews "This sensuous story about the one that got away deals with first love, regret, and introspection ... While the colorful '70s and '80s provide a vibrant backdropthe heart of this nostalgic romance is the enduring intensity of a first love." -- Publishers' Weekly August 2015 "Gates draws us into a magic carpet ride of a love story. Clare and Lowell are beautifully drawn characters who make the heart ache. DETOURS has vivid descriptions of political and social upheaval, written with clear insight, and is lit up with musical references that underscore the times. Gates' solid knowledge gives scenes in Lebanon, Mexico and Kuwait depth and clarity." - JESSICA MACPHAIL, Yesterday's Papers: The Rolling Stones in Print "Gates writes with worldly sophistication ... DETOURS is a compelling examination of first love during a time of political discord. It plumbs the depths of human emotions as it examines U.S., Mexican and Lebanese rebels in the early 1970s, and illustrates the quest for ideals that transports its young protagonists to far-flung places. I loved this story, although I often feared it would break my heart." JULIA BUCKLEY, The Dark Backward "DETOURS focuses on the uneasy relationship between love and politics. Gates' eye for vivid detail and ear for the language of the times ... makes descriptions ring true ... even poetic." WINDY CITY REVIEWS Award-winning writer Emma Gates was born in New York. She earned a BA in Spanish/Latin American Studies from Indiana University Bloomington, and an MBA with concentration in Arabic/Middle Eastern Studies from Thunderbird. She worked for three years in Mexico and five in Saudi Arabia. She is an international business and telecoms specialist currently living near Chicago with her family and a pair of inscrutable cats.