As a young teenager, Kate rejects her first kiss - but cannot forget the man who offered it. When he left, he took with him a piece of her heart - one that a wisdom greater than her own urges Kate to reclaim many years later. So begins Kate's lifelong journey to find what she once lost; taking her from the magical mists of her native Ireland to the beating heart of Africa and beyond.

A poetic saga of spirituality, sacrifice, and self-discovery, "The Black Inked Pearl" is the first in the unique Kate-Pearl series which weaves a resonant tale of romance and spiritual awakening. Author Ruth Finnegan, a distinguished anthropologist and award-winning writer, draws from her experiences traveling the world and her passion for language to craft this uniquely written tale; connecting with her readers through a deep and authentic understanding of the human heart and soul.

The book is both a stirring romance and a spiritual parable, written with engaging and melodic prose influenced by writers including James Joyce, William Faulkner, and W. B. Yeats, and Homer's iconic Odyssey. It's a must-read for fans of classical literature, and those left pondering the eternal nature of love, and the ever-puzzling ambiguity between dreams and reality.