Counting Crows

Tina has everything she once dreamed of—an acclaimed career as a painter in Manhattan and a husband who is not only a lawyer but also gentle and loyal. She’s living a dream life, far from her past in 1990s Tehran, where she first longed for escape. Back then, freedom felt like a crime and the American Dream and Rock Music flashed in and out of reach like frames from a broken film reel.

But her current success hasn’t silenced the questions that linger in her mind, nor has it filled the quiet spaces of her life.

When memories of a fleeting connection with Gus, a boy she met decades ago in Grand Rapids, begin to surface, she wonders if finding him again might unlock something she lost along the way—her passion, her art, perhaps even herself. As she follows the threads of the past, she’s forced to confront what it means to long for something—or someone—who may never have truly belonged to her.

A story about memory, identity, and the quiet ache of missed chances, Counting Crows is a novel for those who believe that love isn’t always a grand declaration, but sometimes a whisper that lingers long after the moment has passed.

This is Tina's perspective on the Lover’s Rock story by Aaron Paul Schaut, Author of These Americans


"A character-driven drama at its finest." — Readers' Favorite
"Emotionally raw and filled with Guns N’ Roses references." — Manny Torres
"Aria’s poetic writing leaves a lasting impact, making the reader reflect on their own life." — Bam Barrow
"A one-sitting read that poignantly captures the dream of freedom and the lingering “what-if” of lost love." — Shannon Waite
"A compelling story that takes readers through 1990s Tehran, Michigan, and modern-day New York." — Michael Collins
"It explores themes of Iranian identity, dissatisfaction with career and marriage, and difficult teenage experiences in Tehran." — Paige Johnson