Finding Naomi

“A delightful novel by a skilled storyteller, Japan and the American Midwest blend seamlessly in this fast-paced modern-day fairy tale.” -Karen Hill Anton, author of A Thousand Graces

Stuck in a dead-end bar job in central Tokyo and barely making ends meet, Naomi Kihara’s life turns upside down when her American father, whom she hasn’t seen since she was a toddler, dies. Having been brought up to believe he abandoned her, it’s a shock to learn she is his heir. But there’s a catch: Naomi must go live in his hometown for one year. Felix, Nebraska couldn’t be any more different from Tokyo, Japan. And besides, not everyone in town is happy the Johnson property now belongs to the Japanese daughter everyone forgot Mike ever had in the first place. But with the help of her new friends and neighbors, Naomi discovers a strength in herself she never knew existed.

Finding Naomi is the tale of one woman’s search for family, acceptance, and love.

Author Biography

Diane Hawley Nagatomo was born in the UK and lived in Nebraska, Spain, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and California before coming to Japan in 1979. She is a semi-retired professor from Ochanomizu University and has written extensively on issues concerning gender, culture, and education. An avid reader her entire life, she turned to fiction with her 2023 debut novel, The Butterfly Cafe. While not teaching or writing, she and her Japanese husband of more than forty years spend time with their six grandchildren. Finding Naomi is her second work of fiction.