How could he possibly know that she, a complete stranger, would inexplicably affect his life and be with him forever, whether she was at his side or not? This epic story traces two lives across decades and continents. Drawn together in Russia on a romantic Black Sea beach, Serge and Janna fall headlong in love and rush into marriage.

Their divorce, months later, leads to years of "if only..." Pressured apart by family and fate, they repeatedly cross paths, never quite reconnecting, never quite letting go. Changes in the world and their careers cause them to surrender to external influences. Their destinies, shaped by post-Soviet political intrigue, collapse into a struggle for their very survival, and dreams of a better life.

He faces Soviet corruption and self doubt, his life falling toward disaster. She pushes out through Soviet bureaucracy, seeking America with $126 in her pocket, not knowing a soul. Their distant memories of passionate love spawn emails and international calls, reviving an intimate, romantic connection to remind them—and us—that Love is Never Past Tense...