Set in the most volatile region in the world, Refuge is a love-letter to the Middle East and its denizens. It tells the story of a couple at the outbreak of war, forced to flee their homeland and settle in Dublin. Living on their wits, and missing friends and family, they gradually rebuild their lives. When the conflict back home peters out, they must decide whether to stay in Europe or return to the old country.

Beautifully and poetically written, Refuge is a love-story which is simultaneously sensual, tender and affecting – and presents Ireland in a new light, through the eyes of recent...