The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

A beautiful and tender story of two lovers whose "hearts beat as one" until separated by tradition and obligation.  Julia Win leaves her successful life in New York City for Burma in search of her father who disappeared four years earlier.  Her journey leads her to a teahouse in the village of his youth where she meets the wise and mysterious U Ba. He tells her the story of her father's secret childhood and the beautiful Mi Mi.  It is a wonderful story with a bit of a surprise which you will no doubt have already figured out.