When 18-year-old Marissa Erinson leaves South Carolina for a simple bookstore job at the University of Washington St. Louis, she doesn't expect to land in the crossfire of political corruption, racial tensions, and bootlegger wars. A chance encounter with community organizer Sam Lincoln, followed by a fateful meeting with Tony, a principled young activist from a powerful family, pulls her into a battle much larger than herself. As anonymous publications stir unrest and the lines between justice and chaos blur, Marissa must decide where she stands—and how much she's willing to risk for what's right. Amid gunshots, betrayals, and stolen kisses, He Had Wanted Her is a gripping tale of courage, conscience, and the unexpected beginnings of love, all in the backdrop of 1920s St Louis and the warmth of the jazz club scene.