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What happens when a woman who's realized her dreams wakes up to a shocking truth? Shobhan Bantwal's poignant new novel weaves a captivating tale of one woman's return to India: the place where she lost everything–and now has everything to gain…It is a morning like any other in suburban New Jersey when Vinita Patil opens the battered envelope postmarked «Mumbai.» But the letter inside turns her comfortable world upside down. It tells Vinita an impossible story: she has a grown son in India whose life may depend on her…Once upon a time, a naïve young college girl fell for a wealthy boy whose primary interests were cricket and womanizing. Vinita knew, even then, that a secret affair with a man whose language and values were different from her own was a mistake. He finished with her soon enough–leaving her to birth a baby that was stillborn. Or so Vinita was told…Now, that child is a grown man in desperate need. To help her son, to know him, Vinita must revisit her darkest hours by returning to her battle-scarred homeland–and pray for the faith of the family she leaves behind… Praise for Shobhan Bantwal and her novels… "Dazzles you with a taste of Desi culture in America."–Caridad Piñeiro, New York Times bestselling author on The Sari Shop Widow "Compelling and memorable."–Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author on The Forbidden Daughter "Vivid, rich…expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair."–Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride

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One sultry night, a young bride overhears an extraordinary conversation. The voices speak of a plot to murder a wife who has failed to produce a child and whose family has failed to produce the promised dowry. . . Megha is sick with horror when she realizes she is the intended victim. Her husband–the very man who tied the sacred necklace of marriage around her neck–and his mother are plotting to kill her! In the moment of panic, she runs for her life. Frantically racing through Palgaum's deserted streets, her way lit only by the lights strung up for the Diwali festival, her single goal is to escape death by fire. But fleeing from her would-be killers seems impossible–unless she can find someone to help her. . . To approach her best friend would bring scandal to an innocent woman's doorstep, and turning to her own strict, conservative family is out of the question. Instead, with nothing but the sari she wears and a memory of kindness, Megha finds her way to Kiran, the one man who has shown her friendship and respect. Hiding her in his apartment, Kiran becomes her protector. But the forbidden attraction that grows between them can only bring more danger. . . Caught between tradition and the truths buried in her heart, a dowry bride will discover the real cost of the only things worth having in life. . . «Packed with detail. . .splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict.» –Dorothy Garlock

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Pungent curry. . .sweet fried onions. . .incense. . .colorful beads. . .lush fabrics. Shobhan Bantwal's compelling new novel is set on the streets of Edison, New Jersey's Little India, where a young businesswoman rediscovers the magic of love and family. . .Since becoming a widow at age twenty-seven, Anjali Kapadia has devoted herself to transforming her parents' sari shop into a chic boutique, brimming with exquisite jewelry and clothing. Now, ten years later, it stands out like a proud maharani amid Edison's bustling Little India. But when Anjali learns the shop is on the brink of bankruptcy, she feels her world unraveling. . .To the rescue comes Anjali's wealthy, dictatorial Uncle Jeevan and his business partner, Rishi Shah–a mysterious Londoner, complete with British accent, cool gray eyes, and skin so fair it makes it hard to believe he's Indian. Rishi's cool, foreign demeanor triggers distrust in Anjali and her mother. But for Anjali, he also stirs something else, a powerful attraction she hasn't felt in a decade. And the feeling is mutual. . .Love disappointed Anjali once before and she's vowed to live without it–though Rishi is slowly melting her resolve and, as the shop regains its footing, gaining her trust. But when a secret from Rishi's past is revealed, Anjali must turn to her family and her strong cultural upbringing to guide her in finding the truth. . . Praise for Shobhan Bantwal and her novels. . . "Compelling and memorable." –Mary Jo Putney on The Forbidden Daughter "Vivid, rich. . .expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair." –Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride "Splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict."–Dorothy Garlock on The Dowry Bride "The Dowry Bride is an eye-opener to the challenges many Indian women face in a culture few foreigners comprehend. –ArmchairInterviews.com, 4 stars on The Dowry Bride "A beautifully written book. . .Wonderful, vivid, and worth reading."–BookIdeas.com on The Dowry Bride "An amazing story of modern India."– The Kaleidoscope on The Dowry Bride

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Set in the sensual richness of India, Shobhan Bantwal's gripping new novel asks: Where can a woman turn when her life's greatest blessing is seen as a curse? It's a girl! For most young couples, news of their unborn child's gender brings joyful anticipation. Not so for Isha Tilak and her husband, Nikhil. They already have a beloved daughter, but Nikhil's parents, hard-wired to favor male children above all, coldly reject little Priya at every turn. Vain and selfish, they see female grandchildren as burdens, and would just as soon never meet the one growing in Isha's belly. Even the obstetrician agrees, going so far as to suggest the unthinkable, throwing Nikhil into a rage–and changing Isha's life forever. . . When Nikhil is discovered brutally murdered, Isha is convinced it had something to do with his reaction to the doctor's hideous «solution» to their problem. Alone, grief-stricken, and relentlessly oppressed by in-laws who believe her baby is a bad omen, Isha sets out on her own. Born into a privileged class, Isha doesn't know the first thing about fending for herself, but to protect her precious daughters, she will learn. And she will cling to the hope given to her by a strange old mystic: that her baby will arrive on the auspicious night of Kojagari Purnima, the full harvest moon, and be a gift from Lakshmi, the goddess of well-being. Isha and her girls will need all the blessings they can get, for the greatest danger of all lies ahead. . . Praise for Shobhan Bantwal and The Dowry Bride «Splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict.» –Dorothy Garlock «Vivid, rich. . .expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair.» –Anjali Banerjee

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