Home Before the Monsoon - A Novel

Everything about an Indian wedding is signi?cant?the mantras, the sacred ?re in the middle of the altar, the seven rounds around the ?re, and the colors of the bride?s sari. This day of an arranged marriage for the Sharma family is drenched in heavy rain, but far deeper problems lay within this particular Indian family, who has lived in Canada for the last thirty years.

For Gangga Sharma, marrying Subash has been her dream?until her wedding day, when her dream turns into a nightmare. For Jamuna Sharma, the wedding is sacred; she vows if she gets married, it?ll be an Indian wedding. She?s not certain, though, that it will be with an Indian man. For Kaveri Sharma, the sacredness of her marriage meant nothing.

For Menaka, her marriage destroyed the life she?d always dreamed of living. When she discovers Ajay?s a?air, she believes she?s failed at being a good wife. For Ajay, his daughter?s wedding opens a can of worms that could potentially destroy his life and his relationship with his daughters.

The Sharma family must analyze what marriage means to each and reconcile their expectations with the old culture of India and the di?ering culture in Canada.

After a prolonged dry spell, dark clouds loom over the horizon. The raindrops hit the parched earth with a vengeance… the aroma of soaked mud fills the air. A sense of rejuvenation spreads around as new life springs out, transforming the barren landscape into a thriving oasis. Abhilasha, the mother of a grownup girl, felt the same when she finally meets the love she had longed for. A union in the most unusual of circumstances and in the most unusual of places – the internet. Abhilasha was caught in a dilemma whether to listen to her mind or to follow the beats of her heart.

To Soorya Giri, arranged marriages have always seemed absurd. But while her career as an environmental lawyer has flourished, Soorya is still a virgin, living with her parents in suburban New Jersey. She wants to be married. And she is finally ready to do the unthinkable…

Soorya's first bridal viewings are as awkward as she anticipated. But then she's introduced to Roger Vadepalli. Self-possessed, intelligent, and charming, Roger is clearly interested in marriage and seems eager to clinch the deal. Attracted to him in spite of her mistrust, Soorya is also drawn into a flirtation with Lou, a widowed colleague who is far from her family's idea of an acceptable husband.

In choosing between two very different men, Soorya must reconcile her burgeoning independence and her conservative background. And she must decide what matters most to her-not just in a husband, but in a family, a culture, and a life…

"One of the best [novels] I've read this year. I couldn't put it down…this book is a gem!” --Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on The Unexpected Son

"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

At thirty-one, Meena Shenoy has a fulfilling career at a New Jersey high-tech firm. Not that it impresses her mother and aunts, who make dire predictions about her ticking biological clock. Men are drawn to Meena's dainty looks and she dates regularly, but hasn't met someone who really intrigues her. Someone professional, ambitious, confident, caring. Someone like her new boss, Prajay Nayak.

Just as Meena's thoughts turn to romance, Prajay makes an astonishing request. He wants her to craft a personal ad that will help him find a suitable wife: a statuesque, sophisticated Indian-American woman who will complement his striking height.

Despite her attraction to Prajay and the complications of balancing work and her "marriage consultant" role, Meena can't refuse the generous fee. And as her family is thrown into turmoil by her brother's relationship with a Muslim woman, Meena comes to surprising realizations about love, tradition, and the sacrifices she will--and won't--make for the sake of both.

"One of the best [novels] I've read this year. I couldn't put it down. . .this book is a gem!" --Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on The Unexpected Son

"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

Abandoned by her parents, Sameem Ali spent six and a half years growing up in a children's home. When she was told that her family wanted to take her back she couldn't wait to start her new life with them. Instead, she returned to a dirty house where she was subjected to endless chores. Her mother began to beat her and her unhappiness drove her to self-harm. So Sameem was excited when she boarded a plane with her mother to visit Pakistan for the first time. It was only after they arrived in her family's village that she realised she wasn't there on holiday.

Aged just thirteen, Sameem was forced to marry a complete stranger. When pregnant, two months later, she was made to return to Glasgow where she suffered further abuse from her family.

After finding true love, Sameem fled the violence at home and escaped to Manchester with her young son. She believed she had put her horrific experiences behind her, but was unprepared for the consequences of violating her family's honour . . . Belonging is the shocking true story of Sameem's struggle to break free from her past and fight back against her upbringing.

“An absorbing tale of contrasts. . . . Cherian tells the story with quiet strength.” —San Francisco Chronicle