This was a really unique setting that I really enjoyed, but I had a hard time believing the love story. I think the writing could be tightened and it wasn't a personal favorite for me.

4 stars

Interesting dynamic about family relationships. There's quite a food vibe going on.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is not a easy book to review or describe. We have a husband and a wife two
different personalities. returning to India Julia and Sachin work on building their
relationship. We then have Vijay the slightly dangerous third wheel in the story.

The entire story is about human relationships within a marriage and how an outsider
would view the same relationship from another angle altogether. The book outlining
Mumbai its diversity, the glorious food, the never ending family celebrations of
one event or another all add richness and interest to the story.
The development of all three characters as the story evolves is another facet.

The story is very descriptive too of living with a family as against independently,
the lack of privacy, the freedom that elders have to be quite critical of a daughter
in law and the submissiveness of men who go along with the flow. These may be hard
to accept for some readers but it is factual and very much part of actual life in
many parts of the world, not just India.

I was gifted this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Generally I enjoy reading for leisure, but unfortunately this book felt more of a penance. I was unable to finish it due to having to reread each sentence several times in an attempt to make sense of it. The idea of the story sounds lovely but sadly the execution is exquisitely poor with inane similes, multiple tense changes within a single sentence and nonsensical descriptions.

“The moiling of garment above her right thigh with some ketchup that tipped over from a small off-white porcelain bowl by a hit with her right elbow, overtook the misty formation on her eyes while being hipped on the moment.”

“She was living down on sedatives, anodyne and tranquilizers to scrape up with her suffering. But soon she used to be saddled up with implacable grief till her next dose.”

I’m sorry to be harsh but I just couldn’t do it.

I am extremely sorry that I could not finish the book. I am thankful for providing me with a review copy. It would be unfair to write an opinion when I am unable to read it. Probably not my genre.
I sincerely wish the author and the publisher the very best. I hope the book reaches the right audience.

Trigger warning: physical abuse, death, kidnapping

This is a book you certainly can't put down and that causes your mouth to distort in every possible way once you reach the end, because of shock. What a fascinating character Julia is, and quite unpredictable with that! To be able to see her through the POVs of other characters was a plus as I always felt we learned more about one person ( good or bad things, that is) from other people's perspectives. Sometimes we are even led to learn more than Julia on some characters and to outsmart her. Knowledge is power and knowing about Vijay's past certainly is proof of it. Through issues that women face both in literature and in real life whether it's adulthood in general, marriage, or children, the story feels ancient despite being set in modern India, reinforcing the idea that there is a fine line between the present and the past. Bangalore is allowed to possess a colorful and complex world-building, establishing a place that criminals and ordinary citizens share.

Suresh, Vijay, Pinky, Sachin, and others warm our hearts, burn our cheeks with tears and each page seizes our attention. If you're looking for a novel full of twists and turns with a great set of characters, omniscient narration, and a rich depiction of Indian culture, you're in for a wild ride. Mrs. Varman is THE book to read to complete your 2022 reading year.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting this novel in exchange for an honest review.