Such an enjoyable read, outside of what I might normally gravitate towards when I'm picking books. A wonderfully written debut novel about divorce, relationships and all the dysfunction that comes with family. This was charming, heart-warming and quite funny. I laughed out loud quite a few times reading this. Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy!

Loved this one!

Late Bloomers gives us the perspectives of the four core members of the Raman clan. The children are in their 30s and are a bit shook by their parent’s unexpected divorce. The family is made up of 4 flawed people who are extremely likable and compelling. This family will stay with me for quite sometime.

An uneven novel about a family, past and present wound together in the aftermath of the parents' divorce after 36 years of an arranged marriage. The father's online dating, the mother's first date, the first date she has ever had in her life, their daughter who has secretly been having an affair with a married man, their son who has quickly found himself living with his boss, a fast affair that resulted in a baby, and pretending now to his divorced parents that he and his girlfriend are married. How divorced people navigate, the ins-and-outs of family and sibling relationships, what constitutes a life, the fluidity of love. There is sweetness here and compassion, dysfunction, workman-like prose, and unfortunately, it never lifted off for me.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this family drama where you get all four perspectives of the members of an Indian family. The mother and father are newly divorced. The son and daughter are in disastrous relationships. And everyone judges everyone else. Plus they all keep secrets from each other. It’s everything you could want in a family drama in a book and not in your own life.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the gifted ecopy of this book!

I enjoyed my time with the Raman family, The chapters alternate between Lata, Suresh, Priya, and Nikesh. I especially liked reading from Lata's perspective. This book didn't blow me away and it probably won't stick with me for long, but it was a pleasant read. It was funny, sad, frustrating, and it was a nice, quick read that helped get me out of a reading slump.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the book drew me in but once I started reading it, I just couldn’t get into it at all.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

Members of the Indian American Ramen family are figuring things out. After 36 years of marriage, recently divorced Suresh is trying out internet dating. His ex-wife Lata who initiated the divorce is adjusting to her life of freedom. Daughter Priya is wrestling with her own single status at thirty-five. Son Nikesh, who lives on the other side of the country, appears to have it all (good job, beautiful wife, new baby) but feels detached. The book shifts between the perspective of each family member as they reflect on their choices, hopes, and the pressures they face. Should Suresh let a woman and her son live with him? Should Lata date a white music professor? Should Priya end her affair with a married man? Should Nikesh tell his parents the truth? Everything comes to a head as the family members gather for the first birthday of Alok, Nikesh's son.. This is a book about how families can be messy and loving, and how we need to give ourselves and our loved ones lots of grace. An easy, entertaining read, although I did start to skim near the end. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan is a witty, thoughtful, and sweet story about finding yourself later in life. And how paths change and it is OK to change with them, and change some of the expectations others have of you. Varadarajan creates a wonderful family with the Raman family, a fairly typical Indian American family. They are aloof, annoying, charming, and ultimately, caring. Suresh and Lata surprise their friends and family when they divorce after 36 years of marriage; surprising their children, Priya and Nikesh, the most. Suresh tries to find a new partner through online dating- much to the chagrin of his son, Nikesh, who helps his dad navigate some of the online dating pitfalls. Lata enjoys her independence for the first time in her adult life, and may have found someone to share her life with. Nikesh is seemingly happy and successful, with a gorgeous wife and baby. But is it real? Priya, a professor, is angry about her parent‘s split, while also trying to extricate herself from the married man in her life. As each of the Ramans try to figure out how to deal with the changes in Lata and Suresh‘s lives, each comes to realize how they have settled in their own lives. And how they might focus on the second chances in front of them. There are secrets revealed, hearts broken and saved, and the metamorphosis of a family finally facing choices made in the past. Varadarajan is able to mix humor and drama together seamlessly, and creates a story that pulls you in and has you cheering and crying for the characters. Loved the writing and the story is something that will resonate with everyone. Random rating 4/5. Thank you NetGally for the eARC.

I read the first 20% of this one and realised it really wasn't for me. I thought it would be more literary and thought-provoking, but it's just a contemporary about divorced parents dating, and I think the tone was trying to be snarkier than the story called for, so I DNFed pretty fast.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Deeply felt and well rounded, Deepa Varadarajan's debut novel Late Bloomers is a beautiful read. Capturing a few months in the wake of Suresh and Lata's divorce, Varadarajan ruminates about what it means to be a family, especially when we are pushed out of what is normal. What do you say, for example, when you find out that your daughter is dating a married man or your son never married his wife? What do you say when your divorced mother starts dating? Varadarajan approaches each of these situations with humor and warmth, redeeming her characters' worst flaws. Definitely a light hearted read to pull you put that reading slump!

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

The premise of this book caught my attention. A couple separates nearly 40 years after their arranged marriage. Thought provoking and emotional, The Late Bloomers was a fascinating read. Well written and evenly paced. It would make for a great book club pick.

This was an enjoyable read!

There’s family drama and everyone is keeping at least one secret from the rest of the family. The characters are flawed, which makes you love them and be frustrated with them at the same time.

I think I loved Lata the most. I would get so annoyed with the rest of the family being mostly okay with Suresh’s internet dating, but when Lata decides to try for a second chance at love, everyone’s all weird about it? Like let my girl Lata live her life on her own after a divorce, please. She was clearly the one taking care of everything before and she deserved to have some fun.

If you love a family drama, with chapters told from each family member’s POV, I’d recommend this one! It’s fun, not too dark or anything, and a quick read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Deepa Varadarajan’s LATE BLOOMERS.

This story follows the four members of the Raman family - newly divorced couple (Lata and Suresh), and their adult children (Priya and Nikesh). All four are dealing with their own problems and struggles.

[DNF @ 20%] Admittedly, I did not get very far into the story, but I just had no interest in continuing. I did not feel even remotely engaged with any of the characters or interested in finding out what happens to them.

I really enjoyed Varadarajan’s writing style - easy flowing text that was easy to follow. I loved that she maintained the cultural authenticity of Lata and Suresh and how she captured the American-born reality of Priya and Nikesh, but, while their flaws are definitely part of their character traits, no one really stood out as likeable, redeemable, or memorable. The entire story is based on poor communication and dishonesty with oneself - tropes I just don’t have the patience for.

I would consider reading more of Varadarajan’s fiction, but I still need to be convinced that her character development is not her actual writing style.

Deepa Varadarajan's "Late Bloomers" is an engaging story that explores the complicated lives of a divorced couple and their adult children as they navigate the intricacies of self-discovery later in life. This book is a delight that resonates with readers on several levels thanks to its well-crafted characters, clever narrative, and profound everyday topics. 

One of the distinctive features of "Late Bloomers" is author Deepa Varadarajan's ability to develop realistic and relatable characters. Their problems, doubts, and aspirations are depicted in a way that makes readers empathize, allowing us to invest in their emotional journey. Varadarajan illustrates the complexities of interpersonal relationships with authenticity, emphasizing the obstacles that develop in friendships, family dynamics, and romantic partnerships.

"Late Bloomers" is a novel that will have a lasting effect on readers due to its evocative style and relatable topics. It is a must-read for everyone who enjoys heartfelt stories about the complexity of family.

What can I say about this book? Was it the best book ever? No. Was it entertaining? Yes. Was it funny? Sure in a lot of places. Were the characters interesting? They definitely had their moments.

My biggest criticism about this book is actually probably my jaded reader nature that literally asks, why don’t these supposed adults grow the F up? The 35 year old daughter, yeah maybe sleeping with a married man IS a bad idea. The 28 year old clearly pampered son, why yes, lying to your parents about having married the older woman you knocked up is lame and no wonder she doubts your maturity. Oh and don’t get me started on dad Suresh. A man of just about 60 who can’t get his head out of his own ass and see that he is the center of all his problems. Lata was ok and honestly she’s the only one that showed ANY growth from beginning to end of the story:

So sure, it’s a fun enough read with a decent touch of social and cultural Indian flavor. But you may just want to slap these people too.

DNFing this as I have no interest in continuing. The storyline isn't catching my attention at all and I have so many books on my TBR that it's not worth it to continue. Thanks anyway for the ARC!! Hopefully others love this more.

Funny, heartfelt, multi-generational family story about love, loss, divorce, and self-discovery. Each character was well-developed. No one has it all figured out and we watch as each characters works to get closer to that goal.

This book was a fun read. In this family of 4, everyone has secrets they hide from the other family members. Then all secrets are revealed, all at once. The author sets the scene for the reveal, and when everything comes crushing down you cannot look away. The characters are well formed and interesting in their own way. It took me some time to warm up to Priya. I found her selfish and very judgemental. Suresh's dating adventures were funny. You cannot help but feel bad for the guy. Lata, the mom, was the character I identified with the most. The author has astute observations about long marriages and immigrant life.

The tone of this book is light and witty. I thought it was a good and heartfelt family drama. 3.75stars

After 36 years of being unhappy married (in an arranged marriage) Suresh and Lata finally decide to divorce. Lags gets a job as a librarian and loves going to work, while Suresh dips his toes in the online dating pool - to no avail at first. Everything comes to a head when the divorcées and their kids, Nikesv and Priya come together to celebrate Nikesh’s sons birthday, and hilarity ensues. I found the banter and dialogue to be laugh out loud funny. The author expertly crafted characters that anyone in any family can relate to. I thought the multiple POVs were done well, and while it might not have been my favorite family dramedy of all time, I thoroughly enjoyed this story of family roles, love, growing out of love, and second chances.