| BOOK REVIEW |

Title: At Least You Have Your Health
Author: Madi Sinha
Format: 🎧 (Physical ARC originally received from @berkleypub)
Rating: ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I loved Madi Sinha's second novel, At Least You Have Your Health. I wasn't sure if I could relate to the main character, Maya, who is a busy gynecologist with three small children. But I think the mark of a good author is the ability to connect us to characters who we have nothing in common with, and Sinha did exactly that.

Maya struggles to align her medical education and beliefs with her desire for work-life balance when she takes a job at a luxury, in-home boutique clinic for women. I found her struggle interesting, and I think there's a lot to dive into the around idea of alternative medicine versus traditional (Western medicine). The novel doesn't dive incredibly deep in the pros and cons of each, but does touch on things like the failures of traditional medicine with women and minorities, and the lack of accountability on alternative medicine and its claims.

All of this is intertwined with Maya's desire to fit into the group of moms at her daughter's new school and play nice with her new boss. I found the plot fascinating, loved the characters and Maya's experience of discovering what she wants in her career and work/life balance, and honestly the ending made me shed a few tears!

Highly recommend!

Key Points:
• Alternative health vs. traditional medicine
• Work/life balance aka woman discovering what she wants in her career
• Opens conversations around racism and socioeconomic status in health care

This was a fantastic read! I feel like gynecologists aren't often protagnists, and I loved getting to know Dr. Maya Rao balancing her family and medical career.

An interesting story involving women's health and the industry behind keeping them …. thinking they need to improve something.
Enjoyed Maya and her struggles with being in a hospital and then moving into concierge services. Also being a mother and wanting to fit in with the other mom's.

Thank you Berkeley for the e-ARC

In Madi Sinha's sophomore release, "At Least You Have Your Health," readers are transported behind the glossy façade of a high-end wellness clinic to unearth the mysteries that lie beneath. With an adept touch, Sinha weaves together a tapestry of themes ranging from professional challenges and societal expectations to class disparity and the nuanced dynamics of personal relationships.

At the heart of this novel is Dr. Maya Rao, a first-generation gynecologist navigating the crossroads of her personal and professional life. Born to immigrant parents who envisioned a very different trajectory for her, Maya's choices—from her specialization in OB/GYN to her marriage—constantly challenge the traditional definitions of success.

Sinha masterfully delves into contemporary issues, capturing the essence of our current times. From the blinding allure of wealth and privilege to the demanding standards women often face, the narrative is a reflection of society's evolving dynamics. More than just a medical drama, the story brings to the forefront questions about ethics, particularly in healthcare. The book compellingly questions: Who sets the standards, and whom do they truly serve?

What stands out is Sinha's ability to juggle various complex themes without ever compromising the story's pace or coherence. She effortlessly intertwines a medical mystery with Maya's internal and external battles, crafting a tale that's both captivating and thought-provoking.

For those with an affinity for medical literature, "At Least You Have Your Health" is a treasure trove of insights. Whether attributed to Sinha's meticulous research or a broader interest in the intricacies of healthcare, the book paints a vivid picture of the world of medicine and the ethical dilemmas inherent within.

"At Least You Have Your Health" is more than just a novel—it's a reflection of the modern world's contradictions, challenges, and triumphs. With its gripping narrative and profound themes, it's a testament to Sinha's storytelling prowess. Highly recommended for those seeking a read that's both engaging and enlightening.

couldn't get into it, but will try again! Think it's a wrong place wrong time for me, but I have heard wonderful things!

At Least You Have Your Health is a book for lovers of White Lotus and the like— class commentary with plenty of current references, insane white women, and a setting the Stepford wives wish they had. Dr. Maya Rao, our harried, down-to-Earth narrator, courts the offer of a Gwyneth Paltrow type to become part of an exclusive (and expensive) concierge medical service. She is positively torn up inside about the moral dilemma: she a bad person for only helping these rich white women? Actually, is she a bad person for helping THIS specific rich white woman who seems to be peddling a whole lot of nonsense (see: Goop)?

This specific type of book is not necessarily my choice of tea, as shoveling in as many pop culture references and concepts as possible tends to distract me from what’s going on. But I did finish the book, and I still think about it — and Maya’s dilemma — from time to time, which is a positive in my book.

3/5 stars; likely wouldn’t read it again but it’s worth a first read.

What a great book! A women's fiction book that gives you a lot to think about like women's health, wealth, and racism. I thought this was just going to be a good read, but it really made you think, which made me like this one even more. I work in the healthcare field and this book brought a lot of things to light where reform is needed. A very good read that will make you laugh out loud, roll your eyes at the characters, have the feels, and just enjoy!! Definitely recommend!!

*Thank you @berkleypub and @letstalkbookspromo for the copy in exchange for an honest review.*

After getting fired from the city hospital, Dr. Maya finds herself working for successful Amelia as a concierge gynecologist at Eunoia Women’s Health. This job is a blessing for her work/life balance, but it comes with its own sets of challenges as Maya must decide what she will or won’t do for money.

This was so good - I’m a big fan of Madi Sinha! I couldn’t put it down!

I was given a NetGalley widget for this one a year ago and I just got around to reading it and dangit it was so good. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have consumed this wildly relevant fictional tale, which felt not at all fictional, more like historical fiction, due to the times. The cover initially was what drew me in, but I'm so thankful to have stuck with it because the outcome was magical.

*Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*

At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha is a great work of women's fiction.

Dr. Maya Rao is a gynecologist at a prominent hospital in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania area who's passion is to educate all ages and genders about Women's Health and reproduction. After her community outreach grant is denied and facing punitive action after standing up for herself against a racial microagression, Maya quits he job and joins Eunoia. Eunoia is a luxury "wellness center" run by the wealthy business owner Amelia DeGiles, referred to as ADG, whom Maya meets at her children's school PTA meeting. Quickly Maya discovers that things are not as they appeared to be grapples with ethical and moral dilemmas in relation to her clients care while also trying to keep them happy, juggle three children, a husband, and traditional Indian parents she can't seem to please.

There was a lot of commentary within this story about the lack of education in the US about women's reproductive health there are also fairly graphic birth scenes and discussion of a stillborn that could be triggering.

Overall I enjoyed this story. I think what this book did really well was illustrate the struggles of BIPOC, female doctors and the pressures and racial microagressions that they continue to face everyday. It was clear the Dr. Maya was passionate about her work, however, she often went against her own values while working at Eunoia in order to please her boss and her clients which I did find frustrating at times though the author did portray her struggle and in the end it gets resolved. Other than Maya's not many of the other characters seemed to grow much. I am not sure if this was the intent in order to comment on the dangers of a lack of access or unwillingness to believe in the merits of traditional medicine versus a completely holistic approach. The plot kept me engaged but this was a more character driven story. Madi's writing style I did enjoy and there was just enough humor in the novel that did not overshadow the seriousness of other scenes. At times the pacing did feel a bit off and I felt that the wrap up of a mystery-like plot point was much too abrupt.

For me this story was a 3.5 star read.

I liked the premise of this novel and I enjoyed the twist in her seemingly lovely life. In the midst of the novel it did get a bit boring and droned on a bit. I felt like letting it go several times, but stuck with it. I am glad, at the end, that I did!

Enjoyed the diverse characters and the privileged problems they encountered.

I will definitely read another novel by this author.

Having read The White Coat Diaries, I was interested to see what Madi Sinha would deliver in her sophomore novel, At Least You Have Your Health.

Boutique wellness/health services show the stark differences that exist between the health care services available to the wealthy and that available to those without.

The book examines the intersection of race and class as gynecologist Dr. Maya Rao begins to practice medicine for the very rich.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I have wrestled with this review for a bit. I think where I struggle with this one was pacing and also content that was too real for what women are experiencing at this junction. Is it important? Crucially so but I struggled with the tension through the book with the line of women and healthcare and treatments. It was not bad by any means just not the best fit for me at the moment.

I have friends I think would adore this set up and love to discuss the book though.

I appreciate the opportunity to check this one out.

At Least You Have Your Health was thoroughly enjoyable. It is unapologetically feminist and validating in so many ways. I found myself cheering for Maya even while gritting my teeth and questioning whether she would come to regret some of her decisions.

This book is about learning to know yourself again, finding your true values, and learning to make decisions that align with those values, so that you can live life authentically. Maya shows so much growth throughout the book and it was empowering watching her eyes be opened to the fact that all she needed was already within her.

Sinha also masterfully gives readers education on racism. She skillfully paints a picture of both the everyday microagressions POC experience, as well as and the blatant racism that occurs all too often. It was grieving and painful to read these portions of the story, but so important as we educate ourselves to recognize and eliminate racism from within ourselves, and call it out when we encounter it.

There is so much packed into this book and I haven’t even told you how rich and wonderful the characters are! You can’t help but root for Maya from the first page as she makes her way through a myriad of scrapes and situations. I loved this book and it was a story I found myself thinking about long after I finished it.

DNF, this one wasn’t for me! I absolutely love the cover of the book though! I have read a lot of other reviews about this book and completely agree! I had such a hard time getting into the story.

I think if I picked this up without the context of our current lives, I would appreciate it way more, it just wasn't the best fit for me at this juncture.

I was compelled to finish At Least You Have Your Health because I found the story intriguing… but I didn’t love it. I felt like it was desperately trying to make a point without actually ever making it. Ultimately, the story says some compelling things about intersectionality, women’s health options, and the unspoken pressure of womanhood, but takes too many dramatic swings for me to accept this as realistic (which I think it was trying to be).

I read this pre-Roe v. Wade, so all health fiction is being viewed through a different lens now, but it’s an interesting enough read re: women’s health, medical choices, medical freedom, and a doctor’s obligation to their patient. It also deals with a variety of mother-daughter relationships, and touches on the immigrant experience, which kept the plot afloat for me.

Synopsis: Dr. Maya Rao has always felt on the outs of society, and she’s constantly striving to fit in and prove herself. From her upbringing as an immigrant daughter to her hospital role to being a mother, she feels like she can’t do anything right. But then she gets the opportunity to work for a real society upstart, Amelia DeGilles, the envy of all the mothers at the private school Maya’s daughter attends. However, her new role as a private OBGYN at Amelia’s boutique medical clinic is not all it seems — and Maya must now work twice as hard to keep her own trauma hidden. (TW: birth, pregnancy, miscarriage, death, brief mention of PTSD symptoms, medical trauma, etc.)

AT LEAST YOU HAVE YOUR HEALTH
By Madi Sinha

I love reading about characters in the medical field and this immediately got into my radar when I read the blurb about a mother, a wife, and a Gynecologist trying to balance the complexities of each of her role - the perfect life to an outsider looking in. Dr Maya Rao leaves her job in the hospital and moves to a concierge service, Eunoia Women’s Health, catering to the rich and privileged, ran by Amelia where vitamin infusions and crystals are curative outside of medical science and cost.

The writing was fabulous and I really enjoyed the characters and side characters. The representation of women of color in the healthcare industry, as well as, the nuances of healthcare was wonderfully addressed. I really enjoyed this take on traditional and alternative medicine that tends to be misunderstood by many.

I really enjoyed this one.

Dr. Maya Rao has it all - a loving and supportive husband, three beautiful children, a long career as a gynecologist. But is she happy? In fact, Maya is stressed and feeling pressure in ways she has been hiding for years. One day at work she insults a patient and ends up having to carve a new career path. She had previously been offered a job as an exclusive concierge service where she can further utilize her talents.

However, as Maya's story evolves, this book addresses some very serious issues. These issues include sexism, racism and classism. With traditional Indian parents a lot was expected of Maya when she was growing up. These expectations have bled into her adult life, her job, and even her family.

Meanwhile, the deeper Maya gets into her new job, she more she realizes how different things are now, and this includes feeling comfortable with alternative medicine and treatments.

I enjoyed the serious nature of this book. The only issue that I found would be the writing style seemed a bit inconsistent. However, that paled in comparison to the excellence contained in this book when it came to the challenges that Maya faced on a daily basis. As Madi Sinha is a new author for me I did truly feel honored to read this book.

Please also enjoy my YouTube video review - https://youtu.be/syjwp3HgQSU

A witty and relatable read about a frazzled working Mom always striving for more for her family. Dr. Maya Rao is a gynecologist trying to balance a career, marriage, and taking care of her three children. On paper it seems like the perfect life however after growing up to immigrant parents, she always has this sense of needing more. Her daughter attends a prestigious private school where she meets Amelia DeGuilles who runs a private health care company and just in time after Maya snaps at work with a high end patient at the city hospital. Not all is as it seems though while working with Amelia, a seemingly perfect job comes with mystery and leaves Maya questioning her integrity.

I received a copy of this book on Netgalley and I am giving an honest review.