This book was *a time*!

(Heads up for readers who don’t love stories involving a lot of lying—just know that it does redeem itself.)

We meet Lata Murthy, a down-on-her-luck woman in her early 30s trying to stay afloat, when she starts receiving swanky event invites clearly meant for another Lata Murthy—a wealthy Mumbai socialite. An impulsive decision to accept one of these invitations launches her into a whirlwind of luxury and inevitably drama as she slips into someone else’s life.

Beyond the glitz and glam, Ramisetti dives into deeper questions:
- Who hasn’t secretly longed to be someone more glamorous, powerful, or admired?
- What happens when the fantasy of escape feels better than the truth?

As Lata navigates what becomes a messy double life, the story becomes a layered, thought-provoking exploration of class, identity, self-worth, and what it really means to embrace your true self.

The writing flows effortlessly, the characters feel real and nuanced—even when they make frustrating choices—and there’s just the right amount of mystery and romance to keep things interesting. Lata’s journey is chaotic, but watching her stumble, grow, and slowly redeem herself amidst the chaos is so satisfying.

This was my first read from Kirthana Ramisetti, and I’ll definitely be checking out her backlist next.

The Other Lata is perfect for fans of messy identity swaps, drama, and stories that entertain and make you think (think Netflix’s Inventing Anna, Gossip Girl or even RF Kuang’s Yellowface).

Ideal for beach bags, book clubs, or late-night binges (I read it in less than 24 hours so there’s your proof).

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC.

I loved this book!! This is my favorite of Kirthana's book!

In the day and age of wealth, notoriety, influencer culture and scammers this book hits it all! This was the perfect fun spring/summer read. Takes place in NYC which couldn't be more fun!

She does a great job of building a relatable character that we get frustrated with at the same time that we are rooting for her. I had fun following Lata along this wild ride. I had fun and second hand embarrassment!!! She's a great character to relate to and she brings so much life in so many ways to this story.

Kirthana does a great job of romanticizing NYC for what we all think it is and then bringing us down to earth with the reality of it. She touches on so many very real themes with such humor and grace.

I really enjoyed the book!!

This is Kirthana's best yet. I was hanging on the development of Lata's life (and the Other Lata's life). Highly recommend this entertaining read!

this took me awhile to get into, but i would definitely read more by this author!! i couldn't really connect with any of the cva trees but maybe that was on me. thank you netgalley for the arc.

This story about an ordinary person finding a way to break into the upper echelons of NYC society thanks to sharing a name with an enigmatic socialite is fast paced and full of interesting characters and wild situations. I really enjoy this author's writing and this is a great addition.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy and am voluntarily reviewing it. This book surprised me. I have never read a book from this author. If you know me, you know I don’t read book summaries. Lata Murthy was just barely making it. She noticed that she kept getting emailed invitations for another person with the same name. The invitations were to things Lata never even dreamed of being invited to. Lata decides to walk on the wild side and accept one of these invites. What ensues is unbelievable, but understandable. Lata started interacting with the other Lata’s social group. The other Lata was not personally known by many, and that helped Lata continue to immerse herself in this new circle of friends. Ms. Ramisetti definitely has a way with words. This book was very well written, and will keep readers interested. Lata was able to create a whole world while impersonating someone else. Is it her fault that the invitations made it to her inbox? Lata just accepted and reaped the benefits.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

I really enjoyed this South Asian psychological romantic suspense that has an indebted, Desi shoplifter impersonating a conwoman who has her same name and finagling her way into the upper crust of New York Society. There's romance, mystery and lots of emotional depth in this clever story about a social climber learning the true cost of privilege. I really enjoyed the audio narration by Soneela Nankani and would recommend for fans of Krysten Ritter's The retreat! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

👗The Other Lata by Kirthana Ramisetti is a twisty, morally ambiguous story about identity and acceptance. Lata Murthy is a New Yorker struggling to make ends meet. Though she has always been surrounded by wealth, her own family was never truly wealthy. Lata craves acceptance and a life of luxury, and when an opportunity arises, she seizes it, plunging into the world of New York high society. But is the cost worth it?

👠This is one of those books that will stay with me for a long time. At its core, it’s a simple story with a touch of mystery and romance. However, what truly sets it apart is the undercurrent of angst woven throughout. Lata’s Indian identity, the otherness she has felt growing up, and her deep need to belong all shape her decisions, making her a deeply flawed yet compelling character.👗

The most thought-provoking question this book raises is: does anyone truly see beyond the surface? Lata impersonates another woman of Indian ethnicity, forcing us to consider whether people of the same race are perceived as interchangeable. Does wealth, class, and appearance dictate everything?

Fast-paced and filled with morally gray characters, The Other Lata has put this author firmly on my radar. I’ll be eagerly watching for what they write next.👠

Thank you, Grand Central Publishing, for the opportunity to read this book!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this funny book! Also, happy PUB day!

Rich people behaving badly? Sign me up. This book was fun and funny and almost believable. I read it in a day and could not put it down. I am not familiar with the Indian culture and this book makes me want to read more. Loved it - fast paced and energetic.

Pick it up today.

This mistaken identity story was very compelling and had a great amount of humour, suspense and glamour throughout.

I very nearly didn't finish this novel. I dislike stories about liars, and all along, that is what Lata was— and a thief. She worried more about the crowd she was finally hanging out with and less about her morals.

However, I gave it another chance and I am so glad I did. Lata redeemed herself wonderfully, the story became ever so intriguing, AND a mystery was solved. Lata even found herself a hottie!

The characters are very well drawn and most are even very likable. The writing flows smoothly, and the authors use of descriptions makes it easy for me to picture everything.

The perfect summer beach read or book club read.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley. It will be out on April 1, 2025.

(3.75 rounded up to 4!) The Other Lata was fast-paced, suspenseful, and left me quite stressed at some of the choices that Lata makes! While it was a bit rushed, I did enjoy the story overall. I genuinely didn’t see the twists coming, and I was pleasantly surprised at some of the romance components. I think Lara’s parents were my favorites! I did find Lata to be kind of unlikeable, but overall I enjoyed the commentary on class, race, and privilege.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC!

This book was not quite what I expected—but in some surprising and satisfying ways, it was more. THE OTHER LATA Is less romantic comedy (in my humble opinion) and more relatable look at how the other half lives, and how the assumptions we make about people can be (and often are) incredibly far from the truth. There was empathy and growth in Lata's journey, wrapped in some aspirational escapism. A quick and enjoyable read.

I loved Advika and the Hollywood Wives so I was really excited to read Ramisetti’s next book! The Other Lata is a fast paced look at the haves vs. the have nots. I loved the social commentary of classism, wealth and race. You do have to suspend your belief in reality a bit at times, but I still found the story incredibly intriguing. I will say, apart from Lata, I didn’t feel like I got to know the other characters very well and missed that connection I like to have that hooks me in. I did really enjoy that this book explores right and wrong in a very nuanced way. I also really liked each chapter being titled with a designer/store to show Lata’s journey through her struggles to her ascension in the rich kid circle. If you enjoy stories like Anna Delvey or the SoHo Grifter, this one might be for you!
CW: racism

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the digital readers copy!

I am such a huge fan of Kirthana Ramisetti and this book did not disappoint. I love her writing, her characters, and her plots. I mistaken identity, especially on purpose, is so much fun. Ramisetti is an effortless author that keeps me captivating the entire time. I can't wait for her next book! Thank you, NetGalley.

Lata's impulsive decision to use an invitation that wasn't really for her but for the "other Lata" changes her life. A 30 something New Yorker, she's been feeling stifled and unhappy so why not see how the wealthy live? All is fine at first (there's some nice pointed commentary) but then the "real" Lata begins to exact her revenge. Yes Lata makes a few bad decisions but this is both funny and poignant. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARc. A good read.

The Other Lata was a great way to get a glimpse of how the "other half" lives. Lata is the recipient of some emails that must be for someone else, but on a whim, she clicks accept on the invite and fakes it until she makes it, so to speak. However, there's always some drama, and will Lata's facade crumble down under pressure?

This was another book that I just dove into, and it was woven together in such an entertaining manner. I plan to check out the author's backlist as I enjoyed this one as much as I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC!

This book isn't my usual type but sounded interesting enough so I decided to give it a try. It just was not the book for me. I'm not a fan of rich elites so I was bored and ended up not finishing the book. The author's voice and writing style were nice but the general concept of the book just wasn't for me.

Oh how I love pretending to be the rich elites of NYC, and so does Lata Murthy! Not the sort of book I normally read, but a great step outside of my comfort zone. The absolute DRAMA happening in this book was crazy. I was gasping left and right! As a romance girly, I was hoping for a little more from the romance subplot, but that is truly a me thing and not the book thing. I kind of felt like the ending was a little rushed in areas (without spoiling I can’t say much) but basically I thought everyone forgave Lata waaaay too fast. I really liked this story and if you love a good mystery, this is right up your alley!