Thank you to Harlequin publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read a copy of Alka Joshi Six Days in Bombay. Alka Joshi is a favorite historical author that captures historical fiction with such ease you feel like you are there in the present story. I have read her previous books and I was happy to get a copy of this book and have been praising it ever since. The story takes place in India where a nurse takes care of a patient who is a painter and they becomes friends . A friendship develops between these two ladies who are of different nationalities. This book was of characters that are well developed.

When I saw Alka Joshi’s newest novel, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Like all of her previous novels, it has a slow start for me, but once I hit the half way point, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one setting. In this story, which felt very different from The Henna Artist, a young nurse, Sona, from Bombay, looses everything and decides to step out of her comfort zone to set off on an adventure in Europe to follow the last wishes of her deceased patient. Mira was a famous painter from Prague who succumbed to complications from a miscarriage. Throughout Sona’s travels, she learns nothing with her friend Mira was as it seems and relationships are more complicated than what meets the eye. My favorite parts of this story explored Istanbul, Prague, Florence, Paris, and London. Also, the historian in me enjoyed reading about the political climate in 1937 when WWII was imminent. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys art history, European history, and travel. 4.5/5 Stars!

I really enjoyed the first half of this book but then it seemed to really drag and there was just too many uninspiring relationships and infidelity to root for any of the characters. The parentage mysteries kept me reading but the emotion and connection to characters was lacking. I did enjoy the writing and learning more about the people and places during this time period.

Synopsis:

When renouned painter Mira Novak arrives at Wadia hospital in Bombay after a miscarriage, she's expected to make a quick recovery, and Sona, a nurse, is enraptured by Mira's stories of her travels, and shocked by accounts of her affairs. When Mira dies under mysterious circumstances, Sona immediately falls under suspicion. Mira leaves her a note, along with her 4 favorite paintings that sends Sona on a mission delivering them, first to Petra, Mira's childhood friend and first love in Prague; the second to her art dealer Josephine in Paris; the third to her first painting tutor, Paolo, with whom both Mira and her mother had affairs. Along the way, Sona also comes to terms with her own complex history and the English father who deserted her and her mother in India so many years ago.

Review:

This book had Alka Joshi's typical charm and detailed descriptions that transport you to where the story is taking place. There are many characters, but they are all distinct and easy to keep track of. I enjoyed the unique perspective of someone with mixed heritage in this time when it was frowned upon. We watch Sona become confident and grow throughout the book as she travels the world. I truly believe that travel is a wonderful way to learn about others and to become appreciative of the fact that our differences are what make us stronger. A lesson that I feel the world needs more than ever right now!

Thank you to Mira for my digital ARC.

Sadly, I think I have to stop trying to read Joshi's novels. The Henna Artist was a solid 4-star read for me, but I have liked each successive book of hers less and less. On paper, this historical novel looked like a perfect fit for me. An Anglo-Indian nurse in 1930s Bombay gets swept up in a charismatic patient's life. When the patient (a painter) dies, Sona sets off on a multi-country journey to deliver paintings to significant people in the painter's life. My problems with the novel were mostly character-related. I didn't buy in to Sona's transformation and growth, nor her love story(ies), nor the series of tragedies that kick-started her journey. It just didn't ring true for the time and place. And a small nitpick, and I freely admit that this might be something that I'm wrong about, the constant use of Hindi, including Sona's mother wondering if she should have encouraged more Hindi fluency over English in her daughter, did not fit my understanding of the south of India. Maybe it was different in the 1930s, but I thought Hindi was much more prevalent in the north than in the south. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for a digital review copy.

Excited to read a new novel by the amazing novelist of The Henna Artist trilogy. The way Alka Joshi brought me into the culture of India with those stories, kept me rapt and waiting for more. In her newest story, it is the late 1930s, when Europe's political current is rumbling with the rise of Hitler and when Gandhi represents the country's desire for independence from British rule. Sona, a nurse at a Catholic affiliated hospital in Bombay, doesn't spend as much time taking in the scenic nature of India, instead she will embark on an adventure to 4 countries, marking the last request of a patient named Mira who lost her life following complications of a miscarriage.
Years ago, Sona is 3 years old when her mother is left bereft and in shock to learn that the British soldier that fathered her two children is also the father of a family in England and he is returning to England so they are abandoned, without income or any stability. Then Sona's little brother dies and it is the two of them, trying to piece together a life on her mother's small seamstress income. Sona is the target of bullies who make fun of her being a "half-half" but her mother always makes her feel loved. Now, Sona is a nurse though after some not fully fleshed out reason, she is fired from her first job and she ends up at this new hospital where wealthier patients come. Many of her patients enjoy her care and become friendly with her including Dr. Stoddard, who plays backgammon with her and a famous artist, Mira, who is there following a miscarriage. Mira captivates Sona with her confidence and charm and the stories of people she has known. A fellow nurse named Rebecca for some reason picks on Sona, constantly telling the Matron things to make Sona look bad. And two doctors butt heads as to the care plan of Mira who is constantly feverish and using morphine shots to deal with the extreme pain. Mira's standoffish husband brings 4 of her paintings to the hospital to show Sona and after Mira dies, Sona discovers that Mira would like to have her to deliver one to each of the people in her life she has shared stories about over the 6 days she was hospitalized. Sona does go on this errand, seeking to get closure for these 3 people when it comes to their relationship with Mira. Sona also finds her own world opens up and also closes some doors that changed her family's life.
As fabulous as Joshi's first books were, this one lacked. Sona's character was just so flat, too much time was spent in the hospital setting without much necessary content and her journey into 4 countries for a woman who was so unsure of herself, so afraid to speak up for herself, so cloistered by her mother, so unworldly, so naïve, so unsophisticated, just didn't make sense. There is a build up of sexual tension between her and a young doctor at her hospital so for her character who has zero experience with men in general to go head first into a sexual romp did not fit her character at all. Some of the scenes set up was also so out of left field it didn't seem plausible or was too convenient, like what happens to her mother and once again being released from her job. This story would be better if it were tighter. Mira's stories didn't intrigue me at all. It might have worked better if there were two voices and timelines to build up the tension better and to get to know Mira on a deeper level to even make Sona's journey more meaningful. The issue of prejudice against the mixing of British and Indian during that time was educational as seen by the struggle Sona had regarding her identity within the Indian culture but, it was mentioned a lot. The cover art is gorgeous.
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Six Days in Bombay is set in the 1930’s Bombay, India and centers on Sona, a young night nurse at the local hospital, who looks after a wealthy patient who turns out to be a famed artist. Sona begins to form a friendship with the artist and that sets the story up. Sona is half British and half Indian and her lineage frames the backdrop of India’s independence and the prejudices of the period which are tightly woven into the narrative.

When Sona is left with a legacy of a patient (purposefully vague to avoid spoilers), and other events compel her to leave Bombay, she sets off on part adventure, part pilgrimage, part journey of self-discovery to Istanbul, Paris, Prague, Florence, and ultimately London to find her father.
There are deeply threaded themes throughout, and a glimmer of romance as Sona explores forgiveness on multiple levels as well as what it means to belong. As expected Alka Joshi’s descriptions are lush and vivid, transporting the reader to another place and time. I appreciated the epistolary elements as another layer of interest in the storyline. Six Days in Bombay will be loved by Joshi's fans and any historical fiction reader.
Also don’t miss the author’s note at the end explaining how the artist patient was inspired by Hungarian–Indian avant-garde female artist Amrita Sher-Gil.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Mira Books for the advance reading copy.

Alka Joshi delivers another unique story set in India. The author weaves a story featuring Sona, a half-Indian, half-British nurse who is in Bombay. She forms a bond with a patient, Mira, who is also a painter and following the patient’s death sets out on an adventure to deliver the final paintings to the painter’s most important people in their life. This was a book that is full of self discovery, realizing self-love and adventure! I always have enjoyed the author’s previous books so I did also enjoy this one. I felt like it was an easy quick read!

Thank you NetGalley, MIRA Original and Alki Joshi for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Sux Days in Bombay.
This is a beautifully written , compelling, dual-part story of life lessons for sheltered Sona, our protagonist. The first part introduces us to Sona’s family and her life as a young nurse in Bombay. Women are treated as second class citizens which does not help Sona’s self esteem. The second part is Sona’s journey across Europe where she meets strong characters who teach her to understand herself. I felt transported to these areas through such descriptive , vivid writing.
I loved this story as Sona struggles with her identity. I was rooting for her every step of the way. Her heart belonged in Bombay but by seeing the world she learned more about herself. This story is going to stick with me for a long time. No doubt- 5 stars!

Sona is a nurse and when Mira Novak become her patient, they develop a close connection. When Mira suddenly dies and Sona is blamed, Sona sets out to figure out Mira and her death. With Mira being half-Indian like Sona, there are many similarities. Set in the lush backdrop of 1937 Bombay and a Europe tiptoeing towards an inevitable war, the reader is sucked into the story.

I adore Alka Joshi's writing style. It is full of vivid descriptions while also keeping the story at a brisk pace. The characters are complex and loveable.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. The ending is also perfection and was EXACTLY what I had hoped for!

Thank you to Net Galley, MIRA, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and HARLEQUIN Trade Publishing for access to this title. ALL opinions expressed are my own.

Alka Joshi is a fantastic author. Her characters tug at your heartstrings. She transports her readers to India in different parts of its history. Also, whomever is designing the covers of her books makes it unreasonably difficult to resist adding them to your bookshelf.


Six Days in Bombay is set in the 1930s and tells the story of Sona, a young nurse of British-Indian heritage who befriends a wealthy female painter. Their meeting will spur Sona to undertake an adventure that takes her beyond India's borders and promises to help her become the woman she desires to be.

This was a beautiful story. Once I began reading, I couldn't tear myself away. I like it when I believe the plot will move in one direction and the author throws a few curves into my thinking.






Expected Publication Date 15/04/25
Goodreads Review Date. 31/03/25

Six Days in Bombay is a wonderful story of embracing one’s identity whatever it may be. Sona, a night shift nurse at a local hospital, is caring for a famous painter after a miscarriage. When the painter suddenly dies, Sona goes on a journey of self discovery as she delivers paintings the painter’s closest friends.

This book was its own piece of art as the reader and Sona begin to unravel the unexpected life that Mira lived and the messages that Mira gave to Sona through her friends. I also loved that in the author’s note she explained who each character was written after including herself and someone she admired. Knowing that the story was based in actual feelings it made it all the more enjoyable.

I read this ARC with my kindle and I will say that some of the spacing was off. There were random spaces in the middle of words.

I really enjoyed this book and will be looking into other books by this author. Thank you to Herlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and Netgalley for this ARC.

Spice: one Open Door Scene
Language: None(that I can remember)
Method of Consumption: Kindle

Six Days in Bombay is the newest novel by Alka Joshi, the bestselling author of The Jaipur Trilogy. This one takes us in a slightly earlier era than her other novels. In this novel, we get to follow Sona on her journey to help famous painter Mira Novak fulfill her last wishes in the 1930s.

Overall, this book, set in pre-Independence India, felt like both an exploration of the country and its complexities under colonial rule but also a visit abroad touring through different cities in Europe and showcasing the beauty of each city. Throughout, it is clear that Joshi visited the cities she wrote about and truly created a picturesque description that makes those who have never visited feel like they're there.

Although I love Joshi's writing, at most times I felt it difficult to connect with the main character, often feeling frustrated in the way her struggles were depicted and motivations for going on this long journey. Sona felt a bit one dimensional and some choices that she made were never explained fully and seemed to be more out of circumstance than by a deliberate choice. It also felt like there were a few different storylines that were presented but never followed through which left me wondering about what wasn't said.

This was a mostly quick read but not my favorite from Joshi; I gave it 3.75/5 stars. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have read previous books by this author and have always been impressed with her writing style which is very descriptive and her focus on India. This book which initially takes place in Bombay in 1937 focuses on a young nurse Sona who becomes smitten with one of her patient’s life and troubles, who is a painter by the name of Mira. I do not want to devolve into too much of this story, suffice to say this is a coming of age story which focuses of racism, sexism, some adventure, romance , but ultimately a coming of age story which is a learning experience for Sona. I enjoyed this story, it was a bit slow in the beginning, I had difficulty trying to understand the plot and where it was headed. I believe that Sona’s infatuation with Mira was both a blessing and a curse for her. I enjoyed this book, although in my opinion this was not as good as her previous books.

I absolutely adore Alka Joshi's The Henna Artist trilogy so I was very excited for Six Days in Bombay. This book started off promising, but about 1/2 way through I just lost interest. I hate to compare, but this seemed to lack the lush details and character development I was used to in her previous books. Sona's story seemed repetitive and it took a long time to take off. Joshi is a beautiful writer and I am sure this book will find it's place.

An enjoyable read, following our heroine around the globe as she searches for the intended owners of the paintings.

I would definitely recommend Six Days in Bombay to anyone who is a Joshi fan. But for me, it is not my favorite of her books. I just found it a bit harder to get invested in Sona's storyline. It fell a little flat for me.

When a well known artist dies under the care of nurse Sona, Sona completes a quest to deliver paintings to former friends of the artist. Sona travels from her sheltered life in Bombay to Istanbul, Prague, Florence and Paris, discovering more about her artist friend and herself as well As in her previous books, Alka Joshi brings the sights, sounds and smells to life with her descriptive writing.

After a renowned painter dies mysteriously, leaving behind four paintings and cryptic clues, her nurse Sona must journey across Europe to clear her name and uncover the truth about the artist’s hidden life.

This is a beautifully written novel with rich settings and compelling characters. It’s woven through with Sona’s experiences as a biracial/bicultural woman in an environment where she experiences both privilege and discrimination. I enjoyed the historical details that anchored the story in the world of 1937.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

“But if we don’t try to help, what good is our privilege?”

🪷 Genre: Histirical Fiction
🪷 Steamy rating: Warm mild
🪷 Profanity: Low

Six Days in Bombay is yet another captivating story by Alka Joshi. I loved immersing myself in 1930s India, just before World War II, and experiencing the rich historical setting through her storytelling.

Sona, a nurse of mixed English and Indian heritage, has lived a sheltered life in Bombay. Her world begins to expand when she meets Mira, a famous painter who becomes her patient. Their quick friendship introduces Sona to a life beyond her job and the small apartment she shares with her mother.

While I appreciated the depth of Sona and Mira’s friendship, I wasn’t entirely convinced by Mira’s character. Certain traits of hers frustrated me, making it hard to believe Sona would be so drawn to her.

Overall, I found this story to be both beautiful and painstakingly slow. While I enjoyed it, it took me much longer to finish than I expected.

Triggers: Racism, domestic violence, drug overdose, infidelity, death of a friend, death of a parent, and abandonment

Thank you @harlequinbooks for the gifted advanced copy of this beautiful story.