Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore novel by Disha Bose. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Durga left her life and family in India for a tech job in Ireland. She finally feels free of all the societal and cultural expectations of her family, and is enjoying her new life. That means a romance with Jacob, which comes with the added bonus of Joy, his sister and her best friend and flatmate. But she can't fully commit and introduce Jacob to her family at her sister's upcoming wedding, because he's biracial and she feels they won't accept him. Can she balance her two worlds?

I was a big fan of Bose's debut, Dirty Laundry, and enjoyed delving into this one as well. It's so interesting to read about the Indian cultures of matchmaking in today's world, and the expectations put on women especially to be married. But it's also a cautionary tale of not trusting those who love us to want the best of us, and instead guess at their reactions. A good look at grief, and growing into our best selves.

Durga is a typical middle child who comes from Calcutta. She gets an opportunity to work in Ireland and for the first time in her life she can experience freedom from her strict family. Her family is not happy with her living so far away and they would like her to return home where they could find a husband for her to live the life a woman from their family should live. Unbeknownst to them, Durga has a boyfriend and a happy life in Ireland. She is supposed to return to Calcutta for her sister’s arranged wedding but doesn’t want to bring her boyfriend with her. It’s much easier if her two lives don’t interact. When she and her boyfriend break up, Durga is at a loss. Should she continue to live in Ireland, or should she return home and settle down with a man of her parents’ choosing? Although I felt this book started a little slow, it was worth waiting for. Durga’s development through the course of the book was very interesting to read.

Also reviewed at B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

Durga is the first of her siblings to move away from her family, leaving Calcutta for Ireland. She has established a life, a roommate and best friend, Joy, and a boyfriend, Jacob - Joy and Jacob happen also to be siblings. Having a boyfriend and not falling into the expected route of arranged marriage like her sister is causing Durga tension with her family which then bleeds into her relationship with Jacob, especially when she refuses to take Jacob to her sister's wedding back in India. Once she and Jacob break up, Durga feels lost and doesn't know whether to stay and continue to create her new life away from India and all that is familiar, or return home to the comfort of the familiar.

This one took a bit to get into but once I did I loved it. Watching Durga grow and become her own person made for a great read. All of the characters in this novel are flawed but since they have good qualities are well you are rooting for them and want them to be happy. The author deals with love in a more nuanced and complex way and I appreciated it; this is not a romance it is a real coming of age story. One note I found interesting while reading about the Hindu wedding customs is that there is one ritual in Hindu weddings that is very similar to religious Jewish weddings (having the bride circle the groom 7 times). I listened to about half of this one and I think that got me through the slightly slower points of the book - but the second half had me fully absorbed.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I will blossom Anyway is a beautiful Story of one woman’s search for herself as she finds herself between Two worlds: the one she left behind in India and the one she has found in ireland

As she navigates the big personalities and expectations in her family, she strives to find her place in her new life in Ireland. When she expereinces heartbreak and loss, she is forced to examine her life and grow.

I found this book to be a wonderful narrative of self-examination, family, culture and navigating complexity of relationships

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing/Ballantine Books, and Disha Bose for this ARC.

I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose offers a heartfelt exploration of resilience, identity, and the quiet strength of women navigating personal struggles. The prose is gentle and poetic at times, and Bose clearly has a sensitivity for portraying emotional nuance.

That said, the pacing felt uneven, with some plot developments lingering too long while others were rushed. Certain characters lacked the depth needed to fully invest in their journeys, and the narrative occasionally veered into predictability. While the themes are powerful and timely, they sometimes felt more told than shown.

Overall, this is a reflective and sincere novel with moments of real poignancy, but it may not fully satisfy readers looking for a more tightly woven or dynamic narrative.

I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A wonderful women's fiction about love, loss and the journey to self discovery.

According to India's culture women are expected to marry via arranged marriages.
Durga rejects the man she loves not wanting to upset her family. She doesn't want to marry the one she's promised to, so thanks to a promotion with her job, she leaves India.
She gones to Ireland for a better life and to live on her own terms. She hopes to rediscover who she is without India rules. Her happy life is put on hold while she returns to India for her sister's wedding. Will Durga return to Ireland or stay in India?
I loved learning about the India's culture and what others do for their families, their culture and self discovery.

Pre-order your copy today for release date of 5/6.

Thank you Netgallery and Bellantine for the advanced copy.

I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose is a captivating romantic coming-of-age tale that follows a woman's inspiring quest to discover self-love, rebuild connections with her family, and pave a new path for her future. Disha's exquisite prose brings her characters to life, making them leap off the page and into the hearts of readers.

I Will Blossom Anyway is the second novel by Disha Bose and features Durga, a 27 year old woman from India, living and working in Ireland. Part romance novel, part coming-of-age novel, Durga struggles with meshing the two halves of her life together. She is in a two year relationship with Jacob, but on a break, as she did not invite Jacob to come home with her for her sister’s wedding. In fact, no one in her family is even aware of the relationship. Then an unexpected event occurs that Durga needs to deal with.

I enjoyed the character of Joy, Durga’s best friend and sister of Jacob. She really helped Durga become her own person but certainly had her own flaws. There is a lot of family drama in the second half of the novel as we get to know the members of Durga’s family.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Durga has mostly settled into her life in Ireland, but she finds her ties to her family in India and their expectations of her so overwhelming that she hides her biracial boyfriend from them. Her sister’s wedding only emphasizes her inability to be honest with them, and their desire for her to marry whom they choose.

Her journey in this is emotional and nuanced as she navigates complex relationships and the aftermath of loving people the best she can, and learning that’s how they love her as well.

A thoughtful read that explores family and growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books.

Durga lives with her family in Calcutta and is named after the benevolent Bengali goddess. She decides to expand her horizons and leaves her overbearing yet loving family to work at a tech company in Ireland. In this new country, she experiences unprecedented freedom, forming close bonds with her flatmate Joy and entering into a romantic relationship with Joy's brother, Jacob, which makes things interesting, yet a bit awkward. When she hesitates to introduce Jacob to her family due to cultural differences, their relationship falters, which prompts her to question her place between two worlds.

Drawing inspiration from the fierce goddess Kali, Durga embarks on a journey to define her own path and determine what is best for her and Jacob, as well as her family. Can she bridge the divide between the two cultures, or is her family too strict to accept someone that doesn't share their heritage?

In today's day and age, relationships between different cultures are not uncommon at all, but they are not accepted by all families and the author highlights how some Indian families prefer their daughters go into arranged marriages, or at least marry someone of similar heritage. I find different cultures fascinating so was really drawn into the family's customs and rituals and really felt for Durga as she tries to forge her own path.

The author captures the essence of navigating between cultural heritage and personal aspirations and offers a heartfelt look into the struggles and triumphs of forging one's identity amidst contrasting worlds.

I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose follows an Indian woman Durga. Durga moves to Ireland from India to take a new job. This is a story about personal growth, finding your true self. It is beautifully written I loved everything about this book! highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Disha Bose’s I Will Blossom Anyway is a compelling exploration of family dynamics, evolving friendships, the complexities of love, and the transformative power of self-growth. The narrative is heartfelt, weaving together characters whose lives intersect in meaningful and sometimes unexpected ways.

Bose’s writing shines in her ability to delve deep into the emotional landscapes of her characters. The portrayal of family relationships is both authentic and moving, resonating with anyone who’s navigated the delicate balance of familial expectations and personal desires. Friendships in the story are layered, illustrating how connections can both uplift and challenge us.

The theme of love is handled with nuance, reflecting its multifaceted nature—not just romantic love, but platonic and self-love as well. The protagonists’ journeys toward self-discovery are inspiring, offering readers reflections on their personal growth paths.

I Will Blossom is a beautifully crafted tale that leaves readers contemplating their relationships and personal growth. It’s a book that stays with you, making it a worthwhile read for those drawn to introspective and emotionally resonant narratives.

I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose is the story of Durga, a twenty-something woman who is the first of her siblings to leave the family in India and begin an independent life in Ireland. Her sister is getting married in a traditional arranged marriage, and the family is desperately trying to make sure that Durga also finds an appropriate match. She has fallen in love with Jacob, and his sister Joy is her roommate and best friend. When Durga makes plans to visit India for her sister's wedding without Jacob, her life in Ireland falls apart and she questions what it is she really wants.

The novel's description only hinted at the emotions that the story evoked. Durga, her roommate Joy, and the break-up with Jacob had me tearing up multiple times throughout the book. The relationships between all of the characters, both in Ireland and India, were completely realistic, lending an authenticity to this story that is not often found. The synopsis also called the story "mirthful"--a desciption I don't agree with, as there was very little merriment in the book, at all. There is a sadness in Durga and Joy that permeates most of the novel, however essential it is to the storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House-Ballantine for the digital ARC of I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose. The opinions in this review are my own.

I love when I learn new things while reading for pleasure. It’s one of the benefits of reading diversely. With this book, I learned about the Indian culture and family traditions. It’s a coming-of-age book in which a 20 something woman has fled her family in India to start her own life in Ireland. She wants the freedom to find her own true love rather than her family arranging a marriage for her. What she really needs to find is her own true self and to determine which aspects of her family culture and traditions she wants to hold on to while still being an independent woman. It’s a balance she’ll have to find for herself. I felt it dragged occasionally but overall, it was a good book. And the title is quite fitting. I recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the complimentary copy of this book. As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.

I WILL BLOSSOM ANYWAY offers the tale of a 20-something Indian woman who moves to Ireland in the hopes of finding herself and experiencing more of life than her home country offered. While she does have growth, it is subtle than I expected. I had hoped for a more dynamic personal journey for the protagonist but this is a very mild, slow moving book. I started it 4 different times and had such trouble staying with it. A younger audience might be more suitable. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I found this to be less of a romance and more of one woman’s journey. It does start with Durga’s break-up with Jacob, but that is the catalyst for many things, especially her path to becoming who she wants to be and reinventing herself.⁣
⁣
Durga was born and raised in India, coming from a family that is always in her business and quite opinionated. She moves to Ireland to start fresh after her break-up. ⁣
⁣
While you do get a sense of the culture shift that Durga is experiencing in her move, the narrative focuses more on the characters, which works well, although the pace is unhurried. My heart did go out to Durga, who was under pressure to appease her family regarding Jacob, among other things. It made it doubly difficult, seeing that she was best friends with his sister. ⁣
⁣
In the end, the author did a remarkable job of allowing Durga to undergo a natural progression of growth, including her decisions and her handling of grief. ⁣
⁣
Elements of familial expectations, contrasting cultures, loneliness, friendships, and finding your way made for an engaging and meaningful read. ⁣

Thank you @randomhouse for the gifted book and e-book via #netgalley.

Durga is the first of her siblings to venture outside of their Calcutta home. She moves to Ireland to forge her own path, and there she falls in love with Jacob. After suffering an unexpected loss, Durga begins to wonder if the risk she took on her knew life is worth it, or if she would be better off moving back home and accepting the life her parents have always wanted for her.

This was really beautifully done. This book focuses on love, loss, and resilience. It's a little heartbreaking, but there are still comedic moments and bright spots that make you feel really hopeful. Durga was the sort of character you can't help but root for. There were a lot of good pieces in this book that really showcased her trying to balance these two parts of her life and really determine how she can fit in two places that are very different culturally.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC.

While I cannot pinpoint specific complaints with this book, I just didn't love it. It wasn't super special to me, but it wasn't bad? Does that even make sense?

I WILL BLOSSOM ANYWAY

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is kind of a hard book to review. It was a really great coming-of-age women’s fiction type book and I enjoyed reading it. I also really enjoyed the insight into Indian culture and the storyline of moving away from all that’s familiar and trying to find oneself. The characters were realistic and it felt like I was reading a personal journal entry about a year of someone’s life.

The hard part of this review is that the book was somewhat unremarkable. I didn’t have the “this book changed me for the better” feeling that I look for in women’s fiction. I was interested in the story and I think that speaks a lot to the style of writing. I just wish the themes of the book packed a bigger punch.

romantic content: alludes to sex

f this book was all about Durga’s growth??? I didn’t see it at all. I couldn’t connect with her and her story at all, there was no depth with the characters it was hard for me to connect or to even care about them. Durga has built a life in Ireland and gets involved for 2 years with a man who is not Indian, and who she didn’t think her parents would approve of. They break up, which I am still lost as to why it happened, clearly they loved each other???? But then something HORRIBLE happens to him and THEN she talks about him to her parents? All of the characters annoyed me, I am happy that others loved this book, because this author is amazing, I have read some of her books but this was not it for me.