Historical fiction meets family saga in this sweeping Caribbean tale perfect for fans of Jamaica Kincaid, Wide Sargasso Sea, and The Island of Missing Trees.

St. Vincent, British West Indies, 1900

A woman born before her time, Mahala was always a maverick. Adopted by her mother's best friend and raised next door to her biological siblings, she grows up with the generational challenges of not one, but two families of Indian descent navigating colonial Caribbean society. From a young age, Mahala knows the plan all four parents have set for her future: leave school, marry well, run a household, plan her own future daughters' weddings. But she believes fiercely there must be more to life than this Caribbean island and its restrictive customs.

Seeking to control her own destiny, Mahala must decide if fleeing her homeland and alienating herself from her family is worth the freedom she most desperately wants. If she remains, she will need to agree to a marriage—and a man—arranged by her family and abandon her dream of independence. If she goes, escaping to New York and its gleaming opportunities, her innate intelligence and confidence may have to be enough for her to build the life she's always dreamed of—a life of integrity, strength, and love of her own choosing.

Mahala is a page-turning, coming-of-age story about women's rights, family expectations, and the courage to forge your own path in a world determined to limit your choices.