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Much more than a cross-cultural romance, this new adult title is a seminal journey of self-discovery for an orphan who learns she's not really one. Gia Kumari has spent her life since infancy in Mercy and Grace Orphanage, a decaying operation run within a convent in New Delhi, India. Mostly ignorant of her origins and family background, she is half-Hindu, half-Muslim, a perfect blend of two tragically clashing cultures, ironically raised by acerbic Christian nuns.
Forced by her entry into adulthood to leave the orphanage, Gia embraces an unexpected opportunity to begin a dazzling new life as an assistant to a highly successful but intimidating wedding planner who specializes in "big fat Indian weddings" in the San Francisco Bay area. But the situation is far from easy and places Gia on an emotional rollercoaster as she meets her uncle, Mohammed Khan, for the first time and begins to find her way home, reassembling the shattered pieces of her identity, reclaiming her place as a family member, and learning new, real-world career skills. Gia faces many surprises and disappointments as fate reveals more secrets about herself and her ancestry than she ever imagined.
This is a captivating tale with a dual timeline and many surprises. The tight but lively writing is also lyrical and descriptive, the plot thoughtfully rendered through ever-rising tension that greatly enhances the suspense. As Gia encounters the joys and anxieties of life as a young immigrant forced to adapt to an unending cascade of new experiences, she consoles herself sometimes with her knowledge of American films, recalling the punchy lines that define them, a habit she shares with her uncle. Most of all, Gia absorbs many lessons about the underlying fragility and strengths of the human spirit and how to harness the healing power of love and forgiveness.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review
Judge's The Awakening of Meena Rawat was a 2026 Eric Hoffer Book Award nominee.