The Sari Shop Widow by Shobhan Bantwal

Product Details

Synopsis

Pungent curry…sweet fried onions…incense…colorful beads…lush fabrics. Shobhan Bantwal's compelling new novel is set on the streets of Edison, New Jersey's Little India, where a young businesswoman rediscovers the magic of love and family…

Since becoming a widow at age twenty-seven, Anjali Kapadia has devoted herself to transforming her parents' sari shop into a chic boutique, brimming with exquisite jewelry and clothing. Now, ten years later, it stands out like a proud maharani amid Edison's bustling Little India. But when Anjali learns the shop is on the brink of bankruptcy, she feels her world unraveling…

To the rescue comes Anjali's wealthy, dictatorial Uncle Jeevan and his business partner, Rishi Shah—a mysterious Londoner, complete with British accent, cool gray eyes, and skin so fair it makes it hard to believe he's Indian. Rishi's cool, foreign demeanor triggers distrust in Anjali and her mother. But for Anjali, he also stirs something else, a powerful attraction she hasn't felt in a decade. And the feeling is mutual…

Love disappointed Anjali once before and she's vowed to live without it—though Rishi is slowly melting her resolve and, as the shop regains its footing, gaining her trust. But when a secret from Rishi's past is revealed, Anjali must turn to her family and her strong cultural upbringing to guide her in finding the truth…

Praise for Shobhan Bantwal and her novels...

“Compelling and memorable.” —Mary Jo Putney on The Forbidden Daughter

“Vivid, rich...expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair.” —Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride

“Splendidly depicts passion, brutality,and cultures in conflict.”—Dorothy Garlock on The Dowry Bride

“The Dowry Bride is an eye-opener to the challenges many Indian women face in a culture few foreigners comprehend. —ArmchairInterviews.com, 4 stars on The Dowry Bride

“A beautifully written book...Wonderful, vivid, and worth reading.”—BookIdeas.com on The Dowry Bride

“An amazing story of modern India.”—The Kaleidoscope on The Dowry Bride

Publishers Weekly

Young, headstrong widow Anjali Kapadia runs her parent's chic boutique in New Jersey's “Little India,” but she's the last to find out that their store is financially insolvent. When her parents bring in her wealthy, controlling Uncle Jeevan to rescue the business, Anjali is initially resistant to his changes, but soon has to admit that they're working—and that she's falling for her uncle's mysterious business partner, Rishi Shah. Focusing on the immigrant experience, culture clash (and resolution) and family ties, Bantwal has a forgettable story, and her Little India doesn't do much to distinguish itself—interesting for those unfamiliar with Indian culture but with little else to offer. Readers will wish Bantwal had done more with her appealing characters and New Jersey setting. (Sept.)

Biography

Shobhan Bantwal was born and raised in India and came to the United States as a young bride in an arranged marriage. She has published short fiction in literary magazines and articles in a number of publications. Writing plays in her mother tongue (Indian language-Konkani) and performing on stage at Indian-American conventions are some of her hobbies. She lives in New Jersey with her husband. Shobhan loves to hear from her readers.