“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” If you, like me, picked this up/requested it and thought “gee, this should be a nice fluffy read — it’s about food and a setting you don’t see often in books, so much fun!!” well well well. How the turntables.

This book packs a wallop in all the good ways. It comes at you like a polar bear going after reindeer curry. It gives a searing, clear eyed treatment of living with anxiety, depression, family secrets, having faith in your abilities, learning to trust yourself, forgiveness, and does it all in the backdrop of the Arctic and India.

This book is like the most delicious, intricate curry you’ve ever tasted. You can’t help yourself for seconds…thirds…or, in my case, staying up until the wee hours to finish.

Highly, highly recommended.

I thought I was going to read a rom com but I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to review the book. It was so interesting reading about life in the Arctic and the difficulties living in the cold and dark. I loved the recipes and the trip to India but what stood out for me was the the main character Maya who was battling anxiety. Memories of Her past in India had disappeared when her mother died and she moved to England. Such a beautifully written book well worth a read

When I requested The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd from NetGalley, I was not completely certain what kind of book I was getting in to. The answer turns out to be the best kind.

Maya is a UK raised, mixed race, 30 something with a major anxiety problem. Her mum was killed when she was a child in India and her dad raised her solo in the UK. Now Maya wants to strike out with, but really follow, boyfriend Ryan to Longyearbyen in Norway's Svalbard archipelago in the middle of winter. Concuring anxiety solo, in the dark, while her boyfriend is studying polar bears leaves Maya in a difficult state.

Maya's father invites her to India to meet and celebrate his wedding to Uma, Maya's mother's friend from decades earlier. While there, Maya begins to remember snippets of her youth. She also begins to learn about Indian food and some of her late mum's recipes.

Back in Norway, Maya continues to learn about herself while living and caring for the End of the Road Cabins with Mikkel, Adam, and Rita. She begins to cook for tour groups and then begins the Arctic Curry Club.

Maya goes through serious personal growth during her time in Norway and India. She learns about her mum, her culture, and herself. It is heartfelt and a lovely read. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This will be a lovely read for our customers looking for something uplifting to read over the Christmas/New Year period and into the summer break.

While this ended up being a great read and I loved Maya's story, this is definitely not a romance novel as it was listed in the romance category. I definitely felt the messaging in the book around anxiety can be a huge win for those who deal with it.

I really enjoyed this book! The cover looked like it would be another silly romance for me to enjoy, but this read like more of a memoir. If I didn't know, I'd think this was a piece of nonfiction. We follow our main character, Maya, as she moves to the Arctic with her boyfriend. The descriptions of nature in this book are almost as breathtaking and descriptive as the food Maya cooks! This really felt like a travel and food book with a fabulous plot thrown in for good measure. Maya suffers from anxiety, but I thought it was well portrayed. I really enjoyed this book and it absolutely flew by. I'm shocked that this is this author's debut book, honestly. I cannot wait to read whatever Dani writes next!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Just a note: I requested this book to review when I found it in the romance category on Netgalley, but this is NOT a romance. It is not even a love story. It doesn't look like it is really being marketed as one, but just in case it is not a romance. That was a bit confusing at times while I was reading as that is what I was expecting going in, but it was still a really great read.

I really adored Maya and her story of self-discovery. Of finding what she wants from her life and where she fits in. I really enjoyed this book and it made me want to go visit Longyearbyen! Yes, Maya has a hard time adjusting to the super cold and snow and everything, but even when she was talking about how miserable it is at times, I was like yes! Sign me up! I might have even started planning a trip to very far north Norway...

Maya has followed her boyfriend Ryan to the arctic circle where he has a job lined up. For as much as I adored Maya, I hated Ryan. Right from the first. He is one of those people who seem nice, who most people would like if they met them, but are really horrible in a relationship. Whose constant putting you down might not seem as bad as it is as it is framed as well I am just trying to help you. For example he comments on how much Maya eats, and does she really need that piece of cake? And things of that nature. Which I am sorry, but Maya is a grown adult and can make her own decisions. And she is not the only one with whom he tries to monitor and dictate how much they eat. Plus he is not actually supportive of Maya, even though he makes her think he is. He is one of those people that since Maya has not the best self-esteem already he can easily take advantage of that and make her think she is the issue. She defends him, thinks he is supportive, but all of these little jabs made me so angry. He doesn't understand anxiety, he is not supportive, I hated him and wanted so much better for her.

Now Maya was a really great character. She has a lot of anxiety about various things, she doesn't remember the first years of her life when she lived in India, and she struggles with not fitting in anywhere. Her father is from the UK, her mother is from India. She never felt like she fully fit in in the UK, is afraid to go back to India because what if she doesn't fit in there as well? What if she doesn't fit in anywhere because she is not enough. Her struggles were real and heartbreaking at times, but it was so wonderful to read how she dealt with everything. How she started to remember things, how she started to figure out what she actually wanted instead of following other people her whole life. How she made a place for herself where she had people she cares about and who care about her. How she still struggles with anxiety, but it is her life and she is going to live it. I really loved this story, loved Maya and seeing her realize and become the amazing person she always was.

The story
Maya has decided to join her partner Ryan in the Arctic while he is doing academic work on polar bears. They arrive in the heart of the winter when there is four endless months of winter darkness, snowstorms and icy temperatures. Like super icy 🥶 Maya is half British and half Indian. Her father met and married her mother while working in India. Her mother died when she was 7 and she and her father returned to the UK. Maya can’t remember anything about her mother or living in India, it’s all been blocked out. And she suffers terrible anxiety. She is a trained cook and starts cooking for tourists that visit for the local attractions and eat at the cabins outside town afterwards. But as she cooks some of her late mother’s recipes, she starts getting flashbacks to life in India and memories of her mother.

My thoughts
The climate and conditions in the Arctic are a huge aspect of this story. The food and culture of India are another. Maya’s mental health struggles are very real, and her growing acceptance of the memories being revealed mirror the healing that is happening within her. This is an emotional story with several trying experiences. The backdrop of the months of darkness followed by twilight and light follow the path of depression and struggle to acceptance and happiness. This story is beautifully written, handled so sensitively and the setting in both India and the Arctic shows the research and life experience of the author. A stunning read!

I received an advance copy of, The Arctic Curry Club, by Dani Reed. You need to curl up by the fire to read this book. The Arctic is beyond cold, sub zero, and mostly dark. What has Maya got herself into?

The Arctic Curry Club quite surprised me. It's not literary fiction and it's not quite 'chick lit'. It takes complex emotional and psychological topics and delivers them in a light, easily read style. It won't tax your brain, it might have you shaking your head in places (honestly, food as time travel gets a bit wearing after a while) but it does a great job tackling anxiety, self-doubt and, eventually, taking control of your life on your own terms. I thought it was pretty good.

I can't recall reading many (any?) books where the main character is so messed up with anxiety. I could understand why family and friends had hidden aspects of her past from her - you don't really want to go telling an anxious person about their even more anxious mother, lest you push her too far.

Maya follows her boyfriend to northernmost Norway to study polar bears - he's studying; she's just standing around shivering whilst her eyebrows freeze to her face. Everything about the place scares her. The sun's not been seen for months and won't be back for several more, the temperatures are shocking and everything is unbelievably expensive. She takes on a part-time job cooking for tourists on adventure breaks and soon becomes the best curry chef in the Arctic Circle - or probably, the ONLY curry chef in the Arctic Circle.

In the midst of all these challenges, she takes a trip to Bangalore where her father is marrying his late wife's best friend. In Bangalore, she gets her late mother's cookery book and starts recreating recipes. These recipes are like a time machine and she's soon dreaming and hallucinating events around the last time she ate those dishes. Sorry, bit far fetched for me. I know that food is inextricably linked to memory, but this is a tad too hard to swallow. These 'visions' lead Maya to question what happened to her mother and eventually uncover some very uncomfortable aspects of her past.

I liked the food. I cook and eat a lot of curry and I've travelled all over India. Maya took me on a trip with her through her cooking at a time when Covid has me tied up at home. I also liked the way Maya evolved from a fearful follower to a courageous and independent woman, making up her own mind and not just trotting after her man.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers. To the author, PLEASE can I come round to yours for dinner?

(One tiny correction. Coronation Chicken is described in the book as Anglo-Indian and as a dish from the days of the Raj. This isn't actually true. Perhaps she's confusing it with Jubilee Chicken which is an earlier dish. Coronation Chicken was created for Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 and thus post-dates Indian Independence).

Maya is in the Arctic, having followed her boyfriend there for his job.She is not happy, but is determined to make her own life there, starting with a job cooking at an outdoor centre.
As she starts to cook dishes from her childhood, she starts to unlock memories from her past she thought she had lost.
A great read, emotional at times.

I was pulled in by this book and read it in a day, I couldn’t put it down!

Relationships, family, friends, anxiety, life in the Arctic, mouth watering Indian food - all comes together to make an interesting and uplifting read.

Thanks to Avon books UK and net galley for letting me read this book - published 9 December 2021
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh this is a great book , something a bit different and if you suffer with anxiety you will relate to this book. Thoroughly enjoyed The Artic Curry Club.

I absolutely loved this and read it in one sitting. This book was absolutely perfect to read during a very stressful time in my life. It's cozy, escapist, and comforting, without being cheesy, sentimental, or silly. The main character Maya is especially well drawn - the way her struggles with anxiety are depicted (I especially liked her lists!) will connect with a lot of readers. I love fiction that takes me to places I've never been - I've never been to the Arctic, or to Bangalore, and the strongest parts of this book are in how well it evokes the setting and details of these places. I loved the use of supporting characters - everyone comes off as human and believable. I loved the positive relationship with the dad. I loved how Maya struggles with not feeling either Indian or British enough, and her overall journey. The plot is exciting - a lot of events happen - and it kept me hooked. And use of food is mouth-watering (I mean, who doesn't love to eat?!). I loved the message at the end, about how the things we love change, rather than disappear completely, and how anxiety can be a strength, rather than a weakness.

Overall, I really loved this. I think this would be a fabulous book club pick. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This book is wonderful! It features my favourite book title of 2021.

Parts of it are much heavier than I anticipated (and could handle at the moment, tbh) and deal with mental illness. It's an integral part of the story and well done but just be forewarned about it. On the one hand it was nice to read about anxiety in an authentic way but on the other hand I definitely did not want to be reading about anxiety as I read to escape from it.

I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon Books UK through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Avon Books UK!

Gosh this book made me hungry 😂 Very hungry! As you might guess from the title, there is a fair amount of food discussed in the novel, and I felt the whole plot was beautifully seasoned with the spices of life.

The book begins with Maya and her boyfriend Ryan arriving in the Arctic. I am a fan of cold temperatures but even for me, that’s extreme! And the only reason why Maya ends up there is because she is accompanying Ryan, who decided to move there for work. Alarm bells rang in my head when I understood the context behind their arrival and getting to know Maya only reinforced my feelings about the whole situation. Some might find following your love to the end of the world romantic, but I’m on the cynical side of things and it sounded crazy to me! Frozen ground, few people around, and anxiety for main company? It is far from ideal.

But don’t we say good things can be born from bad choices?

Maya is half Indian, half English and she’s never really felt home anywhere. She thinks she doesn’t fit in, so why not get on this adventure? The author did a great job describing the harsh reality of the Arctic and the loneliness of the place. I couldn’t decide if Maya had brought the loneliness along with her or if the remoteness of the place was simply the best echo chamber for her emotions The cold was not just coming from the wind and outdoors, but Maya had yet to discover it.

The Arctic Curry Club is a lovely read taking its main character on a journey (or several journeys) to find herself. Maya felt disconnected from her roots and her past, and the ghost of her deceased mother haunting her pushed her forward, into a crazy storm of secrets, choices, disappointments, encounters, and opportunities. Oh, and polar bears. The smooth and warm writing, associated with a lovely array of secondary characters made this novel an absolute joy to read. No over-the-top happy moments, just how I like my stories to be told.

Food brought the warmth stolen by the brilliant yet scary setting, and acted as a glue, creating a new puzzle out of Maya’s life pieces.

Anxiety is one of the characters in this book, plaguing Maya on a daily basis. I appreciated how the author incorporated some of the things we anxiety warriors do or think oh-so-often. Although, unlike Maya, I need to sleep for hours after a panic attack, or even the beginning of one. It is nice to see mental health not making an appearance for the sake of the plot, but as a full part of someone’s life, and many will appreciate Maya’s efforts to live and tame the monster.

I really had a lovely time reading this novel and imagining the spices and views.

Fragrant, spicy food contrasted with sub-zero temperatures and permanent darkness; The Arctic Curry Club is a beautifully written novel full of rich contradictions. It shouldn't work, but it does!

This is a story with a difference. Main character Maya jets off to Longyearbyen, a freezing town situated deep in the Arctic circle. Struggling with her anxiety and her unfamiliar surroundings, it's a rocky start to a new life for Maya. Her boyfriend Ryan, on the other hand, takes to Arctic life like a duck to water.

However, Maya soon has no choice but to face her fears. Before long, she's started carving out a place for herself in Longyearbyen. Armed with her late mother's treasured recipe book, Maya is ready to take the Arctic by storm!

Maya is a likeable and relatable main character. Although she does have her demons, she's also passionate and endearing - not to mention, she's an excellent cook! The biggest hurdle that Maya has to overcome, though, is her anxiety. It's so easy to relate to this part of her character on a personal level - from her fear of the unknown to catastrophising every little detail, all of Maya's deepest internal thoughts are laid out on the page. This humanises her, as well as raising awareness of how difficult even the most seemingly mundane things can be for those who suffer from anxiety.

Aside from this, though, The Arctic Curry Club is a foodie's heaven. The descriptions of the meals Maya makes are absolutely divine and it's all too easy to imagine the delicious aromas wafting through from her kitchen. Make sure you have plenty of snacks to hand when you read this book!

It's not just the food that is perfectly described, however. The essence of both India and the Arctic are captured with ease and described well enough that you can easily conjure these two vastly different parts of the world up in your mind's eye.

Above all else, this is a story of finding yourself and your place in the world. Maya shows us that a little courage can go a long way - after all, you need to believe in yourself if you're going to succeed in life.

Inspirational, heart-warming, and unexpectedly emotional, The Arctic Curry Club is a real gem.