Many thanks to the publisher for an e-ARC of The Artic Curry Club! I really enjoyed reading this beautiful story. <3 I didn't expect the book to explore serious themes, but I am glad the author included Maya's emotional and heart-breaking experiences. So if you're expecting a (fully) light-hearted book, this isn't one.

Maya was such a fascinating protagonist! I really loved reading about her. Her character development throughout the book was so perfectly done. Her mental health was a major part of the story, and I appreciated the representation so much. Reading about her struggles, and how she overcame them with Maya is biracial as well - she's half Indian and Half-British, so I loved reading a winter-themed novel that explored a character whose culture I could relate to. (I am South-Asian) Speaking of culture, the description of the Indian dishes was so mouth-watering !!! Getting a glimpse of the recipes from Maya's mother's book was really special to me.

I am so glad that I picked this book up. Can't recommend it enough. <3

The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd

A story about a girlfriend who accompanies her boyfriend to three Arctic and hates it. Will shed adapt?

A different kind of book. 1/3 of it was devoted to recipes and talking through cooking them. Very emotional with many secrets. Enjoyed the view of the Arctic.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for my review.

Moving to the Arctic may seem like a bold thing to do, especially for love. But once there, Maya is struggling to embrace her inner adventurer and push down her anxieties. Reality has swiftly kicked in and the romance of the gesture is nowhere near the starkness of the experience. Contrasting with a trip to India for a family wedding, Maya is overwhelmed with the discovery of forgotten memories that change her perceptions of the past and influence her current circumstances.

This is so much more than a clichéd modern romance story, which I loved. With a main character who appeals to the reader on several levels. The extra layers to Maya’s tale gave me a deeper reading experience than I had expected from the cover. I enjoyed the way that the memories were being unravelled, they were astute and engaging. I was very impressed at the descriptions of the recipes & scrumptious creations that were used to spark the creativity of Maya. Don’t read this book when hungry but do enjoy losing yourself in the wonderful complexities of Maya’s life.

DNF @ 25%

I'm not sure if it is just that I am not in the right mood for this book or it is taking a long time to get interesting. I was really drawn in by the unique premise and the setting is incredible. There are lots of food descriptions that I have been enjoying, but they aren't enough to keep me engaged. I was hoping for more romance, but it doesn't seem to be there at all. Not for me, unfortunately.

I can't describe how much I actually loved this book. And nope, I didn't want it to end! If you haven't read it yet you're in for an absolute treat. It is part 'Eat, Pray Love', part 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' all wrapped up in the uncomfortably cold Artic. I absolutely fell in love with the main character. Maya is funny as f*ck and her conversations with her boyfriend, bestie, dad and childhood friend are laugh out loud genius and resonate on so many levels. So why does Maya end up in the Artic, a place that doesn't see sunlight for four months of the year? Well, se follows her boyfriend who has taken up a highfalutin science job studying cold things. She unravels in the temperatures, the news her dad is remarrying and moving from London to India and it's only when she finally gets a job and starts cooking that Maya's world changes. This is really a coming of age novel the doesn't deliver (and it doesn't need to) the usual romance ending either. It's a real accomplishment to have woven in Maya's mental health issues with anxiety along with the death of her mother and how this can pass from one generation n to another. At times incredibly moving, others supremely funny ... Absolutely hats off to the author. This is a brilliant brilliant read.

My mouth was watering throughout this entire book as I imagined devouring Maya's succulent Indian recipes! Maya moves to the Arctic for her boyfriend but suffers from crippling anxiety. She has repressed memories from her mother's death when she was a child and tries to work her way through her mother's recipe book to reconnect with those memories. The way Maya's memories came flooding back when she tried different Indian foods was a wonderful way to tie in a discussion of mental health issues and a way to continue the story telling. I loved the Arctic setting and the Supper Club (the polar bear scene had me in stitches!), but I was hoping for more of a happy, romantic ending.

Felt like so festive reading but actually other than being set in Svalbard - the most northern town in the world, this book isn’t especially Christmassy. It’s also a classic case of a much deeper story being hidden behind a chick-lit cover. Maya goes through A LOT in this book and I really liked the link between memories and foods, it reminded be of a similar link in The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender.

I absolutely adored the artic setting, it’s definitely didn’t sell living in a cold environment to me but it was absolutely fascinating and contrasted well with Bangalore.

There are points where Maya’s relationship and experiences are difficult to read but there’s also a lot of empowerment and perhaps not the ending you might expect.

The Arctic Curry Club by Dani Redd is about Maya, who follows her boyfriend to the Arctic, where he is going to count polar bears, and she's not certain what she's going to do.

Maya has panic attacks, is scared of the snow, would like to see some daylight sometimes, and her father is starting a new relationship.  Oh, and her boyfriend is acting distant.  All in all, Maya is having a hard time.

When she is given a meal that's been prepared from her late mother's recipe book, she has a flashback to her childhood, something that she can't remember on her own.  And things start changing in her life.

This was an enjoyable read, with the descriptions of the Arctic well done.  It's a book that makes you want to circle up with a hot drink, and read about Maya's adventures.

The Arctic Curry Club was published on 9th December 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Dani Redd on Twitter.

I was given this book in exchanged for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Avon Books.

This was a very unexpected though enjoyable story. I applaud the intention but there were a few too many conversations going at one time for me. I loved the setting and Maya and the delicious descriptions of Indian food. Thank you for the review copy!

Blog:
Fun destinations, delicious descriptions of homemade Indian cuisine, and a plot that you think is going to mainly be about a boyfriend but then isn’t. This book was a real treat!

Maya starts the book out as one of those women who has lost her own identity and just kind of follows her boyfriend around in his life. Not great! But it soon becomes apparent that she’s struggling like this due to mental illness (anxiety) and childhood trauma. When challenges begin to arise, Maya surprises by rising to them, and in delightful ways. I was pleasantly surprised by the trajectory of the book. I started it out thinking I was going to be reading a romance and by the end I felt like I read a story about self-actualization. It kind of reminded me of Talia Hibbert only without the steamy scenes. Plus, Maya is biracial. She’s half Indian and half white British.

The handling of mental illness in this book is really adept. There is a perfect combination of sympathy but also the realization that, even with a mental illness, you have to self-advocate and push yourself. I especially appreciated that getting set up with a therapist on Zoom (due to being in the Arctic) was featured. But do take the trigger warning that some traumatic events are briefly described that feature some of the darker sides of mental illness. They are a necessary part of the story, but they are there.

The settings of the Arctic and India were both wonderfully written. I truly felt like I was in both places – the good and the bad! I loved the juxtaposition of the two as well. The descriptions of the food were divine, leaving me hungry. Finally, I found myself rooting for Maya as she found footing in her career.

Overall, this was a fun reading trip to two interesting locations, featuring lots of delicious sounding food, artful and realistic depictions of mental illness, and a gal who’s about herself, rather than changing for a guy.

Instagram:
Prepare to feel hungry when you read this one! When failed chef turned University staff Maya follows her boyfriend on his post doc work to the Arctic, she finds the subzero temperatures and oddly distant boyfriend wreak havoc on her anxiety disorder. When things turn even darker, she turns to her late mother’s recipe book and finds herself cooking for Arctic adventurers but also stewing in long lost memories of her childhood in India.
This read features a biracial lead (Maya is half Indian and half white). It sounds like it’s going to be a lot about the boyfriend but actually romance is very second place to Maya coming to terms with her childhood, struggling with her career, and coping with her anxiety. It reads as delightfully British chick lit only with the focus on self actualization and very little about the guy. It also handles anxiety disorders beautifully. I particularly appreciate a few scenes with a new therapist being met on Zoom (because there aren’t many therapists in the Arctic). I was sad for this one to end.

GoodReads:
I really enjoyed this one. A great blend of escapism, fun destinations (the Arctic and India), interesting plot, and fun scenes. I also liked how different the ending is from a lot of chick lit and appreciated the treatment of mental illness, especially anxiety.

Honestly, this book had me laughing and crying. The writing is beautiful and all the descriptions of food had me starving! This book was at times quite dark and there are some trigger warnings to consider before reading.

Well what can I say, a great book. Loved the setting, I could imagine myself there. The storyline was fantastic, it kept me interested right to the end, in fact I struggled to put the book down once I got into it. The main character, Maya, was very easy to relate too. It’s made me want to see the Northern Lights even more now

I absolutely adored Dani Redd's The Arctic Curry Club, with its crazy clash of Arctic scenery and Indian flavours. A story about finding = inner strength and discovering your tribe. I particularly loved the vivid descriptions of the Arctic landscape and vibrant Indian streetscapes. A fabulous and ultimately heartwarming read, highly recommended! Many thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to this delicious novel!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my copy of The Arctic Curry Club by by Dani Redd in exchange for an honest review. It published December 9, 2021.
Oh my word, I just loved this book so much! I loved the setting, I loved learning about Svalbard, and imagining being there. I loved Maya and felt so seen with the way her anxiety was presented. I really appreciated that. Her character growth with realistic and inspiring. I loved the recipe book, the connection to food and was so hungry the whole time! This book inspired me to start a recipe book myself so I can hand down recipes.
Overall just a great book that I’ve recommended to many people.
Trigger warnings are R-rated language, some graphically described sex, anxiety, depression, suicide.

This story is heartwarming, but it's also poignant and realistic. It's a journey of self-realisation. Ultimately uplifting, but it took me a while to get into it. Maya is a complex character who endears empathy and frustration in equal measures. Peppered with deceit, humour and sadness, it engages the reader.

The research and personal experience resonate. Coupled with the original locations, and plot it's worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK in return for an honest review.

What is it with all of the books set in the freezing cold North and making me want to go there?!? I enjoyed reading about Maya’s adventure moving to the Arctic with her boyfriend. I know people take big leaps like this in life and think it would be so neat to do so!

This story had a lot of mental health representation and also discussed addiction briefly. There was a LOT of secrets that were revealed, to the point of it almost being too much. TW: suicide.

I enjoyed the parts about cooking and seeing how Maya’s brain worked when it came to trying new foods and recipes. Overall, I feel a bit on the fence about this one. I really enjoyed certain aspects (the characters, the setting), but it was so chalk full of problems that kept coming to life it was a lot and kind of too much.

As always, read it for yourself and form your own opinion!!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and Dani Redd for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the gifted book!

I thought this would be a fun wintery rom com and while it was a fun read, it is actually a book about a woman, Maya, coming into her own identity dealing with her anxiety and facing the truth hiding in her past through cooking the forgotten foods of her childhood. The descriptions of food make my mouth water and I was so rooting for so many characters throughout this book. Plus I was transported to a land of cold darkness and felt the stress of Maya as she learns to navigate her newfound life.

Content warnings: mental illness, death of a parent, anxiety, suicide, addiction, some steamy parts

I loved this book, the descriptions of Longyearbyen were suitably chilly, the recipes made my mouth water and i was craving a curry!

It's a heartwarming tale, I loved how the old recipes stirred up forgotten memories .. which in fairness needed to be brought up. I felt for Maya and the challenges she faced with her anxiety , the move to a new country with a useless boy and trying to connect to her past.

An engaging story .. but be warned causes hunger 🌶🥘🥣!

I'd definitely like to read more from this author!
Thanks so much to netgalley and Avon books for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a slightly unusual winter romance, set as it is in Artic which is usually such a romantic setting. Think Northern Lights, snow rides, beautiful snowy vistas. The land which Maya finds seems much more inhospitable than that! In near darkness for most of the day, she really struggles with the freezing conditions. However, you get to see her determination and ingenuity as she struggles to make a life for herself. The change is Maya as she grows up is the most interesting part of the story. I also loved the descriptions of life in the Artic and the range of characters she meets. As different cultures come together, Maya discovers quite a lot about her past and sees her family in a fresh way. With a touch oh humour to go with the romance, it is a refreshing festive read.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book.

Maya and Ryan have moved to Longyearbyen, in the Arctic, as Ryan has a new job. But while Ryan is living his best life Maya has given everything up.

Losing her mother at such a young age, Maya is reconnected to her roots whilst cheffing and being sent over her mother's recipes; by her father's soon-to-be new wife.

But flavours bring up long-forgotten memories and secrets are soon told. Maya must learn about her past and forgive those around her.

This novel is about finding your identity; finding your own path and making your own roots.

I loved the knowledge and culture that was written within this novel and the exploration of mental health, through anxiety as well as suicide.

This novel will not only open your eyes to different cultures but will also have your mouth watering with every word.