It is not very often I finish a book in a day, but this was so good, that I did just that. Having read a chapter on Christmas day, I put it down until the 28th December. In one night, I went from 5% to 100% - I just could not put it down.

Initially, I loved reading about the things that really stressed Maya and made her freak out. It made me feel a little more normal how she catastrophised everything but couldn't see how brave she was for moving her life to the Arctic! I have never wanted to go to the Arctic, not that I have a loathing of it, it is just not somewhere that I have ever thought of to visit. Reading about the Northern lights, the sleds pulled by dogs and the snow mobils has made me all of a sudden desperate to go.

Then, I loved reading about India - having visited there 16 years ago, it brought back amazing memories and I felt utterly submerged. Discovering Maya's family history was emotional and I felt as invested as the character.

My heart broke upon returning to the Arctic, but not that I was surprised. This was where we saw a shift in Maya though and I was truly cheering for her.

This really is an uplifting read that will make you crave Indian food! It is so easy to read and I loved the characters, I really connected well to all of them but in particularly to Maya. A 5* read for me, I binge read this and ended up staying up until midnight just to get to the end.

Many thanks to #Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this shiver inducing story and the journey the main protagonist made towards knowing herself and what she wanted in life whilst surviving in the freezing Arctic. I liked the way this book was written in first person so we could clearly join Maya’s thought processes on her internal voyage of self discovery. This isn’t a classic ‘girl meets boy & all her troubles are over’ tale either and I found that very refreshing.

This book is about Maya, who moves in the Arctic with her boyfriend who got a research job on polar bears. The mood is light, and full of drama. I liked reading Maya's character because it's so relatable to me in terms of her anxiety disorder. It felt so real and I could picture myself in her. The author, despite this being her debut, wrote amazingly well. Maya is an awkward lady, really kind and full of life. Her love for food drew me in, and I was in awe at all the beautiful dishes she prepared. A character I despise is her boyfriend and I really wished he got more than what he got at the end. That man is a nasty manipulator. The book is fast paced and we get to see both the beautiful Arctic (which I've never got to know in terms of weather conditions) and the awesome India. Some flashbacks are seen, which helped in showing Maya's mom and who she was back then. A wonderful cook, who had some mental problems hence her severe anxiousness, it's obvious that's why Maya grew up with her disorder.

The book has a happy ending, Maya becoming a chef once again and finding out the mystery behind her mother's death. It was an enjoyable read, even though at times, it was slow and was hard for me to continue.

Thank you very much to Netgalley, the Publisher and the author for the arc copy of this book.

This one just wasn't my cup of tea. I needed a little pick me up, but this wasn't it. This isn't a fluffy read. It deals with though topics.
Just couldn't enjoy in reading it. 3 stars.

On first impressions, looking at the cover I expected a light hearted Christmas romance. However, I found this to be the opposite. The book follows Maya who suffers from depression, anxiety, memory loss and panic attacks.
I found the first half of the book slow going, but it picked up on the second half.
It was an ok read in my opinion.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this read.

I read this as part of my Christmas reads, and whilst it’s not technically a Christmas themed book, there’s enough snow to make it feel like it should be! This book is based mainly in the Arctic where Maya and her boyfriend Ryan move to for Ryan’s work. We also have a visit to Maya’s family in India and the alternating climate within the story is great! You go from freezing cold to baking hot all in the turn of a page! I liked Maya’s character and really felt for her throughout. I disliked Ryan more as the book moved on and whilst Maya’s character grew and grew, Ryan’s definitely went down in my estimation.

Judging the book by its cover, I was expecting a light hearted romantic comedy. It was however completely different to what I expected. It had its lighter moments dotted throughout, but the storyline did cover some quite serious topics and these were quite emotional at times. Maya was really struggling with things for the majority of the book, which was quite sad as she was a character who you really wanted to have a good life. I loved both the Arctic and Indian storylines equally, but the common denominator of Maya’s mum’s Indian recipe book definitely brought the two stories together. I loved reading and hearing about all the delicious Indian recipes which Maya’s mum had gathered over her life. I know the standard curries which everyone does, but there were some weird and wonderful ones which Maya cooked and these definitely set my taste buds going.

There are some trigger points of mental health issues, loss and grief, but these are dealt with sensitively. It’s also a story of love, life and friendships. For me though, the storyline was a little slow to start with and there were moments when I wished Maya would just go home. However, by the time I got to the end of the book I was definitely well into her story and was sad to leave the Arctic behind! The locations were great and I loved the hustle and bustle of India compared to the quietness and serenity of the Arctic. This was a moving and emotional read, but one which I enjoyed.

An easy read, but a story with heart, and great characters. Lots going on in this book, and by the end you'll feel you've made new friends.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I was looking for a book to distract me, something besides the usual. This was definitely it! It’s filled with interesting characters who deal with the some of the same problems we all do and it described some of their coping strategies. The descriptions of the food were so detailed and sounded delicious!

Quick plot summary, Maya, an British Indian girl and a chef, goes with her boyfriend Ryan to a fellowship in northern Denmark, near the Arctic Circle. She lost her mother when she was young and her English father moved to India. It’s dark 24 hours a day, colder than she had imagined, and she’s way out of her depth. She gets an offer to cook for the expedition customers and starts preparing Indian food, which is a huge hit.

She goes to India for her father’s wedding to a woman she knew as a child, and discovers things she never knew about her mother. She gets her mother’s recipe book as well. When she returns to the Arctic, she starts holding Supper Clubs which are very popular.

This book focuses on Maya finding herself and her strength under very difficult circumstances. I enjoyed it very much, 4 stars. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I expected chick lit but got so much more. The protagonist struggles with anxiety and discovers her own family history and much about her heritage in this book. The setting in the Arctic is different and kind of helps set things into perspective. It’s after all a quiet place that makes you think but at the same time you can’t rest as you have to constantly work hard to stay warm and battle the darkness outside. Wonderful metaphor to the darkness on the inside. It’s not a Christmas novel and not a feel good romance. I’d describe it as a coming of age story about one woman’s personal journey and struggles. As someone who loves food all the descriptions of Indian cuisine were a wonderful added bonus.

Although it wasn’t quite the fluffy romance I was expecting, I very much enjoyed this debut novel from Dani Redd.

When Maya follows her hunky researcher boyfriend to the Arctic, she struggles to find joy in a place with zero sunlight and a constant threat of vicious polar bear attacks.

But after returning from a brief trip to India to find her beau in bed with another woman, Maya finds her place among a closeted gay couple and a recovering drug addict.

And with their support, “The Arctic Curry Club” is born.

As Maya builds confidence in her skills, memories from her past begin to resurface, threatening everything she believed to be true about her early life.

There’s a little bit of magic in each new dish she makes, triggering visceral flashbacks and revealing the truth about her mother.

But is Maya ready for the truth?

As someone also living with anxiety, I found the protagonist’s voice to be so authentic and relatable.

I mean, I also make countless lists to help me to feel some semblance of order and control. And the snowballing negative thoughts is definitely a thing.

I also love that Maya is able to find happiness beyond romance. Really, this is a story about learning to take risks and to love yourself.

And that I am totally here for.

Maya moves with her boyfriend to the Arctic where her anxiety is exacerbated by sub-zero temperatures and 24-hour darkness. Maya begins cooking her late mother’s Indian food for the first time, and she begins to remember parts of her life she had blocked out. Through her cooking, she makes friends, secures a job as a chef, and life in the Arctic no longer freezes her with fear. Can Maya face the past and forge a future for herself and the Arctic Curry Club in this new town?

While I have absolutely no desire to move to the Arctic to find myself, I enjoyed this story about finding yourself and your footing in a new place. I did feel like this book was a little long in places, and I disagreed with Maya stance on medicine for managing her anxiety. Don’t let the sweet cover fool you - this is an emotionally intense story. Overall, this was heart-warming reading.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my ARC!

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I went into this thinking it was going to be a cute festive romance, oh boy was I wrong. This feels like a very honest mistake to make as I have seen other people say the same thing so I’m not a complete idiot for thinking this was going to be way fluffier than it was.

The Arctic Curry Club was a hard read at times. There was basically no romance and the anxiety talk hit a little too close to home for my liking. I have no issue with characters having mental health issues, as that’s realistic, but it was a bit much at times.

With that being said I didn’t dislike this book at all. It was a very good read, but not what the cover set my expectations for.

Surprisingly a good chunk of The Arctic Curry Club was actually set in India. Absolutely no complaints from me though because those were the best parts. I loved reading about all the different foods and sights that Maya was trying and seeing for the first time.

The food was a huge reason why I enjoyed this book. Everything sounded amazing. So much so that I had to order Indian food one night whilst reading because it made me so hungry.

Character-wise this book was ok. A few, Ryan included, were quite two-dimensional and really weren’t imperative to the story. Especially considering Maya didn’t start remembering things from her past until she was in India again.

I did like this book, but it did fall flat for me at times. Going into it and expecting cute romance and cosy nights in the arctic meant I was quite disappointed with the lack thereof. However, it was very well written and could become a favourite for a lot of people.

I really enjoyed reading this lovely book from start to finish, it was different but very well written. How the author came up with this idea I will never know but I am so glad that she did. Very well written and I loved it. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

This book had wonderful atmosphere! I felt completely situated in the arctic with Maya! I enjoyed this book, but I think it was too busy. There was a lot going on, and I think it made everything feel somewhat put together rather than fully fleshed out for the reader. Overall a good read, but I would have liked to see a few less conflicts to overcome at one time.

This book is the debut novel from Dani Redd, and it is a great story which highlights the effects that anxiety can have on someone, and how having the right support or the wrong support can impact this.

I found this aspect of the book great in being able to show this and is done sensitively. The way that the author has shown the effects through real life and through a character who you fall in love with and route for from the start makes it more accessible to those reading.

Maya moved to the Arctic with her boyfriend for his job and finds herself isolated and unable to control her anxiety. She flies off to India for her father’s wedding where she is given her late mother’s recipe book. Her trip to India brings back lots of childhood memories and she uncovers a truth which has been buried over the years.

Maya’s mothers cook book is full of Indian recipes and the description of these when Maya starts making them back in the Arctic is just incredible, they sound delicious and have me drooling.

Uncovering the truth in India and the memories that cooking her mother’s recipes brings back ables Maya to process things and in doing so she uncovers who she is and becomes more comfortale in being herself.

This book is about self-discovery and is a heartwarming read. Although it does make you crave a curry. I can’t wait to read more from Dani.

I am really sorry but, I did not enjoy this book. So much so that after 3 weeks of battling to read it I have given up at about the 60% marker. I suffer from anxiety and have read lots of stories that have this as a subject matter and enjoyed them but this was a very difficult read. I could foresee what was going to happen with her boyfriend, it was obvious that her dad was keeping secrets regarding her mum and I found the constant use of fuck very unimaginative. I was under the impression that an author would use a large vocabulary but, not in this case. I have read other reviews and know that they have enjoyed this book but, unfortunately it just was not for me.

A cute wintery read, with new beginnings and found family, feels.

This was a great read highlighting some heavy topics.

The pacing was slightly off for me and the timeline jumps could be quite jarring but over all, it was a good little read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Dani Redd for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This is the story of Ryan and Maya who up sticks and move to the artic for Ryan’s work. Maya calls into a depression due to isolation and loneliness, this rekindles her love for cooking.

This is a story about love, friendship and family. It is moving and heart-wrenching, a lovely festive read. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by Dani.

One of the best books I've read in a while. Dani Redd treated mental health issues with the utmost respect and I love her for it. Some of the feelings of acute anxiety Maya experiences are things I've grown up suffering through without knowing I had anxiety and no one told me until I sought professional help at the age of 28. I'm glad Dani Redd speaks so clearly about how mental illness is an issue and it cannot be continued to be brushed under the rug. I will write a detailed review for my bookstagram (@booksnher) and a national newspaper. Will post links.

THE ARTIC CURRY CLUB by DANI REDD.

They say never judge a book by it’s cover, and this book proves that theory to be correct. If i’m honest, I expected a bit of a feel good rom com, but this book delivered a far deeper story.

When Maya’s boyfriend, Ryan takes up a job in an Artic town monitoring Polar Bears, Maya packs her bags and goes along with him.
While Ryan thrives in the new environment, Maya isn’t as keen.
Struggling with her own anxiety Maya finds life in the Artic hard going, with it’s freezing temperatures, long dark days and the threat of attack from the local wildlife.
At her lowest point Maya looks to her Indian heritage for comfort and opens up her late mother’s cookbook.
Finding she has a skill for Indian cookery, life takes an upward turn for Maya as she begins to make friends and finds a job.
Having to make a trip back to India for a family wedding, Maya comes face to face with the past and some well kept family secrets.
Can Maya return to the Artic, and build a new life for herself?

My only real criticism of this book, would be that it has so much going on. I did have to keep going back and re reading bits to keep myself up to speed. In places it felt a bit cluttered. That aside, I really did enjoy this book. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it that made the journey all the more interesting.
Maya’s anxiety was written with real empathy and sensitivity. From real life experience, I can also say that Maya’s anxiety was realistic and truthful.

Overall, this book is a journey. Maya’s journey, to hopefully find her happy place and best life. Does she achieve this??? Weol you’ll have to read it and find out.

I do have to mention the fabulous food descriptions. Word of advice… don’t read on an empty stomach!

An engaging read, sympathetic, emotional and touching, with some heavenly food.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to #NetGalley and #Avon for an arc of #TheArticCurryClub by #DaniRedd.