The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Three generations of strong willed women take on life love and everything in between.

I was generally intrigued because it’s from Mindy’s Book Studio and she’s amazing. Glad I did because it was funny and touching. How could you not love Binji/ Bindu

3.5/5 stars. I enjoy reading books by this author. I think the storyline for this book was a phenomenal idea. Seeing the intergenerational concerns and progress across three generations of Desai women was inspiring and extremely insightful. But like with the other books I've read by her, there were portions of the story that felt too long and drawn out. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I will continue to read from this author in the future, but they could benefit from some editing of unneeded content moving forwards.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Honestly - this book is amazing. The best thing about it is that it was absolutely hilarious even when it shouldn’t have been.

Death isn’t funny, but this book sure took the view of handling tragedy with an “inappropriate” dose of humor and ran with it. I LOVED IT. I am 100% here for it. Possibly because that’s how I handle it as well - my grandma passed earlier this year and her funeral was full of laughter - sure there were tears too, but the inappropriate humor is how we all deal. Maybe this book just helped me feel seen.

Anyway, the family dynamic in this book is also amazing. They’re such a fun and open group and it’s impossible not to love them. It’s great how they all band together for each other and really give off that “girl power” vibe without actually screaming “girl power”.

The drama in this book was real. They dealt with some deep stuff but they handled it as a family and it was handled amazing with that dose of potentially inappropriate humor again.

I really really enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Well written, well formed believable characters and a storyline that grabs you from the minute you open the book. An absolute must read!

I absolutely loved this book. At its core, the lesson is about living life on your own terms. And the characters that the author provided for this journey are nothing short of incredible.
I will be recommending this to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for the ARC!

I have seen this book everywhere and was SO excited to be able to read! I loved this beautiful heartwarming story. It was delightful and beautiful and really showed love and family dynamics in a beautiful way.

I had heard such good things about this book and I have already loved books by this author that I could not wait to request it when I saw it was still available. Unfortunately, I just could not get into the first few chapters. The characters at the retirement home seemed to be very interesting and I was interested in learning more about them, but it just wasn't enough to keep me holding on.

I feel as though it may not have been the right time for me to read this book. I may try again at a different time.

The Vibrant Years is the latest from Sonali Dev. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover. I really loved her previous book series featuring The Rajes. The Vibrant Years is a funny, multi-generational story of love and family. It follows Bindu (mother-in-law to Aly/grandma to Cullie), Aly (Cullie’s mom), and Cullie (grandma/daughter) as they deal with romance and work challenges. Bindu is living in a condo alone for the first time, Aly is navigating discrimination at work, and Cullie is fighting to save a mental health app that she is passionate about. The three women are so connected and will do anything to help each other- but Bindu has been hiding a secret for many years that is about to come to light...

Bindu was my favorite character! I appreciated the slow unraveling of her deeply-held secret. No matter what issues she faced, she managed to prioritize her family and independence. I loved how she was always there for Aly and the strong role she took in raising Cullie. The dialogue was lighthearted and funny. Sonali Dev excels at crafting intricate family stories that are compelling to read. The Vibrant Years is a hilarious and romantic story. I would recommend it to anyone! Thank you so much to Sonali Dev, Mindy’s Book Studio, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

🌙 BOOK / REVIEW 🌙

I get a LOT of #bookmail (and half of the time I don't remember requesting them 🤣) but this one came as a complete surprise to me! I have about 18373 books by @sonali.dev on my kindle that are begging to be read, so as soon as I received #thevibrantyears, I put everything aside to read it.

This was such a fantastic book. I loved how strong, powerful, quirky, supportive and loving all 3 female characters were. It was very hard to choose a favorite, but I think Bindu or Cullie stole the show (depending on the chapter.) I loved the ebb and flow of this story, not to mention how many incredible emotions this one evoked. I feel like this would be an excellent movie or mini series. A true treasure! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This is a very sweet, humorous but thoughtful, multi-generational story about three women of Indian heritage - Bindu, a sixty five year old grandmother who moves into a posh retirement community where she begins to live the life she missed living for 35+ years; her daughter-in-law Alisha, a 47 year old reporter who dreams of becoming more successful at work while her less-than-supportive husband leaves her to search for his own dreams; and, her daughter Cullie, a 25 year old coding wizard who is will lose everything she has achieved unless she can come up with another successful app.

The three, who are already close, are brought closer when Bindu experiences a crisis that makes each woman reassess how they would like to live their lives.

The relationships between the three women are heartwarming. The efforts they go to help each other are refreshing and their banter is what makes the story so entertaining.

It's definitely a refreshing, easy read with some very insightful moments on which everyone can reflect.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for granting me a digital ARC of this wonderful book by Sonali Dev, the first book selection by Mindy Kaling - 5 stars!

Bindu inherits a million dollars and the 65-year-old decides to move into an expensive retirement community in Florida, leaving the home of Aly, her ex-daughter-in-law, whom she has been living with for decades. Aly is crushed but also dealing with work disappointments, as she is passed over for on-air journalism assignments at the TV station where she works. Aly's daughter, Cullie, living in California, and fighting for the integrity of the wellness app she created. She pitches a new app idea to the company as a negotiation tactic - they love it, but Cullie hasn't even started developing this new dating app. When Cullie is called back to Florida after an incident with Bindu, she enlists her mom and grandmother in helping her.

At its heart, this is just a wonderful story of love between these three generations of strong Indian women. It's figuring out what they want their life to look like, and how to make that happen. It's about the issues of sexism, racism, agism. I loved each of these characters in different ways - this book will have you laughing and cheering them on! This would be a great book club selection.

When I learned that Mindy Kaling's book studio was involved the publication of this book, I knew I had to read it. I love everything Mindy Kaling works on, and this did not disappoint.

Plot:
This book is about three generations of women coming together when a criss hits. Bindu is the oldest of the generations and has just inherited A LOT of money. Aly, was once married to Bindu’s son, and is now having a hard time at her job being recognized for her work. Lastly, there is Cullie, Aly's daughter, who promised her company an app she hasn't even started yet. Each of these women have a lot on their plate, and it's a really fun journey to read. I found myself relating to Aly and Cullie the most.

What I loved most about this book was the insights and commentary on female relationships and the emotional depth of this book. I found myself laughing out loud at times, crying at others, and smiling at the bonds between the women featured in this story. I can't wait to see what this author writes next!

What a beautiful story. The summary really does it no justice but I don't know how any summary could have fully described the love and wit and heart in 'The Vibrant Years'. Sonali Dev is one of my favorite authors and this is one of her greatest works yet. Three generations of women, each with their own secrets and paths to travel, ultimately have one constant: each other. Their stories are so beautifully wound together, characters built upon one another like perfect pieces of a puzzle. I loved this book. You've got to read it!


Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy's Book Studio for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shady Palms - put me in mind of my beloved Golden Girls Shady Pines that Dorothy was forever threatening Sophia with, and with that in mind I dove into the newest title by Somali Dev, an author who has become a favorite of mine, her titles are an automatic read because I always enjoy them so much.

How I feel about The Vibrant Years is no different from how I’ve felt for the past titles of Ms. Dev’s that I’ve read - I loved it! Bindu Desai, Aly Desai, and Cullie Desai, three generations of women - lead this story wonderfully. These characters are so richly and beautifully written, I want to be friends with these women, given how masterfully Ms. Dev has crafted them and breathed life into them. Sonali Dev - what can I say; I absolutely love her stories and her writing ❤️

Recommended.

What a total delight!
This book was light and humorous, with deep core values of love, family, unconditional support and one hell of a fabulous grandma!

I loved this so much. This was such a fun read, different from others I've read and was effortlessly fabulous!

This novel follows the romances of three generations of women from the same family. The POV alternates among all three which feels choppy at times. The best parts are when the women interact with each other.

Three generations of women are featured in this story. The challenges each woman faces are tough, but they continue to persevere. I really enjoyed the sense of family and the way each woman struggled to overcome obstacles.

A multigenerational story about three women trying to live their best lives with the help of friendship and laughter.

The story shined brightest when the characters were interacting. The genuineness of their relationships was well written. The pacing of the story was a bit sporadic with some chapters flying by and others meandering. Some of the humor felt forced but the bones of the story was solid.

I do not recall ever reading a Sonali Dev book but it happened and I enjoyed it. The Vibrant Years is a story of three different women from different generations coming together and living their best lives. It's an incredible story about Bindu the grandmother who is just so glamorous , Aly an ex daughter in law of Bindu who is good as invisible at work and a daring and ambitious tech whiz-kid Cullie. This book is about family, friendships and inner strength. Everyone should read it!

I received a complimentary copy and thus all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Three generations of Indian-American women - all now single - start dating in this fun book set in Naples, Florida. Although mostly light with lots of humorous moments, at its core this book is about family, love, regrets, and secrets.