Holy moly! There are not enough good things I can say about this book. The exploration of family, especially through adult parent/child relationships felt so real. It's so hard to see your parents as people and for parents to see their kids as independent adults and this book did such a great job exploring those issues, along with so many other relationship dynamics. I will be recommending this over and over again. Absolutely perfect!

5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

Whew. Family drama Indian style. Although this is a specific Indian cultural story, the themes are universal. Suresh and Lata have divorced after 36 years of marriage and they are each now in the rebuilding phase of their respective lives. Suresh turns to internet dating and this provides some of the funniest moments in this humorous novel. Lata who has been the typical housewife throughout the marriage, decides to get a job and very haltingly dips her toes into the dating world. They have two adult children who have their own relationship issues that provides more amusement to what turns out to be a very entertaining and enjoyable experience. I received a DRC from Netgalley and Random House. Thank you.

This was such a wonderful story about an Indian American family navigating adulthood, marriage, divorce, romance, loneliness, children, and each other. I absolutely loved that this was told in 4 POV with Suresh, Lata, Priya, and Nikesh getting equal time. While I definitely enjoyed the kindness that came with Lata and Nikesh's chapters I appreciates the acerbic humor that cam along with Suresh and Priya. This book is essentially about family and the ups and down you experience during a lifetime of loving and losing. I thought this was a really enjoyable book with some characters I wont forget for a long time.

Good book club pick! I’m always here for more nuances stories about Indian American families but I found several of the main characters hard to root for

Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐️

Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan is a heartfelt exploration of second chances and finding yourself, no matter your age. Late Bloomers follows an Indian American family in the aftermath of the parents’ divorce. While I didn’t love all the characters, a few were definitely more enjoyable than others. And yet, that’s also what makes the novel feel so real. None of the characters are perfect—they’re messy, flawed, and often frustrating—but they’re all trying to figure their lives out in their own way. The message that it’s never too late to start over and chase happiness really hit home. Deepa Varadarajan captures the complexities of life, love, and family beautifully.

Overall, this one took a while to get into, but ended up being an honest, touching read about growth and self-discovery at any age.

Late Bloomers is a fantastic literary fiction title. If you are a fan of family sagas, this novel deserves a spot on your shelf. Varadarajan’s characters are well-rounded, and you can’t help but fall in love with them. The plot moves at a great pace and I wish I could read it for the first time again!

BOOK REVIEW ALERT – Review, Recommendation, Rating & Opinion are my own.

This book is a captivating exploration of family dynamics, personal growth, and the complexities of starting anew at different stages of life. Set in the vibrant and diverse backdrop of Texas, this novel presents an engaging narrative that intertwines humor, poignancy, and the rich tapestry of Indian-American culture.

The story revolves around the Rao family, particularly the recently divorced Suresh and his ex-wife Lata, who are trying to navigate their lives after their separation. Suresh, a retired professor, finds himself in the unfamiliar territory of online dating, while Lata, a homemaker who spent decades focusing on her family, decides to pursue her passion for art.

Their adult children, Priya and Nikesh, are also facing their own challenges. Priya is dealing with a failing marriage and the pressures of being a perfect daughter, while Nikesh struggles with his career and personal identity. As each member of the family embarks on their individual journeys, they discover that it’s never too late to redefine oneself and find new paths to happiness.

Rating – 4.0/5 Stars
Recommendation – High

The Author’s writing is both evocative and accessible, blending humor with emotional depth. Her prose is rich with cultural references and vivid descriptions that bring the setting and characters to life. The dialogue is authentic and engaging, reflecting the complexities of family relationships and personal introspection.

This book is a heartwarming and insightful read that resonates with readers on multiple levels. Deepa Varadarajan has crafted a story that is both specific in its cultural context and universal in its themes of growth, resilience, and the enduring power of family. It is a must-read for anyone seeking a thoughtful and uplifting tale of personal reinvention and the unexpected joys of starting anew.

This book follows an Indian American family after the parents get divorced. After thirty six years of marriage, Lata has had enough. As she is trying to navigate her new independent life, her ex-husband (Suresh) is figuring out online dating and how not to be alone, her daughter (Priya) is making poor choices including an affair, and her son (Nikesh) is figuring out parenthood and his own relationship problems. This is a multi-POV story that intertwines the characters stories. It's funny and frustrating, heartwarming and hopefully. I appreciated each character's story and POV. At the heart of the story is a love story about family and that a good family doesn't have to be a perfect one.

I tried to get into this book, but I just couldn’t. I didn’t find the characters interesting. I went back to it a few times, but finally had to give up.

Late Bloomers is about the fallout in an Indian-American family when the parents split up after 36 years of an arranged marriage. As the parents dive into the world of online dating and romantic flirtation at an older age.

Both heartfelt and humorous, this book touches on universal challenges of families.

I rate this book 4 stars. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.

This was cute, sad, and even hilarious at times. I feel it was a true depiction of a typical American family dealing with a later in life divorce which includes curious (aka jealous) ex spouses, first dates after 30+ years of marriage, online dating, and adult kids still playing the roles of their younger selves around their parents. It was an easy, quick read. I wasn’t blown away, but it was enjoyable.

Not the usual kind of book I expect about a desi family, so it was a nice surprise. I liked that the author covered quite relatable but also not really found frequently in south Asian media themes like infidelity, online dating, children out of wedlock, divorce in old age etc. Overall a pleasant enough read but not really memorable after a while.

The four members of the Raman family provide the reader with a glimpse into their lives. At first, they are separated, each living their own life– but as the narrative progresses, they come together and have to spend time with each other as a quartet for the first time in many years. Furthermore, they are all keeping secrets from each other. Some are relatively benign and others are more serious.

I found myself captivated by each character’s story arc. While some were not particularly likeable at times, I never found myself bored by a chapter and/or wishing I could move on to the next character’s storyline. That said, if I had to pick a favourite, I would have to go with Lata, who is considering dating for the first time in her life (her marriage was arranged) and has no idea how to proceed with finding love after her divorce.

I don’t want to diminish the power of the written word: this is an amazing debut, but I would love to see this book made into a limited series on a streaming network. There’s plenty of melodrama, and the characters are all fully fleshed out and have plausible motivations that fuel their actions and interactions with the people in their respective narratives.

I would absolutely recommend Late Bloomers. I loved not knowing what was going to happen next or how the others would react to secrets being revealed. I am looking forward to reading more from Varadarajan in the future.


I received a digital ARC of this book from Random House/NetGalley

DNF. I just couldn’t get into this book. I really wanted to enjoy this book as a POC I enjoy reading about other cultures, however these characters were just too weak for me. They had no backbone and everyone acted naive. I get that in some cultures being a more submissive type is part of the culture, but for every character even the American born kids to be so unsure of themselves was just not something I could get into.

I thought this was funny, a little snarky, and filed with family drama. I wish the characters had been more likeable and that the story itself fleshed out more, but it was an enjoyable read for sure. I would read this author again.

"Late Bloomers" by Deepa Varadarajan was alright. I liked the premise of the novel but ultimately didn't really enjoy it. I found the characters selfish and honestly didn't see much growth by the end. I'm not sure if I had difficulty relating to them because of my age, race, culture, experiences in life or for some other reason. Someone else could love it. But, it wasn't for me.

Thank you to netgalley for giving me access to a free arc of this book. Funny and tender, this had me clutching my chest from laughing so hard.

Started off strong but didn't finish. I plan on picking it back up in the future and trying again. Thank you for the opportunity.

3.5 rounded to 4 because I appreciate the flawed characters and realistic ending
Suresh and Lata divorced after 36 years of marriage and now are navigating dating, just like their children Priya and Nikesh. Each character experiences their new normal a bit differently with plenty of missteps and victories along the way. And they each deal with regrets and navigate their new normal while interacting with each other.
The story contains plenty of Indian culture, including arranged marriages, food and relationship customs. Although I'm not Indian, I could relate to the feelings, motivations and actions of each character.
I really like the realness of each character. They're flawed humans. And the story doesn't feature a fairy tale ending, which I really like because life is messy and perfect for second chances and late bloomers!

These types of stories are literally made for me. I resonate so being a late bloomer so I was really looking forward to reading and this did not disappoint. One of my favorites Ive read in a while! Felt all the emotions.