3.5/5

Another reviewer said it best, this book has strong Crazy, Stupid, Love vibes. Everyone’s going through it in this Indian-American family and miscommunication and antics ensue. Each chapter rotates between the four family members’ point of view - the recently divorced parents, Suresh and Lata, and their adult children, Nikesh and Priya. Overall, this comedy-drama is a heartwarming, light read that made me chuckle several times. As a child of divorce there were definitely some moments that resonated, but I think everyone will relate to this family in some way!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

This is a fascinating book; equal parts funny, heartbreaking, and infuriating. I found myself instantly sucked into the story of Suresh, Lata, and their adult children. The author used different POVs in each chapter to give insight into each family member's thoughts and motivations while moving the story along at a good pace. The shifting perspective helped me understand the main characters, even though I really didn't like any of them besides Lata for the vast majority of the book. By the end, though. I was rooting for all of the flawed and fractured family members.

Late Bloomers is an honest, raw and charming example of how complicated families can be. The Raman family finds themselves at various crossroads in their individual lives while they remain intertwined with one another in a way that only nuclear families can. Told in alternating storylines between the recently divorced couple Suresh and Lata and their grown children Priya and Nikesh, Late Bloomers packs in a multitude of complex realities and topics. From marriage to divorce, love and infidelity, career ambitions and children there is something for everyone. I struggled at times to say that I enjoyed Late Bloomers, as the story is messy and honest, but it’s one when I finished I was glad I pushed through. Late Bloomers is an accurate portal of how grief influences us all and a truthful story of how hearts can long for different versions of love.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The whole book is about a family who never talks to each other because they aren't really honest with themselves either. It was fine. I didn't really want to spend any time with any of them, but I was rooting for them. If the ending had been just slightly less manic, I would have liked this more.

Deepa Varadarajan’s début novel, Late Bloomers (@penguinusa, out in May) follows the ups and (many) downs of the Raman family, first- and second-generation Indian-Americans whose lives are upended when Lata and Suresh, the sixty-ish year-old parents, divorce: a decision that forces all four family members (Lata, Suresh, and their two adult children) to confront their own questionable life choices. Internet dating at sixty. Flawed parenting. An affair with a married man. Being in love with an ex-partner. How to be honest with themselves and their loved ones — all of these are challenges with which the main characters must grapple. They are all flawed and endearing in their own ways, which makes them deeply relatable. It’s the kind of novel that will stick with readers long after they’ve finished reading.

“Late Bloomers” is a novel about a dysfunctional Indian American family. Suresh and Lala recently ended their traditional, arranged marriage of 30+ years, while their adult son and daughter struggle with their own relationships. The story is told from the point of view of all 4 characters. They are all keeping secrets. Initially, I had no sympathy for any of the characters except Lala. But as the story progresses and we see the motivation behind bad behavior and growth in the characters I came to root for them all.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

This was an interesting family story! It's told through several perspectives of this Indian American family: the parents, newly divorced and entering the dating world, and their two adult children who have their own relationship issues. The characters are a bit quirky, and the story itself sometimes is a little silly, but it's definitely a fun read, and I'll read more from this author!

Late Bloomers is a book focused on an American Indian family, where parents, Suresh and Lata have recently divorced after 30+ years of marriage. Both parents struggle with their “singledom”, Suresh striking out with online dating and Lata’s world upturned when she is asked out on a date by a professor at her job. Also, both adult children, unbeknownst to the parents, are struggling with their own personal lives. Oldest daughter, 35 year old Priya, is in a relationship with a married man that she is in love with, but deep down knows he may not ever leave his wife for her and her opportunities for a family are slipping away. And younger brother Nikesh, seemingly has the perfect life as a high powered attorney in New York, “supposedly” married, and with a one-year-old son is also struggling silently with his relationship.

I really enjoyed how this book was presented, with each chapter being the POV of each character. The reader was able to become really invested in each character. The book was overall very entertaining and relatable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read an advanced eCopy.

First of all, makes me insanely happy to read work by a South Indian (Tamilian) author and see so many aspects of the South Indian experience represented.

This is the story of Lata and Suresh, a couple who were in an arranged married for 36 years and decided to get divorced. We get many funny moments as we follow Suresh and Lata trying to date again, and many heartbreaking ones as we learn about the guilts and regrets that come with emigrating to the US and leaving your life behind in India.

We also get the POVs of their adult children, Priya and Nikesh, who have successful careers but are navigating chaotic love lives.

This manages to be both silly and poignant as it touches on complicated parent-child dynamics and marital issues. It also reminds its South Asian readers, like me, to empathize with their parents' perspectives a little more :)

This is a lovely book about family dynamics, adults realizing their parents have their own lives , hopes, and desires, and vice versa. A fast read, alternating between each of the four main characters, each distinct and with their own struggles and issues. I enjoyed this book very much!

A book about complicated South Asian family life and dynamics? Sign me up! While I had some grievances with the narration being first person, overall I really enjoyed this. Suresh, Lata, Priya, and Nikesh are perfectly imperfect, and remind me that no one's really got it all figured out, and that we're all just trying our best. These characters and their decisions had me feeling frustrated at times, and in some cases infuriated. But by the end, I found them to be endearing nonetheless. I appreciate that Varadarajan was willing to go to some pretty ugly and disdainful places as far as their thoughts and feelings went; and as a South Asian person, I appreciated the various themes of family, love, forgiveness, and societal pressures that this story addresses. I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys character-drive stories and reading about the South Asian experience.

Charming and sweet, this book caught me by surprise. Modern family drama that is at once singular and universal. I can't wait to read more from Deepa Varadarajan!

A mostly sweet, peppy family drama book! Perfect for vacation or winter break for a little escape. This is a family that has big feelings and it's nice to lose yourself in that for a few hours. We had divorces, cheating, arranged marriages, and pretty much any other relationship drama you can think of. I felt like the alternating narrators had distinct voices, no small task in such a close-knit story!

What a lovely tale of love later in life. I think this would be a great book club book for all ages. It would be a good discussion on finding love at various stages in life and how it's approached with maturity. Solid book!

Love Late Bloomers. I feel it the most relatable book I have read this year. We all have up and downs and want to know if your life is over because of one mistake or mishap and this book shows that you can start over at any age and change your dreams. It is inspiring and sad at the same time.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciated this story. As a late bloomer myself I connected to the characters. Would definitely reccommend.

I had a hard time with this book. Maybe I am not the writer's intended audience? I spent a lot of time thinking, "I don't like any of these characters."

This is a story about a family, definitely deeply flawed, falling apart and trying to find ways to hold themselves together. It's like they are all having simultaneous mid-life crises while thinking horribly uncharitable thoughts about each other. I wanted more from their various relationships, but I guess they didn't have the capacity for that; they were all too selfish.

It did end on a hopeful note, but it kind of felt unfinished.

The writing was good, and the characters in and of themselves, were fairly interesting. I may have enjoyed it more had it been told from a single perspective.

* I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

Books! Sometimes they are a four course meal and sometimes they are an amuse bouche. Late Bloomers is an amuse bouche. Sometimes you are happy not having a heavy meal. I found the book to be entertaining, peopled by pleasant characters, and, as a bonus, including a smattering of exotic culture all adding up to a satisfying diversion.

I adored Late Bloomers. It was an engrossing novel about a recently divorced couple who was now dealing with online dating, their adult children, and finding new independence in their 60s. Regardless of their title, they must realize that family becomes the most important aspect of life!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel!

First, I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy. This book was an enjoyable read and different from my normal fiction choices. I do like that this book had different character perspectives and their own voices. However, sometimes the voices didn't have enough variation between the characters. The miscommunication trope was interesting and I do love that the story tied up some loose ends, but also left the reader enough uncertainty to their own imagination. I loved the added Indian cultural experience by the usage of certain terms, arranged marriage information, and mentioning of various foods. This book is well done and enjoyable.