Lies and Other Love Languages by Sonali Dev is an emotional story of three women who are connected to each other. But this connection is hidden underneath layers of secrets and pain.

Set in LA, Mallika has a loving family, but she feels that she doesn't belong in her high achieving family. Vandana is a successful columnist but is always anxious for her daughter. And who is the other woman, Rani?

This book explores friendships, belonging, motherhood, and the cultural expectations of a family. It is very emotional, but at the same time, a story of selflessness.

Thank you, Lake Union Publishing, for this book.

CW: Infertility, miscarriages, anxiety, childhood trauma

It took me quite awhile to get through this one, I may just not have been in the right mindset. (I swore at one point it must be a 500 pager - it’s not, it’s 350). It just felt like it dragged on for too long, and I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters. Obviously others might feel differently (that’s what’s so great about books!) - so if the summary sounds good to you, then read it! For me, it’s just not my favorite.

“If a lie caused no harm, how could it be worse than a truth that did?”

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for the advanced digital copy of this book. All opinions below are my own.

Lies and Other Love Languages is a well-written, thought-provoking family drama with more layers than a crepe cake. Sonali Dev adeptly weaves through multiple POVs and timelines as we attempt to solve a mystery surrounding three interconnected women, caught in a tangled web of secrets. The novel explores various themes such as class, race, loyalty and grief.

Is honesty really the best policy? Under which circumstances are lies acceptable? Can deceit ever be a kindness? Where do we draw the line between altruism and narcissism? How far are we willing to go in pursuit of perfection or for the love of another? Can tragedy propel you forward towards a better life or clarified sense of self? I found myself pondering these questions through the very end.

While I found the mystery element predictable, I enjoyed the journey through time getting to know these women as they became a found family. Each character felt authentic and had their own unique flaws. They may not have always been likable but I was rooting for a positive outcome for all of them nonetheless. It was also interesting to get a glimpse into Indian culture.

I would like to note a few trigger warnings concerning infertility, pregnancy loss and infidelity. If these topics are sensitive ones for you, I would avoid or proceed with caution. Otherwise, I wholly recommend this for an intriguing story about female friendship and platonic devotion.

A lovely story about, yes, lies, and family. It unfolds like an onion-layer by layer- until the reader understands Mallika, Rani and Vandy, all of whom tell their stories. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

🦇 Lies and Other Love Languages Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ How did mothers go from being rocks you relied on to being the rocks you had to climb over to make your own way? ❞

❓ #QOTD What traits have you picked up from the women around you? ❓

🦇 When Vandy Guru's daughter Mallika suddenly disappears, she becomes frantic to find her, unaware that Mallika doesn't WANT to be found. Tired of failure and life as the family black sheep, Mallika signs up for a genetic study (run by the man she not-so-secretly loves), only for the results to unravel her life. Rewind the clock and we meet Rani; a woman with a troubled past who becomes far more than Vandy's best friend. In Vandy's journey to find Mallika, and Mallika's quest to find answers, both are forced to confront the secrets of Vandy's past. Separately, these three women journey from LA to Mumbai to discover who they truly are.

❝ All my life I had defined myself as one person. Then I thought I didn’t even know who I was. Now I don’t want to define myself. I don’t want to label what I can and cannot do and be. I just want to do and be. ❞

💜 Sonali Dev is a MASTER at weaving three related timelines and POVs into one seamless, heartfelt story. This story blurs the lines between friends and family in a tale of love, sacrifice, and secrets. As with her previous novel, The Vibrant Years, this story creates a tangled web between three generations of women before guiding readers on a journey of revelation. There's a distinct artistry in Dev's prose that draws you in and keeps you enamored page after page, but truly, it's the heart infused throughout her stories that captivates. I've read 80 books so far this year, but this is the first to trigger tears.

🦇 Maybe it's because I've read Dev's previous works (she's an auto-buy for me, so if you haven't already, I totally recommend The Rages Series), but I anticipated the reveals sooner than I liked. Both the name mix-up and Vandy's secret weren't big surprises. The little breadcrumbs are perfectly laid out, but I'm sure avid readers can recognize where the story is going with just a taste. Really, it's the last few chapters that kept me from awarding this five stars. Without getting into spoilers, I feel that Rani's secret was misplaced. Her actions in one of the story's last chapters felt out of character. It wasn't a surprise reveal so much as a disappointment.

🦇 Recommended to anyone who loves powerful stories about family, female friendship, finding your purpose, and love. If you haven't read any of Sonali Dev's books yet, I recommend adding them to your TBR ASAP. They're not to be missed.

✨ The Vibes ✨
💜 Family Drama
💜 Twists and Turns
💜 Female Relationships
💜 Self-Discovery
💜 Multiple POVs/Timelines
💜 Contemporary Fiction

🦇 Major thanks to the author @sonali.dev and publisher @amazonpublishing for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #LiesandOtherLoveLanguages #SonaliDev

{2,5 ⭐️}

I've already read some of Sonali's books, so I was excited to read Lies And Other Love Languages, but unfortunately, despite it being a very well-written book with a super interesting plot, I had some problems reading it, the first part was very long and didn't really grab me, and my biggest problem was the fact that the story reminded me a little of Stay With Me, not that I'm accusing it of plagiarism or anything like that, but the plot is very similar, so I unconsciously ended up comparing the books a few times, which led me to expect a little more emotion and drama in Lies And Other Love Languages, which frustrated me a little, as I didn't think the book delivered the full potencial. Anyway, I think this was a very personal experience I had and I don't think it will affect most readers! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I found that this book started off really slow. I had a hard time getting into this book. I was hoping for more since I read Vibrant Years and wasn't a fan of that one either.

The story is about three very strong Indian-American women; Vandy, Mallika and Rani. I found they very hard to like. I didn't not like them at all.

I am sorry to say I cannot recommend this one.

Lies and Other Love Languages is the eye catching title of the latest release from Sonali Dev, especially when the blurb describes it as being about motherhood, friendship and life.
Vandy Guru is an advice columnist and author with a huge online following, and she is still reeling from the loss of her husband after a brief but brutal illness just months before. The last thing she needs is for her daughter Mallika to disappear without warning and to ignore her repeated and increasingly desperate attempts at communication. When a friend from the past reaches out with the shocking news that Mallika is with her , Vandy knows that her whole world could come tumbling down.
Mallika has dreamed of being a choreographer since she was a little girl and was inspired on her first trip back to India with her father. She dreams of fusing traditional dance with something more modern and when she auditions for a project involving two of the biggest Indian names in mainstream movies, she really thinks her time may finally have come. Instead she finds herself choreographing wedding dances for her two Aunties, whose sons are about to be married. When one of them, along with his best friend and Mallika's former crush, Rex, finds her moping about the audition they go to drown their sorrows and Mallika finds herself agreeing to genetic testing as part of Rex's research project. The results prove so shocking that Mallika no longer knows who she can trust, or even who she really is, and the last thing she wants to do is talk to her mother, even if she might be the only one who can answer her questions.
This is a book that really revolves around friendship and how far we are really willing to go for our friends, and it really does make the reader ask themselves some questions. I really liked all the characters but particularly Mallika, even if I did find her pessimism and petulance a little off putting at times. I really felt for her and what she was going through and loved that as readers we were uncovering her past alongside her. The use of two time periods to tell Vandy's story was really effectively utilised.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

3.75 Stars

The basic plot of this book was good and a universal issue (infertility, miscarriages). I loved that the book started out with a friendship of two of the main characters from an early age. The friendship that Vandy extended to Rani literally saved Rani. It got the dirt poor girl from India off the streets in LA (?), but it also nurtured her soul and her heart. The conflicts were BIG issues in the book and caused a rift in their friendship. The relationships Vandy had with her husband and daughter were awesome~

I really enjoyed the basic story, but I feel like not knowing the words/dishes, etc. from their native land diminished the experience for me. I know it's part of the whole feel of their culture, but it left me a little lost. Maybe some people don't mind stopping to search the meaning of the words, but it was just disruptive to the flow to me. I'm honestly not sure I will get another ARC of her books. I don't feel like it's being fair to the author if I have this issue.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

When Vandy's daughter, Mallika disappears and her estranged childhood best friend, Rani returns, stirring up long-buried secrets, Vandy's carefully crafted life feels at risk.
Mallika is tired of failure. She just got rejected from an audition again, and she signs up for a genetic study, which results reveal her whole life to be a lie. Rani must confront her troubled history and face Vandy and Mallika.
This story about love, friendship and forgiveness is told in multiple POVs, each starting from a different point in time and eventually catching up to each other and revealing how they all are related to each other. The writing felt quite tedious at times. I didn't really warm up to the three FMCs, Vandy felt overbearing and privileged, Mallika was very big on self-pity. This was not my favorite book by this author (her series The Rajes was really good!), but it was still a good read.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Infertility, Multiple Miscarriages

A mother-daughter-focused contemporary that hops from the different characters to different time periods for readers to understand the full story.


I find myself on the 3.0 line. The book made me feel things when I was reading it, but I now feel very ambivalent about the book as I review it. The storyline was predictable as to why Vandy and Rani were not on speaking terms. Mallika, as a character, was one that I couldn't relate to very much. I know I should have felt compassion for her desire to uncover her parent's secrets. But the majority part of my brain was "Girl, aside from this, haven't you been given a pretty good life? What exactly are YOU lacking?" Personally, it felt as if she was making Rani become something in her life that she really wasn't supposed to be. So the story was better for me when it just focused on the two friends. Honestly, Vandy's story was too close to my own so it felt traumatizing. I wish I had a Rani!

Would I recommend it? Depends on the situation, depends on the reader.


Expected Publication 26/09/23
Goodreads Review


#LiesandOtherLoveLanguages #NetGalley

I’m speechless! This was so brave, painful and beautiful!

Written from the perspectives of 3 strong woman about family, love, loss.
Love how the culture of the Indian families was pertrade.
The beggining was slow starting out for me seemed a bit tedious in.parts but look past this and keep reading and your in for a wonderful well written story.

This story really drew me in. Sonali Dev writes with such wit and earnest that I found it so easy to connect with each character and follow them along through their struggles and journeys of growth. The alternating POVs and timelines craft such a complex and beautiful story. Additionally, I loved the exploration of love languages and communication as a theme.

I’m speechless! This was so brave, painful and beautiful!

The story switches between three people, and between the past and now.
Vandy Guru loves her daughter Mallika so much it’s terrifying. Vandy is a successful advice columnist. She’s been married to the love of her life Vir, who died a year ago. On the surface Vandy is coping, inside she’s dying from grief.
Rani Parekh had been twelve when her mother died and she was sent from Bombay to her aunt in Los Angeles. Her mother had been a classical kathak dancer. Alcohol had been her nemesis. Rani and Vandy become best friends through quite heart breaking circumstances. The picture of Rani trying to find a safe space in the concrete jungle of LA, unlike the markets of Bombay is vivid.
Mallika is a choreographer. She currently is trying to organize the Aunties in dances for two weddings on the same weekend. Very trying! Mallika’s also waiting to hear from a Bollywood movie director about her presentation of dances for an up and coming movie.
Mallika, unlike her mother, views life through a pessimistic lens. Her father Vir helped her with this but now he’s not here. Mallika is not brave, is not a force of nature like her mother and aunties. She often wonders if it’s because she doesn’t have aqualine nose that goes with the Mehta genes. Mallika has her father’s nose.
There is so many parts to this tale, yet Dev brings it all together with masterful panache.
When Mallika doesn’t answer her mother’s phone calls the mystery, the story of these intertwine lives unravels, and it’s amazing. It’s friendship that goes beyond the norm.
A stellar read!

A Lake Union ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Lies and Other Love Languages is a bit of a slow start and honestly, the big reveal isn’t really that much of a secret. I think that’s why I had such a hard time getting into L&OLL. I knew from the very beginning exactly how this was going to play out and I wasn’t wrong. Once I got my head around that, it became much easier to delve into the story of two lifelong best friends, who haven’t spoken in 27 years, and a daughter and just enjoy it.

The story is told from the POV of three very strong Indian-American women; Vandy, Mallika and Rani. Although none of them understand how strong and lovable they really are. They might be lovable to the people in their lives, but they are all polarizing for being selfish, albeit in very different ways. It makes it hard to truly like any of them, but in a weird way you do.

Vandy kicks off L&OLL on a Saturday in 2023 at 2:00 p.m. in which she’s desperately trying to get in touch with her missing(?) daughter, Mallika. Mallika’ s portion of the story begins seven days ago and Rani’s narrative begins in 1979, when she first met Vandy or “Vinnie.” L&OLL continues this pattern throughout the book - Vandy, Mallika, Rani, Vandy, Mallika, Rani ... - with all of the narratives coming together in the present day.

I guess the biggest reason I didn’t love L&OLL is because I kept wondering how realistic it really is. I’m sure there are people out there who would do what the women in the book do, but it’s a little too big of a pill for me to swallow. Sometimes you just need to say “No.” Also Lies and Other Love Languages begs the questions “‘Is withholding information a lie?’ ‘When do you need to come clean and tell the truth?’ ‘Are we allowed secrets?’”

Overall, I recommend Lies and Other Love Languages. It’s a good story of friendship, love and forgiveness

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a digital ARC for review. Lies and Other Love Languages is available on 26 September 2023.

Lies and Other Love Languages is about three women who all have their stories that are also woven together. The beginning was a little slow and didn't really reveal new information that wasn't included in the synopsis. If you stick it out the rest of the story will be enjoyable . The dynamics of Indian culture and family were well portrayed. A great woman's fiction read!

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I always enjoy books by Sonali Dev, and this is no exception! I love hearing about a very different culture, but even more than that, I loved this sweet love story. This is one you shouldn’t miss!

Love this book!!!!


"Thank you so much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

really enjoyed this novel. Pacing was a bit slow to start, but eventually the story sucked me in. Focusing on love and personal growth within families, this story provided an emotionally rich dive into the family dynamic - specifically the Indian American dynamic. The novel focuses on 3 women and occurs over multiple timelines, Each character's story is interesting and compelling and well thought out. I think I appreciated Sonali's previous novel, The Vibrant Years a bit more, but overall, this story captivated me.

Thanks for the review copy. Started off a little slowly but then the book got better, Looking forward to reading more books by Dev.