I couldn’t put the book down. I was so drawn to the characters. I loved the female friendships & the family dynamics. Really enjoyed.

In theory I really wanted to like this book. Great plot but the character dialogue and interactions was a little tough for me to get through. Sonali Dev usually captures my attention with her character development. I love reading about people from other cultures and experiences than my own. I think I would recommend other works of hers over this one.

This was a beautiful story about the depths we’ll go to for love and friendship. In this story we follow the lives of three women who originally seem unrelated, but as the story goes on we realize how connected they all are. Vandy Guru is an advice columnist who seems to all the world to have her life together, but those close to her realize she has been struggling since her husband passed away. Mallika is a young woman on the cusp of figuring out what she wants in life, amidst a harsh rejection. Rani is a woman whose early years of disappointment and pain affect her ability to get close to those around her. This story was beautifully written, and really pulled you in and made you care about what was happening to these women. And I found myself questioning what I would have done in these situations, what lies I might tell to get what I wanted. A thought provoking book that will stay with me for a while. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

An emotional story that takes place over two timelines and told from the point of view of three women. In the present timeline, Vandy Guru is a successful advice columnist/agony auntie grieving her husband who died several months earlier and her 27 year-old daughter, Mallika, is an aspiring choreographer who doesn't quite fit in with her mother's family of successful doctors. When Mallika goes missing, Vandy's search eventually leads to Rani, her childhood friend now living in Mumbai who she hasn't seen in close to 30 years. Rani's POV tells the story of her friendship with Vandy from the time they met as 12 year-olds in 1979 when Rani moved to California from India through to 1995.

Lies and Other Love Languages is a beautifully-written, thought-provoking story of lies and secrets intertwined with motherhood, friendship, family and love that asks the reader to consider how far they would be willing to go to make someone they love happy and whether getting what you want is worth it if the consequences include losing someone you love. The plot touches on issues relating to grief, the mental and physical impact of infertility, and self-discovery. This is the first book that I have read by Sonali Dev and I enjoyed her writing style and the characters she created - flawed but likeable with distinctive voices - including the strong cast of supporting characters. It wasn't hard to predict where the story was going (although there are some twists) but getting there was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book! The review will appear on episode 25 of my podcast. That episode will drop on Monday, September 11. I will also post a mini-review of the book on Instagram that week.

Review:
I love reading books where the main characters are from different cultures and upbringings. It's always interesting to me to compare their life experiences with my basic white boy experiences. I find it captivating.

The story revolves around three Indian women – Vandy Guru, her daughter Mallika Guru, and Vandy's childhood friend Rani Parekh. Vandy is an advice columnist turned author who has built her career on promoting honesty and courage. However, after losing her husband to an aggressive form of cancer, Vandy struggles to maintain her public persona. When her daughter Mallika goes missing, and her childhood friend Rani resurfaces, Vandy's carefully constructed world starts to crumble. Secrets are unearthed, and Vandy is forced to confront her grief and the lies she has held close.

Mallika is an aspiring choreographer who is tired of failure and rejection. On a whim, she decides to participate in a genetic study, hoping to find answers about her differences from her accomplished family, and in doing so, she discovers a truth that shakes her to her core.

Rani, who to me was the most complex character of the three, has always been there for Vandy. The two had a beautiful friendship when they were younger, but years later, something happened that caused the friendship to fracture. Over the course of the book, we learn about Rani's troubled past, how she and Vandy first met, and, eventually, what drove them apart.

The relationship between Vandy, Mallika, and Rani is the heart and soul of this book. Their bond is tested, shattered, and ultimately rebuilt as they journey from Los Angeles to Mumbai. The dynamics between these women are compelling, and readers will find themselves invested in their stories, rooting for their growth and happiness.

The author expertly weaves together the lives of these three women, creating a story that is filled with emotion, depth, and authenticity. The characters are flawed and relatable, each struggling with their own demons and trying to find their place in the world. Vandy's grief is palpable, and readers empathize with her as she does her best to keep her shit together while searching for Mallika. Speaking of Mallika, her journey of self-discovery is both heartbreaking and inspiring, and Rani's tragic childhood and the lengths she's gone to rebuild her life are beautifully written and probably the most poignant of the three.

Dev's writing style is vivid and evocative, painting a vivid picture of both LA and Mumbai. Another high point is the author's exploration of cultural identity and the immigrant experience. The characters grapple with their Indian heritage while navigating the complexities of life in the United States. Dev tackles these themes with sensitivity and nuance, showcasing the challenges and triumphs of finding a balance between two worlds.

Lies & Other Love Languages is a heart-wrenching and captivating novel that delves into the complexities of relationships, motherhood, and the power of love. This was my first novel by this author, and I'm definitely interested in checking out more. Whether you're a fan of Bollywood romances or appreciate a well-written and engaging story, this book will surely capture your heart. Dev's exploration of love, loss, and the power of relationships is sure to leave a lasting impression.

I enjoyed this novel immensely. The character sketches are beautiful - the nuances and the different facets of immigrant experiences detailed beautifully. Worth a read !

Lies and Other Love Languages is about three Indian-American women, Vandy Guru, her best friend Rani Parekh, and Vandy's daughter Mallika. The story is told in alternating viewpoints, and alternating timelines. Vandy is a famous self-help "guru", floundering in her own life following the death of her husband Vir. Mallika is a privileged young woman, also floundering in her own life following the death of her father and suffering from an identity crisis as she struggles to find her own success outside of her mother's shadow. Rani's points of view are told from the past, starting from when she is 12 and first meets Vandy, and then slowly moving forward in time over the years of their friendship. From the beginning, we know that Vandy and Rani are no longer in touch, and the book works to merge the timelines so that we understand why they had a falling out.

This book is about motherhood, and friendships, and finding one's place in the world, despite what one's family might expect from you. I enjoyed learning about Vandy and Rani's relationship in the past and how their choices ended their relationship. Was the cost worth the outcome? For Vandy, it seems to have been.

The writing is strong, and well done, despite the fact that I struggled to find Vandy and Mallika to be particularly sympathetic characters. As with most things in their lives, the conclusion and reunion with Rani was too easily won, in my opinion. All that said, I still very much enjoyed this book and found it to be an easy 4 star ranking.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

From the bestselling author of The Vibrant Years comes an emotional story of three women navigating ugly truths and safe lies with only love to guide them on a journey of motherhood, friendship, and life.

Sonali Dev brought me on a heart wrenching journey with this one - her writing brings you into Vandy, Mallika, and Rani's perspectives almost seamlessly. Their story of love, friendship, motherhood, and lies could break your heart with its sacrifices.

I will always recommend Sonali Dev and this book just further proves my point. Just be sure you have your tissues nearby for this one.

Thanks, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing and Sonali Dev for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book took me so long to finish, partly my fault, life was busy, but the first half of the book felt so slow to me. I really disliked Mallika's character, she seemed like a whiny brat. She had things handed to her and she refused to accept them because they weren't exactly how she imagined. I loved the flashback parts about Rani and Vandy's friendship. You could just feel the strong love and connection between the two friends. The second half of the book was so much more interesting to me because it was focused less on Mallika and more on Rani and Vandy. I appreciated the ending and the truths that were revealed. Heartbreaking and bittersweet but satisfying ending
Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sonali Dev has written a beautiful love story in Lies and Other Love Languages. The title gives a good clue to the humorous, yet poignant, novel. There are wonderful insights to the Indian culture in the US and in Mumbai and to the complexity of the definition of family. Enjoyed this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is going to be a new favorite for book clubs everywhere. I think there’ s a lot of really great discussions that can come from this book!

This one just didn't work out for me, although I may try it again at some point in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this one early!

Was. Just discussing novels that stretch across generations with some fellow librarians this evening. We all remarked how much we enjoy them. The connection between people has a strong pull it seems. Recommend this book for public library collections.

Review of the book – Lies and other love languages: a novel by Sonali Dev
What is life without friendships, family and love? And what remains of the life if you let go of one for the sake of others? Lies and other love languages: a novel by Sonali Dev is a compelling tale of friendship, family and love that explores the complexities of these relations through its strong female characters. Told from the POV of three strong women – Vandy, Rani and Mallika, the story unfolds layer by layer, bringing out the essence of friendship, the dominance and protectiveness of a parent, the struggle and pain to accomplish in one’s chosen career, the willingness to sacrifice and so on…
Vandana Guru aka Vandy is a successful and popular speaker/life coach who has built her career by giving advices to others to look within themselves when life has presented them with challenges. But, no one knows the grief Vandy carries in her heart. After losing her husband Vir, vandy now struggles to keep her daughter Malika close to her.
Malika aka Mika, the only girl of her generation in Mehta family loves to dance and dreams of achieving big in choreography in Bollywood. Her career seems to be at a standstill, the boy she loved is engaged to marry someone else, her only support, her father – Vir Guru is no more alive. Her mother seldom understands her, leaving her confused about why she is the only one unsuccessful in the Mehta family?
So, when the opportunity presents itself for a genetic study, Mika gears up for it. Little did she know, that the answers she seeks might create quite a turbulence in her life.
Rani Parekh, a child with a troubled past, lands up in USA and life takes a U-turn when she meets Vandy. Rani and Vandy become inseparable from childhood, till life makes them grow apart.
But what if it is only Rani who holds the key to restoring the relation between Vandy & Mika? Will Rani & Vandy reconcile after everything that has happened in the past? Will Vandy risk everything that she has carefully built and nurtured for the sake of Mika? Will Mika get the answers she deserves?
This is a story of three women, each choosing their path, determined to protect their loved ones albeit the struggles and disappointments. Sonali with her three powerful characters, brings out a story that presents with 3 POV, each depicting their perceptions and emotions.
The best part about these characters are their flaws, their vulnerability and their empathy, which the author has written to a perfection. As a reader even the support characters like Tinku-Pinky, Taj-Raj, Vir and Usha Auntie were quite relatable. The NRI Indian family dynamics, the Indian culture and the internal competition was aptly presented too. Even though the book scores high with its characters and storyline, the pace of the book was a tad slow in the middle taking me off from the story. But with a satisfying ending, the book definitely manages to score a 4 Star rating from me. Through this book, Sonali Dev also nudges her readers to think on the lines of fertility issues and the toll it takes on a woman’s physical and mental health.
As a reader, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Lies and other love languages’ and would surely recommend it if you are looking for a heart-warming tale of friendship, family and love along with some drama, humour and secrets!
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending this book in exchange for an honest review.

After hearing great reviews of Dev’s romances, I was excited to start this one. Lies and Other Love Languages took me a while to get into because the changing POV and jumps from past to present slowed the momentum of the plot lines, but these jumps all came together and I loved how changing perspectives layered the depths of every character. The family dynamics were impeccably done. I especially loved Rani’s storyline, so much that I wish we had more chapters with her. I would love to see how her life went from her point of view, beyond what is revealed near the end of the book.

The one plotline I couldn’t get into was Mallika (Mika). It felt like every time I was back in her storyline she was repeatedly complaining about how she doesn’t want to retape an audition for a part she desperately wanted and was anxious about why Rex didn’t choose her over his now-ex. For a woman who was born to incredibly loving parents with successful careers, it was hard to sympathize with Mallika’s career struggles. It was also hard to root for her and Rex. In the book blurb, it says Mallika signed up for a genetic study, but she asked Rex to pull her sample. In an age where big tech is already hoarding too much of our data, it was wildly unromantic to me that Rex not only failed to stop his company from running Mallika’s DNA study against her wishes, but also stole Vandy’s DNA and processed that as well. These were huge red flags to me, but were presented as loving acts. Why not just have Mallika agree to the study? This scene also included some of the worst pacing for me. Vandy calls Mallika while Mallika is at the lab with Rex, and when Vandy says, “I wanted to be your mom so badly that nothing else mattered… I know what it is to pay too high a price for wanting something,” bringing up exactly the topic Mallika is spiraling over, she answers, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way,” instead of asking her mom to explain what she means. Mallika doesn’t know what being Vandy's child cost her mom, and it’s unrealistic and frustrating as a reader to have her drop the conversation like that. It blew the tension out of the plot and made me annoyed at all of them, but especially at Mallika.

Most of the time, I found the writing engaging and witty, and only a couple lines really threw me out of the world (describing Chipotle's decor as “erotic,” the “Thus far the other side was four-love” I stared at for minutes before finally figuring out it was a reference to tennis scoring, and the way a cervical stitch was explained differed from my understanding of the procedure - though the grief over miscarriage was so real and raw)

I also disliked the last sentence, but when the book was done I missed the characters so much. If the last sentence had been cut, I think it would have impacted me more. All that said, I’m glad I read this. Rani and Vandy’s stories really made me think and reflect, and I’m more excited than ever to read Sonali Dev’s other works.

Big-hearted, Bollywood-scale women’s fiction! Mother-daughter and female friendships feature in this story of love, it’s sacrifices, and risks. The characters are warm, sympathetic, and engaging. The aunties are everywhere, and the family love carries throughout.
TW: Struggles with infertility, sexual abuse of a child.

Title: "Lies and the Other Love Languages" by Sonali Dev

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Review:
"Lies and the Other Love Languages" by Sonali Dev is an emotionally charged and beautifully written novel that delves deep into the complexities of relationships, the power of forgiveness, and the transformative nature of love. With her exquisite storytelling and nuanced characters, Dev delivers a captivating and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Sonali Dev's writing is simply enchanting. Her prose is lyrical, evoking a myriad of emotions that resonate deeply with readers. From the vivid descriptions of settings to the raw and authentic portrayal of complex emotions, every word is carefully chosen, drawing readers into the hearts and minds of the characters.

There are beautifully crafted protagonists, each carrying their own burdens and battling their inner demons. Dev peels back the layers of their personalities, revealing their vulnerabilities, fears, and desires with sensitivity and depth. Their journey is fraught with challenges and heartache, but it is through their struggles that they find strength and discover the true meaning of love.

Beyond the central romance, "Lies and the Other Love Languages" delves into themes of family, identity, and the power of forgiveness. The supporting characters are equally well-developed, adding layers of complexity to the story. Dev effortlessly weaves together multiple storylines, seamlessly blending romance, family dynamics, and personal growth.

The novel's exploration of love languages is a refreshing and insightful aspect of the story. Dev skillfully highlights the importance of communication, understanding, and learning to speak the love language of your partner. It serves as a gentle reminder that love is not one-size-fits-all and that relationships require effort, compromise, and a willingness to truly see and accept one another.

"Lies and the Other Love Languages" is a remarkable achievement that showcases Sonali Dev's talent as a storyteller. With its richly drawn characters, compelling narrative, and emotional depth, this book is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and women's fiction. Prepare to be swept away by the beauty and poignancy of this captivating tale.

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this book for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.

After really enjoying The Wedding Setup: A Short Story (pub Jan 11, 2022) and The Vibrant Years (pub Dec 1, 2022) ... both of which I thought were 5 stars, I jumped at the opportunity to review the advance read copy of Lies and Other Love Languages: A Novel.

Lies and Other Love Languages didn't grab me quite as much as the two Sonali Dev novels that I had read previously. It was good, I'm not a mother and I think that had some bearing on my feelings towards the book. (I really don't want to add any further spoilers.)

Giving 3.5 stars and rounding up to 4 stars. I especially thought the end and authors note were interesting.

Thank you to Sonali Dev; I really do like your writing style. And I love getting a feel for the Indian culture. Also thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for approving my request to review the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is Sept 26, 2023.

Having never read this author before I loved how I sounded from the blurb.
Written by 3 strong woman perspectives 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.
A new author to me to keep my eyes on.


Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

I'm going to split my review in two: a bit about the actual book, followed by a rant about the blurb because I tried to write it starting with the blurb rant because I thought it would make more sense that way round but I decided nobody would read past it and the book really is great!
So firstly, wow! I loved this book so much! Which was so odd to me because at 50% I was a bit unsure because of the blurb stuff that I'll explain later. However, the next 50% was absolutely amazing and now that I understand the point and where it was all going, the first 50% was great too, although I did find some of Vandy's earlier chapters a bit slow and samey but I loved Mallika's and Rani's throughout. Told by the three women in alternating chapters, mostly in three different timelines (until they converge at the end) this was a really beautiful tale of love, loss, family, friendships, the lies you'll tell/truths you'll hide for those you love and how far you'll go for what you want/think is right. Pretty much every character was flawed in some way, many redeemable and some not (in my eyes) but each made a great character and most overcome them, I really loved the ending.
One of the other things I absolutely loved was the Indian family dynamics. I love the big families and how important family is in Indian culture.
As long as you know what to expect from this going into it I think it's an amazing story, truly beautiful and inspiring, but also equally heartbreaking. The book kind of starts almost at the end of the story and then you learn mostly through Rani's flashback chapters how things became the way they are before the final conclusion at the end. If you go into it expecting a poignant exploration of family and friendship you will not be disappointed. And admittedly the book was only categorised as Women's Fiction, which it absolutely is, I just don't usually check genres and go off the blurb which led me astray. I'll definitely be checking out more of Sonali's books because I loved it and now I know what to expect I think I'll enjoy others even more. Last thing to say before my blurb rant is to make sure you check the trigger warnings if you need them though because there's definitely a few.

So blurb rant. I marked this bit as spoilers on Goodreads purely so I can talk about how things happen in the book compared to the blurb. It's not hugely spoilery because I only mention things I think were obvious from the blurb anyway but some people might not want to know so it's up to you if you want to read ahead or not from this point if you're reading this on NetGalley!
I think the blurb is a little misleading for this one, because yes everything it says happens in a way, but the way it's written, the blurb kind of tells you all the big things so the beginning of the book seemed kind of slow for me. Some of the things the blurb says are going to happen don't happen until the second half and yet the blurb makes it seem like that's an early part of the book and will cause a load of things to happen. As I mentioned before, I don't look at genres but from the blurb I thought it was going to be kind of suspenseful and drama-filled whereas it wasn't that kind of book. I loved the book regardless, but I'd have enjoyed the beginning more had I known what it was actually going to be.
I read the blurb when I applied for the ARC but I generally like to go into books blind so I didn't read it again before starting the book and had basically forgotten it when I started the book. (I remembered it was about a mother and a daughter and there were lies, that's about it). So at 16% I thought I'd guessed the big twist and that it was quite obvious (Vir cheated on Vandy with Rani and Mallika is Rani's daughter but raised by Vir and Vandy anyway who stayed together)... I was mostly right but there were a couple of little points where I wasn't (which I did like, and couple of other small little shocks). I was still interested to see how and why and what exactly happened between everyone and was enjoying it but I did then re-read the blurb because I thought if the big twist is obvious so early on maybe something else is going to happen even though it doesn't seem like it. So I re-read the blurb to see if it seemed like anything else was going to happen and I realised that my "big twist" was also quite obvious from the blurb, which seemed weird to me, and it didn't sound like anything else big was going to happen. I also by this point was at about 40-odd% and the beginning of the blurb says "her estranged childhood best friend Rani returns" and yet she hadn't yet. There had not even been the slightest hint of her returning in any of the current timeline Vandy chapters up until then. In fact she 'returns' at 57% (and I'm not even sure I'd really call it returning but that's not hugely relevant). It also says for Mallika in the blurb that "the [genetic test] results reveal her whole life to be a lie, and Rani seems to be the only one who knows the truth." To me, I read the blurb and I expected a drama story of Rani coming back and shattering Mallika's life with this 'truth' and a big quest to find the answers to things, which obviously is not at all what the book is. For us, Rani and Mallika don't meet until the very end (and even then it's down to Mallika). Now I don't really know what I think the blurb should have said, and I absolutely love the book, but it wasn't what I was expecting from the blurb and I think it's a bit misleading. I think I'd have enjoyed the beginning a bit more knowing it was a study in friendship and relationships rather than expecting lots of drama.