The Curious Secrets of Yesterday was quite different than I had anticipated it to be. Not necessarily in a bad way but it felt as though Patel had to cull various parts to fit a page limit. While I found the inter-generational plot line extremely compelling the added storylines of a social media mystery, and a romance far off to the side felt lackluster. While I wish I could root for any of the couples that were put in front of me, I was ready to move on every time they became the center of the book again. The social media plot line I continuously forgot about and when it all came to a head it felt extremely weak. In all honesty, I was surprised to find out that this is not a debut, the amount that the social media plot point was dropped completely and then picked back up when there was a lull. Overall I'm not unhappy to have read it, just a bit underwhelmed.

This was an okay book. I usually love books by Indian authors, but this one fell flat for me. I think the plot was an issue. I would read another book by her.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital copy of The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel.

This story is set is Salem, Massachusetts with 3 generations of women who own Rasa, a spice healing shop. Tulsi, our main character, does not want to continue the generations old tradition and be the next woman to run Rasa. She yearns to find her own way and create her own destiny, but does not know how.

Overall, I loved the premise of this book and the meaning that came about with reconciliation, family bonds, and finding your own way. I feel that the execution was a bit sloppy at times, and there was almost too much to the plot.

I wish that the story had stuck to family storyline, but the additional love plot and social media drama felt unnecessary. They bogged the story down.

I feel that with some tighter editing, this could have been a better novel. Sadly, I can only give this book 3.5 stars as is.

This book was so great, and I think this book touched a lot on the diaspora experience. This story is mostly about familial expectations and how to keep your family business going and modern. It also touches and finding out the big family secret or a secret the grown ups are keeping that is kind of a big deal.

Tulsi was great! and I loved her. I enjoyed this a lot.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Namrata Patel writes the coziest stories. There's a magical essence about her writing that makes you feel like you are curled up under a warm blanket while talking to really good friends. Her books make you feel like it's the fall.

This book is about a complicated family, a daughter just wants answers from her mother and grandmother. A whole new family is discovered. It also shows the strong bond of female friendships, even when they go sour.

The characters in this book are complex and real. They have secrets and histories but only have love for one another. They are very well written. I think my favorite is Tulsi. Devi, I have complicated feelings for, which is what I think the author wants you to feel.

Highly recommend this book.

Тнe cυrιoυѕ ѕecreтѕ oғ yeѕтerday ιѕ a ѕтory oғ тнree generaтιon oғ woмen wнo нave вeen мanagιng тнeιr вυѕιneѕѕ wнιcн ιѕ paѕѕed on тo every gιrl ιn тнe ғaмιly. Тнe ѕнop ιѕ naмed aѕ Raѕa (вaѕed ιn Ѕaleм) and ιѕ ғaмoυѕ ғor ιт'ѕ ѕpιce нealιng - wнιcн ιѕ υѕιng Ayυrveda (an ancιenт way тo нeal a loт oғ тнιngѕ wιтн тнe нelp oғ naтυral нerвѕ & ѕpιceѕ).

Тнoυgн Тυlѕι Gυpтa (30 year old) ιѕ тнe мaιn cнaracтer, тнe ѕтory alѕo нaѕ a loт oғ нιgнlιgнтѕ on нer мoтнer, Devι & granмoтнer, Arυna.

Alтнoυgн Тυlѕι aѕѕιѕтѕ нer мoтнer & grandмoтнer ιn тнe ѕнop, ѕнe doeѕ noт wanт тo carry ιт on and ιѕ ѕcared тo тell нer ғaмιly aвoυт нer decιѕιon. Jυѕт wнen ѕнe ιѕ eхplorιng wнaт ѕнe wanтѕ тo do ιn нer lιғe, enтerѕ Lυcaѕ, тнeιr neιgнвoυr wнoм Devι wanтѕ тo ѕeтυp Тυlѕι wιтн. Тυlѕι doeѕ noт wanт тo тaĸe тнιѕ any ғυrтнer aѕ ѕнe вelιeveѕ тнere ιѕ a cυrѕe on тнe woмen oғ тнeιr ғaмιly тнaт wнen ever тнey geт мarrιed and are pregnanт, тнe нυѕвand dιeѕ.

Тнιѕ ιѕ вecaυѕe ѕнe нaѕ вeen тold тнaт нer ғaтнer dιed вeғore нer вιrтн and нer grandмoтнer waѕ alѕo a ѕιngle мoтнer. Нowever, Тυlѕι & Lυcaѕ вecoмe greaт ғrιendѕ laтer.

Тнen one day Devι ιѕ вoυnd тo тell тнe тrυтн тo Тυlѕι wнen Aѕнιѕн - Devι'ѕ cнιldнood ғrιend and lover enтerѕ тнeιr ѕнop. Тнere ιѕ cнaoѕ & тenѕιon ιn тнe ғaмιly aѕ тнere ιѕ alѕo a paѕт rιғт вeтween Arυna & Aѕнιѕн'ѕ мoтнer Нeмa wнo нad вeen вeѕт ғrιendѕ.

Ι lιĸed тнe cυlтυral eleмenт oғ тнe вooĸ & тoтally loved нow ғeмaleѕ нave вeen depιcтed aѕ ѕo ѕтrong тo carry on вυѕιneѕѕ on тнeιr own. Ι dιd noт lιĸe тнe cнaracтer oғ Arυna aѕ ѕнe ѕeeмed тo вe leѕѕ υnderѕтandιng. Тнe вlend oғ ғaмιly draмa and ѕelғ-dιѕcovery мaĸeѕ ιт a coмpellιng read.

Overall a good read wιтн a depтн oғ тradιтιon.

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday is a book about Tulsi Hupta, an Indian woman living in Salem who knows the future expected of her. She is supposed to take over the spice shop run by her grandmother and mother, but she does not want that. Honestly, she has no clue what she wants, but it is not becoming a spice healer. This book's unique premise attracted me to pick it up; add that it's told from a WOC POV, and I was very excited about it. Unfortunately, I nearly DNF at 41% and then skimmed through until the end.

Please note I am not of Indian descent. I understand that some of the character's words and actions are rooted in social, political, and cultural traditions/beliefs that I do not know or understand, and I'm writing this review doing my best to respect and honor these traditions/beliefs while still expressing my opinion and reaction.

That said, 50% of the main characters are selfish, close-minded, manipulative, and infantile. I will give Ba some leniency as she was a single-mother immigrant woman, but Devi? Honestly, Devi does not deserve the happy ending she gets. I wanted to cheer for Tulsi, but it got to the point where I questioned whether she could make a thought in her head without first getting approval from her mother and grandmother. All of these women are simultaneously spineless, manipulative, toxic, and abusive.

The universal POC experience of not talking about your problems and then just changing the subject is not fun to live through and even worse to read. As I said, I am sure culture and traditions have a lot to do with their family dynamic, but - Indian culture is not unique in having a bossy parent/subservient child dynamic -and this book can't decide if it glorifies or rebels against this cultural dynamic.

Tulsi is a 30-year-old child who has never had the guts to think, feel, or do anything for herself. Luck then throws her into a situation where she finally has a chance to stand up and confront the LIFETIME of lies and deceit - her life IRREVOCABLY altered by PETTY FIGHTS and MISCOMMUNICATION of others, and she lets it slide.

When someone is standing in front of you, stating the truth of the wrongs done to and against you, it's nothing more than Stockholm Syndrome to say, "I know you're right, but I'm going to defend their unforgivable actions anyway because I feel like I have to."

It also wasn't that difficult to figure out who Ashish was, and the author spent several chapters dragging this "mystery" out in a way that became annoying, not suspenseful.

Add to that there's an unbelievable social media business identity theft-slash-defamation-campaign that is very easy to figure out, and even after physical assault and property damage, the culture-vulture influencer is not brought to any form of justice because the main character doesn't seem to care enough to pursue her legal rights.

As if this book doesn't have enough going on, there's also a love story, which feels one-sided and thrown together. The FMC and MMC have half of a conversation before she's in love with him. I feel like there's no real character with Lucas, just a bunch of tropes tied together to fill up the spaces between Tulsi's family drama.

But never fear - everything is perfectly and neatly tied up with a bow in the last two chapters, so by the prologue, we have our HEA, and everything's fine now.

I loved this story at the start but it had a point where things shift and slow down. After that point I found it difficult to remain engaged in the story. I appreciated the MC’s dedication to her family but the friction between some of the family took away from the MCs struggle. The end sort of felt a bit too convenient and left me wanting more. The beginning part half of the story was the best in my opinion. Sad it took the adults so long to get it together. It was a good read that I would still suggest others check out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Mildly uninteresting with a messy plot, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel is about a 30-year-old woman who can't bring herself to tell her mother she doesn't want to continue the family business.

Summary: Tulsi Gupta is a 30-year-old woman who doesn't want to follow her mother's and grandmother's footsteps to become a spice healer. However, she doesn't know how to break the news and their hearts.

Tropes/Genres:
• contemporary fiction
• family
• asian american (Gujarati, Indian)
• spice healing (Ayurveda)
• set in Boston

Review: I had mixed feelings about this book from the moment I started. It just wasn't spectacular and felt so slow and boring. The pace did pick up somewhere around the 60% mark, but that honestly is a bit too late. The first half of the book was such a drag and is enough to make many impatient readers DNF. The second half of the book is better for sure, but it's not that good either.

The plot was all over the place. The story was about a woman who couldn't decide on whether to tell her mother that she didn't want to be a spice healer and continue the family legacy, but suddenly there was this matchmaking that she refused, then some fake social media account, then a lot of other things. It felt like the author wanted to fit many subplots into the story, but it didn't work out. I felt that it was more of a writing issue because the ideas were good but simply didn't flow well.

The characters are not likeable. The only characters I moderately liked were Tulsi and Ashish. Even then, Tulsi is 30 years old and so spineless. Her mother is Devi, and she's such a... pathetic excuse of a human being. She just keeps crying and crying and crying. Like, woman, it's been 30 years. Stop crying to avoid the conversation! Grow up! And then her mother, Tulsi's grandmother, Aruna, is a... witch spelt with a B. And then Ashish's family members just felt so annoyingly snobbish. The drama between Aruna and Hema just felt so... meh. Just picture two grandmas squabbling over something that happened 30 years ago. How petty! So there are only two mildly likeable characters in this book. Maybe only one because Ashish was the only one who didn't have any issues.

Oh, and Lucas? He's irrelevant. I think the author tried a romantic plot point between Tulsi and Lucas (her shop neighbour), but it was so bland. There was zero chemistry, and I was confused about their romantic timeline. I don't even understand how the heck they suddenly kissed because when it happened, I was like, "Huh?" Like, where did THAT come from? As such, I would very much like to pretend that there wasn't a romantic subplot in this book. It honestly could've been done without it.

And please, for the love of spices, ITALICISE NON-ENGLISH WORDS. For readers who clearly aren't Indian or maybe even Gujarati specifically, we're not going to understand. Like, her grandmother was referred to as "ba". In most languages, "ba" literally means FATHER. And "beta" is literally also an English word, so it gets mildly confusing. Then again, I read an ARC, so maybe the final copy has italics, who knows? While I wouldn't deduct a star over this (because it's an ARC), it's still mildly irritating.

Overall, this story had a promising plot that was executed poorly. It just wasn't interesting. However, I'm sure there are people out there who may relate to Tulsi, feeling the pressure to do as their parental figures wish, so maybe they'll like it! While the author failed to capture my utmost interest, I think there are still certain plot points that were done well.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the read.

I really wanted to love The Curious Secrets of Yesterday. I thought the idea of the story, Tulsi and her family was really interesting and was keen to learn more about the culture.
Tulsi is an inquisitive character who's delving into her family's past and trying to work out where she fits into it and what her life could look like. There are various twists and turns as expected and all in all, a gentle heartwarming story.

It was a nice story and enjoyable read, but it didn't captivate me in the way I had hoped it would!
It was an easy read and fun to read something a bit different, but it left me wishing there was more to the story!

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday follows Tulsi, an indian American, who helps run her family’s ayurvedic spice healing buisness with her mother and grandmother. As an Indian there were so many parts of this book that resonated with me. The tradition of holding hurt close to our hearts and never talking about them, the family grudges, the guilt of wanting to move away. The author Namrata Patel encapsulated the feeling of growing up Indian American - feeling like you’re not American enough and not Indian enough either. I especially enjoyed getting read about the 3 different generations of Gupta women in the family and how they dealt with the hurt they experienced in the past. This story was easy to read and predictable in a way that I love. I love books with happy endings and resolutions.
I will be adding the authors other books to be TBR list! Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC!

Tulsi Gupta, her mother and grandmother run a spice shop in Salem focusing on ayurverdict healing. But Tusli feels stuck, to keep her family legacy she should take over the shop but deep down that’s not what she wants to do. Her whole life has been about the shop and at 30 years old she has no sense of self.

The story centers on the Gupta family and their shop and also their lack of family history. It becomes apparent very quickly that they just don’t talk about anything difficult, Tulsi doesn’t even know her deceased fathers name because she avoids upsetting her mother by leaving it alone. There seems to be many secrets of the past that the elders of the family are content to forget and never speak of again. The writing is simple to read and you get a sense for the family dynamics, characters and setting quickly. Even though it’s low stakes fiction and obviously will have a HEA the family dynamics and turmoil felt real. Overall it’s a lighthearted and feel good story, I loved the other characters in town and how they all worked together. Some of the references to pop culture made me laugh (Yes, chef 🐻) I also really appreciated the authors note about the hyphen connecting cultures, I’m Indian-Canadian so I really related. I did enjoy the commentary about Ayurvedic practices, that while they belong to no one culture in particular, real knowledge is required to make true use of the spices and blends. Not just quick social media remedies. It’s seemed like a light way to touch on cultural appropriation without getting too deep

The Curious Secrets of Yesterday publishes on June 1. Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Namrata Patel for this e-ARC

This was an interesting read for me. I would round up the rating to 3.5 stars to be honest.

That is mostly in part because of the difference in the way the first half and the second half of the book were written? First half is slow and it's like the writing is a bit off. But once the plot starts plotting, everything and the writing picks up. I love the exploration of the various topics in this: family and family history, relationships we have with ourselves and others, the traditional angle... and as a person who doesn't know much about Indian culture or Ayurvedic medicine, this was interesting to read from that standpoint also.

Also loved the connection to Salem considering its history and the story of the book.

A woman’s ambitions clash with familial expectations , while trying to break away from the family business she discovers -generational secrets and is on the path to self-discovery.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me — I got as far as 50% into the book — and just couldn’t continue reading the story.

I loved the concept/ premise of the story — and I enjoyed learning about the spice shop and the medicinal aspect — really interesting — I also found the possibility of a mystery of her family intriguing — but the pace was so slow and I didn’t feel like the story was moving forward fast enough to hold my interest —also, the romance between the new neighbour starting a restaurant next to the spice shop and Tulsi had no chemistry for me and felt unbelievable and forced. — if the romance was dropped and the spice shop and the family generational history and mystery was focused on more in the first 50% and moved the story forward faster — I would have kept going. The vocabulary in the book felt very YA and should have more adult phrasing for the romance. The character development was good in the Gupta family women , with better pacing and chemistry with men for romance, I think the story would’ve been able to hold my interest.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. This is my honest review.

Tulsi Gupta lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her mother Devi and grandmother Aruna. Three generations of women run a spice healing shop called Rasa. Devi and Aruna are spice healers and anticipate Tulsi to become a full-time spice healer and carry on the legacy, but Tulsi doesn’t want to be a spice healer and wants to do something different.

Tulsi is a likeable character; she is firm in her decision about not taking the test to become a spice healer. Tulsi is in a difficult position; she doesn’t want to let her family down, but she wants to chase her dream and do something different. Tulsi loves and respects her mother and grandmother, but she wants them to understand that spice healing is not for her.

An attractive neighbour, Lucas, a chef who opens his restaurant next to Rasa, adds a romantic element to the plot and also gives Tulsi the courage to follow her dream and support her.

I liked the characters’ development. I appreciated the way they opened up to each other, talked about their past and relationships, and listened to each other.

This book explores family dynamics and their complicity, how families stay with each other through thick and thin, the weight of family expectations, the consequences of keeping secrets, and also staying true to oneself.

I liked the simplicity of the writing; the pacing was good, and the storyline was interesting. I loved the cover; it was eye-catching.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.

The synopsis for this arc sounding intriguing, full of multigenerational drama with a side of romance. While I thought the info about traditional spice healers was interesting, the rest of the story moved at a snail’s pace for me.

Raised by her mother and grandmother and tutored in the healing wonders of spices, Tulsi Gupta is expected to carry on the ancestral tradition from her family’s Salem spice shop. Restless and reluctant, Tulsi yearns to follow her own path—destiny has other plans.
A first for me reading this author and I'm very glad I chose this book to read and review. This is a story about cultural norms, traditions and what it means to be who and where you are in life. Tulsi has been reared to follow her mother and grandmother in the healing practice of Ayurveda, working their spice shop in historic Salem. But she is not certain that this is the direction she wants to take and this restlessness and need for change is a theme throughout the book. Things change for all three women, it is painful and difficult but it translates into an excellent story and provides much curiousity about the practices and traditions of India and how these women integrate into American society. I really enjoyed this journey and the author writes with empathy and great humour, anyone who loved the 'Little Coffee Shop' series will enjoy The Curious Secrets of Yesterday. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more from the author. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

Tulsi Gupta has been raised from birth to be the successor of her mother and grandmother in their spice healing business. At 30 years old, however, Tulsi still hasn't taken the final steps to take over her mother's role and allow her grandmother to retire. Why? Well, she's not so sure she wants the legacy, and while she doesn't know what her vocation should be otherwise, she knows she wants to travel and get experiences, and she's slowly been saving up so she can do those things as soon as she gets up the nerve to tell her mother and grandmother. Then two things happen to upset that particular apple cart: the shop suddenly has social media accounts that are blowing up BIG TIME (despite Tulsi and her family having no idea who's running the accounts) and a handsome ex-Marine has taken over the café next door (and much to the delight of her family, Tulsi seems to be hitting it off with him).

The writing was a bit clunky to begin with, and the story was a bit predictable, but if you can make it through the first 50 pages, this is a quick and satisfying read about secrets, family, duty, and love. Not my favorite book, but definitely not the worst I've read.

I was hooked from the beginning of this in-depth novel.
The way the healing spice shop is described makes you feel like you are there. I also loved the descriptions of all the other shops in their area.
Tulsi is a complex character who is dealing with wanting her own life and not too be tied to the age old being told that she has to be a healer like her mother and grandmother before her.
Lucas is a great character too, who brings out the best in Tulsi.
I liked the look at family here too and learning about their family history.
This is a feel good, complex family story, that will keep you reading.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for fair review ♥️

Ah, this book! It's like a cozy hug for your soul. I was totally swept up in Tulsi's journey from a hesitant spice shop heir to a confident, independent woman. The way the story unfolds, revealing secrets and surprises along the way, is just masterful. It's like sipping a warm cup of chai on a chilly day - comforting and delightful.

And can we talk about Tulsi's mom and grandma? Ultimate #squadgoals! They're like the spice queens of Salem, dispensing wisdom and wit along with their fragrant wares. I wanted to join their spice-filled adventures and get a whiff of that magical aroma for myself.

The writing is just divine - vivid and sensory, with a cast of characters that feels like your own extended family. You'll find yourself rooting for Tulsi, swooning over the romance, and giggling at the witty banter. It's a story that'll leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, like a big ol' hug in book form. So grab a cup of your favorite spiced tea and settle in for a truly delightful read!