The cover and the blurb of this book really pulled me in. Hearing about Jyoti’s life, the ups and the downs, sounded like a great story to follow.
Overall I enjoyed the book. But there were a few things that made it to where I did not love the book.
The pacing was not consistent throughout the book. The first 80% felt like a good pace for women’s fiction, just a tad slow for me. But then the last 20% kicked it into high gear and felt like a punch in the face compared to the rest of the story. I also felt like the last 20% just threw in a lot of the conflict at this point to show a struggle. Then everything was magically fixed in the last 5%.
I would still suggest this book to those who enjoy women’s fiction, but it would not be a first step into this genre.
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mansi Shah’s debut “A Good Indian Girl” is quite a remarkable story about descendants of immigrant’s and how they navigate in life to be in consonance with their original culture whilst blending into the country they live in now.

Is there a balance to it? Does the span between cultures perhaps come with sacrifices?

On the surface the book deals with Jyoti, a Gujarati woman born and raised in the US, who is divorced from her long-term husband Ashok whom she ran an Indian restaurant with in the US. They couldn’t have children, so Ashok goes onto the next marriage, whilst Jyoti divulges into a self-reflective journey to Italy where her friend Karishma lives.

On a deeper level, the story deals with the pressure women are exposed to when they’re in their forties and still childfree, the criticism of women pursuing their professional passion and the ostracism immigrant’s children get for blending in the new culture or the discrimination by the receiving country. Also, a cross-cultural flirtatious fling is analysed in depth and breadth as well, while Shah provides some insights into our choices of men and women regardless of their origin.

As all these problematic factors are highlighted, the author meshes in the self-journey of Jyoti by means of Gujarati and Italian food. By the end of the book, Shah even shares some delightful recipes, which I will certainly try out!

Mansi Shah wrote a fabulous book that I’d clearly recommend to anyone who loves reading!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

𝗔 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗵 has been succinctly described as an Indian Gujarati version of Eat, Pray, Love. I would say that although the story draws from the elements of that book, the topics covered in this book are uniquely owned by Mansi.

Jyoti Shah, a recently divorced Indian woman from New York, is set to explore her newfound independence. Her best friend since childhood, Karishma Parikh, lives in Florence & invites Jyoti to stay with her while she figures out what life after divorce looks like.

From Italian men to Italian cuisine & wine, Jyoti is ready to taste the scrumptious flavors of a country very different from either of the countries she knows well, India and America.

As the story takes us through scenic Tuscany to the Amalfi Coast, we are privy to all that came before in Jyoti’s life. Her ex-husband’s reasons for divorcing her, her struggles with infertility, the meddling of the Indian Aunties in the community, her love for cooking & dreams of owning a restaurant of her own one day. As Jyoti tries to heal, she courageously allows herself to change & grow in ways she never had permission to do so in the past.

The ups & downs (& sometimes hilarious) moments of Jyoti’s Italian vacation make for a story that hits all of the right emotions. Mansi Shah does a great job with the relationship arcs in the book, particularly Jyoti’s relationship with her friend, Karishma, & Jyoti’s mother, Nalini. The friendship between Jyoti & Karishma is very heartfelt & the type of loyalty every girl wants in their life. The relationship between Jyoti & her mother, Nalini, is relatable in how it evolves as both come to sincerely understand the differences & similarities between their lives.

At the end of the book, I was sad to leave Jyoti, her friendship with Karishma, her hopeful future, & the amazing delicious descriptions of her creative fusion dishes. (A HUGE thanks to Mansi Shah for including the recipes in the back of the book--I'll definitely be trying them out!) 🍷

(On a serious note, the book did include commentary on racism, bias, infertility, and stereotypes. All were given the respect and space to exist in this story.)

Overview:
Jyoti is an Indian American woman in her early 40s who is grappling with her recent divorce, unemployment, and overall shame for failing to meet the expectations of her family and South Asian community. Feeling utterly hopeless and lost, she spends the summer in Italy with her best friend, Karishma, learning to let go while tapping into her creative culinary skills and finding a new meaning to life.

Review:
Foremost, I loved the Gujarati American representation in this book, which reflects my own background🤎. The fact that the FMC is also from my home state made the story even more relatable and nostalgic✨. Reading this ultimately gave me more nuanced and layered Eat, Pray, Love vibes as there was plenty of mouth watering food, praying, and self transformation taking place with a desi twist, of course!

I also really appreciated the way that the author chose to forego a cheesy romance arc (although some of the dialogue between characters was a bit cheesy) and instead, provided readers with a relatively realistic portrait of many South Asian women’s struggles and journeys. This was an overall refreshing read that touched upon cultural norms, cooking, sense of belonging, found family, social media, and the power of individual choices. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for an end of summer read or palate cleanser!

Bonus: Shah includes some amazing recipes at the end of the book I cannot wait to try myself! 🧑🏽‍🍳💋

4.25 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the digital ARC!

A very cute story that's an ode to food as much as it is to women, their feelings and society
I loved this book
the beautiful Italian setting, Jyoti's ​friendship with Karishma, the Italian angle, her friends who proved to be her family more than her real one
etc

Jyoti was always the ideal good Indian daughter. She got married to a nice Indian boy, began to build a life and start a family.. except it didn’t go as planned. After years of infertility struggles and pregnancy loss, Jyoti’s husband decides the problem is her and she finds herself single in her 40s on a path to discovering what life she truly envisions for herself. This journey brings her to Italy where she can immerse herself in delicious food, find inspiration for her own culinary pursuits, build a community of chosen family and uncover who she is if not a “good Indian girl”.

This was a really cute and hunger inducing story. It should really come with a warning because ugh the food descriptions were next level. Jyoti’s challenges with understanding how to balance respect for her immigrant family’s wishes and her own dreams is one that I know many first generation Americans struggle with. Her exploration of her desire to have children or what it means to be a childless or childfree woman is also one that resonates closely with me so perhaps that is what endeared me so much to the story. As a whole it was a layered story but still felt like a light enough read that it isn’t overwhelming. 3.5 stars rounding up to 4.

I dare you to read this and not get hungry! This is a love letter to Indian food as much as it is the story of a woman discovering herself and her true mission. Jyoti is in Italy after her divorce, having finally given up on her marriage and, reluctantly, on becoming a mother, a quest that was as much for her husband as for herself. Her family has more or less turned their backs on her and it's her friend Karishma who is her support system. Until the night she films a drunken tiktok and learns there's a bigger community than she could have ever imagined which relates to her situation. Because she's a chef, Jyoti finds joy in cooking for others especially her own recipes (and some are included) that merge Gujarti with Italian food. Her journey might feel familiar in spots but there's a twist or two. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. No spoilers from me.

A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah
Pub day: August 21st, 2024

If you're in the market for a wonderful story that sheds light on a community's impact and influence on families, especially immigrant families that want to hold onto customs, traditions, and ideals, then this book is a #mustread!

I went through a rollercoaster of emotions while reading this book and I could relate sooooo much to Jyoti. It was the way that Jyoti opened up to her online community that inspired me to share a part of my story.

**Book Review**

What defines "A Good Indian Girl"? Is it someone who follows traditions, listens to her elders, and does what is expected of her? Does that make someone a good daughter? A good daughter-in-law? A good wife? An upstanding member of the community? And does this mean that someone who doesn’t fit into the mold is then shunned and cast out of the inner circle? That’s what happened to Jyoti and her best friend, Karishma.

Jyoti is the eldest of three daughters and has always tried to fit into her New Jersey Gujarati community. Karishma, through no fault of her own, was 'cast out' based on misconceptions and going against community standards. Jyoti followed everything to the letter. She was a dutiful wife of 20 years, taking care of her husband, parents, and in-laws and doing everything humanly possible to give her husband the one thing he wanted: a biological child. After putting herself through years of trauma and grief, her husband decides he wants a divorce and has found someone else to give him a baby, thereby giving his parents what they want. This led to Joyti's mom not speaking to her as though it was somehow her fault.

Heartbroken and alone, Joyti decides to take Karishma up on her offer and visit her in Florence, Italy. The descriptions of the landscape, the ocean views, and the food were spectacular. If I closed my eyes, I could picture myself there, sitting on a patio and eating a generous scoop of gelato.

Here, being on her own, and seeing the family and life that Karishma has made for herself inspires Jyoti to have adventures of her own. She learns to trust her instincts, to listen to her heart, and find her passion.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

Mansi Shah's A Good Indian Girl is a captivating story about traveling across the world and finding your true self. Readers will love rooting for Jyoti as she finds the courage after her divorce to go after the life she wants, even if it defies her family's expectations. I loved this book—the beautiful Italian setting, Jyoti's ​friendship with Karishma, and the found family of friends who take her in during her summer in Italy. And best of all, I adored reading about all the delicious recipes that Jyoti was cooking! This was truly a wonderful story, and it's the book you'll be recommending to your book club and all your friends!

I am going to make you happy and save you the fear I had throughout the entire book:

THERE ARE RECIPES AT THE END OF THE BOOK!!!

This is good because I think my stomach grumbled through the entire book and that was while I was eating leftover food from my favorite Indian restaurant. I loved Jyoti's found family and her own biological family drama. While I am not of Indian descent, my ethnic group acts in a very similar manner and I could totally relate. I enjoyed Jyoti's consideration and indecision and growth during the course of the book. She felt very real! And the writing, especially about food, was wonderfully imaginable. I could see, smell, and taste the food! Which, is why I am so thankful for the recipes at the end of the book!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A Good Indian Girl by Mansi Shah is a third person-POV contemporary about being childfree, infertility, and finding your second arc in life. Jyoti is a Gujarati Indian-American divorcee in her forties visiting her friend Karishma in Italy. When Jyoti is given a chance to audition as a chef for a pair of wine merchants, she goes on a journey to try to get her old restaurant back and find out exactly what she wants.

Do not read this on an empty stomach. Almost every chapter has an incredible dish of Gujarati vegetarian food, Italian, or a fusion dish and is accompanied by rich details of what exactly is in it and what it tastes like. I was very unfamiliar with Gujarati food (I love Indian flavors, but I think I’ve mostly eaten Punjabi cuisine) and am looking forward to making some of these, such as the chili cheese toast. If you grew up on Food Network, this was written specifically for you.

I loved how Jyoti went on her journey of coming to terms with her infertility and choosing to remain childfree. While drunk, she makes a TikTok video revealing her complex feelings about her inability to have children and how that made her feel in her community and in her family. The outpouring of love she gets helps her start to unpack why she feels the way she does, the role her ex-husband played, and the role her family and culture continue to play.

Another major theme is exoticism and racism. Karishma is a former senior editor of a big publishing house who left her old job to become an editor for authors of color before they submit to publishing houses and agents. Karishma details how many issues still exist in the publishing industry (such as stories needing to appeal to the white American audience and her lack of ability to acquire the books that really spoke to her because of other people’s decisions), and it’s clear as day how passionate she is about these stories and how frustrated she is by the industry she loves so much. On top of this, Jyoti’s first relationship after her divorce is with an Italian man who fetishizes her and isn’t actually interested in her culture at all.

Content warning for depictions of racism, fetishization, and exotification and conversations around pregnancy and infertility

I would recommend this to fans of books centering around food, readers looking for a book centering around infertility and a childfree life, and those looking for honest conversations about the role community and family play in our choices

The parts of this that I enjoyed the most were the food descriptions… Made me very hungry! Also, I enjoyed the relationship between the two best friends and how characters friend really worked to help her during her difficult time. I found it really hard to get into and really hard to connect with Jyoti.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Delectable, wise, immersive, and compulsively readable, Mansi Shah’s A GOOD INDIAN GIRL follows Jyoti, a disgraced Gujarati American divorcée as she escapes to Tuscany and learns to better love herself, her family, & her best friend. The food descriptions paired with recipes in the back plus timely topics like Jyoti’s failed fertility treatments and her best friend’s childfree lifestyle make this a great book club pick & an attractive author event title for libraries.

Jyoti, eldest of three daughters, has always tried to fit into her New Jersey Gujarati community. Her parents are proud that she married an approved Indian man whose parents own a traditional Tandoori restaurant, Taste of Ginger. When she helps restore its sagging reputation, she brings her mother's love of cooking to new imaginative heights by creating fusion cuisine. The only problem is that Ashok and Jyoti are not able to have a child. After five years of experiencing rounds of fertility treatments and subsequent miscarriages, and her husband divorcing her and remarrying a younger woman, Jyoti feels like a failure. Her old college roommate and best friend Karishma, who lived in Florence Italy, has invited her for a visit many times, but at rock bottom, she accepts her invitation.
In the Tuscany countryside she begins to heal from her unhappiness. She finds that the immigrant community of Indian aunties that hounded her in America for befriending bad girl, Karishma, have no influence on her here. She starts to enjoy a casual life of cooking Italian food blended with traditional Indian recipes for her new community of friends. She also does a drunken tik tok video where she shares her struggles as she cooks Indian comfort food and it goes viral. Karishma encourages her to do a follow-up, but her mother calls and begs her to take it down, as it is embarrassing the family and her sisters agree. Torn between her emerging self-respect and the pull of the Gujarati community, she takes it down but also does more videos where she talks and cooks. One of her new friends asks her if she would like to make a tasting meal for a customer's wine pairing. If she successfully creates this meal, he promises that they will also fund eight more. Since Ashok has given her the opportunity to buy the family restaurant, she agrees to make the meal so that she can purchase Taste of Ginger and go back to being a chef. She has been creating new recipes in her head, ways to combine Italian and Indian dishes, but she doesn't have the confidence that this food will be accepted  by native Italians. Will she be able to trust herself or succumb to the pressure of tradition?
  While writing a good mother-daughter conflict, Shah also brings up other points about life as an outsider. Her characters bemoan the limited visibility of Indian authors in the publishing industry. Jyoti starts dating an Italian man and runs into cultural stereotyping.  There is plenty for book clubs to discuss here-and it ends with many of the mouthwatering recipes mentioned in the novel...what's not to love!

The phrase ‘A Good Indian Girl’ has so many different connotations, but in the course of her novel Mansi reinvents it. Reading novels about women of colour blossoming, reclaiming spaces, and forging new paths will always put a smile on my face. Mansi Shah’s novel gives generously to its readers minds and souls. There's so much to praise, we get to dive into: intergenerational trauma, racism, nationalism, and the growing pains of first generation children in diasporas.

For me the standout was Jyoti’s fertility journey. Our main character is faced with the decision of destroying her frozen embryos after her divorce. It’s hardly ever highlighted the physical toll it takes to undergo fertility treatments. But especially in a different cultural environment where there is an intense communal pressure often pushed onto women to endure. Family planning and the expectation of having children placed on women is such an immense pressure. I’m so proud of Jyoti’s final decision and smiled with pride to see such representation.

Throughout the novel the phrase of “what will people say” comes up. It’s an insidious phrase that is so detrimental and leads Jyoti to self sabotage in an important moment of the book. Things do work out in the end, but it pained me because every brown woman has that moment. Books like ‘A Good Indian Girl’ helps address such a toxic part of diasporas and hopefully will inspire more readers to ignore that nagging voice of self-doubt.

Finally, there are so many food moments in this book. I wish I could try all of Jyoti’s mouthwatering creations. I usually add a favourite quote, but with this novel I couldn't pick just one. It's filled with such gems. There’s so much more I would like to share, but for now thank you Mansi Shah for this wonderful book.

This is a compelling literary fiction about a disgraced Indian woman who has recently gotten divorced, in her 40s thought to be a general failure by cultural expectations within her family.

Reeling from years of infertility struggles and a surprise, divorce announcement by her longtime husband, Jyoti goes to visit a longtime friend in Italy in order to find herself and regain her passion for life. A couple failed duty attempts and disastrous social media experiences Jyoti turns to her love of food and friends to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

I thought it had wonderful representation for infertility and managing cultural/family expectations. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the food and how much the main character found her strength throughout the novel. The character development was absolutely spot on. This made me so hungry in such a good way lol. Honestly, I never considered Italy to be a big draw for me as a place to visit, but this book absolutely changed my opinion on that.

I did find some of the pacing in this book to be difficult. While I did enjoy the descriptions of the food, it did tend to get to be a little over verbose for me at times, and I found my mind wandering. I also felt like there was some times in the book that weren't really necessary and just dragged it down with the pacing. I also feel like the grand revelation at the end of the book came a little too late in the book to really be thoroughly explored, and the wrapup was just way too simple and rushed for me to be effective in the storytelling. I recognize that all of this is personal preference and may not be as ineffective for you as it was for me.

Overall, I do recommend this book for many reasons. It is unusual to see a 40-year-old woman be the highlight of a book of this nature. I love the infertility rep and the cultural representation in this novel.

A Good Indian Girl was both entertaining and thought provoking.

I escaped to Italy with Jyoti and accompanied her on her personal journey. The character’s struggles and development were realistic and compelling. With the help of her friend Karishma, Italy, food and social media Jyoti moves beyond her struggle to conceive, her loss of her restaurant and her family's expectations.

More than anything I appreciated a novel about adults who still struggle with expectations, both their own and others. Jyoti clearly thought she knew what she wanted out of life… but it is difficult for her to weed through the expectations and judgments of her family and community. (Often these themes stay in the covers of YA books even though they continue into our adult lives).

If I were to change anything about the novel, I wish the ending had been less rushed.

I wanted to know more about Karishma’s friends. I got extremely frustrated with Jyoti’s sisters. I became fascinated by Jyoti’s mom. And now I want to find an Italian-Indian fusion restaurant.

I love the depiction of the different life paths people take and the idea that no matter your age you can still have opportunities to get what you want out of life.

I highly recommend this novel, especially for those who are in a transitional phase of life or struggle with people pleasing.

Since this is the first book I’ve read by Mansi Shah, I cannot wait to read more.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy of this book.

Why yes, I would like another helping of delicious prose and delicately plated family drama from Mansi Shah. “A Good Indian Girl” is an emotionally uplifting book that explores the multi-layered impact of immigration and culture. I rooted for Jyoti from start to finish.

This novel felt very "Eat, Pray, Love", but only with one country and more dramatic with familial drama. I didn't love the social media aspects of the book and thought that it wasn't woven seamlessly integrated into the story which made it feel forced. I loved the main character Jyoti and her bravery for leaving everything she knew and decided to go on an adventure and learn more about herself.

A lush, sophisticated tale that you can almost taste on your tongue! When recently divorced Jyoti journeys to Italy to reconnect with her passion for the culinary arts, she discovers a newfound appreciation for the pleasures of travel, the joys of found family, and a talent for connecting with others through food…as well as a chance to redefine life on her own terms, apart from the expectations of her traditional Gujarati family and her people-pleasing tendencies. An inspired coming of age story that will take you on a delicious journey to Tuscany!