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.

An excellent read about a middle-aged divorced Indian American chef who, reeling from her unexpected divorce, goes to Italy to stay with her friend. This is a story of the push and pull between immigrant parents and their children born in the country their parents emigrated to, the pressure of cultural norms, and the clash between self fulfillment and the need to conform/be a people pleaser and accept the roles demanded by culture and society.

I loved that the main character was a middle-aged woman from a minority community at a crossroads in her life and that the story raised issues around motherhood, mother-daughter relationships, racial fetishization, culture and community, and found family. I also liked the way in which the author wove in issues around the under-representation of diverse authors and voices in the publishing industry (Jyoti’s friend is a freelance Indian American editor).

I can’t forget to mention the gorgeous descriptions of Florence and of the dishes Jyoti cooked - I could close my eyes and imagine myself in the settings described. I hope the final published book includes some of the recipes!

Readers looking for a story about an older character finding her way in life after a sudden life change, who enjoy learning about other cultures, and who love stories of family and friendship will really enjoy this one.

My only minor quibble was that although the pacing was generally good, the middle part did slow somewhat.

Thanks to @harpercollinsca for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.