This was a solid 3 read. While categorized as a coming of age story, it isn’t. Coming of age refers to the teen (and sometimes preteen) years in which kids navigate their way through the world on the way to adulthood. Durga, in her mid-twenties is already an adult – albeit a naïve one. It is more accurately a story of finding oneself while navigating through different cultural expectations. And unless you count the budding relationship between Joy and Maeve, it wasn’t a romance either. There was no romance between Durga and Luke. They only used each other for sex. Because of the title I expected significant growth on Durga’s part. But her growth was minimal in my opinion. Still, I did enjoy the story and getting to know more about the Indian culture and expectations and how they affected Durga. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The realities of loving, leaving and being your own person in a world that wants to keep you in a box...This was told in way that keeps you cheering for everyone (even those you don't like) and helped me realize that we are all struggling in this way. It was such a relief to read such a real heartbreaking and loving story, that felt like mine and others lives while always keeping us hopeful and excited for what comes next.

A sweet novel about a twenty something coming into her own away from her family. A transplant in England, Durga is struggling to find her way & true self. The novel is about a transformative year for her & her family. A well-written book where you care about the characters and hope they figure it all out. Can't wait to read more by this author.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Complicated love story about redemption and moving on.

Title: I will Blossom Anyway
Author: Disha Bose
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages 288

Durga is named after the Bengali goddess, pure of heart, filled with goodness. But the goddess has an alter-ego, fearless Kali, of fire and crackling with energy.

The third of four children born to a middle-class Calcutta family, quiet Durga is surprisingly the first to leave the nest of her loving, overbearing family.

Story is listed as a romance and with Valentine’s Day coming up, this looked like it might be a good one. I read a lot of thrillers and was ready for a sweet romance.

The story wasn’t what I had hoped – doesn’t mean it isn’t good.
In fact, I did like the ending.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine/Ballantine Books
for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 6, 2025.

“I Will Blossom Anyway” is by Disha Bose. From the cover, I expected this book to be different as the cover gave me romance vibes, but I found this book to really be a coming of age book instead. The main character, Durga, is from India but took a job in Ireland. She partially did this to escape her family (although she loves them) and try to be a bit more independent. At work, Durga meets Jacob and they start dating, breaking up when Durga decides to not invite him to her sister’s wedding back in India because Durga’s afraid that her family won’t accept bi-racial Jacob. Complicating things a bit, Durga’s flatmate is Joy, Jacob’s sister, who knows that deep down even after the break-up, both still want to be together and love each other. Durga goes home for the wedding - and over two weeks a lot happens. Part of what happens is that Durga realizes that while she in very many ways yearns for her life in India, she also appreciates her independence from her family in Ireland. I think that’s a safe description. While there is some romance, I found the scenes with Jacob to be the more softer ones, but that relationship (mostly off page) had a longer time to develop. I really have mixed feelings about this book - on one hand, returning to India made Durga realize that she could break from her family, be more independent, and really all was okay (that’s the coming of age storyline), but at the same time Durga seemed to be stuck not wanting to move in any direction, which was frustrating. I did find Jacob’s parents’ storyline a bit odd at the beginning, but I did like that they were accepting of Durga with Jacob and Joy. Overall, a 3.5 read for me - the pacing at times was slow, I didn’t always like Durga’s choices and endless rumination about said choices, and I was hoping to see more of her alter-ego Kali make an appearance in this book.

While I liked this book at times, I wasn’t blown away by it. I liked Durga, but at times I didn’t connect with her. I do appreciate the advanced copy.

A very uplifting book that follows the main character through the end of one relationship and into a new relationship. This book demonstrates tremendous personal growth of the main character and is very insightful and inspiring. The book was also very interesting because it is based on Indian culture and traditions. I enjoyed this book immensely. Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Calcutta born Durga leaves her family for a job in Ireland where she meets Joy, her new BFF and Joy's brother, Jacob, with whom she falls in love. Enjoying the freedom of an independent life, she also recognizes her role in her family and how her new life would be viewed by them. Because she fears her family will not accept Jacob, she hesitates telling her family about him. When she doesn’t invite him to her sister’s wedding in India, they break up. The nostalgia of returning home for the wedding entices her back to that culture, but is it enough to give up her new life in Ireland?

A fast contemporary read with flowing prose, this coming of age novel touches on so many themes. There is the struggle between finding your own way and obligations to your family, living a cross culture life, taking control of your life, and the misunderstandings that can occur when we prejudge our family’s dynamics. I enjoyed learning more about the Indian culture, particularly the traditions surrounding a wedding and Hindu myths…and all the references to food. I liked the woman Durga became.

This book was an ultra-slow starter
I just really didn't care about the characters
Sorry but not my fave

I enjoy books about cross-cultural topics. This one is interesting, taking place in Ireland. There is a high tension relationship between Indian, Durga and Irish, Jacob. It’s well written, but sometimes I just don’t find a hook that really engages me. I really couldn’t relate to the main character.

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I really enjoyed this character driven, coming of age story, that follows Durga as she learns who she is and where she belongs. All of the characters in the story were flawed and endearing and I never truly knew where things were headed next. When the book ended, I found myself wishing for the best for everyone I had just spent time with while being content with the stopping point of the story as they continued on their paths in life.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

She beat the sophomore slump! I enjoyed this even more than I enjoyed “Dirty Laundry” and I absolutely loved that book. She topped her previous work which I didn’t think was possible. It was so real and raw and I identified with Durga even as a middle-aged white American. It was just masterfully written and I felt all the feels in the course of this book. Wonderful story!! Can’t wait for the next!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
A coming of age story about merging a life growing up in India with
Life as a young adult in Ireland.; reconciling traditional family values
And rituals with the new freedom of growing up in the new world.
Engaging with interesting character development

Entering Durga's life was an immersive experience. I learned so much about the culture and dishes of India. We begin, however in Cork where Durga, a mid-20's woman from Calcutta, has come to work in tech support. She has left her large, close-knit traditional Indian family to establish a separate life away from the loving but stifling family in which she is one of four siblings.

Durga's two-year love affair with her flatmate's brother has broken up because she failed to invite him to her sister's wedding. Jacob, who is bi-racial, feels that that's the reason she has not wanted him to meet her family. Disha Bose seems to be writing from a deep knowledge of traditional Indian family dynamics. Her mother and father and older sister, expect her to accept an arranged marriage.

Diving into this novel is like slipping into another life so different from more contemporary methods of meeting people and having relationships with people not approved by parents. The novel is a delicious read, not only because the food descriptions will make you hungry, but because it's emotional journey into friendship grief, growth and finally development of emotional maturity. Disha Bose writes from the heart and what seems like her own experience.

Thanks to Ballantine for an early copy of this book to read and review.

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I had a really difficult time getting into this story and relating to the main characters. I did enjoy the cover, and the title really drew me in… And it was obvious to me that by the end of her story, Durga was blossoming anyway!

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

This book tugged at my heartstrings on a way I didn’t know it would. I shed a tear at some point but overall it was a sweet story.

I loved this sweet coming of age story x. It was such a good book and you will root for the whole family
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

I Will Blossom Anyway by Disha Bose is a sweet, emotional, informative and partly sad about a young Indian woman from Calcutta who now lives in Ireland. Her intention is to find herself and discover self-love away from the traditions of arranged marriages and other old ways of life in India. She explores her sexuality, friendships and love relationships with sometimes confusion, self-doubt and always with a sense of humor. It is light and quick reading and explores India and her family in a new and loving way!! It is a good read!