The Widows of Malabar Hill is a mystery set in Bombay, India in 1921. It’s not a romance. Romance does not go well for the main characters. However, it’s a very good female-centered historical mystery. The story takes place before Independence and before Partition, during a period when the Indian independence movement was gaining traction. The sense of rapid social change on many levels pervades the novel. The story follows two plotlines. In 1921, Perveen, … Continue reading The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey →
Bollywood and the Beast by Suleikha Snyder caused me to pull a Bad Decisions Book Club moment at RT…does that mean I leveled up? Is that the Bad-Ass Decisions Book Club? So many questions. As you may have guessed from the title, Bollywood and the Beast is a Beauty and the Beast story set in Bollywood–but it’s so much more than that. It’s a book about a bi-racial heroine not feeling accepted by any cultural … Continue reading Bollywood and the Beast by Suleikha Snyder →
Long before a real life romance inspired the building of the Taj Mahal, India saw another real life romance play out in the royal family. The love story between Nur Jahan and Jahangir led to the expansion of the Mughal Empire, religious freedoms, and increased rights for women. It’s the story of a kickass woman and a man who liked her that way. Nur Jahan was born with the name Mohr-un-Nissa in what is now … Continue reading Real Life Romance: Nur Jahan and Jahangir →
