Set in the sensual richness of India, Shobhan Bantwal's gripping new novel asks: Where can a woman turn when her life's greatest blessing is seen as a curse? It's a girl! For most young couples, news of their unborn child's gender brings joyful anticipation. Not so for Isha Tilak and her husband, Nikhil. They already have a beloved daughter, but Nikhil's parents, hard-wired to favor male children above all, coldly reject little Priya at every turn. Vain and selfish, they see female grandchildren as burdens, and would just as soon never meet the one growing in Isha's belly. Even the obstetrician agrees, going so far as to suggest the unthinkable, throwing Nikhil into a rage-and changing Isha's life forever . . . When Nikhil is discovered brutally murdered, Isha is convinced it had something to do with his reaction to the doctor's hideous "solution" to their problem. Alone, grief-stricken, and relentlessly oppressed by in-laws who believe her baby is a bad omen, Isha sets out on her own. Born into a privileged class, Isha doesn't know the first thing about fending for herself, but to protect her precious daughters, she will learn. And she will cling to the hope given to her by a strange old mystic: that her baby will arrive on the auspicious night of Kojagari Purnima, the full harvest moon, and be a gift from Lakshmi, the goddess of well-being. Isha and her girls will need all the blessings they can get, for the greatest danger of all lies ahead . . . Praise for Shobhan Bantwal and The Dowry Bride "Splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict". -Dorothy Garlock "Vivid, rich . . . expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair". -Anjali Banerjee

The Forbidden Daughter

Literature & Fiction

Bantwal, Shobhan

United States

Kensington Trade

One sultry night, a young bride overhears an extraordinary conversation. The voices speak of a plot to murder a wife who has failed to produce a child and whose family has failed to produce the promised dowry. . . Megha is sick with horror when she realizes she is the intended victim. Her husband--the very man who tied the sacred necklace of marriage around her neck--and his mother are plotting to kill her! In the moment of panic, she runs for her life. Frantically racing through Palgaum's deserted streets, her way lit only by the lights strung up for the Diwali festival, her single goal is to escape death by fire. But fleeing from her would-be killers seems impossible--unless she can find someone to help her. . . To approach her best friend would bring scandal to an innocent woman's doorstep, and turning to her own strict, conservative family is out of the question. Instead, with nothing but the sari she wears and a memory of kindness, Megha finds her way to Kiran, the one man who has shown her friendship and respect. Hiding her in his apartment, Kiran becomes her protector. But the forbidden attraction that grows between them can only bring more danger. . . Caught between tradition and the truths buried in her heart, a dowry bride will discover the real cost of the only things worth having in life. . . "Packed with detail. . .splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict." --Dorothy Garlock

The Dowry Bride

Kensington

Pungent curry. . .sweet fried onions. . .incense. . .colorful beads. . .lush fabrics. Shobhan Bantwal's compelling new novel is set on the streets of Edison, New Jersey's Little India, where a young businesswoman rediscovers the magic of love and family. . . Since becoming a widow at age twenty-seven, Anjali Kapadia has devoted herself to transforming her parents' sari shop into a chic boutique, brimming with exquisite jewelry and clothing. Now, ten years later, it stands out like a proud maharani amid Edison's bustling Little India. But when Anjali learns the shop is on the brink of bankruptcy, she feels her world unraveling. . . To the rescue comes Anjali's wealthy, dictatorial Uncle Jeevan and his business partner, Rishi Shah--a mysterious Londoner, complete with British accent, cool gray eyes, and skin so fair it makes it hard to believe he's Indian. Rishi's cool, foreign demeanor triggers distrust in Anjali and her mother. But for Anjali, he also stirs something else, a powerful attraction she hasn't felt in a decade. And the feeling is mutual. . . Love disappointed Anjali once before and she's vowed to live without it--though Rishi is slowly melting her resolve and, as the shop regains its footing, gaining her trust. But when a secret from Rishi's past is revealed, Anjali must turn to her family and her strong cultural upbringing to guide her in finding the truth. . . Praise for Shobhan Bantwal and her novels. . . "Compelling and memorable." --Mary Jo Putney on The Forbidden Daughter "Vivid, rich. . .expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair." --Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride "Splendidly depicts passion, brutality, and cultures in conflict."--Dorothy Garlock on The Dowry Bride "The Dowry Bride is an eye-opener to the challenges many Indian women face in a culture few foreigners comprehend. --ArmchairInterviews.com, 4 stars on The Dowry Bride "A beautifully written book. . .Wonderful, vivid, and worth reading."--BookIdeas.com on The Dowry Bride "An amazing story of modern India."--The Kaleidoscope on The Dowry Bride

The Sari Shop Widow

"What happens when a woman who's realized her dreams wakes up to a shocking truth? Shobhan Bantwal's poignant new novel weaves a captivating tale of one woman's return to India: the place where she lost everything--and now has everything to gain. . . It is a morning like any other in suburban New Jersey when Vinita Patil opens the battered envelope postmarked "Mumbai." But the letter inside turns her comfortable world upside down. It tells Vinita an impossible story: she has a grown son in India whose life may depend on her. . . Once upon a time, a naïve young college girl fell for a wealthy boy whose primary interests were cricket and womanizing. Vinita knew, even then, that a secret affair with a man whose language and values were different from her own was a mistake. He finished with her soon enough--leaving her to birth a baby that was stillborn. Or so Vinita was told. . . Now, that child is a grown man in desperate need. To help her son, to know him, Vinita must revisit her darkest hours by returning to her battle-scarred homeland--and pray for the faith of the family she leaves behind. . .

The Unexpected Son

What makes a marriage-love or compatibility? Passion or pragmatism? Shobhan Bantwal's compelling new novel explores the fascinating subject of arranged marriage, as a young Indian-American woman navigates the gulf between desire and tradition. . . To Soorya Giri, arranged marriages have always seemed absurd. But while her career as an environmental lawyer has flourished, Soorya is still a virgin, living with her parents in suburban New Jersey. She wants to be married. And she is finally ready to do the unthinkable. . . Soorya's first bridal viewings are as awkward as she anticipated. But then she's introduced to Roger Vadepalli. Self-possessed, intelligent, and charming, Roger is clearly interested in marriage and seems eager to clinch the deal. Attracted to him in spite of her mistrust, Soorya is also drawn into a flirtation with Lou, a widowed colleague who is far from her family's idea of an acceptable husband. In choosing between two very different men, Soorya must reconcile her burgeoning independence and her conservative background. And she must decide what matters most to her-not just in a husband, but in a family, a culture, and a life. . . "One of the best [novels] I've read this year. I couldn't put it down. . .this book is a gem!" --Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on The Unexpected Son "Compelling and memorable." -Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author on The Forbidden Daughter "Vivid, rich. . .expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair." -Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride "Dazzles you with a taste of Desi culture in America." -Caridad Pineiro

The Full Moon Bride

In her thought-provoking, uplifting new novel, Shobhan Bantwal vividly blends the nuances of contemporary Indian-American culture with an unconventional romance. . . At thirty-one, Meena Shenoy has a fulfilling career at a New Jersey high-tech firm. Not that it impresses her mother and aunts, who make dire predictions about her ticking biological clock. Men are drawn to Meena's dainty looks and she dates regularly, but hasn't met someone who really intrigues her. Someone professional, ambitious, confident, caring. Someone like her new boss, Prajay Nayak. Just as Meena's thoughts turn to romance, Prajay makes an astonishing request. He wants her to craft a personal ad that will help him find a suitable wife: a statuesque, sophisticated Indian-American woman who will complement his striking height. Despite her attraction to Prajay and the complications of balancing work and her "marriage consultant" role, Meena can't refuse the generous fee. And as her family is thrown into turmoil by her brother's relationship with a Muslim woman, Meena comes to surprising realizations about love, tradition, and the sacrifices she will--and won't--make for the sake of both. "One of the best [novels] I've read this year. I couldn't put it down. . .this book is a gem!" --Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on The Unexpected Son "Compelling and memorable." --Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author on The Forbidden Daughter "Vivid, rich. . .expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair." --Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride "Dazzles you with a taste of Desi culture in America." --Caridad Piñeiro

The Reluctant Matchmaker

True love, freedom, self-worth, security... Dreams and desires of the ordinary woman, or man. From best friends who discover love to a young woman looking for a place to belong to a woman finding love again, this collection of sixteen stories celebrates the attainment of all one can dream or desire. Which one do you secretly yearn for? By purchasing this collection, you can help turn someone's nightmare into the pursuit of dreams. Every year, four million women are assaulted by their partners. At Freya's Bower, we want to do our part to bring this statistic down to zero. To this end, all net proceeds from every Dreams and Desire anthology purchased will go to St. Bernard's Battered Woman's Shelter in New Orleans. (They have just rebuilt this past year from Katrina.) Through education and support, we can make a difference. Authors (in alphabetical order of last name): Shobhan Bantwal, Marci Baun, Jenna Bayley-Burke, Mychael Black, Amanda Brice, M.E. Ellis, Gemma Halliday, Candace Havens, Babe King, Bonnie Kinsey, Adelle Laudan, Susan Lyons, Debbie Mumford, Kari Lee Townsend, Lois Winston, and Barbara Witek. Foreword by Carol Anne Davis.

Dreams & Desires: A Collection of Romance & Erotic Tales

Bayley-Burke, Jenna

Baun, Marci

Erotica

Freya's Bower

Anjali Kapadia, a 37 year old widow, is devoted to transforming her parents' sari shop into a chic boutique. The store has been her only world. But life has strange twists up its sleeve. In spite of all her efforts, now, ten year later, the store stands on the brink of bankruptcy. Anjali could lose everything she has worked so hard for. Unless ... unless fate intervenes.

Contemporary

Fingerprint! Publishing

Genre Fiction

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bantwal, Shobhan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Bantwal, Shobhan

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Bantwal, Shobhan. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Forbidden Daughter

The Dowry Bride

The Sari Shop Widow

The Unexpected Son

The Full Moon Bride

The Reluctant Matchmaker

Dreams & Desires: A Collection of Romance & Erotic Tales

The Sari Shop Widow

The Reluctant Matchmaker

The Unexpected Son