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The Forbidden Daughter
A goddess in the temple. A burden in the family. Children are a gift of God, they say. But do they really believe? Isha and Nikhil Tilak are expecting their second child. Hardwired to favour a grandson, Nikhil’s egotistical parents have resented and coldly rejected their first granddaughter. So ever since the day Isha discovered that she’s expecting, this question has obsessed her: ‘Is it a boy? Or . . . God forbid . . . a girl?’ And finally the answer is there on the gynaecologist’s screen—it’s a girl! What will Nikhil and Isha do now? As their decisions add to their nightmare, Nikhil is found murdered in cold blood. And their innocent unborn daughter is blamed for it. With her five-year-old at her heels, grief-stricken and relentlessly oppressed by her in-laws, who believe the baby to be a bad omen, Isha sets out on her own to build her life around her forbidden daughters. Will she be able to protect them from the grave dangers that lie ahead? A thrilling, captivating, and thought-provoking portrayal of the dark secrets hidden in the Indian culture, this novel is bound to stir your conscience. About the author Shobhan Bantwal is the author of six novels and two anthologies. Her books combine contemporary women’s issues with romantic elements. Her articles have appeared in The Writer, Romantic Times, India Abroad, Little India, New Woman, and India Currents. Her short fiction has won honours and awards in contests sponsored by Writer’s Digest, New York Stories, and New Woman magazines. Her debut book, The Dowry Bride, won the 2008 Golden Leaf Award. The Unexpected Son won the 2012 National Indie Excellence Award. Shobhan lives in Arizona, USA. Visit her website: www.shobhanbantwal.com, or her Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ShobhanBantwal.author
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The Dowry Bride
She is 21, married, childless . . . and she is about to be burned. As the dowry culture in India, in spite of the Dowry Law, remains an ugly reality, will Megha Ramnath contribute to changing it, or will she silently succumb to its dark existence? As Megha wakes up in the dead of night to the squeaking of the woodshed door, she steps out to see the cause behind it. What she witnesses is something so dangerous, so sinister that she is soon racing through the deserted streets of Palgaum, with only one thing on her mind: to put as much distance as she can between herself and the place she has come to call home for the past year, for her very family members—husband and mother-in-law—are plotting to burn her alive that very night! What will she do now? Where will she go? Making her way through the dim-lit streets, there is only one name that comes to her mind—Kunal, the one man who has shown her friendship and respect in her new household. Hiding in his apartment, he becomes her protector. As the forbidden attraction between them grows and complicates an already messy situation, will Kunal be successful in safeguarding Megha? Torn between her affections for Kunal and the conventional ethos of the society, which path will she choose? Follow Megha as she struggles to piece together her life and work towards an unblemished future, unveiling the brutal realities faced by the Dowry Brides.
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The Reluctant Matchmaker
At thirty-one, Meena Shenoy is single and enjoys a flourishing professional life at a New Jersey high-tech company. She is admired by her colleagues, lauded by her seniors, and is on the road to a highly promising future. But all this fails to impress her mother and aunts, who continue making dire predictions about her ticking biological clock and dropping not-so-subtle hints about finding a groom. Meena, who has always attracted a fair amount of attention with her dainty looks, hasn’t really found someone interesting enough to spend the rest of her life with, though she hasn’t been averse to looking. But when her treacherous heart finally likes someone, it happens to be her new boss, the reticent Prajay Nayak! As her thoughts turn to romance, Prajay makes an astonishing request that leaves Meena flabbergasted. She has to craft a personal matrimonial ad to help him find a suitable wife. His criteria: a sophisticated Indian-American woman who complements his striking height. Walking a tightrope between her personal and professional life, Meena is now caught in a rather obnoxious yet interesting predicament! How will she find a ‘Mrs Right’ for someone who she feels is her ‘Mr Right’? The stage is set for a saucy, highly witty story that will warm its way into your heart.