A compelling tale of one woman's struggle to find fulfilment in a society where she's caught between traditional and modern values. Jaya is bound by tradition to take care of her late husband's family, and she takes this responsibility seriously. An engineer and a businesswoman in contemporary India, she is also the mother of a ten-year-old girl. To Jaya's sorrow, no one in her family has room in their lives for her shy daughter, who has cocooned herself in her grief. A series of events shakes up not only their lives but also Jaya's long-held assumption that when a woman marries a man, she also marries his family. And that this marriage doesn't end when the husband dies. In a moment of truth, she realises that she's spent so much time focussed on being the Perfect Indian Woman, she's lost her voice. She fears that if she doesn't learn to speak up--even at the risk of being ostracized by the community--silence will be her daughter's inheritance as well. From the author of Tell A Thousand Lies.

In rural India, your husband may die, but your marriage must live on. Jaya, a successful engineer, finds herself tethered by this very tradition, obligated to support her late husband’s family. As she fulfils this responsibility, her heart aches for her young daughter, who is sinking deeper into isolation amid their shared loss. The cold indifference of her in-laws towards their granddaughter only exacerbates the child's anguish. When Jaya meets Kovid*, a charismatic Indian-American doctor, she finds a rare and cherished connection in him. But their friendship soon becomes a source of scandal. Confronted with this unexpected backlash, Jaya must re-evaluate her deeply held beliefs about marriage, family, and loyalty. In a moment of truth, Jaya realises that in striving to be the Perfect Indian Woman, she’s lost her voice. She fears that unless she learns to speak up—even at the risk of ostracisation—silence will be her daughter's only inheritance. Set against the backdrop of contemporary India, Daughters Inherit Silence delves into cultural norms, gender roles, and the heavy weight of societal expectations. It also touches upon the racial challenges faced by brown Americans in the United States. From the author of Tell A Thousand Lies. A B.R.A.G. (Book Readers Appreciation Group) Medallion honouree. ◆ British/Indian spellings used. ◆ All books in this series may be read independently. *Note: In 2019, I named my character Kovid, a decision I later chose not to highlight in the blurb, though I did mention it in my Author's Note. I've since revised the blurb, reclaiming the name. This is not just for my character, but for all the Kovids, Osamas, and others out there—people who, through no fault of their own, find their names caught up in global events beyond their control.

A compelling tale of one woman's struggle to find fulfillment in a society where she's caught between traditional and modern values. Jaya is bound by tradition to take care of her late husband's family, and she takes this responsibility seriously. An engineer and a businesswoman in contemporary India, she is also the mother of a ten-year-old girl. To Jaya's sorrow, no one in her family has room in their lives for her shy daughter, who has cocooned herself in her grief. A series of events shakes up not only their lives but also Jaya's long-held assumption that when a woman marries a man, she also marries his family. And that this marriage doesn't end when the husband dies. In a moment of truth, she realises that she's spent so much time focussed on being the Perfect Indian Woman, she's lost her voice. She fears that if she doesn't learn to speak up--even at the risk of being ostracized by the community--silence will be her daughter's inheritance as well. From the author of "Tell A Thousand Lies". Please note: Spellings used in this book are British/Indian. All books in this series may be read independently.

In a world where family expectations outweigh personal desires, tradition isn't simply a guide—it's an ironclad rule. Madhav is a young man with an engineering job that pays rather well. He also has: · A mother who doesn’t understand why it is so wrong to demand dowry for her son. Especially when she paid out a generous dowry for her daughter. · A father who feels so obligated to his beautiful wife for consenting to marry him, he will not deny her. · A grandfather whose wacky schemes occupy his own time and Madhav’s. · A grandmother whose sharp tongue hides a kind heart. · A girl who has possession of his heart but not of the dowry his mother so desires. Traditionally, as the eldest son, Madhav must marry a woman who will perform his ancestors’ afterlife rituals—a responsibility he’s ready to shoulder. Yet, when it comes to selecting a bride, he'd rather deviate from tradition and choose his own partner—an idea his parents are not willing to accept. Set in rural India, where old traditions and new ideas often collide, Talking Is Wasted Breath is a compelling drama about the challenges of generational differences, societal pressures, and the power of love. In a world where family ties are both valued and limiting, the story follows one man’s search for happiness as he disrupts long-standing traditions. Engaging and insightful, this novel explores themes of change, hope, and the complexities of human relationships. ◆ This book was previously called 28 Years A Bachelor. ◆ Spellings used in this book are British/Indian. ◆ All books in this series may be read independently.

What is love? Popular culture bombards us with notions of the intoxicating capacities of love or of beguiling women who can bewitch or heal—to the point that it is easy to believe that such images are timeless and universal. Not so, argues Laine Doggett in Love Cures. Aspects of love that are expressed in popular music—such as “love is a drug,” “sexual healing,” and “love potion number nine”—trace deep roots to Old French romance of the high Middle Ages. A young woman heals a poisoned knight. A mother prepares a love potion for a daughter who will marry a stranger in a faraway land. How can readers interpret such events? In contrast to scholars who have dismissed these women as fantasy figures or labeled them “witches,” Doggett looks at them in the light of medical and magical practices of the high Middle Ages. Love Cures argues that these practitioners, as represented in romance, have shaped modern notions of love. Love Cures seeks to engage scholars of love, marriage, and magic in disciplines as diverse as literature, history, anthropology, and philosophy.

Family Plots traces the fault lines of the Freudian family romance and holds that the "family plot" is very much alive in post-World War II American culture. It cuts across all genres, insinuating, criticizing, reinforcing, and reinventing itself in all forms of cultural production and consumption. The family romance is everywhere because the family itself is nowhere.