I usually don't give plot summaries but I am including this one after my review because it gives a good idea about what the storyline is about and will hopefully hook you into reading this wonderful book. Perkins writes about India in the 1970's with all the political and societal complexities that comes with it. Her depection of India is lovely, the smells, the atmosphere, etc. translates very well into written words. This is a heartbreaking story, but it really does capture the essenence of being a female is this part of the world and how relationships are really universal. Ultimately, it is a story of hope set in a very unique country and unique culture. Worth the read!



When her father loses his job and leaves India to look for work in America, Asha Gupta, her older sister, Reet, and their mother must wait with Baba’s brother and his family, as well as their grandmother, in Calcutta. Uncle is welcoming, but in a country steeped in tradition, the three women must abide by his decisions. Asha knows this is temporary—just until Baba sends for them. But with scant savings and time passing, the tension builds: Ma, prone to spells of sadness, finds it hard to submit to her mother- and sister-in-law; Reet’s beauty attracts unwanted marriage proposals; and Asha's promise to take care of Ma and Reet leads to impulsive behavior. What follows is a firestorm of rebuke—and secrets revealed! Asha’s only solace is her rooftop hideaway, where she pours her heart out in her diary, and where she begins a clandestine friendship with Jay Sen, the boy next door. Asha can hardly believe that she, and not Reet, is the object of Jay’s attention. Then news arrives about Baba . . . and Asha must make a choice that will change their lives forever