Thank you to Troubador Publishing and NetGalley for the Reader's Copy!

Now available.

I wanted to like this book a great deal. After all, a prostitution house, a strong female protagonist, 1940s old school Dehli style?? It seemed like a perfect mix. Alas, I was gravely disappointed by this novel. Focusing primarily on upper middle class educated Rani as she navigates life in Dehli including her father's declining health, marries into Harish Hope and is chased by many eligible bachelors through the streets of Dehli.

Maybe it's because I'm a first generation Bangladeshi but to me, the character of Rani fell short of any expectations. Rani's main character trait is her attractiveness to men. Her thoughts and actions are filtered through the many male leads in the story. Above all, she longs to escape to England of all places. In the penultimate scene, she is finally able to abandon all of her duties and leave with a British missionary priest.

Overall, a disappointing read.