The Secrets of the Tea Garden was an engaging and enjoyable read. I received a copy of this book right before an airplane flight and found it to be a pleasant traveling companion. Previously, I had not read any books in the series and it functions well as a standalone. This novel is exquisitely detailed, well-paced, and fulfilling.

Unhappy in England after WWII, Libby wants to return to India, the land of her birth and to visit her father. Libby is looking for a renewed sense of purpose and she dreams of re-uniting her parents, who have been separated for many years. Despite it being a time of great upheaval in India, it doesn’t take long for Libby to persuade her mother to allow her to travel there. Libby meets a host of interesting companions along the way, including characters from earlier books in the series.

During 1974 in India, the British were leaving India after years of occupation. Due to the Partition of India, India and Pakistan are in the process of splitting apart. This creates challenges for Libby and this period of history is a riveting backdrop to what is essentially a love story. While the book was very thorough with details, I found myself curious about aspects of culture and history that had to be somewhat glossed over in order for the novel to stay concise and primarily focused on Libby, Ghulam, and Adela.

Libby’s story is a tale of love for both India and Ghulam. Ghulam is a freedom fighter who is deeply opinionated and educates Libby about what India looks like outside the tea plantation where she grew up. He provides a necessary depth to the story and provides enlightenment about the dangerous and tumultuous political climate. Libby and Ghulam were an interesting lens to view this chapter of history through and their story was a pleasure to read. At times, certain scenes dragged on for a bit longer than necessary, but overall the story was well-paced. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, with underlying romance. Thank you to Goodreads giveaways, the author, and publisher for giving me a free copy of The Secrets of the Tea Garden in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I was initially drawn in by the title, when I received This is Not A Love Scene through a Goodreads giveaway. The story revolves around Maeve, a budding filmmaker and high school senior. She is also a woman in a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy, specifically spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). I was really excited to read this book, because not many YA books prominently feature characters in wheelchairs.

Overall, I think the novel was pretty satisfactory and the plot moved at a decent pace. There’s a vivid cast of characters, and Maeve stands out. She feels like the type of character that one would want to hang out with. Maeve is someone who doesn’t let life get in her way and goes through a number of realistic challenges and adventures. Through her eyes, we get to see how she experiences life with SMA, her senior year of high school, and pursuing a romantic relationship with very specific goals in mind.

Spoiler

I didn’t like the character of Cole, in part because he felt idealized by Maeve. He just didn’t seem all that special, so the degree that Maeve was enamored with him didn’t sit right. Like other readers, I guess I felt that Maeve deserved more and didn’t particularly like how Cole treated her at various points of their relationship. To me, their relationship just didn’t seem that healthy. However, Maeve felt differently and that her goals in the relationship were achieved.

Things I liked about this novel: Maeve didn’t need Cole to “save” her, she had excellent friends, and a very loving family who were committed to her independence and autonomy. The author also has SMA, making this an OwnVoices read. I loved seeing Maeve advocate for herself. Maeve felt like a very genuine and realistic character. The openness of her discussions with her doctor, especially about what intimacy looks like for someone in a wheelchair (or with health complications), is something that is frequently glossed over in other novels but not here. Seeing Maeve take ownership of her life and navigate her changing relationship with her parents, particularly as she still relies on them for many facets of life, was powerful.

I thought that this was a good read, particularly for a first novel. I will definitely be watching to see what S.C. Megale writes next! Thank you to Goodreads giveaways, the author, and publisher for providing me with a free copy of This Is Not A Love Scene in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.