How Simi Got Her Groom Back – Sonali Dev

I hold out my arm and pull up the sleeve past my elbow. He studies it with the softest eyes and makes a sound that’s something like fife. His wife slides me a look. “He thinks they’re nice,” she says, only slightly grudgingly. His eyes twinkle, and he makes a twisting motion with his hand. He’s either asking me where I got them from or when or why.

“I started getting them when I was eighteen,” I say, unable to tell the truth. He twists his hand again. “Most of them were done in Mumbai.” He gives me another thumbs-up sign, then very slowly he moves his hand to his chest. I’m not sure if it’s the tattoos or the mention of Mumbai that makes him touch his heart, but I say, “Thank you.” Just then the doorbell chirps and echoes through the house.

“The girls are here!” Prem’s mother says, and veritable stars burst in his father’s eyes. Even Prem smiles a genuine smile for the first time. Prem, his mother, his brother, his brother’s wife, and the entire jingbang lot (who I hadn’t realized had followed us into the room) file out to welcome what I’m assuming are the babies Simi babysits. I stay sitting on the bed, and Pankaj gives me another lopsided smile.

A startlingly handsome white man walks in with one baby on each arm behind a woman who was part of the ambush at the hospital. She, too, looks like a model and carries the third baby. I assume that’s Preeti—Prem’s sister, the babies’ mother, and my sister’s employer. Behind them Simi trails in, arms filled with diaper bags.

Prem takes the bags from her and looks at her as though the sight of her is at once too tragic and too joyful to bear. Simi ignores him. Her jaw is tightly clenched. She’s going to wear off her tooth enamel if she doesn’t loosen up. The babies, who are unsurprisingly cute and surprisingly loud for creatures who can’t talk yet, are deposited on the bed and promptly crawl all over their grandfather.

The man is so frail, I want to ask if that’s safe, but no one else seems the least bit concerned. For the next half hour pandemonium ensues. Everyone hugs everyone, and the party moves to the living room. A huge quilt is put down over the peacock-splattered rug, and the triplets are let loose. Prem and his brother carry their father and deposit him with utmost gentleness against a mattress seat on the floor, where the girls can crawl to him.

Praise for Sonali Dev “Dev writes with such rare empathy and humor that I often found myself holding my breath on one page only to be giggling by the next. This is the kind of book you finish with a whole-body, happy sigh and a warm ache in your chest where the characters will live on.” —Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read on Incense and Sensibility “Simply put, a masterpiece.

Only Sonali Dev could create an achingly beautiful, sob-and-laugh-out-loud, best-banter-ever story of healing, courage, family, and the most magical coincidence ever. Absolutely extraordinary.” —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author on There’s Something About Mira “Vivid and deliciously enticing, Dev’s storytelling is layered with emotional depth . . . a flavorful harmony of cross-cultural unions, familial love, and an entertaining ensemble of characters that will leave readers with a serious craving for more.”

—NPR on Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors “This book holds a galaxy of depth in its pages; it is powerful and loving, sensual and layered. Sonali Dev’s writing is glorious.” —Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author on Incense and Sensibility “A truly wonderful and joyous book.” —Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author on Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors “A profound, unique talent, Sonali Dev grabs the reader by the heart.”

—Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author on Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors “A cozy cup of chai for the soul.” —Kirkus Reviews “Nuanced and powerful . . . balances the toe-curling romance with high- octane family drama . . . Dev’s candor and sensitivity in both story lines set this family-centric romance apart.” —Publishers Weekly “Sonali Dev is a fresh, unique, and wise voice in women’s fiction.”

—Barbara O’Neal, bestselling author of The Art of Inheriting Secrets “Recommended for Dev’s lush descriptions of food, fashion, dancing, college life, romance, and friendship and her sensitive portrayals of infertility, loss, and hope.” —Library Journal “Dev excels at creating multilayered characters faced with the challenge of balancing Indian cultural traditions with modern Western culture, all while tugging on readers’ heartstrings.”

—Booklist “How do we define love between friends, and how far would we go for that love? Sonali Dev’s book peels back one unexpected surprise after another as she blurs the lines between the family we make and the family we are born into, between altruism and selfishness, and between truth and lies.” —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Lies and Other Love Languages is a tender and compelling novel about how women navigate their relationships with families, friends, careers, and their pasts.

Mallika’s disappearance and Rani’s emergence set the story on a path of intrigue and revelation. The contrast between Vandy’s carefully crafted public persona and her inner turmoil will resonate with many women. This is a story about discovering who we are.”

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: d647b77c95d65128
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 3,687,162 bytes (3.516 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• ISBN: 9781662524301, 9781662524295, 9781662524288
• Pages: 286
• Language: English (en)

Reading & Word Statistics

• Estimated Reading Time: 499.49 minutes
• Total Words: 99,898
• Total Characters: 529,994
• Average Words per Page: 349.29
• Average Characters per Page: 1853.13

Most Frequent Words

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