Love has blossomed in London between vivacious Scottish
Presbyterian, Audrey, and clever Indian lawyer, Nat Zachariah.
When the happy newlyweds move to Nat’s exotic homeland and the
striking family villa, Audrey must deftly navigate the rituals, secrets,
intrigues and desires of his Bene Israel Jewish community, and adjust to
perplexing new relatives.
In time, the past
unlocks, old family ties unravel, lies are exposed and passions run high as
different generations fall out. Then something shocking happens that undoes
everything. Will this marriage that has crossed boundaries survive?
My Review:
As a reader new to Fairfax’s work I was excited about reading
Mango Bay and I was not disappointed at all. The story, a gorgeous romance set
in Bombay during the 1950’s, is of Audrey and Nat, who meet, quickly fall in
love and get married in a bit of a whirlwind before eventually moving to Nat’s
homeland.
We soon see that wedded bliss is not all that Audrey expects
it to be, Nat is not the same and we are taken on a journey of the lows and turmoil
surrounding these two characters but they do have highs and happiness. How long
does that happiness last? Well I will leave that for you to discover but to say
things and people are not always as they seem. We read how this family lives
with the situations they find themselves in and how differing cultures may play
a role in the marriage and family dynamic.
Very well written, Serena Fairfax transports you to another
time and place, full of culture and difference. As someone who loves India and
has spent time there this book took me straight back, I could feel the
atmosphere, imagine the smells, and sounds and I was engrossed.
It’s a beautiful book that will sweep you up and keep you reading for hours. Highly recommended.
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Serena
spent her childhood in India, qualified as a Lawyer in England, and worked in a
London law firm.
Some
of her novels have a strong romantic arc although she burst the romance bubble
with one quirky departure. Other novels pull the reader into the dark corners
of family life and relationships. She enjoys the challenge of experimenting and
writing in different genres.
Her
short stories and a medley of articles, including her reviews of thrillers and
crime fiction, feature on her blog.
Fast
forward to a sabbatical from the day job when Serena traded in bricks and
mortar for a houseboat that, for a hardened land lubber like her, turned out to
be a big adventure. A few of her favourite things are collecting old
masks, singing and exploring off the beaten track.
Serena
and her golden retriever, Inspector Morse, who can’t wait to unleash his own
Facebook page, live in London.
Twitter @Sefairfax
Thanks so much for the blog tour support x
ReplyDelete