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PRODUCT
The Vibrant Years: A Novel
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Product Description:
Price:
Original price was: $16.99.$5.99Current price is: $5.99.
Detailed description:
“Bursting with humor, banter, and cringeworthy first dates, Sonali Dev’s The Vibrant Years is a joyful and fun read, but it’s also very much a timely tale about a group of underestimated women demanding respect and embracing their most authentic selves.” —Mindy Kaling
Living on their own terms means being there for one another.
When sixty-five-year-old Bindu Desai inherits a million dollars, she’s astounded—and horrified. The windfall threatens to expose a shameful mistake from her youth. Desperate to keep the secret, Bindu quickly spends it on something unexpected: a condo in a posh retirement community in Florida.
The impulsive decision blindsides Bindu’s daughter-in-law, Aly. At forty-seven, Aly still shares a home with Bindu even after her divorce from Bindu’s son. But maybe this change is just the push Aly needs to fight for the segment she’s been promised for years at the news station where she works.
As Bindu and Aly navigate their new dynamic, Aly’s daughter, Cullie, is faced with losing the business that made her a tech-world star. The only way to save it is to deliver a new idea to her investors—and of course they want the half-baked dating app she pitched them in a panic. Problem is, Cullie has never been on a real date. Naturally, enlisting her single mother and grandmother to help her with the research is the answer.
From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt novel about three generations of hilarious, unconventional, ambitious women navigating bad dates, a spiteful HOA board, reemerging exes, and secrets that refuse to remain hidden. Join the Desai women on a shared journey of self-discovery as they dare to live their most vibrant lives.
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Product group:
Categories: Women Writers
Product name:
The Vibrant Years: A Novel
Price:
Original price was: $16.99.$5.99Current price is: $5.99.
Kindle Customer –
I really enjoyed this amazing book which covers three generations of women. The story made me laugh,think and tear up!
Bindu,Aly and Cullie are amazing!
Looking forward to read more books from you Sonali.
Leona B –
It is a book that i will read over and over again, as it is filled with gems of wisdom and loving characters, that i want to meet again and again.
ParbleuParbleu –
A wonderful book, I read it all in one go. I loved the characters and I loved the insight on how an Indian- descent living in the sunny side of the US brings old-world traditional thinking into their different world and manages the blend. The trials, the briefs and the joys are believable and make the characters come alive.
Rhoda Galvani –
An interesting story on many levels..only criticism is too much sex for my taste.. perhaps it was necessary to the story but I didn’t think so
Bumblefeet –
I loved reading about women who find themselves! Finding strength, purpose and love for each other and within themselves. Good read
Theresa A T –
You can’t help loving the imperfections of the main characters, echo with their own demons to tame.
This book enthralls with the perfect descriptions of the characters, their emotions and their surroundings. Oh how I heard the ocean and felt the sand between my toes.
The struggles against conditioning and prejudice are delicately balanced to a fine edge of natural justice.
I loved the book and will re-read it at some point. I’m sure there are things I missed in the excitement of wanting the plot to unfold
Minal Patel –
This is such great complex female characters, you can’t but fall in love with. Def a good beach vacation book.
Kindle Customer –
I love that one of the main characters is a sexy, free-spirited older Asian-American woman. Most grandmothers are portrayed as wise, grumpy or fun, but never as an individual.
This story shines a light on the challenges women have faced and continue to face in their personal and professional lives, in a heart warming way. I loved following the journey of these three women and how they met their challenges with cynicism, humour and strength.
Revybaby –
I started reading this before and thought it wasn’t worth my time. I tried again and it took me a few chapters before I was hooked. The story and family was nothing like me, but it was totally like me. The structure of the book unfolded and the parts all fit together. What a joy.
Rachel Elsner Harrison –
“The Vibrant Years” tells the story of three generations of Indian-American women , the day-to-day restrictions and prejudices that take their power away, and of the subtle ways they fight to take that power back. Bindhu, after a lifetime of repressing herself to fit into the mold of a socially acceptable Indian wife, mother, and grandmother, is awakening to what it means to live life on your own terms even as she’s repeatedly confronted by the mysterious past that caused her to repress herself to begin with. Her straight-laced daughter-in-law Aly held back on pursuing her career for years to advance her husband’s, and is now struggling to transform herself from “diversity hire for fluff pieces” into a serious and respected news anchor while navigating the aftermath of her midlife crisis divorce. Aly’s daughter Cullie is a 25-year-old software engineer who designed an app worth millions, was tricked into losing control of it by a toxic boyfriend, and is now scrambling to develop a new project as part of a deal to save the app.
The story is very good, though the pacing is a bit slow at times – it’s slow to start, meanders along at a slightly faster clip, speeds up briefly for the climax, then slows down substantially for the falling action. What stands out about this book though is that like its characters, “The Vibrant Years” has a tendency to meander toward the middle of the road. There are comedic moments, but not enough to call this a comedy. There’s a touch of a mystery, but not enough to call it one. There are a few dramatic moments, but none that are especially tragic or particularly long-lasting. The book is neither one thing nor the other, and that is both its strength and its weakness. It has the freedom to do anything it wants, but what it does primarily is hold itself back.
Amazon Customer –
I chose this book as a complimentary Amazon pick. I doubt I would have chosen it as a buy. I was very pleasantly surprised how well it was written and how nicely the story flowed. I will read this author again.
Phyllis E. –
This is a rom-com with a thoughtful perspective – what it means to live life on your own terms.
It’s the story of three generations of Indian women in one family who are determined to find the answer to that question for themselves. They are at different stages in life, each dealing with their own issues, but they often lean on each other for advice, support, and friendship. They each have the desire to be independent, yet also to find true love.
All three are a bit nonconformist: Bindu is a grandmother who after years of going along with what was expected of her, finally reclaims her identity. Daughter-in-law Aly continues to chase her dreams. When she finally realizes her employer will never give her the big break, she takes matters into her own hands. Granddaughter Cullie is a coding wizard who has created an app that helps millions of people suffering from anxiety. When the app’s availability is threatened, she uses her incredible tech skills to negotiate for herself.
The novel begins as Bindu, Aly and Cullie experiment with the world of online dating in the interest of helping Cullie create a new and revolutionary app.
I have read other Sonali Dev novels that I liked better and must admit this one was disappointing. I just didn’t enjoy the plot as it alternated between the farcical comedy of online dating and the overly dramatic secret of Bindu’s hidden past. Many of the characters have secrets, or at least information they aren’t sharing, which creates tension but not in a good way. I grew impatient to have everyone explain themselves, and the resolutions were not surprising or satisfying to me. The writing was skillful, but the story could have been tightened up.
Nonetheless, I agree with Mindy Kaling’s description of this timely rom-com “about a group of underestimated and unrepresented women demanding respect and embracing their most authentic selves, who support and lift each other up through difficult times.”
kcmagpie –
I thought the author did a great job of building characters you want to root for. With so much going on within the story, the ultimate lesson is that when you have the unconditional love and support of your family, you can achieve it all.