Book Review and Blog Tour: Lilac Skies Shivani Bansal
Introduction:
I would like to say a special thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources and the tuhor, Shivani Bansal, for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Format: Available in Print and on Kindle Kindle
Get your copy on Amazon! USA Readers: https://amzn.to/3FsztXr (affiliate link)
UK Readers https://amzn.to/3SxkNKc
Page Number: 297
Publisher: Orion Dash (September 29, 2022)
Author: Shivani Bansal
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction
The above cover image shows a picture of a woman in a beautiful sari with flowers on it standing looking at a purple sky. Her hair is long and dark. The text reads: Lilac Skies; Can She find home ina foreign land?
My Review:
I was interested in reading this book because I enjoy novels written by author’s with diverse perspectives. I’m also a fan of historical fiction. While reading Lilac Skies, I felt as I was really there in India and Kenya, two countries where I have never been. I love reading books that allow me to travel without leaving the comfort of my couch.
The plot in Lilac Skies is cantered on the protagonist, Meena, a hardworking dreamer, and her journey through life. The novel opens when Meena finds out she will soon be married to a man she has never met and sent to live in a different country. As readers, we watch Meena struggle to find happiness in her new country with her new family. At first, she is heartbroken and homesick, but she also finds comfort in the friendship she forms with her sister-in-law, Lakshmi. Eventually, the story follows Meena and her family as they journey to England, where they try to make a better life for themselves.
If you enjoy the work of authors like Nicholas Sparks or Lurlene McDaniel, you will enjoy Lilac Skies. This is definitely a tearjerker. Parts of this book were very difficult to read because it was so sad. (Trigger warning: Miscarriage, domestic violence, depiction of attempted suicide). According to the author’s note in the back of the book, Lilac Skies is based on the true story of a real person. Life is often sad and tragic and I’m glad the author is drawing attention to important issues that especially impact women and girls.
Despite Meena’s constant sorrows, there is a lot of hope in this book. My heart went out to Meena and I became lost in her story. I fervently hoped that she would find happiness and I was especially interested in all the female relationships she developed along the way. In many ways, Lilac Skies is an homage to the power and strength that we gain through friendship with other women.
If you enjoy novels that are focused on character development and stories that focus on the power of friendship, then you’ll enjoy getting lost in the pages of Lilac Skies.
Synopsis of the Book from the Back Cover:
Punjab, India. It’s 1942 and Meena is still a girl when her parents tell her she is to be married, in five days, to a total stranger. What’s more, he lives in Kenya. A different country, a different continent, thousands of miles away from everything she knows. She doesn’t want to marry, but with four brothers and sisters, Meena knows she will be a burden to her parents if she stays. And it isn’t her decision to make.
Nairobi, Kenya. Meena’s new home is beyond anything she could have imagined. Nairobi is beautiful, but tensions under the colonial British rule run high. She is told she is lucky because her husband Amar is young and handsome, but all is not as it seems within her marriage… Tucked away from the outside world, Meena spends her time by the mango tree dreaming of going home… until she realises the friendships that she forges here are all she can hold onto.
Going from girl to woman in a strange land, can Meena find a way to finally make her life her own?
Image description: The image shows the author, She has dark hair and smiles.
About the Author –
Shivani Bansal has a First Class degree in International Relations and Politics, which has yet to be put to use! She works full time in digital marketing in the charity sector, and also runs a small baking business from home called Sweet Beginnings Bakes. She loves writing story ideas in her Pusheen notebook in her spare time.
Follow the author on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shivanib_writer
Rev. Rebecca Writes 
Another great review!
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