Late Bloomers is the debut novel from Deepa Varadarajan. Released on May 2, 2023, by Random House Publishing, Varadarajan introduces readers to the Raman family. The Ramans are a family of four, and while at different stages of their lives, they are learning who they are and what they want out of life.
I want to thank Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Late Bloomers. All opinions presented here are solely mine.
Synopsis from Goodreads
After thirty-six years of a dutiful but unhappy arranged marriage, recently divorced Suresh and Lata Raman find themselves starting new paths in life. Suresh is trying to navigate the world of online dating on a website that caters to Indians and is striking out at every turn–until he meets a mysterious, devastatingly attractive younger woman who seems to be smitten with him. Lata is enjoying her newfound independence, but she’s caught off guard when a professor in his early sixties starts to flirt with her.
Meanwhile, Suresh and Lata’s daughter, Priya, thinks her father’s online pursuits are distasteful even as she embarks upon a clandestine affair of her own. And their son, Nikesh, pretends at a seemingly perfect marriage with his law-firm colleague and their young son but hides the truth of what his relationship really entails. Over the course of three weeks in August, the whole family will uncover one another’s secrets, confront the limits of love and loyalty, and explore life’s second chances.
Positives
- A diverse cast of well-fleshed-out characters.
- With four POVs, it was easy to know whose POV you had as each chapter is labeled with the names.
Negatives
- The biggest issue was the lack of communication. But without that, there probably wouldn’t have been much of a book.
- The first 1/3 of the book was a bit slow, but the last 2/3 made it hard to put it down.
My Opinions
Late Bloomers is the perfect book for the late bloomers of the world. Why? Because it helps you see that you aren’t alone in that aspect, but also that it’s okay to let go of the past and try new things. And it is also okay to hold onto things from the past as long as you can see how things have changed around you.
Lata is a woman who was pushed into an arranged marriage, as that is how it was done for her family. She had dreams of her own, but she put them away for her family. Now that the kids are older and her parents have both passed away, she is ready to start living for herself. And who can blame her?
Suresh worked hard to provide for his family. He thought his wife was happy because he gave her the things she asked for. When she decides she wants a divorce, it’s time for him to reconsider his past.
Priya is a woman who has always tried to be the perfect daughter. While she has an established career, she still feels like she’s disappointing her parents. Why? Because she doesn’t have a family of her own, like so many of her peers. Is it too late for her to find her happiness?
Nikesh has a great career, a lovely wife, and a beautiful baby boy. What’s he got to be unhappy about?
While in different places in their lives, the four are all in the same place and trying to figure out what’s next!
The story unfolds over a matter of weeks, and it is difficult to follow the timeline as no set-in-stone dates are mentioned, only that it is August. Following along with each perspective is easy, as the chapters switch between characters but are labeled with the name of the person you are following.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan, and hope she writes more fiction.
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