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The Candid Life of Meena Dave

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The Candid Life of Meena Dave

By: Namrata Patel
Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
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About this listen

A woman embarks on an unexpected journey into her past in an engrossing novel about identity, family secrets, and rediscovering the need to belong.

Meena Dave is a photojournalist and a nomad. She has no family, no permanent address, and no long-term attachments, preferring to observe the world at a distance through the lens of her camera. But Meena’s solitary life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victorian brownstone in historic Back Bay, Boston.

Though Meena’s impulse is to sell it and keep moving, she decides to use her journalistic instinct to follow the story that landed her in the home of a stranger. It’s a mystery that comes with a series of hidden clues, a trio of meddling Indian aunties, and a handsome next-door neighbor. For Meena it’s a chance for newfound friendships, community, and culture she never thought possible. And a window into her past she never expected.

Now as everything unknown to Meena comes into focus, she must reconcile who she wants to be with who she really is.

©2022 Namrata Patel (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction United States World Literature Comedy

Critic Reviews

Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Finalist

“A thoroughly entertaining rendition of one woman’s search for belonging.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Full of lively characters who will win readers’ hearts and keep them thinking long after the book is finished, this book is a genuine, charming debut. Long-buried secrets and a journey of self-discovery will keep the pages turning.”—Booklist

“[A]n inherently fascinating and impressively scripted novel…”—Midwest Book Review
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What a lovely 21st Century story. Bridging cultures, history, secrets & circumstance. A tale that weaves through a series of interesting characters while describing locations that bring one into the story, I felt like I was drinking tea & waiting for the wildflowers to bloom.

Wonderful

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A lovely book, and it was wonderful at bringing you into its welcoming and interesting world. Just be ready for the main character to have the same emotional arc from wary to welcomed to happy to angry four to five times before the end of the book.

Lovely, with caveats

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A nice book if you're in the mood for something very slow where nothing much happens.

slow

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.