If you loved Ravi – the hero in The Heart of a Bluestocking – here are some of my recommendations for books by #ownvoices writers with characters from India (with affiliated links).

One of my all time favourite writers is Suleikha Snyder, and I loved her book Bollywood and the Beast.

Her short story collection, Dil or no Dil, is amazing. It’s a real masterclass in short form writing. Everyone is talking about her latest release, Tikka Chance on Me, and for good reason – it’s amazing!

If you love YA (young adult) or rom-com, I recommend Sandhya Menon’s book When Dimple Met Rishi. From the meet-cute to the end, it’s gorgeous, funny, and heart-warming.

 A Bollywood Affair, by Sonali Dev,  is an emotional tale of misunderstandings and cultural divides, as two people navigate tradition versus modernity in India (and America).

This American set series by Alisha Rai is rich and diverse.

It’s obvious from this list so far, that it’s been hard to find historical romances that are #ownvoices, and I’d love to hear from you if you have some recommendations for me to read. Contact me on Twitter or Facebook.

I had a look at Goodreads to see if they had a list, and found this one with 148 romances based in India (not all of them are #ownvoices). I’ve bought a few from this list by #ownvoices writers, and I’m looking forward to reading them.

I’ve read several books by Nicola Marsh and loved them.

Here are the others I’ve ordered:, , , and

Update (January 2019) – I’ve read Heat and Dust. Published in 1975, this Booker Prize winner was an interesting read. Not a romance. Written by an English writer who married an Indian man, the book reflects her view of India at the time. It’s partly a love story for the country, and partly a sarcastic look at the way the English view themselves in India, and has a few cringe-worthy moments. All up, an interesting dual timeline story.