A HOLLY JOLLY DIWALI

A Seattle woman finds herself on the journey of a lifetime.

Niki Randhawa has always tried to be a good daughter to her immigrant parents. She studied computer science and took a safe job as a data analyst rather than pursuing her passion for music. She’s 29 and living at home to save money, but her parents suspect that she’s stuck in a rut and even offer to play matchmaker in a gambit to push her into dating. After she's laid off due to budget cuts, Niki decides to stop playing it safe. She books a whirlwind trip to Mumbai for her best friend’s wedding and plans to travel afterward to Punjab to visit distant relatives. Even though her parents were both born in India, they were never able to take Niki or her sister there because of financial constraints. Sharp, observational prose highlights Niki’s attempts to reckon with her own stereotypes and internalized prejudices about India. At the wedding festivities, Niki meets London-based musician Sam Mukherji. He’s struggling with the weight of familial expectations and the dissolution of his band. They’re attracted to each other, but Niki knows that, since they live on different continents, a vacation fling is more realistic than a long-term relationship. Their romance is gentle, sweet, and underdeveloped. Lalli focuses on Niki’s journey to find herself, which means learning more about her culture, reevaluating her career, and deciding to please herself instead of her family.

A warm, low-stakes story about the power of love and family obligations.