Sunita is the younger daughter of the Rishi family. She's just completed graduation and her parents are keen on arranging her marriage to Akshay Malhotra. She's dead set against this and fights tooth and nail against it. Sunita wants to study further and have a career in interior design. But her parents want her to get married and become a housewife. The tall, dark and handsome Akshay is also extremely rich. He's highly educated and quite a catch. Only, he's also against the idea of an arranged wedding. But a natural curiosity leads him to find out more about Sunita. He's hooked the moment he sees her. But, the young lady is out to stop the match by hook or by crook. It looks like Sunita is not only fighting her parents and Akshay, but also her growing attraction for the man himself.

Seventy years on, the Partition of India fades from memory. Can it be restored?

Once I was a sane, levelheaded professional woman. Then I said “yes.” Now I am the lunatic bride I always made fun of! What is it about getting married that turns normal people into total freaks? A savvy, riotously funny novel, Diary of a Mad Bride is for anyone who has ever been a bride, is about to become a bride, yearned to be a bride, or suffered the sheer indignity of appearing in public in the world’s ugliest bridesmaid dress.... My wedding was starting in less than twenty minutes, and I was stuck in a 7-Eleven parking lot with popcorn kernels wedged in my gums and vanilla ice cream melting on my dress. It was a disaster too large to comprehend. After an agonizing year spent planning my wedding, could it really end like this? The voices chronicling a year of wedding hysteria swirled in my head.... — My grandmother upon viewing my engagement ring: “What do you mean he gave you an emerald! Diamonds are eternal, emeralds say, maybe five years.” — My future father-in-law on the night of my engagement party: “To a happy marriage and, if necessary, a painless divorce!” — My best friend, Anita: “Oh, screw congratulations. Of course I’m happy for you. Stephen’s a major piece of ass and he’s got a sense of humor. Just as long as you’re certain this is what you want.” Would I survive this day after all....?

What makes a marriage-love or compatibility? Passion or pragmatism? Shobhan Bantwal's compelling new novel explores the fascinating subject of arranged marriage, as a young Indian-American woman navigates the gulf between desire and tradition. . . To Soorya Giri, arranged marriages have always seemed absurd. But while her career as an environmental lawyer has flourished, Soorya is still a virgin, living with her parents in suburban New Jersey. She wants to be married. And she is finally ready to do the unthinkable. . . Soorya's first bridal viewings are as awkward as she anticipated. But then she's introduced to Roger Vadepalli. Self-possessed, intelligent, and charming, Roger is clearly interested in marriage and seems eager to clinch the deal. Attracted to him in spite of her mistrust, Soorya is also drawn into a flirtation with Lou, a widowed colleague who is far from her family's idea of an acceptable husband. In choosing between two very different men, Soorya must reconcile her burgeoning independence and her conservative background. And she must decide what matters most to her-not just in a husband, but in a family, a culture, and a life. . . "One of the best [novels] I've read this year. I couldn't put it down. . .this book is a gem!" --Mary Monroe, New York Times bestselling author on The Unexpected Son "Compelling and memorable." -Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author on The Forbidden Daughter "Vivid, rich. . .expertly portrays a young woman caught between love and duty, hope and despair." -Anjali Banerjee on The Dowry Bride "Dazzles you with a taste of Desi culture in America." -Caridad Pineiro

Riya is shocked to find the man who broke her heart, Dhruv, has returned to India for her roommate's wedding and a possible arranged marriage.

From the author of the bestselling novel, The Masquerade, comes a tale of relationships to soothe your soul like hot chocolate fudge and coffee on a rainy winter night. Niyati Reddy, a budding fashion designer, has no clue about the misadventure waiting for her when she decides to go from New Delhi to Paris at her parents’ request. With only her phone, passport, diary, pens, water bottle, a map of Paris and a lot of courage, she arrives in an unknown city to make a mark for herself. Sparks fly in an unexpected direction and introduce her to a spice she never knew she had. But everything comes at a price. Will she be able to make a choice between her essence and desires? “Manita V takes the readers on a sparkly and spicy journey of well-crafted characters with a fresh and riveting take on relationships. Stylish and vivacious… an invigorating tale of adorable people who stay with you long after the book has ended.” – The Times of India “Spark and Spice shares a special bond with author Manita V and her readers.” – The Pioneer “Manita V’s books are known for strong female leads and multidimensional characters. Readers love her fluid, detailed writing style.” – The Asian Chronicle Set in contemporary Paris, Spark & Spice was first posted on two online web portals, including Manita V’s blog. The novel has been massively popular, receiving more than 1 million reads worldwide.

The Laughing Ghosts is a realization of the self for Meenu poised to find her own truth of ghosts believed to be meandering around and looking up to her to reveal their side of the story. A stray incidence of violence in the vicinity of grown up Meenu, a mother of two children pushes her to reflect upon her joyous childhood which she shared with her neighborhood friends and cousins only to realize that even in those nascent years of her life women around her were suffering however she did find an answer and carried a learning which was kept reserved to her. Each time in her quest as a little girl to find an anchor in a woman from her surroundings to help her identify the very purpose of her existence led to their sad and untimely demise. Not ready to be a slave to the belief of the society attaching a meager and humble purpose to the existence of women i.e. to only live for others, she tries to find her own answers to the questions which no one cared to ask. Eventually she gathered the strength to face the reality with the help of goals of self preservation and salvation by looking around and seeking solace from the stories of challenges faced by women very close to her like her grandmother, mother and aunts. That made her harbor the value that it is important to step back and consciously quit to gather the strength to withstand the eventualities of life. The ghosts of the guilt haunt only the slaved souls but cannot withstand an indomitable spirit that is determined to find its own truth; rather they stand by it to be a part of the laughter of triumph and salvation. Therefore in the situations of self doubt and enigma the inevitable reflections from the past help to purposefully connect with the present to find your own answers. This lesson was true then and shall continue to be the truth.

Explores The Construction Of New Classes. Caste, Religion And Gender Identities In Colonial Punjab. Examines How The Notion Of Being High Caste-Contributed To The Formation Of A Middle Class Among The Hindus And The Sikhs. 5 Chapters-Conclusion, Bibliography, Index.