DRIZZLE, DREAMS, AND LOVESTRUCK THINGS

A breezy read that’s full of lavender-scented dreams.

Throw in four sisters plus four seasons on the Pacific Northwest’s Orcas Island, and it’s a recipe for romance. Or a Bollywood plot with most of the classic trappings. This is the story of the Singh family: First there’s Nidhi, who is about to start her senior year; sandwiched in the middle are twins Rani and Avani; and then there's Sirisha, the youngest at 15. The Singh siblings help their dad at the Songbird, which has been officially awarded the title of Most Romantic Inn in America, even as they’re each nursing their private griefs. The girls’ mother died when Sirisha was a baby, and their father fell in love again with their stepfather, Pop, but he died of a stroke several years ago. Now the sisters are questing for love in their own unique ways: There are dishy crushes, male and female; broken and mended hearts; lots of song and dance—and yes, a tempting array of North Indian food. The sisterhood is warm and poignant and the teenage romances sweet, but the poetic meanderings often feel a bit over-the-top, like the gulab jamun with lavender and cumin that their father makes. Although the book centers around the four sisters, the most heartwarming character is Dad, with his resilience in the face of multiple losses: his homeland, his family back in India, and his partners.

A romantic, Bollywood-like story.