A KISS IN KASHMIR

A woman’s desire to reconnect with her past leads to an unexpected new beginning in this romance.

Sharmila Solanki, an artist from Washington, D.C., has high hopes for her trip to Srinagar, Kashmir. Her daughter, Alina, is engaged to Emilio, an aspiring lawyer. Sharmila wants the couple to marry in Srinagar, the hometown of Alina’s father, Vikram Pandit. It is a place Sharmila knows only through the stories Vikram told her before they were tragically separated. In 1995, love flourished between Vikram, an artist teaching in Jaipur, India, and Sharmila, a gifted painter descended from Rajasthani royalty. Shortly after Vikram learned Sharmila was pregnant, he was shot (and presumed dead) during an act of political violence. More than 25 years after the loss of Vikram, Sharmila views Alina’s wedding as an opportunity to discover his birthplace and find members of his family so they can meet his daughter. During Sharmila and Alina’s travels, they meet tour guide Wajid Malik and his brother-in-law, George Tomson, a retired professor with a passion for Indian art. As mother and daughter explore Srinagar, an attraction develops between George and Sharmila. But when Sharmila receives surprising news about Vikram, she wonders if her future belongs with Alina’s father or the man who offers a second chance at love. Saigal’s novel is an engaging second-chance romance bolstered by appealing characters and well-honed prose. Sharmila is a deeply nuanced protagonist whose personal and romantic journey forms the core of the narrative. While Vikram’s story is the centerpiece of the prologue, he remains a vital force throughout the novel as Sharmila and Alina discover the Srinagar he knew and loved. The strong supporting characters include Rami Sarkar, a wedding planner, and George, a widower who fears he may never find love again. In addition, Saigal’s lush prose is replete with subtle poetic passages (“The fragrance of the wildflowers mingled with the scent of nostalgia as tears became the language of the moment”).

A tender and finely observed romance.