Dry Spells

By: Archana Maniar

Narrated by: Reena Dutt

"A beautiful, vivid and atmospheric ... story of loss and redemption"—Fiona Valpy

A devastating drought. A city ripe with secrets. A family with a past just waiting to be discovered.

Recently, Shyamala Mehta’s life in LA feels stagnant: she’s undervalued at work, newly single, and constantly clashing with her marriage-obsessed mother. So when she’s offered a transfer to Mumbai, she travels halfway around the world to the now drought-stricken city her parents left behind.

Staying with her mother’s sister Vini, Shyamala is struck by the contrast between them. How did Vini become such a joyful, unconventional soul while Pramila drifted quietly into traditional life? Far from home and surrounded by echoes of the past, Shyamala finally has a chance to learn more about the mother she barely knows. With Arjun, the neighbor’s wild-haired son whose love for India pierces through the oppressive heat, she starts to see the city of Pramila’s youth in all its beautiful complexity.

But as the taps run dry, Shyamala finds herself at the crossroads of her family’s history and her own destiny. The air is heavy with secrets, but when the deluge finally comes, will she be ready for what it might reveal—about her mother, herself, and the maddening city she’s starting to think of as home?

©2024 Archana Maniar. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"A beautiful, vivid and atmospheric novel about the pain of leaving behind your heritage and the joys of rediscovering it. Archana Maniar’s writing transports the reader to India in this evocative story of loss and redemption."—Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of The Cypress Maze and The Storyteller of Casablanca

Beautiful compassionate story

Beautifully written story! I literally loved the use of words. I was also pleasantly surprised by the discovery of India culture and the complexities of relations. I’m not usually drawn to romance novels but I found myself wanting to know more about the budding romance that was intertwined with in the story. I look forward to reading more from this author!