It was okay. The cultural part, learning about "dowry brides" and their fates when their families renegged on the dowry was both interesting and tragic. I found the hero, Kiran, much more interesting than Megha, the heroine, who acted like a petulant child a lot. And the romance was weak and the writing reeked of Harlequin romance---not modern day Harlequins, but the ones from the 80's. I really enjoy the "dot Indian romances", (I learned this term in one of my novels---it was what an Americanized Indian girl called herself to distinguish her and her family from "American Indians"). There's a lot better Eastern Indian novels out there than this. I just finished reading The Mango Season before this, and it blew this baby away. But the premise was good and I think once Bantwal's writing matures and is less self-conscious, she'll be a much more enjoyable read. (I am not being condescending---have you ever compared an early Nora Roberts--maybe one of her Harlequins--to her current books? She was never a bad writer, but the evolution---wow!)

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