Wild Wishes and Windswept Kisses

September 1, 2023
Four sisters, two fathers, many relationships. Nidhi, Rani, Avani, and Sirisha--the Indian American Singh sisters whom readers met in 2022's Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things--are back together. Well, almost. Oldest sister Nidhi's on her way home from New Delhi to Orcas Island in Washington state when she bumps into Grayson, the boy she'd been dating, at LAX. Meanwhile, Avani is still writing her poetry (some of it steamier these days, thanks to boyfriend Fernando) but also wondering about her future as she tries to figure out her college plans--but none of her sisters seem to have time for her. Meanwhile, youngest sister Sirisha is reeling from her breakup with girlfriend Brie, but she's invited to an interactive murder-mystery costume party that pushes her out of her comfort zone, and things start looking up. However, the star of this story is aspiring filmmaker Rani, Avani's twin, who's shooting a short movie for a festival inspired by her relationship with boyfriend Raj, but her plans go awry right from the start. The fathers--Dad and his new husband, Pakistani Amir--play less of a role this time around, and they're sorely missed. Oscillating between past and present timelines, the story is punctuated by group chat messages offering insights into the family's warm, poignant relationships. As a windstorm picks up, so does the story's pace, as it traces the ebb and flow of the ties among the members of the charming ensemble cast. An easy, comforting read. (Fiction. 12-18)

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October 1, 2023

Gr 7 Up-The Singh sisters return for a magical day of adventures, obstacles, and, of course, romance in this sequel to Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things. A lot has happened since the summer-Nidhi's study abroad in India has been amazing, and she's back in Washington for a short time to meet with her advisor about extending her stay...if she can ever make it to Seattle amid a host of travel obstacles. Things between Avani and Fernando have been a bit rocky, but she's hopeful that a full-day dance workshop will help them reconnect; of course, she doesn't plan on an unexpected interruption that will force them to talk things out. Sirisha has been going through the motions since her breakup with Brie, but a friend's murder mystery party brings new opportunities, and maybe even new love. Rani's plans to memorialize her own epic love story in a short film are going awry-fate seems to have other plans for her love life and creative vision. Chapters alternate among the sisters and are interspersed with poetry, script excerpts, dialogue from the murder mystery party, and text messages. Despite the short time frame, all the sisters' stories feel complete, and the alternating perspectives allow each girl's personality to shine through. Much of the first book took place at the Songbird Inn, and a bit of the magic of that setting is missing here. All of the sisters' stories have satisfying, if somewhat open, resolutions, perhaps leaving the door open for further titles. VERDICT A solid follow-up and worthwhile purchase for those who enjoyed the first book and readers who like stories set in one day like Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton and others or The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.-Alison Glass

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