Her name means “miracle” in Sanskrit, and to her parents, that’s exactly what Kimaya is. The first baby to survive after several miscarriages, Kimi grows up in a mansion at the top of Mumbai’s Pali Hill, surrounded by love and privilege. But at eleven years old, she develops a rare illness that requires her to be confined to a germ-free ivory tower in her home, with only the Arabian Sea churning … churning outside her window for company. . . . Until one person dares venture into her world.
Tasked at fourteen years old with supporting his family, Rahul Savant shows up to wash Kimi’s windows, and an unlikely friendship develops across the plastic curtain of her isolation room. As years pass, Rahul becomes Kimi’s eyes to the outside world—and she becomes his inspiration to better himself by enrolling in the police force. But when a life-saving heart transplant offers the chance of a real future, both must face all that ties them together and keeps them apart.
As Kimi anticipates a new life, Rahul struggles with loving someone he may yet lose. And when his investigation into a black market organ ring run by a sociopathic gang lord exposes dangerous secrets that cut too close to home, only Rahul’s deep, abiding connection with Kimi can keep her safe—and reveal the true meaning of courage, loss, and second chances.
Infused with the rhythms of life in modern-day India, acclaimed author Sonali Dev’s candid, rewarding novel beautifully evokes all the complexities of the human heart.
Praise for Sonali Dev and A Change of Heart
“In Dev’s seductive and complex story of love lost and then found, one layer of mystery leads to the next. . . . Will hold a permanent place in readers’ hearts.”
–Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“Dev deftly navigates the complex themes of bereavement, motherhood, and how the culture of India exists in America. . . . This is stunning all around.” –Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“Mystery, adventure, and romance are spiced with Bollywood glamour in this heart-stopping novel…. Riveting.” –Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
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I love Sonali Dev’s books for their originality and lyricism, and A Distant Heart is the latest addition. Part Bollywood, part star-crossed romance, part women’s fiction, and all heart.
As always, Sonali Dev delivers a beautifully written, heartrending but hope-filled friends-to-lovers love story with a few twists. Her creative premise, use of suspense, and the alternating timeline really pull you into the story and give you a tightly woven sense of Kimi and Rahul’s entire relationship, from its genesis to their happy-for-now ending. So much yearning in this book (which is my romance-reading crack!). You will be impatient (in the best way) for the moments when they finally give in to their longing.
I’ve yet to visit India, but when reading Ms. Dev’s books, it feels as if I’m living in Mumbai and experiencing all the sights, sounds, and smells firsthand. Her ability to transport the reader in time and place is exceptional.
What I like best about stories like this is that they go beyond the ‘falling in love’ plot of most romances to dig into deeper questions about family, loyalty, duty, and honor. About courage.
I hate to be a downer, but this book just didn’t engage me on any level. With age lapse chapters from childhood through age 27, I wanted to feel sympathy for the heroine who had MAJOR health issues, but instead she felt spoiled, whiny and immature to me throughout. The hero, with issues of his own, was irritating and frustrating by not professing his woefully obvious love until 75% in. And the plot was slow with no surprises. Just not for me.
A Distant Heart is not my favorite from Sonali Dev but it remains very likable and engaging, especially if you like romantic suspense with plenty of emotion. This book provides alternating timeframes along with characters you may recognize from Dev’s other novels. The delicate subject of coming of age with a life-threatening chronic illness created palpable emotion while providing a segue to the crime/suspense element. Overall I liked it and would recommend it if you enjoy the genres listed.
My favorite quote:
“There’s this desperation that takes over when you taste joy after waiting a lifetime for it and it’s a very powerful thing.”
Loved it! Still wiping tears from my eyes as I typed this. Happy tears, though. How I adore Sonali Dev. Love her. Love her books.
I took my time reading A Distant Heart even though I had a deadline to rate and review it within two weeks of its release. I wanted to not only delve deep into the story and characters, but also study the writing style and learn from it. I’ve decided that the majority of my books will be set away from the US and this is a perfect model for me to emulate. Sonali transported me to Mumbai from the first word. I lived in the chawl with Rahul’s Aie and Mohit, ground spices with the kakus. I lived in The Mansion with Kimi and Kirit-sir and watched beside Rahul outside the glass door. Sonali did this without having to translate every Marathi word into English. She deftly weaved the Indian culture into the story without the need for a glossary and lengthy explanations.
The dual timelines could have been confusing, but because a consistent system was established early on (alternating POV, alternating past/present), following the story through the jumps was easy.
What I love the most is that I really got to know the characters through their conversations, actions, and reactions to events. Rahul is stoic, proud, responsible, and protective of Kimi. He’s also scared of his feelings for her to the point that he tries to push her away. Kimi is full of hope and positivity. Because of her illness, she tries to live each day to the fullest as if it’s her last. This attitude strongly appeals to me and my motto of Carpe Diem.
The secondary characters are fully fleshed out, too. From Kirit Patil, Aie, Mohit, Mona, the doctors, Nikita (Jess?), Nikhil, Jen, and Joy, the servants, the police officers, and even the villainous Asif. Even the absent Rupa was a distinct and memorable character, someone who sticks to a reader’s mind even though she was not physically present for most of the book.
A Distant Heart is an incredibly well-written book that is full of emotion and action. It has a lot of depth as well as flashes of humor. It will make you feel and think. You will have to ponder the answer to the question: How far will you go to save a loved one’s life?
Beautiful. Five stars.
WOW!!! Words alone cannot express how much I loved this book, A Distant Heart by Sonali Dev. From the beginning, this book pulled me into a story of friendship, romance, struggles, mystery, and secrets. Kimi and Rahul are unforgettable characters as we learn their stories, both now and ago. The manner in which Ms. Dev went back and forth with time as she told this love story was very well done. This reader felt as if these two were friends of her. Sonali hit home in showcasing the dilemma a parent faces when their child faces death and choosing the “right” options to keep them alive. This was truly a heart-wrenching love story that still allowed the main characters to reach their happy ever after despite lots of detours and obstacles.
I really loved reading this book and had trouble putting this book down. Ms. Dev held me captive, drawing me into her book, making me forget the world around me and not letting me go even after I turned the last page. I highly recommend this book to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.