Far From Home

by Lorelie Brown

Overview

The marriage was of convenience. The feelings? Not so much.

My name is Rachel. I'm straight . . . I think. I also have a mountain of student loans and a smart mouth. I wasn't serious when I told Pari Sadashiv I'd marry her. It was only party banter! Except Pari needs a green card, and she's willing to give me a breather from drowning in debt.

My off-the-cuff idea might not be so terrible. We get along as friends. She's really romantically cautious, which I find heartbreaking. She deserves someone to laugh with. She's kind. And calm. And gorgeous. A couple of years with her actually sounds pretty good. If some of Pari's kindness and calm rubs off on me, that'd be a bonus, because I'm a mess-anorexia is not a pretty word-and my little ways of keeping control of myself, of the world, aren't working anymore.

And if I slip up, Pari will see my cracks. Then I'll crack. Which means I gotta get out, quick, before I fall in love with my wife.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626494527
Publisher:	Riptide Publishing
Publication date:	08/01/2016
Series:	Belladonna Ink , #1
Pages:	182
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.42(d)

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/27/2016
The oddest of odd couples finds unexpected joy in Brown’s warm, sweet contemporary romance. American citizen Rachel, a not-quite-asexual assistant film producer struggling to make a living in L.A., is drowning in student debt; Indian immigrant Pari Sadashiv, a lesbian logistics manager, needs a U.S. green card to advance her career. When Rachel offers to marry Pari in exchange for funds, it’s just party banter at first—but what’s to stop them from crafting a friendship with legal and financial benefits? Their platonic plans quickly go awry as Pari’s mother moves in to help plan the wedding, forcing them to live their lie. As Rachel feels herself awakening to an attraction she didn’t even know was possible, Pari has to decide whether she can live with the possible fallout of Rachel’s tentative first foray into same-sex love. The cultural elements feel real, interesting, and important in the context of the story. The slow blossoming of Rachel and Pari’s relationship is hot and delicious, and the romance is excellently seasoned with the intricacies of the mother-daughter relationship on Pari’s side and Rachel’s struggles as a recovering anorexic. Brown deftly handles Rachel’s unreliable narration, drawing readers deep into the women’s tender romance. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly ~ "**Starred Review** [A] warm, sweet contemporary romance."

Booklist ~ "**Starred Review** [An] engaging, sweetly soulful romance."

Kirkus ~ "A well-written novel, both sexy and romantic, with broad and inclusive representation."

Foreword ~ "This sweet comedy of manners explores classic tropes in fresh, compelling ways."

From the Publisher

2016-06-22
When a straight California girl marries her lesbian Indian friend to help her get a green card, she didn't expect to fall in love.Rachel is working as a glorified administrative assistant for a little-known production company and struggling to pay off her student loans. Pari is looking to make a job change that will threaten her temporary work visa. A marriage of convenience will let Pari stay in the U.S., and living in Pari's luxury condo will help Rachel pay down her student loans more quickly. Both women have demons: Rachel is recovering from a significant eating disorder while Pari is wrestling with her mother's theoretical and tentative acceptance of her sexuality. After Pari introduces her parents to Rachel via Skype, her mother informs her that she will fly in to help the two brides plan a traditional Hindu wedding—and while she's there, she'll be staying in Pari's guest room, where Rachel has been sleeping. Wedding traditions are carried out while Rachel and Pari get to know one another a little more, and Rachel finds herself drawn to Pari in ways she's unsure of how to process. Rachel is the narrator here, so the reader is a little more clued in about her negligent mom and low-key work stress than about what's going on with Pari's family dynamics or job situation. However, the romantic and sexual tension between the two is well-written and moves the story along nicely. The notable thing about this novel is its intentional inclusiveness. People of color and people with mental illnesses are not often represented in mainstream romance. That both are active parts of this story is a reason to celebrate. A well-written novel, both sexy and romantic, with broad and inclusive representation.

Kirkus Reviews