Hema Macherla’s hugely popular debut novel was short-listed for Richard & Judy and has won much well-deserved recognition since it was published. It tells the story of Neela who arrives from a small village in India to an arranged marriage in the UK. Her hopes and excitement are cruelly crushed when she finds herself treated with contempt, cruelty and abuse by her husband and his family. The story-telling is gripping and plot-driven. The novel digs deep into the issues of arranged marriage but does so in a readable, personal way. Story-telling at its best.