DESCRIPTION:
A charming NYC romance by co-host of the Woke Desi, for fans of:
• multicultural connections
• strong friendships and families
• a “will they/won’t they” story with powerful stakes
• the city that never sleeps
• bucket list adventures
• characters who fight outside expectations and pressures to build the life they want
Kiran needs to fall in line. Instead, she falls in love.
Kiran was the good daughter. When her sister disobeyed her family’s plan and brought them shame, she was there to pick up the pieces. She vowed she wouldn’t make the same mistakes. She’d be twice the daughter her parents needed, to make up for the one they lost.
Nash never had a family. The parents who were supposed to raise him were completely absent. Now as a psychologist, he sees the same pattern happening to the kids he works with. So he turns away from love and family. After all, abandonment is in his genes, isn’t it?
If she follows the rules, Kiran will marry an Indian man. If he follows his fears, Nash will wind up alone. But what if they follow their hearts?
Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words by Annika Sharma is a heartfelt story about family expectations, cultural pressure, and the unpredictable pull of love. Kiran’s family fractured years ago when her older sister married against their parents’ wishes—an event that left a deep mark on Kiran. Determined not to cause more pain, she’s built a successful and carefully controlled life in New York, one where romance feels far too risky.
But when Kiran’s father suffers a heart attack, she rushes back to India, devastated and unsure of what the future holds for her family. Before she left, she had just begun connecting with Nash, an American man whose warmth and easy charm sparked something she wasn’t prepared for. Both Kiran and Nash sense the chemistry between them, yet neither expects anything long-term. Now, especially with an ocean now between them, any semblance of a future seems impossible.
Distance isn’t the only barrier. Kiran knows that pursuing a relationship with an American man would create even more tension within her traditional family, especially after the pain caused by her sister’s estrangement. As much as she’s drawn to Nash, Kiran is equally committed to rebuilding and reconnecting with the people she loves most.
Sharma beautifully explores Indian culture, familial duty, and the delicate balance between honoring where you come from and embracing who you’re becoming. As the first book in the Chai Masala Club series, it also highlights friendship, found family, and the comfort of community. I’m already looking forward to diving into the next installment, Sugar, Spice, and Can’t Play Nice.
She is a co-founder and co-host of That Desi Spark podcast, one of the largest independently run South Asian podcasts in the world. She currently lives in New York City while juggling her writing and podcasting careers. She is a lover of endless conversations, college football, social justice, traveling, books, all things related to England, dancing, superhero movies, and coffee.
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