Love Potion Number 10

Jana Bibi Adventures #2

by Betsy Woodman

In the newest Jana Bibi adventure from Betsy Woodman, Jana, Mr. Ganguly, and the gang are back as their small town in India is rocked by an espionage scandal and a homemade remedy that has love on everyone's mind
The Jolly Grant House still welcomes all its visitors with the sign Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes hanging proudly outside its front door. Jana's fortune-telling has brought a lot of attention to the small town of Hamara Nagar, and now that the dust has settled and the town is safe from the threat of being flooded by a government dam, all eyes are on the Scottish-born card-reader Jana and her feisty, loose-beaked parrot, Mr. Ganguly. Some people, though, are not to be trusted, and Mr. Ganguly finds himself the target of a potential kidnapping that puts Jana and her household on edge.
Meanwhile, love is in the air and, thanks to Abenath's Apothecary, it's also in a bottle. Abenath has created an intoxicating brew that he calls Love Potion Number 10, which seems to have Jana in a tizzy. While she explores her newest hobby, dream interpretation, her head is swimming with Is a new love possible at age fifty-nine? If so, would she ever marry again? All around her she sees different kinds of love and connection―family, arranged marriages, chemical attractions, even intercontinental romance between people who have only met through letters―so when an old flame arrives and rekindles long-gone feelings, Jana begins to think that Love Potion Number 10 just might be the magic elixir its inventor thinks it is.

Genres: India, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adult Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2013

About the author

Betsy Woodman spent ten formative years in India and studied in France and Zambia. A graduate of Smith College, she earned a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Brandeis University. She has edited history books and been a frequent book reviewer, and was a writer/editor for Experiencing War, the award-winning radio documentary series for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Her interest in languages, music, and cross-cultural connections are in evidence in the Jana Bibi series. She now lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do want to sit down and just enjoy reading a book? Well, Betsy Woodman has extremely readable books in her Jana Bibi Adventures. Set in the high mountains of northern India, these books introduce you to Jana Bibi and her friends and neighbors in the fictitious town of Hamara Nagar. We are not going into any sort of deep historical fiction here, but rather this series reminds me an awful lot of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency - books that are fun to read, with enjoyable and some offbeat characters, a book that teaches you a little about history as well as Indian culture (all of this is set back in 1961) and which takes us to a simpler time in a very remote part of the world.
Not a lot happens in this book, but rather we see some ordinary life and times for the characters, along with some potential problems for Jana Bibi and her friends and her fortune telling ring necked parrot, Mr. Ganguly
One of the fun parts of these books is that it features Mr. Ganguly, who has now become a celebrity, along with Jana Bibi whose fortune telling endeavors have helped save the town from destruction in the first book. We also have attempts by friends and her house staff to get Jana Marries (she is a 59-year old widow), as well as some other members of the community who also seem to have been bitten by the love bug - was it because of LPN10? Who can tell.
Anyway, this is a book that is a super fast read, and a book that just gives us more and more information on the lives of this unique group of people living in the Himalaya's of India. I cannot say that I see any really deep plot in this book because the fortune telling and tarot card reading done by Jana Bibi is nowhere to be seen and she now concentrates on Dream Interpretations. It is all in good fun and is just a feel-good sort of book. It is also a series, like the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency, that is best read through a loan from your local library. Nice, good, clean story, but no reason to spend the money for this series when you can get all the enjoyment from and through your library system.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book two in the Jana Bibi Adventures series begins when Jana is asked to participate in a newspaper interview. Word has gotten out about how she saved her town, Hamara Nagar, with the help of her fortune-telling parrot, Mr Ganguly, and now the Weekly wants to send a reporter to do a feature article. There’s also a gang of animal thieves operating in the district, and Mr Ganguly seems to be their next target. A group of foreign investors has their eyes on the local hotel, looking to refurbish and remodel to make it a luxury tourist destination. And now the local apothecary, Abinath, has created Love Potion Number 10 (LPN10), which has Jana wondering if love is possible again at age fifty-nine.

Woodman lived some ten years in India and she writes about 1960s India in a way that honors its past and makes this reader long to experience Jana Bibi’s home. The culture comes alive, especially as Jana – a Scot by birth – is so very fond of her adopted home, and works so hard to preserve the culture as it is.

The characters are charmingly eccentric, the setting is beautiful and exotic, the plot has a few twists and turns, and there are some genuinely funny moments to entertain and delight.

[Richard Seltzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like meeting an old friend and starting a conversation that feels like a continuation of the last one, no matter how long ago that was.

This is part two of a trilogy. I look forward to reading the third, "Emeralds Included."

p. 116
"It combines the exotic, the familiar, and the comfortable."

p. 78
"Jana opened her eyes and waved across the street to Royal Tailors, where Feroze Ali Khan's cousins were busily stitching away inside, listening to the radio as they worked.

"She loved this street, this bazaar, this mountainside, this part of the world. Certainly, there were other places with mountain views. There were other places with friendly neighbors and peaceful little marketplaces. But somehow, fate had drawn her here and it felt right, and even if it seemed a bit daft, as her son sometimes said, it was daft in the right way. It was her sort of daftness."

[Philip Mceldowney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic. Just finished the whole series of 3 books. Enjoyed it all - the well formed characters which we came to know and love, with all the ideas, activities, opinions. Warm, humorous, slips in knowledge about food, places, people, music, etc. Thoroughly engaging and pleasurable.
Feel let down now (in a nice way) - where's the next one, after the 3rd in the series. Can we convince Betsy to give us more, and more. What might happen next?
I guess I'll have to try to find another book, another author - Ruskin Bond (maybe), fiction by Stephen Alter? Biographical works of mish kids in India (moving on to Essenbager's mish kid)?
Any suggestions? Please . . .

[Swati Daftuar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this slo-o-o-o-w-ly just so that it doesn't finish in a day or something unacceptable like that.

[VaultOfBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Betsy Woodman. Grade A

In the previous installment of Jana Bibi’s (Jana Bibi’s Excellent Fortunes) adventure, we saw her rescue Hamara Nagar from a dam construction that would have displaced one and all from their home town, thus putting the quaint, little hill station on the map. And none of this would have been possible without help from her quirky parrot, Mr. Ganguly, her loyal ayah, Mary, and the eclectic townsfolk of Hamara Nagar. When the second book in the series was launched, I was more than excited to find out what lay in store for Jana and her friends!

The latest book in the Jana Bibi Series picks up from where it was left in its first one. The Jolly Grant House warmly welcomes one and all, with the signboard of Jana’s fortune-telling salon proudly hanging on its gates. Jana’s fortune-telling endeavour has brought to her a lot of fame, along with the townsfolk of Hamara Nagar. The town seems to be bustling with tourists and research students, and big businessmen looking towards this small town for new profitable ventures.

Having saved Hamara Nagar from getting submerged by a proposed dam, Jana and her parrot seem to become famous over the country. And of course, fame comes with a price as Mr. Ganguly is now the target of a high-profile gang of bird-nappers, and Jana must save her parrot. Meanwhile, love seems to be in the air in Hamara Nagar. And with the return of an old-flame combined with an intoxicating elixir ‘Love Potion Number 10,’ Jana starts to see love and connections all around her. And love is exactly what her entire household thinks is missing from her life.

As with the previous book, Betsy Woodman does not fail to take you back in time. Her narration is such that you feel that you are a part of the characters in the book, cheering for their successes, and feeling delighted when the bad guys’ plans are foiled. Though we were introduced to many characters in Jana Bibi’s Excellent Fortunes, the second instalment in the series revolves mainly around Jana, Rambir and Kenneth Stuart-Smith. That said, we get to meet many new people who become an important part of Jana’s life.

The pace of the story is a bit slow, but completely in sync with the setting of the story and cultural norms of the 1960’s. At no time in the book did I think: “Gosh, get over with this part already!” The language is calm and simple, and almost innocent; and I was left with a smile on my face as I turned the last page. If you liked the first book, you will definitely love this one!

I would recommend this light-hearted, yet warm read to one and all. Be sure that it will leave you asking for more at the end, as I am awaiting the next in the series!


Originally reviewed at Vaultofbooks.com, a close-knit community of fanatical readers. We are looking for perceptive readers who can write well, and we are eager to provide lots of free books in exchange for reviews. Shoot us a mail at contact@vaultofbooks.com

[Dot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Love Potion Number 10. It was just as fun and charming as Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes. I wish I didn't have to wait for the next one!

[Kritika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jana Bibi's Adventures is really a thrilling book experience to read. The story is set in Hamara Nagar a small place near Dehradun and brings alive the beautiful landscape innocence. The protagonist Jana is shown with simple lifestyle living in her own world with her very famous speaking pet parrot, Mr. Ganguly. She is a tarot card reader and Mr. Ganguly helps her in the same and is also one of the famous tourist attraction in Hamara Nagar.
Very well written by Miss Woodman and all the intricate details have explained with much ease. Overall the book is very mesmerizing and charming, one would surely fall in love with this book. The is love in the air as with the help of Mr. Abinath, the love potion does it work. All the members of Jana's house are always after her to find someone as her life partner and indeed in the end their is a slight hint that she did find someone, for finding that one has to read this amazing book which has cheerful characters with gentle wisdom.
Thus, loved this book.
Love Potion Number 10
Betsy Woodman

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't not like this, but I never really warmed up to it either.... I wanted more of a magical experience of the LPN 10, and I didn't get it.

This was a "nice" story... the pace & characters rather reminded me of Mma Precious Ramotswe.

Jana Bibi was once married to a missionary, he died and the man who took his place attempted to sway Jana into marriage... She gave up her pension & ran away w/ her helper Mary to the family home in India.

In India she tells fortunes with the help of a fortune telling parrot...

Someone wants to steal the parrot, her rich friends want to take over the local hotel and completely modernize making it into a tourist trap. The local school teacher falls in love, The local newspaper editor yearns to make amends w/ his family who shunned him after his marriage to a lower caste woman...

Ok, it is a nice book w/ a nice story.... I was hoping for more feeling and I found that lacking, so I dropped 1 ★.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series. Jana continues her fortune telling business, worrying about finances, and dealing with life’s little challenges. She is the subject of an article, and is surprised when the reporter asks very detailed questions, particularly about her parrot, Mr. Ganguly. She later finds out that the man was not who he appeared to be and that there may be a birdnapping plot involved. In the meantime, she begins using Abernath’s concoction for her post toothache regimen, helping him name it, as Love Potion Number 10 or LP10 for short. Love is in the air, when an old love interest arrives. But his business dealings and plans for her town begin to worry Jana. There are several side plots with characters from the first book, making this an enjoyable addition to the series, but perhaps not as strong as the first book.

[Erin Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet and charming novel about a middle aged widow living in a Himalayan village in India in the early 1960's. She has a family of sorts, a housekeeper, a young orphan boy, a night guard who are all native Indians but function as a family. Her favorite family member is a beautiful parrot named Mr. Ganguly who helps her tell fortunes to the local folk. When Mr. Ganguly becomes famous for helping a young boy finally speak a crime ring sets their sights on kidnapping him. This story is sweet and simple, the characters are all decent people whom I came to like very much. It is gently written and has an innocence about it that I found refreshing. Recommended.

[Owlsinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

No misdirected fallings-in-love here; it's supposed to be "Love-of-Life Potion #10". A pain reliever, sedative, and put-a-shine-on-your-day elixir. And enough of the hyphenated phrases. Jana Bibi's village is like small-town (sorry) life anywhere, except in the mountains of India. Her fortunetelling business is going nicely, but sticks are still thrust into hornets' nests to keep life interesting. A nice, somewhat quiet, easy read; a different kind of cozy to put between heavier bouts of reading.

[Ann Boytim · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd book in the series. Jana Bibi is still telling fortunes in an Indian village where she has made her home with an odd ball list of characters living in her home along with her talking parrot Mr. Ganguly. A gang of thieves are on the loose and stealing precious birds and Mr. Ganguly has to be protected and hidden. An old flame arrives on the scene and Jana thinks maybe she will get married again after being a widow for many years but this is not to be. But love is in the air with a potion made up by a local shopkeeper - Love Potion Number 10.

[Maryann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light, airy, cute book about a middle aged woman, her talking bird and the people who make up this fictionalized small remote Indian village in the 1960s. It doesn't dive into the Indian caste system and barely touches on independence from Britain so don't expect a hard hitting look but instead a slightly romanticized look at 1960s Indian. Enjoyable if you can forgot the thousands of Indians suffering from poverty effects of colonization...for that read the White Tiger.

[Vicki Chicago-Marsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not overly impressed with this book, maybe because of all of the Indian terms & references it contained? I found it difficult to follow & it seemed to drag on, without getting anywhere. Not one of my favorite books.

[R. C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another sweet installment in the mild adventures of Jana Bibi. In many ways this reads like a book by Alexander McCall Smith: good hearted characters who meander through life, reflecting on events in their personal lives.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure this really should be on my mystery shelf...

[John Iskander · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine sequel

Continues the positive tone and captures the spirit of the early 60s, as the first book in the series did. Excellent reading when the weight of the world wears on you.

[Sheryl Branscombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Jana Bibi is back with her fortune telling parrot. There are so many fun characters in this series and always something happening. A fun summer read.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Henry Holt for providing me with a review copy of this novel.

I have previously read and reviewed the first book in this series Jana Bibi's excellent fortunes. The first book did a lot of story set up. Jana Bibi inherited the Jolly Grant house and saved the town from being flooded away by a proposed dam. We met a lot of the characters in the town and learned about Jana Bibi's background and the start of her new career as a fortune teller with her trusted accomplice, Mr. Ganguly the parrot.

I enjoyed the first novel and I liked this one even better. Now that all of the characters have been established the stories can really take off. I love when a novel can transport you to another time and place and this one certainly does. You really feel as is if you are experiencing 1960's India. In this outing Jana has to deal with protecting Mr. Ganguly from a potential birdnapping while contemplating her love life. Jana's friends are equally occupied with matters like hotel renovations, mending family rifts, and a move to Australia. Jana is always present to steer them to the right outcome with a gentle word and a cup of tea.

If you love books like the The No. 1 ladies Detective Agency then journey to India with Jana Bibi. In addition to the delightful story author Betsy Woodman provides a wealth of information including definitions and background information at the end of the book. You can feel the love the author had for her time in India and it translates to the page by transporting the reader to an exotic land but one that has stories of love and life that we can all relate to .

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this is the second book in the Jana Bibi Series, this book can be treated as a stand-alone. A word of warning – after reading this book – you will want to go back and read the first book immediately.

Jana Bibi is of Scottish origin but has settled down in a part of Uttar Pradesh. She is the proud owner of The Jolly Grant House at Hamara Nagar & Jana Bibi’s Excellent Fortunes is all settled and is doing well in the 1960s’s India. On one hand there’s this love potion that is making the rounds in the town at the same time when Jana’s old flame arrives to rekindle their relationship. However, she cannot put heart completely into the matter as Mr.Ganguly, her trusted accomplice, is in danger of being kidnapped.

Jana Bibi is a vivacious character who immediately draws you in. Then there’s Mr.Ganguly – a class of his own I must say. Hold on, Mr.Ganguly is not a man though – he is a charming-talking Parrot. Yes that’s right; I did say a charming-talking parrot. You will fall for Mr. Ganguly too. Besides, there are a whole lot of characters – other staff on Jana Bibi’s payroll and the neighbours and clients. Not a single character will seem unnecessary though. They all round up and balance the story well. The plot at first seems simple enough but there are a quite a lot of twists and turns that you have to get through to get to the end. But the best part about the book is the author’s awesome style of narration that helps create a vivid image in your mind.

I absolutely adored this book and will be getting my hands on the first book soon enough… In the meantime you guys go and get both the books - it is totally worth it!

[Jaylia3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

As charming and as full of endearingly eccentric characters as its predecessor, Love Potion Number 10 could be enjoyed without reading the first book, but why would you want to? It's 1961, fourteen years after India's independence from Great Britain, and Jana Bibi, more formally known as Janet MacPherson Laird, is now 59. Though Scottish in heritage Jana has spent most of her life in India and considers it her home.

In the first book Jana Bibi fixed up and moved into the Jolly Grant House estate in a village in Uttar Pradesh where she bides her time supervising and worrying about her small mostly self-motivated staff and reading fortunes for tourists with her sociable parrot. This time around changes are coming to the town--which concerns some of the residents--a man longs to reconcile with his father, a young boy needs to find his way in the world, old friends drop by for a visit, love is in the air, and a reporter’s probing questions leave Jana Bibi feeling uneasy. Fortunately her home is still enthusiastically guarded by a bagpipe playing war veteran.

Like the first book, this not a fast-paced story, but with its colorful setting and engaging characters I enjoyed it too much to want it to hurry along. I read a advanced review copy of this book provided by the publisher; the opinions are mine.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted a quick and fun read and from the cover and title, I thought this book might be the one; I was right. This book is actually the second of a proposed trilogy. The first book was:Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes. I enjoyed this one, but really do want to go back and read the first book as well.

This story takes place in Hamara Nagar, a fictional town somewhere in the Indian Himalayas where fifty-nine year old Janet Laird (Jana) makes a living as a fortune teller, reading the cards of mostly tourists who visit the area. She has help though, in the form of a loose-jawed parrot named Mr. Ganguly. In this installment Mr. Ganguly's popularity draws attention to himself by some birdnappers.

Yes, Mr. Ganguly makes the story very fun, but I now want to learn more about Jana, Jolly Grant House and the other characters as well. Jana is a very sweet lady, (she is Scottish, but a citizen of India). This one was just so much fun, but there are some endearing moments as well. It was just such a refreshing change from a few sad stories I've read lately. Try it if you need a nice change of pace!

[Deborah aka Reading Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I received my copy through the Goodreads First Reads program*

Another excellent adventure! This is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes. Jana Bibi (Mrs. Janet McPherson Laird) and her fellow inhabitants of the Indian mountain town of Hamara Nagar have set out on a new adventure that will captivate and pull their fans right into the action with them. There are elements galore: disappointed hearts, new beginnings, love potions, families re-united, attempted bird-napping (watch out Mr. Ganguly!), worry, joy, car chases down twisting mountain passages (watch out Mr. Kilometre!), and so much more. I read my copy at one sitting and when finished, closed the book with a deep sigh of satisfaction and a smile on my face. Mrs. Woodman is a fine story-teller with the ability to make the reader feel like part of her cast of characters--we cheer them on, or in the case of the bad guys, cheer when their plans are foiled again.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful sequel to Jana Bibi's Excellent Fortunes. Book starts with a mix up on an interview of Jana and her household. This leads to suspicion that someone may want to steal Jana's bird. After an attempted break-in at the house the security is increased. There's some attempted matchmaking by a lady from Bombay which of course goes awry and causes Jana to shed some serious tears. The Victoria Hotel is bought by a Bombay Conglomerate with big plans to make it more modern causing Mr. Dass, the nervous manager to practically have a nervous collapse. I am sure there will be more on this in the next book. Jana meets some interesting new people who become not only friends, but some help save her parrot in a plan to keep him safe from the birdnappers. A fun read. I am looking forward to reading book 3 soon.

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second outing with Jana Bibi and her wonderful friends and household in Hamara Nagar - along with the delightful returning characters, Betsy Woodman has introduced new friends I hope to meet again. I hope this becomes a series - the first book was fun and light but Jana and company are becoming some of my favorite charming, cozy fiction characters; we learn more about Jana's past life, loves and losses, and I like her the more for it! Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys warm, charming, character-driven fiction like Alexander McCall Smith's Scotland Road books. Lovely!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Betsy Woodman delivers another gem of a story in the second Jana Bibi adventure. The main cast of characters is familiar from the first book while several new friends are introduced. The pace of the book matches the pace of the time period and cultural norms. The story is light and enjoyable while at the same time touching just a bit on more serious subjects.

Fans of Alexander McCall Smith are sure to enjoy these delightful books and I know I will be looking forward to returning to India with Jana Bibi on her next adventure.

[Conny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a First Read Winner of this book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book is filled with delightful characters that made me laugh out loud and I had a real hard time putting the book down. What a wonderful adventure it was filled with action, intrigue, love potions and humor and it also gave me a real inside into what life was like in 1961 India. I highly recommend this lovely book, I can't wait to see what other adventures are awaiting Jana Bibi and her household staff.

[Raka Majumdar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read Betsy Woodman and have been surprised by her skill of story telling which transports you to a whole new world. Its the beautiful characters, finely etched out and flawless that enchants you. Her stories have an exotic feel to you that gives you a feel of reading a fantasy fiction and there is much more than being an engaging read.

http://esotericphoenix.wordpress.com/...

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another delightful book in the "Jana Bibi" series. I find these books to be highly entertaining, very informative, and thought-provoking. If you are familiar with Indian culture or interested in learning more about Indian culture, I would recommend these light reads.

The books are certainly not historical treatises but I find that I learn more about the history of India with each book in addition to having lots of fun!