A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart

by Nishant Batsha, Vikas Adam (Narrator)

An expansive and poignant novel of love, radical ambition, and intellectual rebirth set at the dawn of World War I

At a party near Stanford University’s campus in 1917, Cora Trent, a graduate student raised in the rugged mining towns of the American West, meets Indra Mukherjee, an Indian revolutionary newly arrived in California. Indra is grieving the recent loss of a friend and unsure of the place violence has in the cause of national liberation, while Cora is seeking a new life that stays true to her aspirations as a writer and an idealist. They spark an instant connection, and their passionate romance deepens as they attend protests alongside anticolonial dissidents and socialize with eccentric thinkers in Berkeley and Palo Alto. All the while, Indra awaits orders from a mysterious German spymaster.

Cora and Indra quickly marry, even as the United States is drawn into the conflict in Europe and wartime patriotism begins to give way to increasing intolerance. When news of arrests threatens their future together, they are forced to flee to New York City with the hope that they can avoid the attention of the British and American authorities. Trying to find footing in their new life, Cora and Indra must reckon with divergent ambitions that challenge the foundations of their hasty marriage—and their freedom.

Profound, immersive, tenderly written, and with finely wrought characters drawn from the forgotten archives of American history, A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart is an extraordinary story of a marriage caught at the intersection of radical politics and everyday life.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Literary Fiction, Espionage, Audiobook, Romance

Audible Audio

First published July 1, 2025

About the author

Nishant Batsha is a writer of fiction and history. A Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow, he received his doctorate in history from Columbia University.

(Photo courtesy of Libby March)

Reviews

[Book Riot Community]

The Best New Historical Fiction Books Out in July:

At Stanford University in 1917, Cora Trent meets Indra Mukherjee, an Indian revolutionary new to California. Their connection grows as they attend local protests, soon leading to a hasty marriage as America is drawn into the war in Europe. But as their ambitions diverge, and Indra awaits orders from a German spymaster, they struggle to maintain their relationship and their freedom. —Rachel Brittain

[Brooke (B for Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivatingly beautiful from the beginning. Young love between a mixed race couple at the brink of and through WWI was masterfully executed in this story. Both MCs are intellectuals involved in writing, translating, and international politics. This is a real love story, addressing how couples fall apart, un-love, and what keeps them together if they can manage it. I love their love, and thought their relationship to be messy and believable as well as passionate and intriguing.

Themes: language, translation, race, stories, WWI, politics

Since the 2 mc's are from different backgrounds, the author examines how language comes into play in relationships. Language--and particularly translation is a subtle and nuanced way to connect with others. The author really examined these themes at the beginning of the book. Towards the end of the book, the themes were more focused on the stories we tell ourselves and how they shape us. I found myself searching for more conclusions on the translation themes because the book opened up so beautifully. Everything still connected and was wrapped up nicely, however there is some more nuance to translation that adds to the examination of language between countries. I think there was a minor missed opportunity to connect some of the dots with the beautiful themes the author for the most part succeeds at. Overall, this was beautiful, moving, and heart-wrenching.

Trigger Warnings
There is a chapter where the MMC's pride takes a huge fall and he struggles and contemplates un-aliving himself as he holds a gun.
The FMC requires surgery to terminate a pregnancy.

4.75🌟💔❤️‍🩹
Listened to the audiobook on Libby

[James B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Ecco for the ebook. Cora is a student at Stanford in 1917 when she meets Indra, a revolutionary whose escaped India. The two get swept up in a young love and join the protests of the day. When war is declared, America goes after dissidents and the two escape to New York City, only to find that there’s nowhere to hide. A beautiful story of how the initial innocence of love can transform into something much deep.

[Joy D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this book focuses on a Bengali revolutionary and an American graduate student who meet in San Francisco in 1917. Cora Trent is a strong-willed young woman attending Stanford. She is an early feminist who resents the limitations placed on women. Indra Mukherjee is involved in the Indian Independence movement. He has arrived in the US to meet a German diplomat who is said to have connections to an arms cache. They meet at a protest and develop an almost instant attraction. This is a period when the US was about to enter the Great War, and ties to Germany are being investigated. The couple must flee to avoid arrest. Themes include love, idealism, different types of freedoms, and loyalty. It is well-written, and I enjoyed learning about this couple’s story (and looked up the real people afterward) but it seemed to cover lots of content without much depth. I liked it enough to read another book by this author.

[Kelly Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart by Nishant Batsha

Well shoot, I dun’t read many books ‘bout fancy talkin folks and war times, but this one here done got me right in the feelin parts. I reckon it’s ‘bout love and fightin fer freedom and tryin to be smart when the whole durn world’s goin crazy.

So there's this gal, Cora tough as a two dollar steak, comes from some dusty ol’ mining town out West. She’s tryin to be a writer, y’know, readin books an’ thinkin them big thoughts. Then she meets this feller Indra he’s from over yonder in India, a smart cookie too, but he's also all torn up ‘bout his buddy dyin and tryin to figger out if blowin stuff up is the way to git freedom. I dunno, I think I’d just rather fish and leave folks be, but I ain't in the book.

They start lovin on each other right quick, goin to all these protest things and hangin with folks who prob’ly ain't never shot a deer nor changed a tire. But I reckon they mean well. Then the gov'mint starts pokin their noses in places it don’t belong, like always, and them two lovebirds gotta skedaddle to New York City. Which is a shame, cause they was just gettin cozy.

Now lemme tell ya, this book ain't got no gunfights or moonshine or coon dogs in it, but it’s real good just the same. It talks all pretty like, but if you squint and read real slow, you can feel the pain these folks goin through. The way it’s writ, it’s like poetry but with more talkin and less rhyme.

I ain’t real sure what all them big words meant half the time, but I know what it’s like to be scared and want somethin better. This book? It’s ‘bout that. Wantin somethin more love, freedom, a better world even if you gotta run through hell wearin gasoline drawers to get it.

I give it 4 catfish outta 5.

[Ilyse]

Banger concept, painful overwriting. I wanted to love this

[A Dreaming Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is based on a very specific event before WWI that I haven't seen covered in historical fiction before. I had never heard of this before so I found it interesting. I would have liked it better if the book had talked more about the actual war prep/historical setting etc. but the primary focus was on their romance. I suppose it was done reasonably well but the characters really got on my nerves at times, both Indra and Cora. I liked the way their life and relationship were described, including small things that later change a lot of things for them. The ending felt a little abrupt though. I've been trying to read more Indian authors recently and this was an interesting read. It took me a while to get into the writing but after a point it grew on me. Overall it's a unique historical fiction novel set before WWI about the immigration of Indian revolutionaries to the US and their efforts to overthrow colonialism.

Thanks to Goodreads giveaways for providing me with an ARC.

[Mia Hamermesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was interesting, and it definitely picked up about 2/3ds of the way through. But I did kind of find it a slog to get through. The writing style wasn’t really to my taste!

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1917, we meet Indra, a revolutionary who has fled his homeland in India and has ended up in California. At a party near Stanford University, he meets Cora an American graduate student who is seeking a new life as a writer and idealist. They quickly fall in love and marry.

Indra and Cora are young and naive, attending protests and discussing politics, wanting to be a part of the movement without realizing the inherent dangers they are putting themselves in. Forced to flee across the country, Indra and Cora’s relationship is put to the test.

It was interesting to read a story set during World War I that focused on an Indian revolutionary perspective.

The story was very slow at the start and the pacing was off. I debated what I’d rate this as the writing was gorgeous and the story interesting but the pacing was an issue.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the audiobook and thank you to Ecco books for the hard copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Relena_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there's a love story at the center of this novel, it's more clearly the love of revolutions than of revolutionaries. Both of our main characters is fighting to exit the mold that society views them through, both traditionally and within their revolutionary context, and they succeed slightly more than they fail.

I was surprised at the lack of interrogation of reliance on certain external funding sources, while fretting over others, but the base critique of capitalism was generally refreshing.

I'm hopeful that readers without a strong background in the Indian independence movement or the run-up to WWI in the US will still be able to follow this story, but I think the audiobook will be more difficult for them than the print text.

Audiobook ARC provided by NetGalley.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. The novel takes place in 1915 on the eve of WWI, beginning in California and moving on from there to New York. The two main characters are Indra, lately released from a year in jail in India for political agitation against the Raj, and Cora, a miner's daughter who is now working on her Master's on a feminist playwright. When Indra and Cora meet at a party near Stanford, sparks fly both physically and intellectually. Cora has a way with words, helping Indra see new ways of expressing the plight of the Indian people. Indra has a contact with the Germans, which he hopes will help his cause by shipping arms to India for the resistance. The closer war comes, the more tenuous their positions become. Once married, their lives are tied together as their individual goals diverge. . There is a lot of deep thinking in this novel, including racism, the right to self-govern, regime change, marriage, masculine assumptions (both in India and in the US) and the pressure on women to sacrifice.
This is a literary novel, and it isn't one to rush through. I found the writing a cut above most fiction, but at times a little complex. I enjoyed learning about this little known episode about an early wave of Indian immigrants to the US.

Thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was the book club pick this month and, to be honest, I'm not sure I would have finished it otherwise. the writing itself was beautiful, although often overwritten, but the pacing and structure sometimes made the novel feel scattered. themes (racial politics and identity, revolution, language and translation, losing the self and finding the self) felt hinted at but never fully explored. it’s a bit too plotless to be fully driven by story-- which feels oxymoronic for a book tagged "espionage"-- yet not atmospheric enough for “no plot just vibes.” overall 3 stars.

more below (incl. some liight spoilers)--

this novel is loosely inspired by the real-life relationship between Evelyn Trent and M. N. Roy, following Cora, a young white woman at Stanford, and Indra, an anti-imperialist revolutionary from India, who has come to the US seeking weapons from Germany in order to fight against British colonial rule.

Cora and Indra’s relationship begins amidst the backdrop of Asian exclusion in California. they flee from California to New York after comrades in their circles begin getting arrested, and eventually flee New York for Mexico (where the real-life M.N. Roy founded the Mexican Communist Party). their relationship is tested by betrayals and secrets (Indra’s deception about the guns, Cora's pregnancy and abortion) and by the ways they grow and change as individuals.

the most compelling themes, to me, were the (still relevant) racial and political tensions present in the novel, particularly the unstable logic of "whiteness" and racial hierarchy in the US. the novel also gestures toward the era’s eugenics movement, i.e. some of the loudest anti-imperialists were also committed eugenicists who opposed colonial rule not out of a belief in universal freedom, but out of their own convictions about racial superiority and purity.

Cora and Indra both confront this fragile logic of race. Cora believes that her whiteness will function as a kind of shield-- that as a “white American citizen” she will be protected from the consequences of the political activities surrounding her, the controversial topics she writes about, etc.; but over the course of the novel, that assumption is exposed as conditional. her whiteness protects her only as long as it is convenient for those in power to recognize it. once she marries Indra and becomes more deeply entangled in anti-colonial politics, that protection disappears: in other words, she is white-- and American-- until someone in power decides she is not.

Indra, meanwhile, moves through a racial landscape that constantly tries-- and fails-- to categorize him. he even (successfully?) passes as French (“Pierre Tomas”) for a portion of the novel. in one striking scene while boarding a train in the American South, he is singled out and told by the ticket collector to “move your ass… you know what happens when boys like you don’t obey,” only for the conductor to correct the ticket collector: Indra is foreign, "not Colored."

“What Indra feared had not come to pass. A lesson before his departure from America—in the west and the north, he was always Asian first, some charlatan here to steal jobs, poison the well of good society. Here, in the south, he was Not Colored, and that was what mattered most.”

through moments like these, the novel highlights how racial boundaries are improvised and shifting systems that expand or contract depending on who is attempting to wield power (and over whom).

but I am doing a lot of mind gymnastics to get here-- in the novel itself, the themes are raised but never fully explored, which is a big part of why this book is only a 3-star read for me.

[Indra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart by Nishant Batsha
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
• Thank you to Ecco for the ARC •

Historical fiction fans who are tired of World War II narratives — rejoice! This is a quietly radical story about love, identity, and liberation set during World War I, and it’s as ambitious as it is intimate. While the pacing wasn’t perfect, and the prose a bit dense for me at times, the emotional weight and political complexity pulled me in by the end. It’s a slow burn, but there’s fire under the surface. 🔥🕊️

What I liked:
• A rare WWI story with a global and anticolonial lens 🌍
• The emotional unraveling of Cora and Indra’s relationship felt authentic 💔
• Intersection of politics, love, grief, and intellectual pursuit 🧠📚
• Beautifully researched and rich with atmosphere 🗞️🇮🇳
• Berkeley and Stanford scenes were full of energy and idealism ✊
• Unexpected tension around race, patriotism, and belonging in the U.S.

What didn’t work for me:
• Very slow pacing, especially in the first half 🐢
• Repetitive internal monologues made it hard to stay connected 😶‍🌫️
• The writing style leaned dry at times — a little too academic 💬
• Some emotional scenes lacked payoff or momentum
• Would’ve liked more depth from Indra’s POV

• Final thoughts: This is a beautifully intellectual novel that dares to ask difficult questions — about love, loyalty, freedom, and how much one must lose to feel seen. A thoughtful and historically important read that left me thinking long after I turned the last page. 🧳📖💥

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel brings us Cora Trent, a Stanford University activist, suffrage movement ally, and follower of independent intellectual causes. Newly arrived Indian activist is waiting to conclude an arms deal with Germany so he can overthrow Britsh rule in India. All of this is taking place right before WW1.

While the premise of the book was very interesting and the Indian students' activism during the Pre- WW1 setting intriguing, the book didn't fulfill my anticipation to learn more of the historical events of the time period. I felt the book was repetitive; we keep reading of Indra's doubts and of Nitin's ability to pull off the uprising, of Indra's desire to lead India to freedom and his need to be with Cora because she could make his dream come to fruition.

Cora seems to find her cause and gains confidence in her writing and herself. As the book goes on, it is Cora that grows. While in New York, she makes contacts and starts to write. At this juncture, I had to guess whether the book was more about Indra's fight for freedom or Cora's fight for women's rights and the fight for freedom from poverty.

In the end, I think you need to let the historical storyline be background and just look at this as a love story. Two meet with different desires and then mesh together. In the end, they find they can grow together.

I felt the prose was aspiring toward Dicken, or Loisa May Alcott, without really getting there.

Thank you, Goodreads, for the giveaway.

[Brown Girl Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the late 1910s Bay Area, political change and love dance in tandem. Nishant Batsha blends a love story between Indra and Cora, inspired by a real-life couple (M.N. Roy and Evelyn Trent), with the tension of a political thriller.

While Indra’s involvement in the Indian revolution, and Cora’s with the suffragette movement through her flourishing journalism career are vivid, it is their romance and tenderness that form the emotional core of the story. The author’s ability to navigate moments of tender intimacy and the sharp, urgent language of revolution is a highlight of the novel. The couple endures against all odds, and their story raises many of the same questions relevant in today's fraught political climate.

Batsha explores many liberation movements: lesser known Indian political action in the U.S. during this era, such the rise of the Ghadar Geet party in San Francisco, the fervor of American patriotism on the eve of World War I, the struggles of the suffragettes, and the birth control movement. This wealth of historical elements does not feel overcrowded, instead painting a vivid and complete picture of the times.

This novel was reminiscent of performer Joti K Singh, whose grandfather was in the Ghadar Geet party, and the Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour, which features stories of Indian UCB students fighting for India’s freedom—filled with knowledge and authenticity for the hidden histories of the South Asian diaspora in America.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two young lovers come together just at the brink of WWI and are quickly embroiled in issues of colonialism, nationalism, suffragism, and racism. The boiling point of the United States is reflected in their relationship and the author does an amazing job of integrating the incredibly layered history that both characters bring to the narrative. The details are well done. The characters are complicated in their individual desires and the challenge of compromise.

So, with such gifted writing, why did I end up with only three stars? I just struggled to get through the book except in small pieces. It felt a bit like a long lecture and the exhaustion that can come with idealism for any belief system. I wanted to connect to the characters and I couldn’t find that connection. It could be the timing and environment during which I read the book. I can see this being something I will recommend to others, especially anyone new to learning about this time period.

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

At it's best, this novel is a love letter to a Bay Area and NYC long past with very touching and well done prose. However, I found that the book's central pillar, the relationship between Indra and Cora, often unbearable. Interracial dating is always hard. I am a mixed race person and by definition almost always dating interracially, so I am doing my best to not project. I will give Batsha the benefit of the doubt - perhaps the thoughts and feelings of Cora and Indra are meant to be instructional and/or revealing to present day readers' prejudices instead of being entertaining. On the revolutionary side of things, perhaps it would be better to read the direct sources like Marx. As the United States rapidly descends (has descended already?) into fascism, many of the progressive thoughts and fears highlighted in the work from 1917 and later Red Scare echo today, but the novel has little to contribute to present conversations.

[TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read so much WWII fiction, it was refreshing to read about WWI, and with such a unique and powerful story of resistance.

Cora is a graduate student who meets Indra, an Indian revolutionary. They develop a relationship while attending protests for many issues (this was all fascinating) and socializing with free thinkers of the time. Once the US enters the war, Cora and Indra marry. It’s a harrowing time for them, as there’s increasing intolerance and suspicion. Eventually, the two start to grow apart.

This is such a timely and important read. I learned so much about the US stateside during the war. Full of poignance and power, I highly recommend this one for fans of historical fiction wishing for new perspectives.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. I generally adore fiction from or about the subcontinent, and this one promised a peek into an era not frequently touched upon in fiction, at least as far as I'm aware. However, I found this book to be quite over-written, too wordy. Here's an example of a sentence that made me roll my eyes: "She was one of the two Americans in that room, but, at that time, she didn't feel it, realizing instead that everything heretofore had been a pitiful meandering, as if she were some mewling calf hungry for the sweetgrass, unsure in every step as to where it grew." Bear in mind - she had just walked into a frat party where she met Indra. Good grief.

I ended up skimming a great deal of this book. I wish it had been written by a slightly more laconic author, because the story it attempted to tell really does need to be told.

[Yari · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart by Nishant Batsha (book cover is in image) is the story of how Cora Trent and Indra Mukherjee meet, fall in love and struggle to reconcile the racial struggles they face in their interracial marriage. While I was interested in the story itself, this was such a slow burn and had such uneven pacing I found myself struggling to stay engaged.

I had the good fortune of having both the ALC and ARC. I found myself going back to the narration by Vikas Adam because it was so well done, and was the reason why I did not DNF this book.

Thank you @harperaudio, @eccobooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC and read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Pub Date: Jul 01 2025
Rating: 3 Stars

#HarperAudio
#EccoBooks
#ABombPlacedClosetotheHeart
#NishatBatsha
#VikasAdam
#Fiction
#Romance
#yarisbooknook
#netgalley

[Frida · Rating 2 out of 5]

i am conflicted about this book. i thought the writing was beautiful, and the lives of the characters felt real and immersive. however, i felt that the story really dragged in the middle. i am confused by cora’s character, a strong minded feminist that decides to leave it all behind for a man she met 2 months ago. a lot of the plot is just the characters getting close to happiness and it being ripped away. it got boring eventually. i am just not the target audience for this novel. i can see someone really loving it, especially if you are really into historical fiction. the audiobook is great! the narration really helped me get through the story.

thank you netgalley and harperaudio for the audioarc!

[Nicole Heim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to this book with a special connection, I had the privilege of taking a historical fiction writing class from the author. That made me feel more invested in the story.
I’ll be honest, the first quarter was a bit of a struggle for me to get through. But once I found my footing, the last three-fourths pulled me in. The writing became immersive and powerful, and by the end I was so glad I stuck with it.
One moment that really stood out was on page 143—the writing there was gut-wrenching and beautiful, the kind of vignette that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.
Overall, a challenging but rewarding read that grew stronger as it went along.

[Manish Verma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book keeps readers on edge with its tight narrative and unexpected twists. The pacing is quick, making it hard to put down, while the characters are portrayed with enough depth to create empathy and tension. Overall, it’s recommended for fans of thrillers and action-packed narratives with an emotional and intellectual connections.The blend of action and emotion ensures that the stakes feel high throughout, keeping readers invested in the outcome. As the plot unfolds, the exploration of moral dilemmas adds an intriguing layer, prompting reflection on the choices made in desperate situations.

[Leslee Hale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just finished A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart by Nishant Batsha, and it was exactly what I needed—a deeply emotional historical fiction romance. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century immigration and resistance, the story follows a couple torn apart by circumstance and brought together by resilience and love. I felt all the emotions reading this. It’s beautifully written, heartbreaking at times, but ultimately hopeful. A must-read if you’re looking for something powerful and poignant.

[Kellylynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cora and Indra meet on Stanford's campus and run head first into a whirlwind relationship that rides heavy on his fight for his future in India.

The storyline of dissent, the mixed race couple and the struggles related to that is heart wrenching. But the character development is awkward and I just never felt engaged for either of them.

I won this in one of the giveaways.

[RCC · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story line really dragged and wish more descriptions had been given. Cora and Indra were good characters, but Cora’s quick decisions toward marriage seemed in contrast to her other independent characteristics. Overall, I just wish more action had taken place.

[Courtney]

Translation was always an act of love.

I wanted to like this book so much. It felt exactly like the kind of book I would enjoy. But unfortunately, the writing style just wasn't for me and I never wanted to pick this book up. Ah well, not my cup of tea and that's alright.

[Sophie M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5! Got a little slow in the middle but tore through the last 50 pages. I am also a sucker for a love story with a political backdrop. And of course, really enjoyed learning about a little known piece of history!

[Serena Mancini · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt both rushed and dragged out at the same time. The mc romance had almost no development and then swung hot and cold for seemingly little reason. I struggled to engage with the plot and to connect with the characters.

[Asa Tanshuh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really beautiful book. I learned a lot about a history I didn't really know anything about. Made me think about what it means to support another person that you love.