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Sisters of a Halved Heart
The electric story of two sisters and an unthinkable betrayal.
Mira Guhathakurta is a poetry editor at a distinguished literary magazine in New York, a dream job that has given her nearly everything she's always wanted. And then she reconnects with Jack from college—kind, funny, intelligent Jack—and suddenly Mira feels as if she might have found her soulmate. They've woven their lives together so thoroughly; all that remains is for Jack to meet her her beloved father and dear sister Joy. But when Joy commits an unthinkable act of betrayal, the sisters are impossibly fractured and their father's heart is broken. As the sisters navigate their tumultuous relationship and Mira starts over, it turns out that Joy isn't the only one who has been—or continues to be—dishonest.
In a propulsive story of love and passion and the ultimate pull of family, Sisters of a Halved Heart examines the lengths we will go to in order to make our own narratives of love work out, the lies we tell ourselves, and the ways in which the truth, often right in front of you, can be impossible to see.
Mira Guhathakurta is a poetry editor at a distinguished literary magazine in New York, a dream job that has given her nearly everything she's always wanted. And then she reconnects with Jack from college—kind, funny, intelligent Jack—and suddenly Mira feels as if she might have found her soulmate. They've woven their lives together so thoroughly; all that remains is for Jack to meet her her beloved father and dear sister Joy. But when Joy commits an unthinkable act of betrayal, the sisters are impossibly fractured and their father's heart is broken. As the sisters navigate their tumultuous relationship and Mira starts over, it turns out that Joy isn't the only one who has been—or continues to be—dishonest.
In a propulsive story of love and passion and the ultimate pull of family, Sisters of a Halved Heart examines the lengths we will go to in order to make our own narratives of love work out, the lies we tell ourselves, and the ways in which the truth, often right in front of you, can be impossible to see.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Tara for the physical ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS. I was thrilled when Tara sent me a copy of her latest novel.
Sometimes it takes a while for a book (or me) to get going. But once it did, the sprint was on. For me, this is one of those novels I enjoyed in pieces, but it was hard to love the characters.
a real message I DMed Tara: WHAT IN THE AMY MARCH?!
Not a spoiler. The betrayal is in the book summary. I've always been confused by families and siblings that can share partners. I would never be able to do that. I couldn't even look twice at someone my siblings would be interested in. But even in my extended family, this kind of betrayal has occurred.
I'm not out here trying to blame one sister over the other. Why are women the first be blamed? The man was also very much involved. And yes, I usually hate stories that devote so much time and energy to cheating, but the crux of the story is underneath.
I'm rambling. Mira and Jack are the epitome of friends to lovers. They're seemingly happy, until Jack meets Mira's half sister Joy. Jack and Joy cheat, and then marry.
A story told in two parts, about five years apart, the story starts in present day with Mira returning to the city her father and sister live in. She meets a bartender named Marlon. They fall into bed together. It's complicated.
But not as complicated as Mira/Jack/Joy. And somewhere in this love square is a love story, but it's not between Marlon and Mira, Mira and Jack, or even Jack and Joy. It's the love you can feel for your siblings even if you don't like them. A heartbreaking sort of love.
I clearly can't review (lol), but the undercurrent beneath all this is Mira works in the publishing industry. A secret submission happens. She knows Jack so well she thinks it's his work. Not another spoiler alert, but do you think it is really?
🥃 take a shot for the London girlies
🥃 take a shot for the New York girlies
🥃 take a shot every time you feel betrayed
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved THE MAGNIFICENT RUINS. I was thrilled when Tara sent me a copy of her latest novel.
Sometimes it takes a while for a book (or me) to get going. But once it did, the sprint was on. For me, this is one of those novels I enjoyed in pieces, but it was hard to love the characters.
a real message I DMed Tara: WHAT IN THE AMY MARCH?!
Not a spoiler. The betrayal is in the book summary. I've always been confused by families and siblings that can share partners. I would never be able to do that. I couldn't even look twice at someone my siblings would be interested in. But even in my extended family, this kind of betrayal has occurred.
I'm not out here trying to blame one sister over the other. Why are women the first be blamed? The man was also very much involved. And yes, I usually hate stories that devote so much time and energy to cheating, but the crux of the story is underneath.
I'm rambling. Mira and Jack are the epitome of friends to lovers. They're seemingly happy, until Jack meets Mira's half sister Joy. Jack and Joy cheat, and then marry.
A story told in two parts, about five years apart, the story starts in present day with Mira returning to the city her father and sister live in. She meets a bartender named Marlon. They fall into bed together. It's complicated.
But not as complicated as Mira/Jack/Joy. And somewhere in this love square is a love story, but it's not between Marlon and Mira, Mira and Jack, or even Jack and Joy. It's the love you can feel for your siblings even if you don't like them. A heartbreaking sort of love.
I clearly can't review (lol), but the undercurrent beneath all this is Mira works in the publishing industry. A secret submission happens. She knows Jack so well she thinks it's his work. Not another spoiler alert, but do you think it is really?
🥃 take a shot for the London girlies
🥃 take a shot for the New York girlies
🥃 take a shot every time you feel betrayed
Read
June 30, 2026This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club July 2026 selection and a 2026 Summer Reading Guide Minimalist Pick. The author will join us for a live discussion!
Mira had always looked out for her beloved half-sister Joy, nine years younger. But in the wake of a breathtaking betrayal, Mira fled to London to put needed distance between them, though it broke her heart to leave behind her loving father as well. Now Mira is back in Brooklyn, and Joy is pushing for things to be “okay” again—but how could they be? I ate this up: it’s juicy, delicious, atmospheric, and messy in the best way. I queued up the numerous referenced songs and mapped scads of real locations. It shines bright for its minor characters, platonic and romantic love stories (not just the love triangle at its core), literary world setting, and believable exploration of how the sisters seek to move forward.
Mira had always looked out for her beloved half-sister Joy, nine years younger. But in the wake of a breathtaking betrayal, Mira fled to London to put needed distance between them, though it broke her heart to leave behind her loving father as well. Now Mira is back in Brooklyn, and Joy is pushing for things to be “okay” again—but how could they be? I ate this up: it’s juicy, delicious, atmospheric, and messy in the best way. I queued up the numerous referenced songs and mapped scads of real locations. It shines bright for its minor characters, platonic and romantic love stories (not just the love triangle at its core), literary world setting, and believable exploration of how the sisters seek to move forward.
June 9, 2026
I was captured by this story of half sisters who are intricately connected to each other and yet hurt each other in the most devastating ways. I loved the way the author created these deeply flawed, realistic characters. It’s a story that explores both sisterly love and betrayal and the forced dependence of caring for an elderly father.
This book also examines family trauma and the nuanced difficulties of reconciling deep fissures caused by loved ones. This is my kind of book filled with messy sibling dramas and how the pain that’s experienced can often be the thing that heals us.
This book also examines family trauma and the nuanced difficulties of reconciling deep fissures caused by loved ones. This is my kind of book filled with messy sibling dramas and how the pain that’s experienced can often be the thing that heals us.
September 18, 2026
PLEASE COME READ THIS BOOK AND COME TALK TO ME ABOUT IT.
This book is messsssyyyy so be warned about that. And both of the sisters suck. And THAT ENDING. Bro.
But overall, I could not put this book down
Watch me discuss this book here: https://youtu.be/uUGBSF2uwqY
This book is messsssyyyy so be warned about that. And both of the sisters suck. And THAT ENDING. Bro.
But overall, I could not put this book down
Watch me discuss this book here: https://youtu.be/uUGBSF2uwqY
August 4, 2026
Five stars for the writing, two stars for my utter exasperation with BOTH sisters and Jack. FFS.
source: public library hardcover
source: public library hardcover
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2026
Having thoroughly enjoyed Nayantara Roy’s first book, Magnificent Ruins, I was incredibly eager to dive into Sisters of a Halved Heart. Unfortunately, I walked away deeply disappointed. As one of the only people in my close friend circle without a sister, I usually gravitate toward and love reading books about sisterly bonds. I opened this novel hoping for a nuanced, complex exploration of modern sisterhood, but what I got instead was a narrative that retreats into the most tired, regressive tropes.
At its core, the story relies heavily on female rivalry over a man. Fighting over a male romantic interest feels like an outdated conflict that is frankly beneath these characters, both of whom are written as highly intelligent, successful professionals. I am simply not a fan of stories where a woman's entire personality and life trajectory remain rigidly centered around winning male approval, whether that validation is sought from a lover like Jack or from an aging father. The author had an incredibly rich foundation of maternal abandonment and cultural identity to pull from, which makes the ultimate reliance on a banal love triangle feel incredibly lazy.
While I never mind reading about morally gray characters, I do need the individuals I am spending hours with to show some semblance of growth or self-awareness. There needs to be a takeaway; otherwise, what was the point of the narrative journey? Instead of evolution, the ending drops a twist regarding serves no redeeming purpose. Rather than forcing the characters to confront their flaws or break their toxic cycles, the revelation only makes the entire story worse. It cements the fact that even their deepest life choices are permanently tethered to the men who defined them, leaving the reader with a bleak, stagnant conclusion.
What could have been a sharp psychological study of sisterly friction instead feels like a derivative soap-opera plot dressed up in literary prose. For a modern novel about brilliant women, Sisters of a Halved Heart feels frustratingly stuck in the past.
At its core, the story relies heavily on female rivalry over a man. Fighting over a male romantic interest feels like an outdated conflict that is frankly beneath these characters, both of whom are written as highly intelligent, successful professionals. I am simply not a fan of stories where a woman's entire personality and life trajectory remain rigidly centered around winning male approval, whether that validation is sought from a lover like Jack or from an aging father. The author had an incredibly rich foundation of maternal abandonment and cultural identity to pull from, which makes the ultimate reliance on a banal love triangle feel incredibly lazy.
While I never mind reading about morally gray characters, I do need the individuals I am spending hours with to show some semblance of growth or self-awareness. There needs to be a takeaway; otherwise, what was the point of the narrative journey? Instead of evolution, the ending drops a twist regarding serves no redeeming purpose. Rather than forcing the characters to confront their flaws or break their toxic cycles, the revelation only makes the entire story worse. It cements the fact that even their deepest life choices are permanently tethered to the men who defined them, leaving the reader with a bleak, stagnant conclusion.
What could have been a sharp psychological study of sisterly friction instead feels like a derivative soap-opera plot dressed up in literary prose. For a modern novel about brilliant women, Sisters of a Halved Heart feels frustratingly stuck in the past.
June 15, 2026
SISTERS OF A HALVED HEART by Nayantara Roy [Thanks to @algonquinbooks for the gifted copy.]
This is the story of two adult sisters, 8 years apart in age, and not speaking to each other for the last several years. Now they’re both back living in NYC, and dealing with an aging father, so their paths must cross. That’s an extreme over-simplification, but it’s enough. The story is told from the point of view of Mira, the elder sister. She reveals their relationship and their big conflict moving both forward and backward in time.
I found this book very easy to read, follow, and understand the complicated feelings of both sisters. What I didn’t find was enough complexity to the actual story. It was vrather one note. I knew where it was going from the first couple chapters and even though I didn’t know exactly how Roy would get us there, it was nothing surprising. Everything was overly simple and far too expected. The only part that felt unexpected was the very last chapter which came out of nowhere, completely after the main story’s resolution. Though I could go back and pick up its thread, my real question was why? Why at the very end and why not developed. It would have made a far more interesting story than just the fraught sister relationship. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the story of two adult sisters, 8 years apart in age, and not speaking to each other for the last several years. Now they’re both back living in NYC, and dealing with an aging father, so their paths must cross. That’s an extreme over-simplification, but it’s enough. The story is told from the point of view of Mira, the elder sister. She reveals their relationship and their big conflict moving both forward and backward in time.
I found this book very easy to read, follow, and understand the complicated feelings of both sisters. What I didn’t find was enough complexity to the actual story. It was vrather one note. I knew where it was going from the first couple chapters and even though I didn’t know exactly how Roy would get us there, it was nothing surprising. Everything was overly simple and far too expected. The only part that felt unexpected was the very last chapter which came out of nowhere, completely after the main story’s resolution. Though I could go back and pick up its thread, my real question was why? Why at the very end and why not developed. It would have made a far more interesting story than just the fraught sister relationship. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 24, 2026
Wow, was all that I could say at several points as I was thoroughly engrossed in reading Sisters of a Halved Heart by Nayantara Roy. This book was a hauntingly beautiful exploration of how sometimes it is the ones we love the most, that hurt us in the most devastating ways. There is a saying that hurt people, hurt people - which I believe to be true. This book looks unflinchingly at how brokenness, left unchecked, has a way of making appearances throughout our lives creating havoc along the way in unhealed fractures and fissures. The story of this Indian-American family, sisters Mira and Joy, will leave you questioning just how much strain can familial bonds handle before they are irretrievably broken.
Many thanks to the author, Nayantara Roy; the publisher, Algonquin Books; and NetGalley for the ARC of this book which will be published on June 2, 2026.
Many thanks to the author, Nayantara Roy; the publisher, Algonquin Books; and NetGalley for the ARC of this book which will be published on June 2, 2026.
July 3, 2026
Zwischen Familiengeheimnissen und einer zweiten Chance
Du in meinem Leben verbindet Familiengeschichte mit einer Prise Verlagswelt und einem geheimnisvollen Manuskript, das plötzlich im Verlag auftaucht. Gerade dieser Handlungsstrang hat mir richtig gut gefallen und der Geschichte zusätzliche Spannung verliehen.
Mira mochte ich als Protagonistin grundsätzlich sehr. Sie ist klug, verletzlich und alles andere als perfekt. Trotzdem konnte ich ihre Gefühlswelt oft nur schwer nachvollziehen. Vor allem ihre Wut auf ihre Schwester und ihre anhaltenden Gefühle für Jack haben mich ratlos zurückgelassen. Er hat sie verlassen, ist mit ihrer Schwester glücklich geworden – für mich war deshalb nicht greifbar, warum Mira so sehr an ihm festhält und sogar versucht, ihn zurückzugewinnen. Ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sie diesen Abschnitt ihres Lebens hinter sich lässt und sich auf einen Neuanfang einlässt.
Besonders leid tat mir der Barkeeper Marlon. Er war aufmerksam, herzlich und geduldig – genau der Mensch, den Mira eigentlich gebraucht hätte. Dass sie sich auf ihn einlässt, obwohl sie emotional noch so sehr in der Vergangenheit feststeckt, hat mich immer wieder frustriert. Er hatte das in meinen Augen nicht verdient.
Gerade diese widersprüchlichen Entscheidungen haben bei mir viele ambivalente Gefühle ausgelöst. Ich war oft genervt, manchmal traurig und habe mich mehr als einmal dabei ertappt, Mira am liebsten zur Vernunft schütteln zu wollen. Gleichzeitig ist genau das die Stärke des Romans: Er lässt einen nicht gleichgültig. Die Figuren wirken nicht immer sympathisch oder nachvollziehbar, aber sie fühlen sich echt an.
Auch der charmante Erzählstil und die Einblicke in die Verlagswelt haben mir sehr gefallen.
Es gibt Bücher, die man liebt, weil sie einem ein gutes Gefühl geben. Und es gibt Bücher, die einen emotional herausfordern. Du in meinem Leben gehört für mich zur zweiten Kategorie. Ich habe nicht jede Entscheidung verstanden und war oft hin- und hergerissen – aber genau deshalb hat mich die Geschichte beschäftigt. Für mich ist das ein Zeichen eines guten Buches, auch wenn die Gefühle beim Lesen nicht immer angenehm waren.
4⭐
Du in meinem Leben verbindet Familiengeschichte mit einer Prise Verlagswelt und einem geheimnisvollen Manuskript, das plötzlich im Verlag auftaucht. Gerade dieser Handlungsstrang hat mir richtig gut gefallen und der Geschichte zusätzliche Spannung verliehen.
Mira mochte ich als Protagonistin grundsätzlich sehr. Sie ist klug, verletzlich und alles andere als perfekt. Trotzdem konnte ich ihre Gefühlswelt oft nur schwer nachvollziehen. Vor allem ihre Wut auf ihre Schwester und ihre anhaltenden Gefühle für Jack haben mich ratlos zurückgelassen. Er hat sie verlassen, ist mit ihrer Schwester glücklich geworden – für mich war deshalb nicht greifbar, warum Mira so sehr an ihm festhält und sogar versucht, ihn zurückzugewinnen. Ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass sie diesen Abschnitt ihres Lebens hinter sich lässt und sich auf einen Neuanfang einlässt.
Besonders leid tat mir der Barkeeper Marlon. Er war aufmerksam, herzlich und geduldig – genau der Mensch, den Mira eigentlich gebraucht hätte. Dass sie sich auf ihn einlässt, obwohl sie emotional noch so sehr in der Vergangenheit feststeckt, hat mich immer wieder frustriert. Er hatte das in meinen Augen nicht verdient.
Gerade diese widersprüchlichen Entscheidungen haben bei mir viele ambivalente Gefühle ausgelöst. Ich war oft genervt, manchmal traurig und habe mich mehr als einmal dabei ertappt, Mira am liebsten zur Vernunft schütteln zu wollen. Gleichzeitig ist genau das die Stärke des Romans: Er lässt einen nicht gleichgültig. Die Figuren wirken nicht immer sympathisch oder nachvollziehbar, aber sie fühlen sich echt an.
Auch der charmante Erzählstil und die Einblicke in die Verlagswelt haben mir sehr gefallen.
Es gibt Bücher, die man liebt, weil sie einem ein gutes Gefühl geben. Und es gibt Bücher, die einen emotional herausfordern. Du in meinem Leben gehört für mich zur zweiten Kategorie. Ich habe nicht jede Entscheidung verstanden und war oft hin- und hergerissen – aber genau deshalb hat mich die Geschichte beschäftigt. Für mich ist das ein Zeichen eines guten Buches, auch wenn die Gefühle beim Lesen nicht immer angenehm waren.
4⭐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Many thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I typically love family dramas, but this was really, really not for me. I did enjoy the Brooklyn setting, the food writing, and the patriarch of the family. Otherwise, I strongly disliked this book, largely due to how the characters were written and the angsty dialogue. Every male character was written as an idealized, one dimensional character- overly earnest and nearly perfect. The female characters were petty and shrewish, and also one note. Furthermore, the dynamics here were completely unrealistic. I'm not sure why, but I went into this expecting elevated writing and storytelling, and it all felt recycled and dull with zero nuance. I only finished this because I heard there was a huge reveal on the last page. There was, but I no longer cared. I rarely write such a negative review but I was so deeply disappointed in this.
I typically love family dramas, but this was really, really not for me. I did enjoy the Brooklyn setting, the food writing, and the patriarch of the family. Otherwise, I strongly disliked this book, largely due to how the characters were written and the angsty dialogue. Every male character was written as an idealized, one dimensional character- overly earnest and nearly perfect. The female characters were petty and shrewish, and also one note. Furthermore, the dynamics here were completely unrealistic. I'm not sure why, but I went into this expecting elevated writing and storytelling, and it all felt recycled and dull with zero nuance. I only finished this because I heard there was a huge reveal on the last page. There was, but I no longer cared. I rarely write such a negative review but I was so deeply disappointed in this.
September 24, 2026
I enjoyed this book about half sisters. The older sister, Mira, always looked out for her younger sister, Joy. Joy’s mother died during childbirth, so she always lived with Mira and her Indian father. The sisters end up having a major betrayal which greatly affected their relationship. Mira vanishes to London for 5 years. She returns as her father’s health begins to decline. She cannot forgive her sister. After many secrets and events, the girls must make amends in order to support their father and get back to a better relationship.
September 2, 2026
This was an excellently written book - I really enjoyed it throughout. It is a messy, emotional, juicy story of betrayal between sisters and how they come back together after the fact. I was so frustrated with some of the choices the characters made though and that truly affected my enjoyment! Great book.
September 6, 2026
while I am very aware I read an ARC (albeit an old one now), I do hope it underwent a significant amount of editing before its release date because there were multiple errors/inconsistencies and I swear I tried to ignore them but it reaches a point. and maybe I really just don’t enjoy literary fiction but this missed the mark for me. the characters were static and I do not know why we put the men on pedestals when we could’ve dedicated more time to exploring the sisters dynamic
April 28, 2026
Many readers may find this distasteful if they prefer a grandstanding of “good” morality in fiction. The characters are all making terrible decisions and it’s a trainwreck to witness. But idk, I found this novel enthralling even with all the messiness within its pages. To be fair, no one in this novel is “good” or justified— not even Mira, the main character. But something about the way Roy writes with a fullness and breadth to the narrative, prose and characters…. I really couldn’t look away. To have such a wrought relationship amongst these sisters and the push and pull through this betrayal…. Fascinating. In The Magnificent Ruins and here Roy does something interesting with the narrative and the passage of time. Or maybe it isn’t interesting at all? But in the landscape of publishing where majority of readers are begging for decent pacing and narrative arcs for characters, I feel that Roy does this in a real mundane way that feels like it the situation or lifestyle could actually be a real person or circumstance. Idk I’m rambling now but I will now jump this author into my autobuy/must read category! Plot reveal on the absolute LAST PAGE of the book. WILD.
June 23, 2026
3.5/3.75?
Whew this book was drama!
It was a quick read. I listened to the audio for probably the middle half and the narrator was decent.
The sisters were both selfish and annoying and hurtful… but Jack is the worst. Mira has amazing friends.
*spoiler* I was not surprised that the anonymous writer wasn’t who Mira thought it was and by the time the “who” was revealed I had a pretty good idea who it was, or at least I wasn’t surprised by it.
I was ABSOLUTELY surprised by the twist about Gino at the end and a lot more made sense about Mira’s issues but I’m not sure how I feel about Jack not knowing he has a bio son.
Overall I enjoyed the read for a summertime book but I’m not super sure how I feel about all the characters and the story in the end. Nobody is really very “good”??? They all are deceptive….
Whew this book was drama!
It was a quick read. I listened to the audio for probably the middle half and the narrator was decent.
The sisters were both selfish and annoying and hurtful… but Jack is the worst. Mira has amazing friends.
*spoiler* I was not surprised that the anonymous writer wasn’t who Mira thought it was and by the time the “who” was revealed I had a pretty good idea who it was, or at least I wasn’t surprised by it.
I was ABSOLUTELY surprised by the twist about Gino at the end and a lot more made sense about Mira’s issues but I’m not sure how I feel about Jack not knowing he has a bio son.
Overall I enjoyed the read for a summertime book but I’m not super sure how I feel about all the characters and the story in the end. Nobody is really very “good”??? They all are deceptive….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for sending me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was given the opportunity to read this author’s debut, and it was outstanding. Naturally, I was curious to see how this book was, and could not resist the opportunity. Roy has a talent for writing about complicated family dynamics, and this sounded like it would be more of that. I went into this read with some pretty high standards, and fortunately the read met most of them.
The main plot centers around two Indian-American half-sisters, Mira and Joy. Mira, the older sister, lost her mother at a young age, and Joy is the younger sister with a Caucasian mother. The structure of the story flips back and forth in time, giving readers insight into the sisters’ past relationship and how their sisterhood has changed over time, especially after a betrayal occurs.
Mira works as a poetry editor, and her love of poetry really shines through in the prose. I loved seeing the world through her eyes, although she doesn’t quite reach the level of likable, especially as the novel goes on. She’s quite a pushover, and struggles to stand up for herself, but the biggest issue I had with her was that she perseverates on things and has a hard time moving on. It made it harder to fully empathize with her, and she wasn’t necessarily the most reliable narrator I’ve encountered. However, I was much more empathetic towards Mira than Joy.
The younger sister, Joy is a high-powered lawyer, and the readers are given insight into how the sisters grew up and their bond in adulthood. This relationship is shattered by an unthinkable betrayal, and I couldn’t help but side with Mira, even though I didn’t love her as a character. I struggled even more with Joy, and found her to be a completely unlikable character. The dynamic between an older and younger sister fits here, with Mira being the more responsible, thoughtful sister, and Joy being the rowdy and irresponsible sister who doesn’t think through any consequences that might arise from her actions.
One thing that I didn’t like is that the story doesn’t take place neatly and consequentially. There are flashbacks to the girls’ years growing up with their father, flashbacks to when Mira was dating Jack, and then present day, although it usually took me a little bit to realize where along the timeline a chapter was taking place.
The aspect of the story that really grabbed me and kept me reading was the relationship dynamics that are explored throughout the story. I can empathize with how difficult family dynamics are and Roy really shows her talent off in this novel. She effectively captures a relationship between two half-sisters raised together, and how complicated sisterhood can be. The betrayal has an immediate and long-lasting impact on Mira’s bond with her father and sister, and leads to Mira moving to London for a while, until she returns to NYC and is forced to confront the broken relationships she left behind.
Overall, this was a great read. It focuses heavily on complex family dynamics, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of family. Despite not liking Joy and liking Mira minimally more, I could identify with their difficult relationships, although both sisters made a lot of choices that I had a hard time understanding. In particular, the way Mira and Marlon connect and how she acts towards him really frustrated me. Marlon was a great guy, although I really struggled with how Mira leads him on, knowing that she still isn’t over Jack, even after all this time. Since I come from a family where long-standing grudges can completely cut off certain branches of the family tree, I really had a lot of difficulty understanding why Mira is willing to do what she does, especially at the end of the book. The betrayal was not surprising; I had figured it out really early on, but I was more surprised at how the family was impacted by the betrayal and how Mira was expected to always be the older sister no matter what. But in a nutshell, Roy has become a personal favorite author of mine, and I can easily recommend this one to anyone who likes literary fiction surrounding family dynamics and how they’re impacted by betrayal.
Bottom line: A great book, even with some minor flaws like pacing and unlikable characters, the complex examination of family dynamics and beautiful, poetic prose won me over.
I was given the opportunity to read this author’s debut, and it was outstanding. Naturally, I was curious to see how this book was, and could not resist the opportunity. Roy has a talent for writing about complicated family dynamics, and this sounded like it would be more of that. I went into this read with some pretty high standards, and fortunately the read met most of them.
The main plot centers around two Indian-American half-sisters, Mira and Joy. Mira, the older sister, lost her mother at a young age, and Joy is the younger sister with a Caucasian mother. The structure of the story flips back and forth in time, giving readers insight into the sisters’ past relationship and how their sisterhood has changed over time, especially after a betrayal occurs.
Mira works as a poetry editor, and her love of poetry really shines through in the prose. I loved seeing the world through her eyes, although she doesn’t quite reach the level of likable, especially as the novel goes on. She’s quite a pushover, and struggles to stand up for herself, but the biggest issue I had with her was that she perseverates on things and has a hard time moving on. It made it harder to fully empathize with her, and she wasn’t necessarily the most reliable narrator I’ve encountered. However, I was much more empathetic towards Mira than Joy.
The younger sister, Joy is a high-powered lawyer, and the readers are given insight into how the sisters grew up and their bond in adulthood. This relationship is shattered by an unthinkable betrayal, and I couldn’t help but side with Mira, even though I didn’t love her as a character. I struggled even more with Joy, and found her to be a completely unlikable character. The dynamic between an older and younger sister fits here, with Mira being the more responsible, thoughtful sister, and Joy being the rowdy and irresponsible sister who doesn’t think through any consequences that might arise from her actions.
One thing that I didn’t like is that the story doesn’t take place neatly and consequentially. There are flashbacks to the girls’ years growing up with their father, flashbacks to when Mira was dating Jack, and then present day, although it usually took me a little bit to realize where along the timeline a chapter was taking place.
The aspect of the story that really grabbed me and kept me reading was the relationship dynamics that are explored throughout the story. I can empathize with how difficult family dynamics are and Roy really shows her talent off in this novel. She effectively captures a relationship between two half-sisters raised together, and how complicated sisterhood can be. The betrayal has an immediate and long-lasting impact on Mira’s bond with her father and sister, and leads to Mira moving to London for a while, until she returns to NYC and is forced to confront the broken relationships she left behind.
Overall, this was a great read. It focuses heavily on complex family dynamics, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of family. Despite not liking Joy and liking Mira minimally more, I could identify with their difficult relationships, although both sisters made a lot of choices that I had a hard time understanding. In particular, the way Mira and Marlon connect and how she acts towards him really frustrated me. Marlon was a great guy, although I really struggled with how Mira leads him on, knowing that she still isn’t over Jack, even after all this time. Since I come from a family where long-standing grudges can completely cut off certain branches of the family tree, I really had a lot of difficulty understanding why Mira is willing to do what she does, especially at the end of the book. The betrayal was not surprising; I had figured it out really early on, but I was more surprised at how the family was impacted by the betrayal and how Mira was expected to always be the older sister no matter what. But in a nutshell, Roy has become a personal favorite author of mine, and I can easily recommend this one to anyone who likes literary fiction surrounding family dynamics and how they’re impacted by betrayal.
Bottom line: A great book, even with some minor flaws like pacing and unlikable characters, the complex examination of family dynamics and beautiful, poetic prose won me over.
June 2, 2026
There are times when a book takes you on a journey so full of surprises that all you can do is hold on for the wild ride.
I suggest going into this book as blind as you can so that you do not start forming expectations like I did. This book touches on betrayal, the meaning of family, but most of all: Are we capable of forgiveness when those that wronged us where the ones we loved the most?
Did not expect that twist at the end!
Loved!
Thank you to Algonquin and the author for providing a free copy of this book through NetGalley.
I suggest going into this book as blind as you can so that you do not start forming expectations like I did. This book touches on betrayal, the meaning of family, but most of all: Are we capable of forgiveness when those that wronged us where the ones we loved the most?
Did not expect that twist at the end!
Loved!
Thank you to Algonquin and the author for providing a free copy of this book through NetGalley.
July 10, 2026
While reading the book, it was giving me A Street Car Named Desire vibes. I suspect that I will have a long book hangover after this one. It is going on my best-of-the-year list for sure.
October 24, 2026
Sister issues galore and a few big twists at the end.
Did Not Finish
July 20, 2026It felt like I had been reading this book for 93 years and had somehow made it only 75 pages. It wasn’t exactly boring but it definitely wasn’t interesting.
July 9, 2026
This one just didn't work for me.
I had a hard time connecting with either of the two sisters, and since they're at the heart of the novel, that made it difficult to stay invested. I also found it odd that so many of the men in the story were portrayed as thoughtful and kind, while the two main women often came across as unnecessarily harsh. That imbalance became distracting.
I also wasn't persuaded by Mira's big realization that she'd been telling herself the wrong story all these years. Discovering that she loved Jack more than he loved her didn't feel like the life-altering revelation the novel seemed to suggest. I kept waiting for a deeper insight that never quite arrived.
The writing was uneven for me. Every so often there was a lovely passage that reminded me why I'd picked up the book in the first place, but too often the prose felt awkward and clunky.
And then there was the ending. I know it was intended to be a surprise, but I finished the book wondering, "What was I supposed to take from that?" I couldn't see how the twist deepened the story or shed new light on what had come before.
There were flashes of beautiful writing, but overall I finished the book feeling more puzzled than moved.
I had a hard time connecting with either of the two sisters, and since they're at the heart of the novel, that made it difficult to stay invested. I also found it odd that so many of the men in the story were portrayed as thoughtful and kind, while the two main women often came across as unnecessarily harsh. That imbalance became distracting.
I also wasn't persuaded by Mira's big realization that she'd been telling herself the wrong story all these years. Discovering that she loved Jack more than he loved her didn't feel like the life-altering revelation the novel seemed to suggest. I kept waiting for a deeper insight that never quite arrived.
The writing was uneven for me. Every so often there was a lovely passage that reminded me why I'd picked up the book in the first place, but too often the prose felt awkward and clunky.
And then there was the ending. I know it was intended to be a surprise, but I finished the book wondering, "What was I supposed to take from that?" I couldn't see how the twist deepened the story or shed new light on what had come before.
There were flashes of beautiful writing, but overall I finished the book feeling more puzzled than moved.
July 27, 2026
4.25
Years after a huge betrayal of Mira by her sister Joy, they grapple with their broken relationship and their ailing father, as well as other relationships often complicated by secrets.
Years after a huge betrayal of Mira by her sister Joy, they grapple with their broken relationship and their ailing father, as well as other relationships often complicated by secrets.
June 22, 2026
Poetic and intimate, Sisters of a Halved Heart (thank you to the author for my gifted copies) tells the story of two estranged half-sisters.
Mira, a poetry editor in NYC, has always loved her half-sister Joy, until a single event tears them apart. Years later, she still hasn't forgiven or even talked to Joy, but begins to take the first steps to reconciliation out of love for their father.
The sisters' relationship isn't always easy, but it did feel so real. Both felt competitive over the love of their Indian father, trying to navigate life with and without their family's support.
It's a character driven family drama that still kept me in suspense. I guessed early on at what had driven them apart, but that didn't keep me from wanting to know what would happen next. And the author had plenty of surprises left in store.
Just like Mira, I really struggled to forgive Joy. But both characters had such a beautiful arc, showing the ways we are unavoidably connected and the multitude of beginnings and endings we all have.
I combined print and audio and would recommend either format. The language was beautiful, and I loved reading the print to soak it all in. But the audio narrator Sharmila Devar exquisitely captures Mira's joys and sorrows, and her struggle to make sense of the world again. 4.5 stars
Mira, a poetry editor in NYC, has always loved her half-sister Joy, until a single event tears them apart. Years later, she still hasn't forgiven or even talked to Joy, but begins to take the first steps to reconciliation out of love for their father.
The sisters' relationship isn't always easy, but it did feel so real. Both felt competitive over the love of their Indian father, trying to navigate life with and without their family's support.
It's a character driven family drama that still kept me in suspense. I guessed early on at what had driven them apart, but that didn't keep me from wanting to know what would happen next. And the author had plenty of surprises left in store.
Just like Mira, I really struggled to forgive Joy. But both characters had such a beautiful arc, showing the ways we are unavoidably connected and the multitude of beginnings and endings we all have.
I combined print and audio and would recommend either format. The language was beautiful, and I loved reading the print to soak it all in. But the audio narrator Sharmila Devar exquisitely captures Mira's joys and sorrows, and her struggle to make sense of the world again. 4.5 stars
August 2, 2026
I have never felt so invested in a cast of characters that I absolutely loathed*. I disagreed with virtually every decision made, but I felt incredibly connected to them as they struggled through heartbreak, betrayal, and forgiveness.
Perhaps because my sisters are my best friends and objectively great humans, I really struggled to comprehend Joy and Mira's decisions & I was hoping they'd become less loathsome throughout the story, but there wasn't a ton of character growth. Plot-wise, I found most aspects predictable but there was one surprise that really caught me off guard. I know it's a great book because it made me feel such deep emotions and I constantly thought "I have to talk to someone about this!"
*The characterization in the audio format probably had a lot to do with my hatred, would not recommend.
Perhaps because my sisters are my best friends and objectively great humans, I really struggled to comprehend Joy and Mira's decisions & I was hoping they'd become less loathsome throughout the story, but there wasn't a ton of character growth. Plot-wise, I found most aspects predictable but there was one surprise that really caught me off guard. I know it's a great book because it made me feel such deep emotions and I constantly thought "I have to talk to someone about this!"
*The characterization in the audio format probably had a lot to do with my hatred, would not recommend.
July 19, 2026
Did I like this book? Nope.
Did I enjoy reading it? Nope.
Yet…the description of a much loved person in a relationship and the unspeakable betrayal that followed was so mesmerizing that I could not put it down. Reading it felt as visceral pain and, you just keep thinking…no…no…..no….but then it is yes and it’s the unthinkable and then all that ensues. Until the sweetness of the ending and there is hope. Just not in the way you envision it to be.
As Im writing this, Im thinking…mmmm. Maybe I did like it. I certainly respected it. And perhaps that is all that can be asked about a triangle when all 3 people love each other but only 2 can be together.
Ok. I recommend it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
It hurts.
Did I enjoy reading it? Nope.
Yet…the description of a much loved person in a relationship and the unspeakable betrayal that followed was so mesmerizing that I could not put it down. Reading it felt as visceral pain and, you just keep thinking…no…no…..no….but then it is yes and it’s the unthinkable and then all that ensues. Until the sweetness of the ending and there is hope. Just not in the way you envision it to be.
As Im writing this, Im thinking…mmmm. Maybe I did like it. I certainly respected it. And perhaps that is all that can be asked about a triangle when all 3 people love each other but only 2 can be together.
Ok. I recommend it. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
It hurts.
September 2, 2026
“I thought about what I had said to Joy, that nothing was ever going to be easy again. But the truth was that it was me for whom things were always going to be diffi-cult. Somehow, in all of the events that had transpired, Joy had emerged unscathed, husband and father in tow, sister within arm's reach, the world having accepted that things had changed. Joy had slipped past the door that had slammed in my face, and I was the one who would have to reckon and reconcile, daily, with the new order we occupied.”
This was so so so good. My heart hurts so much genuinely. Everything is about Jo March, if you really think about it
This was so so so good. My heart hurts so much genuinely. Everything is about Jo March, if you really think about it
October 23, 2026
Loved this, felt both literary and fun. I loved that at the end Joy showed Mira the grace she didn’t receive and was able to forgive her (and kick her man to the curb).
July 20, 2026
This was better than a 3, but not quite a 4. I’m still mulling it over. I enjoyed this one, but sometimes felt like I was reading a book that was written to become a movie. But it could also be that she creates scenes in her writing that can be clearly visualized because of her skill as a writer.
September 23, 2026
Transfixing, magical, and tender. This is an astounding book of 2026.
The prose is lyrical, the characters moving. Every once in a while, you find a book finished, yet want to re-read it all over again. That’s this one for me. Sisters… they’re maniacal, lovely, and illuminating of ourselves.
While this book centers on family and sibling dynamics, I can’t help but point out the wonderful cast around it. Lena, Sebastian, Ulrike, Lee, and Marlon. The found family was just as important as the biological in this. Throughout this novel, Roy made the characters more nuanced, yet innately centered on the storyline. This is a feat not easily done. Rarely to this magnitude.
My thoughts can hardly do this work justice. No matter what you seek: romance, amazing erudite taste, family saga, drama, a tribute to NYC… this has got it. The poetry (and prose to convey the story) has lulling rhythms, too. While it may be under 350 pages, this is one to savor. Thanks to LFPL for having featured this title out in New Releases… it’s going to haunt me. So much so that I may need a re-read next year.
The prose is lyrical, the characters moving. Every once in a while, you find a book finished, yet want to re-read it all over again. That’s this one for me. Sisters… they’re maniacal, lovely, and illuminating of ourselves.
While this book centers on family and sibling dynamics, I can’t help but point out the wonderful cast around it. Lena, Sebastian, Ulrike, Lee, and Marlon. The found family was just as important as the biological in this. Throughout this novel, Roy made the characters more nuanced, yet innately centered on the storyline. This is a feat not easily done. Rarely to this magnitude.
My thoughts can hardly do this work justice. No matter what you seek: romance, amazing erudite taste, family saga, drama, a tribute to NYC… this has got it. The poetry (and prose to convey the story) has lulling rhythms, too. While it may be under 350 pages, this is one to savor. Thanks to LFPL for having featured this title out in New Releases… it’s going to haunt me. So much so that I may need a re-read next year.
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