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The Sisters of Serendib
Three sisters are separated as children. Decades later, with so much lost and changed, can they find their way back to each other?
In 1990, a boat of asylum seekers leaves war-torn Sri Lanka, bound for Australia. When a mother dies on the journey, her three young daughters are separated and scattered across the country.
Years later, the eldest, Janu, still remembers the home she left and the sisters she's lost. Having freed herself from the grip of a painful childhood, she builds a life for herself in a coastal town, running a small shop called Serendib, where the air hums with memory and people come to find what they didn't know they were searching for.
In Melbourne, Samar, the middle sister, dances to speak the words she cannot say, pouring her longing and restlessness into movement, while in Sydney, Maryam, the youngest, finds magic in language, always searching for a place to belong.
As Janu discovers clues to her sisters' identities and begins the quest to bring them together, they all face the can something broken for so long ever be made whole again?
Beautiful and heartbreaking, this is the story of women who rise from loss to reclaim their stories, rebuild their lives, and step into the fierce beauty of their own becoming. A powerful new novel from the award-winning author of Untethered.
In 1990, a boat of asylum seekers leaves war-torn Sri Lanka, bound for Australia. When a mother dies on the journey, her three young daughters are separated and scattered across the country.
Years later, the eldest, Janu, still remembers the home she left and the sisters she's lost. Having freed herself from the grip of a painful childhood, she builds a life for herself in a coastal town, running a small shop called Serendib, where the air hums with memory and people come to find what they didn't know they were searching for.
In Melbourne, Samar, the middle sister, dances to speak the words she cannot say, pouring her longing and restlessness into movement, while in Sydney, Maryam, the youngest, finds magic in language, always searching for a place to belong.
As Janu discovers clues to her sisters' identities and begins the quest to bring them together, they all face the can something broken for so long ever be made whole again?
Beautiful and heartbreaking, this is the story of women who rise from loss to reclaim their stories, rebuild their lives, and step into the fierce beauty of their own becoming. A powerful new novel from the award-winning author of Untethered.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 26, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Author
The Sisters of Serendib by Ayesha Inoon is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and healing novel about three sisters separated as children after fleeing war-torn Sri Lanka. Years later, they are still trying to find their way back to one another.
Ayesha writes with a lyrical, almost dreamlike quality. She has an extraordinary ability to create atmosphere; several scenes were so vivid that I could feel them around me. The story is tender in some moments and bold and unflinching in others, moving between grief, memory, and hope.
It’s remarkable how the story explores loss and belonging without ever losing sight of beauty. There is such warmth and humanity in these three women, even as the story breaks your heart.
What I did not expect was how healing I found the novel. As someone who has lived between Australia, which is one home, and another country that is also home, I recognised that pull so deeply: the feeling of being torn between two places and of wondering how life might have unfolded if there had only ever been one home, one country, one version of myself.
And then there is the title. When I realised what Serendib means, and the different form that word has taken in the language we use so often, it sent a shiver through me. Suddenly, the title seemed to hold everything the story is about: homeland and the strange, unexpected turns that shape our lives.
Ayesha writes with a lyrical, almost dreamlike quality. She has an extraordinary ability to create atmosphere; several scenes were so vivid that I could feel them around me. The story is tender in some moments and bold and unflinching in others, moving between grief, memory, and hope.
It’s remarkable how the story explores loss and belonging without ever losing sight of beauty. There is such warmth and humanity in these three women, even as the story breaks your heart.
What I did not expect was how healing I found the novel. As someone who has lived between Australia, which is one home, and another country that is also home, I recognised that pull so deeply: the feeling of being torn between two places and of wondering how life might have unfolded if there had only ever been one home, one country, one version of myself.
And then there is the title. When I realised what Serendib means, and the different form that word has taken in the language we use so often, it sent a shiver through me. Suddenly, the title seemed to hold everything the story is about: homeland and the strange, unexpected turns that shape our lives.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1990, Sri Lanka. When militants forced Muslim families from their homes, quickly they grab what they can and flee into the night. Caught up in this are three young girls Janu the eldest is only seven, Samar three and baby Maryam.
Their father is desperate to get them on a boat leaving for Australia, going or staying are both dangerous. He only has enough money for his wife and daughters and promises he will join them as soon as he can. The couple know very little about the far off place, and didn’t have time or knowledge to make proper plans. Sadly the girl’s mother passes away on the voyage, other refugees help them, when they make it Australia and they go separate ways.
2010, Starlight Bay, New South Wales. Janu is now an adult, she remembers their small home in Sri Lanka, and her mother’s rose bush by the front door and her siblings. When her adoptive father dies, Janu sells up, moves and opens a shop called Serendib and a place where she can use her special gift.
Samar lives in Melbourne, her parents are strict, and despite being close when they were younger she and her sister no longer get along. While Nadia follows the rules, Samar rebels and she finds dancing a release for her feelings, anger and frustration.
Maryam is in Sydney, she’s raised by loving parents and has older brothers. From a young age she has liked words and looking up their meaning in the dictionary, she works in aged care and newly married, her husband has taken away her voice and is controlling.
Janu sets about finding her sisters, not an easy task, is it even possible and do they still feel a connection to each other and or has time and distance fractured the bond they once shared?
I received a copy of The Sisters of Serendib by Ayesha Inoon from Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. A beautifully written book, the narrative explores topics such the war in Sri Lanka, Muslims having to leave, being a refugee, most didn’t speak English, those who stepped in to help the girls couldn’t take all three, their reasons for not doing so, both good and bad, and the challenges they faced in a new land. Can you imagine being a young child caught up in this, they lost everything, their country, home, identity, relatives and parents?
The Sisters of Serendib is heartbreaking, for some it may contain triggers as the story includes child sexual abuse and domestic violence.
An emotional and powerful novel, about finding each other, hope and healing and moving forward and five stars from me. By far my favourite read for this year, I highly recommend and the author's previous work Untethered.
Their father is desperate to get them on a boat leaving for Australia, going or staying are both dangerous. He only has enough money for his wife and daughters and promises he will join them as soon as he can. The couple know very little about the far off place, and didn’t have time or knowledge to make proper plans. Sadly the girl’s mother passes away on the voyage, other refugees help them, when they make it Australia and they go separate ways.
2010, Starlight Bay, New South Wales. Janu is now an adult, she remembers their small home in Sri Lanka, and her mother’s rose bush by the front door and her siblings. When her adoptive father dies, Janu sells up, moves and opens a shop called Serendib and a place where she can use her special gift.
Samar lives in Melbourne, her parents are strict, and despite being close when they were younger she and her sister no longer get along. While Nadia follows the rules, Samar rebels and she finds dancing a release for her feelings, anger and frustration.
Maryam is in Sydney, she’s raised by loving parents and has older brothers. From a young age she has liked words and looking up their meaning in the dictionary, she works in aged care and newly married, her husband has taken away her voice and is controlling.
Janu sets about finding her sisters, not an easy task, is it even possible and do they still feel a connection to each other and or has time and distance fractured the bond they once shared?
I received a copy of The Sisters of Serendib by Ayesha Inoon from Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. A beautifully written book, the narrative explores topics such the war in Sri Lanka, Muslims having to leave, being a refugee, most didn’t speak English, those who stepped in to help the girls couldn’t take all three, their reasons for not doing so, both good and bad, and the challenges they faced in a new land. Can you imagine being a young child caught up in this, they lost everything, their country, home, identity, relatives and parents?
The Sisters of Serendib is heartbreaking, for some it may contain triggers as the story includes child sexual abuse and domestic violence.
An emotional and powerful novel, about finding each other, hope and healing and moving forward and five stars from me. By far my favourite read for this year, I highly recommend and the author's previous work Untethered.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In 1990, three sisters are separated as children after a tragic boat crossing from war-torn Sri Lanka to Australia. Years go by, and as they try to find a way back to each other, the past keeps throwing shadows in their path.
This is a stunning book about healing, identity, and belonging, building on themes author Ayesha Inoon explored in her debut novel Untethered. These three young women overcome In the face over everything they'd previously gone through, I found myself questioning at what point someone's reserves of inner strength would run dry. The resilience these young women show, in the face of such abject trauma, is all the more remarkable in that it's certainly something other young women have lived through. The reality of their situation is confronting. But Inoon handles what could easily have become 'trauma porn' with sensitivity and grace. It's a difficult line to walk, and it's done quite well here.
The relationships between the sisters, and the people who are part of their lives, are an interesting exploration of the family theme. There's presentation of families in many forms; blood and chosen, adoptive and constructed, nuclear and non-traditional. What stood out to me in Inoon's engagement with this theme was how many people would be able to find a representation of their most powerful relationships somewhere in the complex 'family' ties this story weaves.
The characters here are complex, flawed, and fully formed. There's a subtle element of magical realism in but it doesn't detract from the plot or render the story suddenly unbelievable. And Ayesha Inoon's writing is a delight; there's plenty to enjoy in her delicious use of language. The leaps between narrators can present a mild challenge on occasion, but they serve their purpose in observing a single event from multiple perspectives. And the pacing is very solid. I tried to pace myself in reading this book but I couldn't--I had to know what happened next!
Inoon has nailed the tricky sophomore book here. If you loved her debut novel, you're in for a treat. This is BETTER.
This is a stunning book about healing, identity, and belonging, building on themes author Ayesha Inoon explored in her debut novel Untethered. These three young women overcome In the face over everything they'd previously gone through, I found myself questioning at what point someone's reserves of inner strength would run dry. The resilience these young women show, in the face of such abject trauma, is all the more remarkable in that it's certainly something other young women have lived through. The reality of their situation is confronting. But Inoon handles what could easily have become 'trauma porn' with sensitivity and grace. It's a difficult line to walk, and it's done quite well here.
The relationships between the sisters, and the people who are part of their lives, are an interesting exploration of the family theme. There's presentation of families in many forms; blood and chosen, adoptive and constructed, nuclear and non-traditional. What stood out to me in Inoon's engagement with this theme was how many people would be able to find a representation of their most powerful relationships somewhere in the complex 'family' ties this story weaves.
The characters here are complex, flawed, and fully formed. There's a subtle element of magical realism in but it doesn't detract from the plot or render the story suddenly unbelievable. And Ayesha Inoon's writing is a delight; there's plenty to enjoy in her delicious use of language. The leaps between narrators can present a mild challenge on occasion, but they serve their purpose in observing a single event from multiple perspectives. And the pacing is very solid. I tried to pace myself in reading this book but I couldn't--I had to know what happened next!
Inoon has nailed the tricky sophomore book here. If you loved her debut novel, you're in for a treat. This is BETTER.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Sisters of Serendib by Ayesha Inoon opens in 1990. A boat of Moslem asylum seekers flee war-torn Sri Lanka, bound for Australia. Leaving their father behind, three sisters travel with their mother. Janu is seven, Samar is three and Maryam is just a babe in arms. A few days into the journey their mother dies and the girls are adopted by different people as they leave the boat.
Janu is the only one who remembers the happy home left in Sri Lanka, her parents and her sisters. When her abusive adoptive father dies, Janu buys a beach house and a rundown shop called Serendib in a coastal community in NSW. Here she finally starts to find peace and decides that now is the time to find her sisters.
Samar was adopted by a strict, but loving, Moslem couple. They had a little girl the same age and as the two girl toddlers played together on the boat it seemed natural that the family take Samar with them. While Nadia is an obedient child and follows her faith, Samar overhears that she is adopted and rather than talk to her parents she rebels and finds that professional dancing is one way she can free herself from all her anger and frustrations. When she gets the letter from Janu she decides to go and visit to get some answers.
The baby, Maryam, ends up in Sydney and has been raised in a loving Moslem home with older brothers and parents who adore her. She knows she was adopted/chosen but is content. Maryam has an obsession for words and loves reading the dictionary. She falls in love and marries but is shocked to find that love and kindness is missing in her marriage. The letter from Janu is timely and gives her a chance to escape.
Once reunited the sisters take the chance to find what they actually want out of life, they put the traumas of the past behind them and each start to build a new future along with their sisters.
The Sisters of Serendib is author Ayesha Inoon’s second book, and once again she has written a story that stayed with me long after I closed the last page. I laughed, I cried, I gasped in horror - but I could not put the book down. Writing about what she knows Ayesha covers themes of friendship, Sri Lankan culture, traditions, faith, and the challenges of being a migrant and assimilating into Australia. The sisters each take turn in telling the story and there are many ups and downs; at times it was not an easy read, but is absolutely well worth reading. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to HQ fiction for providing an advanced copy of this book, at my request, for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Janu is the only one who remembers the happy home left in Sri Lanka, her parents and her sisters. When her abusive adoptive father dies, Janu buys a beach house and a rundown shop called Serendib in a coastal community in NSW. Here she finally starts to find peace and decides that now is the time to find her sisters.
Samar was adopted by a strict, but loving, Moslem couple. They had a little girl the same age and as the two girl toddlers played together on the boat it seemed natural that the family take Samar with them. While Nadia is an obedient child and follows her faith, Samar overhears that she is adopted and rather than talk to her parents she rebels and finds that professional dancing is one way she can free herself from all her anger and frustrations. When she gets the letter from Janu she decides to go and visit to get some answers.
The baby, Maryam, ends up in Sydney and has been raised in a loving Moslem home with older brothers and parents who adore her. She knows she was adopted/chosen but is content. Maryam has an obsession for words and loves reading the dictionary. She falls in love and marries but is shocked to find that love and kindness is missing in her marriage. The letter from Janu is timely and gives her a chance to escape.
Once reunited the sisters take the chance to find what they actually want out of life, they put the traumas of the past behind them and each start to build a new future along with their sisters.
The Sisters of Serendib is author Ayesha Inoon’s second book, and once again she has written a story that stayed with me long after I closed the last page. I laughed, I cried, I gasped in horror - but I could not put the book down. Writing about what she knows Ayesha covers themes of friendship, Sri Lankan culture, traditions, faith, and the challenges of being a migrant and assimilating into Australia. The sisters each take turn in telling the story and there are many ups and downs; at times it was not an easy read, but is absolutely well worth reading. I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to HQ fiction for providing an advanced copy of this book, at my request, for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 12, 2026
I received an ARC from HarperCollins/HQ and I’m so grateful to have had early access to this book!
This story follows three Sri Lankan-Australian sisters as they navigate family expectations, identity, religion, grief, and the lingering impact of migration across generations. Rich with food, memory, and emotional complexity, it’s a deeply moving story about sisterhood, belonging, and the ways families can both wound and hold us together.
As someone constantly drawn to books with birds on the cover, the cormorant imagery in this novel ended up meaning far more to me than I expected.
While my own parents didn’t migrate to Australia fleeing a war-torn country, they were still Muslim immigrants and so many emotional truths within these pages felt deeply familiar to me. In each sister I could recognise pieces of myself or reflections of my own many sisters, while the parent figures reminded me so much of my mum and late dad.
The cormorant symbolism especially stayed with me. A bird existing between worlds, moving through air, land, and water without fully belonging to one. It became such a powerful metaphor for migration, identity, family, survival, and emotional inheritance across generations.
Combined with the layered sisterhood dynamics, food references, and exploration of religion and the sisters who chose to leave parts of it behind, this story became something incredibly tender, honest, and emotionally rich.
I genuinely didn’t want these women’s stories to end and as I turned the final page, I already felt myself missing Janu, Samar and Maryam.
And honestly, the title feels perfect because The Sisters of Serendib truly feels destined to fall into the exact right readers’ hands, like a little piece of serendipity arriving when it’s needed most.
This story follows three Sri Lankan-Australian sisters as they navigate family expectations, identity, religion, grief, and the lingering impact of migration across generations. Rich with food, memory, and emotional complexity, it’s a deeply moving story about sisterhood, belonging, and the ways families can both wound and hold us together.
As someone constantly drawn to books with birds on the cover, the cormorant imagery in this novel ended up meaning far more to me than I expected.
While my own parents didn’t migrate to Australia fleeing a war-torn country, they were still Muslim immigrants and so many emotional truths within these pages felt deeply familiar to me. In each sister I could recognise pieces of myself or reflections of my own many sisters, while the parent figures reminded me so much of my mum and late dad.
The cormorant symbolism especially stayed with me. A bird existing between worlds, moving through air, land, and water without fully belonging to one. It became such a powerful metaphor for migration, identity, family, survival, and emotional inheritance across generations.
Combined with the layered sisterhood dynamics, food references, and exploration of religion and the sisters who chose to leave parts of it behind, this story became something incredibly tender, honest, and emotionally rich.
I genuinely didn’t want these women’s stories to end and as I turned the final page, I already felt myself missing Janu, Samar and Maryam.
And honestly, the title feels perfect because The Sisters of Serendib truly feels destined to fall into the exact right readers’ hands, like a little piece of serendipity arriving when it’s needed most.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sisters of Serendib is, at its heart, a story about love - quiet, enduring, and sometimes stretched across distance and time, but in the end always holding strong and true.
Three sisters separated as children after fleeing Sri Lanka, growing up in entirely different worlds, and then circling back toward each other years later. Each sister carries her own version of loss, and you feel it in the small things - in the way they speak, the way they hold back, the lives they build around what’s missing.
What I particularly love is how well Ayesha writes women. As people who are messy, contradictory, resilient in ways that don’t always look impressive from the outside – she brings them to life with a forgiving gentleness, giving them room to grow into themselves. You get the feeling that they are discovering themselves at the same time that we are.
There’s also a strong sense of place running through the book. Sri Lanka isn’t just a backdrop, it lingers, telling its own story, through memory, food, language, in the things the sisters hold onto or leave behind. It evokes the indelible touch of an island that was the sisters’ first home – one that has gifted them with parts of its very soul to hold on to.
This is a book that stays with you long after you’ve read it. It’s one you’ll reach for again. To remind yourself that home is a place yes, but also a feeling.
Do not miss out on reading this book.
Three sisters separated as children after fleeing Sri Lanka, growing up in entirely different worlds, and then circling back toward each other years later. Each sister carries her own version of loss, and you feel it in the small things - in the way they speak, the way they hold back, the lives they build around what’s missing.
What I particularly love is how well Ayesha writes women. As people who are messy, contradictory, resilient in ways that don’t always look impressive from the outside – she brings them to life with a forgiving gentleness, giving them room to grow into themselves. You get the feeling that they are discovering themselves at the same time that we are.
There’s also a strong sense of place running through the book. Sri Lanka isn’t just a backdrop, it lingers, telling its own story, through memory, food, language, in the things the sisters hold onto or leave behind. It evokes the indelible touch of an island that was the sisters’ first home – one that has gifted them with parts of its very soul to hold on to.
This is a book that stays with you long after you’ve read it. It’s one you’ll reach for again. To remind yourself that home is a place yes, but also a feeling.
Do not miss out on reading this book.
May 3, 2026
Thank you to @harlequinaus and HarperCollins Australia for sending me a copy of this book!
In 1990 a boat of asylum seekers leave war-torn Sri Lanka with several families on board. When a mother dies en route to Australia, her three young daughters are split up between three different families and go on to grow up in different parts of the country.
Janu, the eldest sister is the only one who remembers her sisters and vows to one day find them, and the father they had to leave behind in Sri Lanka.
What a moving and beautiful story this is about the power of family, including those that you choose as well. The author has beautifully portrayed three quite different and unique characters in the sisters, that each bring her own strength and charm to the story.
There are some quite heavy topics in the story that the author writes about with empathy and dignity, and how each character begins to heal. There is an almost magical quality to the characters (which will make sense when you read it) that is powerful, yet woven with a light touch.
I guess one could argue there are some grand coincidences in the story, however with a big part of its theme being serendipity, to me these just added to the joyful, magical and touching elements of the story. I enjoyed this so much! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
In 1990 a boat of asylum seekers leave war-torn Sri Lanka with several families on board. When a mother dies en route to Australia, her three young daughters are split up between three different families and go on to grow up in different parts of the country.
Janu, the eldest sister is the only one who remembers her sisters and vows to one day find them, and the father they had to leave behind in Sri Lanka.
What a moving and beautiful story this is about the power of family, including those that you choose as well. The author has beautifully portrayed three quite different and unique characters in the sisters, that each bring her own strength and charm to the story.
There are some quite heavy topics in the story that the author writes about with empathy and dignity, and how each character begins to heal. There is an almost magical quality to the characters (which will make sense when you read it) that is powerful, yet woven with a light touch.
I guess one could argue there are some grand coincidences in the story, however with a big part of its theme being serendipity, to me these just added to the joyful, magical and touching elements of the story. I enjoyed this so much! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
May 24, 2026
I read The Sisters of Serendib by Ayesha Inoon, a preview copy courtesy of the publisher.
This is the story of three sisters whose journey begins on a dark night in Sri Lanka, when their father says goodbye to them and their mother. Huddled in a boat with many others, they make the long journey to Australia seeking asylum and the hope of a safer, better life.
But during the journey, their mother dies and the sisters are separated, each taken in by different people on the boat.
In many ways, it is a heartbreaking story, and not just because of the events in the opening chapter. Each sister faces her own trials and hardships. Can they find each other again, and what will they discover when they do?
It’s a story about belonging and finding your own identity — about families formed through blood versus the families we create ourselves.
I enjoyed my time with this book, though I did have to set aside my general scepticism about psychic abilities, as they play a role in the story.
If you’re interested in Sri Lankan migration stories, Ayesha’s new book — as well as her previous novel, Untethered — this one might be one for you! Happy reading.
Please note that the book includes depictions of domestic violence and assault.
This is the story of three sisters whose journey begins on a dark night in Sri Lanka, when their father says goodbye to them and their mother. Huddled in a boat with many others, they make the long journey to Australia seeking asylum and the hope of a safer, better life.
But during the journey, their mother dies and the sisters are separated, each taken in by different people on the boat.
In many ways, it is a heartbreaking story, and not just because of the events in the opening chapter. Each sister faces her own trials and hardships. Can they find each other again, and what will they discover when they do?
It’s a story about belonging and finding your own identity — about families formed through blood versus the families we create ourselves.
I enjoyed my time with this book, though I did have to set aside my general scepticism about psychic abilities, as they play a role in the story.
If you’re interested in Sri Lankan migration stories, Ayesha’s new book — as well as her previous novel, Untethered — this one might be one for you! Happy reading.
Please note that the book includes depictions of domestic violence and assault.
May 3, 2026
Review of advanced copy sent to me by the publisher
"Only then did Janu fully understand what it would mean to leave their father. The future unfurled in one dark, terrifying glimpse. They would not all die, but one of them would. They would not all be in danger, but one of them would. They would all know pain. They would all know loss. They would all know what it was to live without each other."
The book tells the story of a father who sends his wife and children off a war torn Sri Lanka. It tells of their journey, their lives and all that it takes for them to reunite.
This books is beautifully written. The way the author makes every one of the three sisters magical in their way, how their journey unfolds, how their years are lived. Even when describing pain and hurt the author does so in such a thoughtful and brief way. She doesn't linger. There is no need, we can all understand.
Their encounter when they are older and how they become sisters again and become a big family happens naturally.
It brought tears to my eyes a few times which is very rare but also made me smile. Definitely recommend.
"Only then did Janu fully understand what it would mean to leave their father. The future unfurled in one dark, terrifying glimpse. They would not all die, but one of them would. They would not all be in danger, but one of them would. They would all know pain. They would all know loss. They would all know what it was to live without each other."
The book tells the story of a father who sends his wife and children off a war torn Sri Lanka. It tells of their journey, their lives and all that it takes for them to reunite.
This books is beautifully written. The way the author makes every one of the three sisters magical in their way, how their journey unfolds, how their years are lived. Even when describing pain and hurt the author does so in such a thoughtful and brief way. She doesn't linger. There is no need, we can all understand.
Their encounter when they are older and how they become sisters again and become a big family happens naturally.
It brought tears to my eyes a few times which is very rare but also made me smile. Definitely recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“Because extraordinary circumstances create extraordinary courage.”
Oh my heart, this was so beautiful but also so devastating.
A boat of asylum seekers head to Australia from Sri Lanka and on board is a mother and her three daughters, Janu, Samar and Maryam. When their mother dies on the ship, the girls are separated when they arrive in Australia.
The lives they endure with their new families is not all sunshine in this new country. Some of the things they went through are disturbing and heartbreaking.
We are taken on the journey of all three sisters and their lives growing up. Each one facing difficulties and traumatic situations, all being brought up by different family units.
After all the loss, abuse, heartbreak and difficult years growing up, these three women are not brought down. They make changes, stand up for themselves, fight and they are eventually reunited. It’s amazing in a special way.
This was a powerful yet emotional story. It’s about belonging, finding oneself and family, hope, new beginnings and love.
Thank you @harlequinaus @harpercollinsaustralia for the early copy.
Oh my heart, this was so beautiful but also so devastating.
A boat of asylum seekers head to Australia from Sri Lanka and on board is a mother and her three daughters, Janu, Samar and Maryam. When their mother dies on the ship, the girls are separated when they arrive in Australia.
The lives they endure with their new families is not all sunshine in this new country. Some of the things they went through are disturbing and heartbreaking.
We are taken on the journey of all three sisters and their lives growing up. Each one facing difficulties and traumatic situations, all being brought up by different family units.
After all the loss, abuse, heartbreak and difficult years growing up, these three women are not brought down. They make changes, stand up for themselves, fight and they are eventually reunited. It’s amazing in a special way.
This was a powerful yet emotional story. It’s about belonging, finding oneself and family, hope, new beginnings and love.
Thank you @harlequinaus @harpercollinsaustralia for the early copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Big thanks to Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
A bond between sisters is strong and a forced separation does not deter three strangers from regrouping, forming closeness and facing decisions made on their behalf.
War, asylum, death and reconnection create a powerful reconciliation in a culturally enriching and powerful story.
The oldest Janu knew she had sisters and had the most memories after the tragic death of their mother on the asylum boat.
After a horrific childhood that was stained with abuse she needs to find her sisters.
Samar had a love hate relationship with her adopted family over religious expectations and desires for the future.
Maryam married the wrong man so a reunion with her sisters was timely.
Sisterly love was cemented as the errors of the past were corrected.
Facing truths, fighting demons and searching for answers became a common thread for them.
The reader is taken on a journey that highlights the plight and the need to leave a striken country for safety and renewal.
Sacrifices, hopes and adjustment govern the risk they’ve taken.
Issues have a way of crossing cultural boundaries as does family loyalty.
I was invested and absorbed from the start to the finish.
A bond between sisters is strong and a forced separation does not deter three strangers from regrouping, forming closeness and facing decisions made on their behalf.
War, asylum, death and reconnection create a powerful reconciliation in a culturally enriching and powerful story.
The oldest Janu knew she had sisters and had the most memories after the tragic death of their mother on the asylum boat.
After a horrific childhood that was stained with abuse she needs to find her sisters.
Samar had a love hate relationship with her adopted family over religious expectations and desires for the future.
Maryam married the wrong man so a reunion with her sisters was timely.
Sisterly love was cemented as the errors of the past were corrected.
Facing truths, fighting demons and searching for answers became a common thread for them.
The reader is taken on a journey that highlights the plight and the need to leave a striken country for safety and renewal.
Sacrifices, hopes and adjustment govern the risk they’ve taken.
Issues have a way of crossing cultural boundaries as does family loyalty.
I was invested and absorbed from the start to the finish.
May 25, 2026
Advance copy by HQ Insiders
This author has captured the true essence and spirit of the 3 sisters who are the main characters of this story. Heartbreaking and heart warming all
In one. A father who sacrificed all to save his family from the Sri Lankan war torn area. 3 children left alone when their mother perishes. Decisions made by other adults on the same boat shape the future of these children. The author explores child abuse and domestic violence but in a sensitive manner and explores the struggles for refugees between the western culture and maintaining culture from their own countries. 3 sisters reunite and show that their is enough love for all family. They overcome struggles in both their new family structure and their adopted family structure in which they grew up. Overall this novel will have you shedding a tear or two for the 3 sisters and their extended families. Well worth a read.
This author has captured the true essence and spirit of the 3 sisters who are the main characters of this story. Heartbreaking and heart warming all
In one. A father who sacrificed all to save his family from the Sri Lankan war torn area. 3 children left alone when their mother perishes. Decisions made by other adults on the same boat shape the future of these children. The author explores child abuse and domestic violence but in a sensitive manner and explores the struggles for refugees between the western culture and maintaining culture from their own countries. 3 sisters reunite and show that their is enough love for all family. They overcome struggles in both their new family structure and their adopted family structure in which they grew up. Overall this novel will have you shedding a tear or two for the 3 sisters and their extended families. Well worth a read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐, 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓".
The Sisters of Serendib is a beautiful story about three sisters who are separated as young children on their journey to Australia as Sri Lankan refugees. With multiple points of view, the book allows us to follow each sister's journey of growth, hardship, and healing, on their way back to finding each other.
I came into this book with very high hopes and it did not disappoint. Ayesha Inoon's writing is so articulate and full of imagery that I felt immersed into the vivid scenes and was glued from the very beginning. The atmosphere was both warm and comforting, and extremely chilling.
I particularly enjoyed the exploration of themes of belonging and identity, especially within the cultural and family expectations of growing up in an immigrant family in Australia.
Highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an emotional and powerful read.
The Sisters of Serendib is a beautiful story about three sisters who are separated as young children on their journey to Australia as Sri Lankan refugees. With multiple points of view, the book allows us to follow each sister's journey of growth, hardship, and healing, on their way back to finding each other.
I came into this book with very high hopes and it did not disappoint. Ayesha Inoon's writing is so articulate and full of imagery that I felt immersed into the vivid scenes and was glued from the very beginning. The atmosphere was both warm and comforting, and extremely chilling.
I particularly enjoyed the exploration of themes of belonging and identity, especially within the cultural and family expectations of growing up in an immigrant family in Australia.
Highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an emotional and powerful read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Beautifully written story about three young sisters who are separated when their mother dies on a boat bound for Australia from war-torn Sri Lanka. The oldest sister, Janu, attempts to find her sisters and re-unite with them many years later.
The book describes the different up bringing of each sister and how this and their separation has impacted their lives. The sisters do not allow past traumas and experiences to define them. Instead, it strengthens them and prompts them to take control of their own lives.
There is a wonderful sense of connectedness that is woven throughout the story, highlighting the importance of not just immediate family but extended family, partners, friends, and other community members.
An enjoyable book to read that covers heartbreaking issues with a delicate touch.
The book describes the different up bringing of each sister and how this and their separation has impacted their lives. The sisters do not allow past traumas and experiences to define them. Instead, it strengthens them and prompts them to take control of their own lives.
There is a wonderful sense of connectedness that is woven throughout the story, highlighting the importance of not just immediate family but extended family, partners, friends, and other community members.
An enjoyable book to read that covers heartbreaking issues with a delicate touch.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“Serendib was an island of unexpected treasures, gemstones, spices and beauty everywhere. And that’s how serendipity came to be defined - life’s unexpected turns, the good luck you aren’t looking for, happy endings that find you anyway.”
Despite the loveliness of the definition of serendipity, Ayesha Inoon’s new book follows three sisters who are separated as children escaping war torn Sri Lanka. This beautiful yet agonising narrative weaves their devastating background with present day Australia.
The powerful storyline of the lives of Janu, Samar, and Maryam gripped me. I couldn’t turn out the light until I turned the last page. This story left me satisfied while at the same time wanting to know what happens next. The sign of a great book!
‘For readers of Shaker Chandran, Tracey Lien and Emma Pei Yin.’ Out on 26 May!!!
Despite the loveliness of the definition of serendipity, Ayesha Inoon’s new book follows three sisters who are separated as children escaping war torn Sri Lanka. This beautiful yet agonising narrative weaves their devastating background with present day Australia.
The powerful storyline of the lives of Janu, Samar, and Maryam gripped me. I couldn’t turn out the light until I turned the last page. This story left me satisfied while at the same time wanting to know what happens next. The sign of a great book!
‘For readers of Shaker Chandran, Tracey Lien and Emma Pei Yin.’ Out on 26 May!!!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review on an advanced copy received from the Publisher through HQInsiders.
What a beautifully written book that honestly had me feeling all the feels.
A mother and her three daughters set off on a boat from war torn Sri Lanka to Australia in 1990 as refugees, however tragedy befalls them, with their mother falling ill on the way over, and the girls are separated.
This is their story of being taken in and their lives growing up without one another. It is a story of life – that bad things can happen to people and the storms will come. But woven throughout the sadness and pain comes the journey of the sisters reuniting with one another. A story of hope, and eventual wholeness and healing.
It was such a wholesome read, and you could really connect and feel for each of the characters within the story. Would highly recommend!
What a beautifully written book that honestly had me feeling all the feels.
A mother and her three daughters set off on a boat from war torn Sri Lanka to Australia in 1990 as refugees, however tragedy befalls them, with their mother falling ill on the way over, and the girls are separated.
This is their story of being taken in and their lives growing up without one another. It is a story of life – that bad things can happen to people and the storms will come. But woven throughout the sadness and pain comes the journey of the sisters reuniting with one another. A story of hope, and eventual wholeness and healing.
It was such a wholesome read, and you could really connect and feel for each of the characters within the story. Would highly recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A young family is bound for Australia, put on a ship with their mother, and saying goodbye to their father. This is a story of asylum seekers leaving their homes in Sri Lanka as they are asked to leave their homes or face death.
The girls in this story will face the death of their mother and will get separated into different families when they arrive in Australia, and all their journeys will be different until they find a way back to each other.
This book was about strong women who have to tackle their own way in life, shattered moments, and some beautiful moments. I loved all their different personalities and dreams and how this blended them all in the end.
Thanks ♥️ HQ for my advanced copy.
The girls in this story will face the death of their mother and will get separated into different families when they arrive in Australia, and all their journeys will be different until they find a way back to each other.
This book was about strong women who have to tackle their own way in life, shattered moments, and some beautiful moments. I loved all their different personalities and dreams and how this blended them all in the end.
Thanks ♥️ HQ for my advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ayesha doesn't just tell this story; she paints it vividly in your mind. The colours, textures and smells in each chapter were so immersive that, upon putting the book down, I'd momentarily forget I wasn't sitting enjoying a warm cup of tea with my own sisters (I don't actually have sisters!).
The story follows character trajectories that are, at times, tragic and heartbreaking. But what I was left with was an almost maternal affection for the three young sisters, who grew into strong, courageous women. I was so proud of them.
I couldn't recommend this book more- a vivid, beautiful and healing tale of 'found family'.
The story follows character trajectories that are, at times, tragic and heartbreaking. But what I was left with was an almost maternal affection for the three young sisters, who grew into strong, courageous women. I was so proud of them.
I couldn't recommend this book more- a vivid, beautiful and healing tale of 'found family'.
May 1, 2026
What a STUNNING book 🩷
This book and the writing is heartbreakingly beautiful. It’s full of emotion, swelling with grief, hurt, joy, compassion and love. The tragedy in the sisters’ reality makes the tender moments so special.
This story explores the separation of three sisters who come to Australia as refugees from Sri Lanka. Separated as young children when their mother passes on the boat to Aus, their lives are intrinsically linked despite growing up so differently.
I adored this book and could not put it down! It’s a story I love so completely that a piece of it will stay with my soul. This book NEEDS to be on your TBR!
This book and the writing is heartbreakingly beautiful. It’s full of emotion, swelling with grief, hurt, joy, compassion and love. The tragedy in the sisters’ reality makes the tender moments so special.
This story explores the separation of three sisters who come to Australia as refugees from Sri Lanka. Separated as young children when their mother passes on the boat to Aus, their lives are intrinsically linked despite growing up so differently.
I adored this book and could not put it down! It’s a story I love so completely that a piece of it will stay with my soul. This book NEEDS to be on your TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Reading this book felt like being deftly woven in and out of a fabric that revealed itself quietly, taking loops and turns until the very last stitch. Closing the book at the end felt like dusting off the finished tapestry and finally getting a look at the whole picture you’ve been immersed in all the while. A deeply satisfying read that opens your eyes to some hard truths.
Ayesha Inoon’s second novel certifies her ability to bring characters and places to life in vivid clarity and depth. A truly memorable read.
Ayesha Inoon’s second novel certifies her ability to bring characters and places to life in vivid clarity and depth. A truly memorable read.
May 11, 2026
I liked this a lot more than I expected to. It is likened to shankari chandran and followed a similar pattern for me- I liked cinnamon gardens more than I thought I would, thought I would like safe haven more than I actually did, and liked sisters of serendip more than I thought i would too. What a rollercoaster. I smashed through this in two days.
The only thing I was disappointed in was that the ruby storyline bc I thought it was about the magic of female friendships and I misread that one!
Thank you to HQ insiders for this copy :)
The only thing I was disappointed in was that the ruby storyline bc I thought it was about the magic of female friendships and I misread that one!
Thank you to HQ insiders for this copy :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I found myself taking the time to read this book as there was so much to cover. Ultimately, this is a book about healing and reading the sisters’ journeys was so captivating. My heart broke for them in so many ways, and while I guessed a few of the plot lines, I was pleased with how it all uncovered.
The sentences were almost a bit too whimsical for my liking but I do appreciate the beauty in them.
Overall, a lovely read that I’ll be thinking about for a while. Thank you Harlequin AU for sending this my way.
The sentences were almost a bit too whimsical for my liking but I do appreciate the beauty in them.
Overall, a lovely read that I’ll be thinking about for a while. Thank you Harlequin AU for sending this my way.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I flew through The Sisters of Serendib, an emotional novel about three Sri Lankan sisters separated as children while seeking asylum in Australia in 1990.
The trauma of the sisters' separation and death of their mother is balanced by vivid descriptions of traditional food and fierce, hopeful moments of human connection.
Thank you so much to Harlequin Australia for my ARC of this brilliant book. I absolutely loved it!
The trauma of the sisters' separation and death of their mother is balanced by vivid descriptions of traditional food and fierce, hopeful moments of human connection.
Thank you so much to Harlequin Australia for my ARC of this brilliant book. I absolutely loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I feel this was a commendable and satisfying read full of truth and heart. Three sisters are separated as children but it feels like their bond lives deeper inside of their hearts. It's a emotional ride of secrets, deception but most of all love. It made me feel sad and scared for the girls but also warm and gooey for a better future.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Loved this rich and absorbing tale of family. So many themes throughout the book and it will appeal to so many readers. Spread over many years and countries, I couldn't put the book down once I started reading. Great read.
May 26, 2026
What a brilliant book this was.
It's so emotionally driven and the stories arw beautifully woven I was crying in the very first chapter. Everything they had to endure was heartbreaking. The author did an increduble job.
It's so emotionally driven and the stories arw beautifully woven I was crying in the very first chapter. Everything they had to endure was heartbreaking. The author did an increduble job.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I didn't see this book coming. I loved Ayesha's Untethered, and couldn't wait to read The Sisters of Serenbdib, and it didn't disappoint.
Heart warming and heart breaking, this book had it all.
Ayesha Inoon is such a beautiful writer.
Heart warming and heart breaking, this book had it all.
Ayesha Inoon is such a beautiful writer.
May 26, 2026
I absolutely loved Ayesha’s debut novel Untethered and was excited to see she had a new novel. Sisters of the Serendib is a beautiful and heartbreaking story of three sisters. Set in 1990, a mother boards boat to Australia with her three daughters to escape the Sri Lankan civil war. She passes away during the journey and the other passengers make the call to split the girls when they arrive to make it easier. This is their story of growing up and then reconnecting.
Told from four points of view- each of the sister and Huda who took one of them to be a sister for her daughter Nadia. I enjoyed getting to each of the three sisters Janu the eldest and strongest, Samar the dancer and Maryam, the chosen one. All three had very different experiences growing up and adjusting to Australian culture and different awareness of their situation. I particularly felt connected to Samar’s story and the way she always felt something was missing.
I loved the way Inoon interweaves their stories with Sri Lankan culture, their civil war and covered topics such as immigration, religion, domestic violence and child abuse. Janu makes a discovery after her guardian dies and works on reuniting the sisters. The three reunite in her small coastal town and shop Serendib (I loved learning its meaning). A wonderful and thought provoking story perfect for those who enjoy learning about culture and Shankari Chandran’s books.
Told from four points of view- each of the sister and Huda who took one of them to be a sister for her daughter Nadia. I enjoyed getting to each of the three sisters Janu the eldest and strongest, Samar the dancer and Maryam, the chosen one. All three had very different experiences growing up and adjusting to Australian culture and different awareness of their situation. I particularly felt connected to Samar’s story and the way she always felt something was missing.
I loved the way Inoon interweaves their stories with Sri Lankan culture, their civil war and covered topics such as immigration, religion, domestic violence and child abuse. Janu makes a discovery after her guardian dies and works on reuniting the sisters. The three reunite in her small coastal town and shop Serendib (I loved learning its meaning). A wonderful and thought provoking story perfect for those who enjoy learning about culture and Shankari Chandran’s books.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Just finished reading The Sisters of Serendib by Ayesha Inoon and I’m sitting here with the kind of emotion only a truly beautiful book can leave behind. From the very first page, I was completely pulled into the world of the sisters, their lives, their pain, their strength, their love. There were parts that made me quietly cry, parts that made my heart ache, and so many moments that felt deeply human and real.
Watching someone you love create something this moving is such a special feeling. So proud of you for writing a story that lingers long after the last page ❤️
Watching someone you love create something this moving is such a special feeling. So proud of you for writing a story that lingers long after the last page ❤️
May 26, 2026
An emotional read about sisters whose life takes them to different corners of Australia. As if losing your homeland isn’t enough, it’s also the loss of belonging in this world.
What would happen if you’ve always known every tragedy in your life and always hoping that one day, as the eldest, that you’ll have your sisters back again in your arms? How do you explain the aches and pains felt far too young and for far too long in life? The duty that is the first born, the first daughter and the one who remembers.
Would it be better if you hadn’t known your origins and grew into “yourself” only to find out information that shakes your soul? Do you think you’ll be the same? Would your foundations be as strong as you once thought they were?
What if you’ve always been told and always been loved? Will it be enough to guide you through life? Or will the sisters you’ve lost bring you back to completion?
A book of heartache, hopefulness and a journey that catches your breath. Offt. Emotional ROLLERCOASTER!
Written beautifully and the emotions lingers days after finishing!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC!
What would happen if you’ve always known every tragedy in your life and always hoping that one day, as the eldest, that you’ll have your sisters back again in your arms? How do you explain the aches and pains felt far too young and for far too long in life? The duty that is the first born, the first daughter and the one who remembers.
Would it be better if you hadn’t known your origins and grew into “yourself” only to find out information that shakes your soul? Do you think you’ll be the same? Would your foundations be as strong as you once thought they were?
What if you’ve always been told and always been loved? Will it be enough to guide you through life? Or will the sisters you’ve lost bring you back to completion?
A book of heartache, hopefulness and a journey that catches your breath. Offt. Emotional ROLLERCOASTER!
Written beautifully and the emotions lingers days after finishing!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC!
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