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Bollywood #3
A Change of Heart
Dr. Nikhil 'Nic' Joshi had it all—marriage, career, purpose. Until, while working for Doctors Without Borders in a Mumbai slum, his wife, Jen, discovered a black market organ transplant ring. Before she could expose the truth, Jen was killed.
Two years after the tragedy, Nic is a cruise ship doctor who spends his days treating seasickness and sunburn and his nights in a boozy haze. On one of those blurry evenings on deck, Nic meets a woman who makes a startling claim: she received Jen’s heart in a transplant and has a message for him. Nic wants to discount Jess Koirala’s story as absurd, but there’s something about her reckless desperation that resonates despite his doubts.
Jess has spent years working her way out of a nightmarish life in Calcutta and into a respectable Bollywood dance troupe. Now she faces losing the one thing that matters—her young son, Joy. She needs to uncover the secrets Jen risked everything for; but the unforeseen bond that results between her and Nic is both a lifeline and a perilous complication.
Two years after the tragedy, Nic is a cruise ship doctor who spends his days treating seasickness and sunburn and his nights in a boozy haze. On one of those blurry evenings on deck, Nic meets a woman who makes a startling claim: she received Jen’s heart in a transplant and has a message for him. Nic wants to discount Jess Koirala’s story as absurd, but there’s something about her reckless desperation that resonates despite his doubts.
Jess has spent years working her way out of a nightmarish life in Calcutta and into a respectable Bollywood dance troupe. Now she faces losing the one thing that matters—her young son, Joy. She needs to uncover the secrets Jen risked everything for; but the unforeseen bond that results between her and Nic is both a lifeline and a perilous complication.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2016
300 people are currently reading
3256 people want to read
About the author
Sonali Dev
17 books3,280 followersSonali Dev’s first literary work was a play about mistaken identities performed at her neighborhood Diwali extravaganza in Mumbai. She was eight years old. Despite this early success, Sonali spent the next few decades getting degrees in architecture and written communication, migrating across the globe, and starting a family while writing for magazines and websites. With the advent of her first gray hair her mad love for telling stories returned full force, and she now combines it with her insights into Indian culture to conjure up stories that make a mad tangle with her life as supermom, domestic goddess, and world traveler.
Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog.
Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
September 8, 2016
I received a copy of A Change of Heart by Sonali Dev through NetGalley. My thanks to Kensington Books and to Sonali Dev for the opportunity.
"Just like in life, it was the stillness that made all the motion meaningful."
But Dr. Nikhil Joshi seems only to be going through the motions these days. Aboard the ship, The Oasis, Dr. Joshi tends to his medical practice through Doctors Without Borders. He has brought medical assistance to the unfortunate in the slums of Mumbai for the past two years. And for these past two years, a bottle of whiskey hovers near him like a fellow passenger forever at his side.
The amber liquid is the only thing that anesthetizes him against the unquenchable pain inside. His fellow physician and wife, Dr. Jen, had been murdered. Jen created a donor database registery for her patients. Someone has tapped into that database and bodies are being found sans organs. Organs are now being sold to the highest bidder on the black market and Jen is forever silenced.
A mysterious red-haired woman, looking suspiciously like Jen, contacts Nik. Nik never realizes what a treacherous path he will now walk even taking him to America. Who is this strange woman and how is she connected to all this?
Sonali Dev presents a story filled with giant spoonfuls of mystery, thrills, romance, high medical crimes, and foreign intrigue. She does it all in one fell swoop. (By the way, kudos to the publishers for the absolutely gorgeous cover.) Dev implements the brilliant use of insets of quotes by Dr. Jen at the top of pages. This works so well in giving us a true feel for the murdered character and helps to fill in gaps along the way. "I glimpsed madness today. Evil so complete has to be insanity."
Sonali Dev is a name to watch for in the future. I'm looking forward to her next book and hope that it contains the beautiful elements of the Indian culture as this one did. Bravo, Ms. Dev.
"Just like in life, it was the stillness that made all the motion meaningful."
But Dr. Nikhil Joshi seems only to be going through the motions these days. Aboard the ship, The Oasis, Dr. Joshi tends to his medical practice through Doctors Without Borders. He has brought medical assistance to the unfortunate in the slums of Mumbai for the past two years. And for these past two years, a bottle of whiskey hovers near him like a fellow passenger forever at his side.
The amber liquid is the only thing that anesthetizes him against the unquenchable pain inside. His fellow physician and wife, Dr. Jen, had been murdered. Jen created a donor database registery for her patients. Someone has tapped into that database and bodies are being found sans organs. Organs are now being sold to the highest bidder on the black market and Jen is forever silenced.
A mysterious red-haired woman, looking suspiciously like Jen, contacts Nik. Nik never realizes what a treacherous path he will now walk even taking him to America. Who is this strange woman and how is she connected to all this?
Sonali Dev presents a story filled with giant spoonfuls of mystery, thrills, romance, high medical crimes, and foreign intrigue. She does it all in one fell swoop. (By the way, kudos to the publishers for the absolutely gorgeous cover.) Dev implements the brilliant use of insets of quotes by Dr. Jen at the top of pages. This works so well in giving us a true feel for the murdered character and helps to fill in gaps along the way. "I glimpsed madness today. Evil so complete has to be insanity."
Sonali Dev is a name to watch for in the future. I'm looking forward to her next book and hope that it contains the beautiful elements of the Indian culture as this one did. Bravo, Ms. Dev.
September 27, 2016
Now Available!!
"The clock on the nightstand said six-oh-five. Really? Five minutes, that’s how long the call had taken? Would time ever stop feeling like an anchor? Heavy. Immovable. For all his drunken depravity, Nikhil hadn’t yet taken a drink in the morning before going to the clinic. If not for the bone-dry bottle, today would have been the day he turned that corner and went down that road."
Dr. Nikhil Joshi left his comfortable home to care for those in Mumbai’s slums, working alongside his wife, Dr. Jen Joshi. His wife had been gathering a database of those willing to donate their organs.
She never expected to be donating hers so soon after. It’s been two years since that day, and Dr. Nick has been working on a cruise ship, always trying to avoid those memories. He thinks if he is in motion long enough, they can never catch up with him.
A woman on board walks by him periodically, he thinks its Jen, the color of her hair, the flash of that red, catches his eye. She is oblivious to him, it seems, but the shock of seeing his wife’s hair unsettles Nic, as though all those guards he put carefully in place have come crashing down.
For the reader, there’s the ever-present ghost of Dr. Jen’s words with each chapter heading.
“I could destroy the registry. But Rahul thinks it’s the only way to prove that the organs are being stolen. Plus, the registry is saving lives too. I’m holding the blade of a double-edged sword and I can’t let it go. If I don’t end this soon, I’ll lose more than my fingers.”
For Nikhil, Jen’s absence haunts his days and his nights.
There’s not much that is not contained in this story: mystery, Indian culture, romance, a dark criminal underground, medical crimes, relationships so tentative, so fragile, with stories of their own in the making.
So why 3 Stars and not 5? There was a significant amount of time I struggled with wanting to abandon it. It was all a bit “middle of the road” to me. The characters were flat and not believable, their conversations were stilted.
Pub Date: 27 Sept 2016
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Kensington Books, NetGalley and author Sonali Dev
October 30, 2016
★★★★½
Sonali Dev is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. A Change of Heart is her third novel and is my favorite of the three. It's full of heartbreak, grief, unrelenting pasts, deceit, thriller/suspense, a bit of mystery, romance, and a reminder of how we can use our flawed human condition to save each other despite it all. Given the complexities within this storyline, Ms. Dev managed to keep the characters and their circumstances full of emotion and surprising beauty. . I loved this book and would highly recommend it. Check it out!
Trigger Warning:
My favorite quote:
"Sometimes you just have to have faith. Sometimes you have to leap first to see if your parachute will open."
Sonali Dev's three novels are very loosely connected but they are all very separate stories and are published as standalones (to my knowledge). They can be read in any order with no repercussions or confusion.
A Bollywood Affair (2014)
The Bollywood Bride (2015)
A Change of Heart (2016)
Sonali Dev is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. A Change of Heart is her third novel and is my favorite of the three. It's full of heartbreak, grief, unrelenting pasts, deceit, thriller/suspense, a bit of mystery, romance, and a reminder of how we can use our flawed human condition to save each other despite it all. Given the complexities within this storyline, Ms. Dev managed to keep the characters and their circumstances full of emotion and surprising beauty. . I loved this book and would highly recommend it. Check it out!
Trigger Warning:
My favorite quote:
"Sometimes you just have to have faith. Sometimes you have to leap first to see if your parachute will open."
Sonali Dev's three novels are very loosely connected but they are all very separate stories and are published as standalones (to my knowledge). They can be read in any order with no repercussions or confusion.
A Bollywood Affair (2014)
The Bollywood Bride (2015)
A Change of Heart (2016)
October 27, 2017
God, they were such a mess. No. He was a mess. She was just far too tangled up in his mess.
This was my first Sonali Dev book, so I was new to her style and composition and I think that might have hurt the rating a bit.
At first I thought this was going to have a scifi/paranormal component but then quickly learned it was going in the more slow burning criminal thriller arena. I would categorize this more as fiction with romance; definitely not your typical romance genre read.
Our heroine Jess purposely collides with our hero Nic. Nic lost his wife two years ago, she was helping with a police case involving a blackmarket organ transfer business. He was forced to watch while they raped and then murdered her. Jess tells him that she received his wife's heart in a transplant and that she can "hear" his wife telling her to find important evidence for the case. Jess has her own issues with surviving a rape when she was seventeen and the emotional fallout that comes with that.
The first half is mostly Nic's pain over losing his wife, dealing with her death and how she never told him she was helping with the case, putting her life and her pregnancy in jeopardy. We get insight into why Jess is doing what she is and how Jess and Nic are experiencing some chemistry but are too tied up in their pain to fully acknowledge or know how to act on it.
Why had he started this? Why couldn't he look away from her eyes? Those eyes. He wanted her to stop, wanted to take back ever wanting to know. But those eyes were so filled with the need to have someone see and not turn away, he couldn't turn away from them.
Even with such a start, the second half of the story I think is even more painful. We get a deeper insight to what Jess has lived through and there was some incredible dialogue and thoughts on how Jess deals with the pain and rape culture. We also get a breakthrough with Nic and Jess allowing themselves to reach out to one another. This was a bit hard for me to fully connect with. Even though Nic has been in pain for two years, as the reader, I'm new to it and even though his healing starts here I had problems transitioning from the pain to new romance; it didn't flow completely smooth for me.
Nic's family are from the previous books in the series and their connection and relationships filled out the story beautifully. There were also povs from Rahul, the cop Nic's wife was helping and who helps explain the criminal mystery part and is clearly being set-up for a book of his own and from the villain. The villain pov gets pretty dark and graphic at times and was another component of the story that didn't quite mesh with every thing else for me.
I don't want to talk too much about the criminal thriller part or all of Jess' motivations because I don't want to spoil certain points that I think have more impact if you go in blind. If I knew this read more like fiction, I would have skewed my mind that way but I was expecting something a little different. All the components didn't jive for me and the ending seemed a bit rushed but I'm definitely going to be on board for Rahul and Kimi's story. I'm a sucker for love/hate and this couple seemed to positively vibrate with it.
This was my first Sonali Dev book, so I was new to her style and composition and I think that might have hurt the rating a bit.
At first I thought this was going to have a scifi/paranormal component but then quickly learned it was going in the more slow burning criminal thriller arena. I would categorize this more as fiction with romance; definitely not your typical romance genre read.
Our heroine Jess purposely collides with our hero Nic. Nic lost his wife two years ago, she was helping with a police case involving a blackmarket organ transfer business. He was forced to watch while they raped and then murdered her. Jess tells him that she received his wife's heart in a transplant and that she can "hear" his wife telling her to find important evidence for the case. Jess has her own issues with surviving a rape when she was seventeen and the emotional fallout that comes with that.
The first half is mostly Nic's pain over losing his wife, dealing with her death and how she never told him she was helping with the case, putting her life and her pregnancy in jeopardy. We get insight into why Jess is doing what she is and how Jess and Nic are experiencing some chemistry but are too tied up in their pain to fully acknowledge or know how to act on it.
Why had he started this? Why couldn't he look away from her eyes? Those eyes. He wanted her to stop, wanted to take back ever wanting to know. But those eyes were so filled with the need to have someone see and not turn away, he couldn't turn away from them.
Even with such a start, the second half of the story I think is even more painful. We get a deeper insight to what Jess has lived through and there was some incredible dialogue and thoughts on how Jess deals with the pain and rape culture. We also get a breakthrough with Nic and Jess allowing themselves to reach out to one another. This was a bit hard for me to fully connect with. Even though Nic has been in pain for two years, as the reader, I'm new to it and even though his healing starts here I had problems transitioning from the pain to new romance; it didn't flow completely smooth for me.
Nic's family are from the previous books in the series and their connection and relationships filled out the story beautifully. There were also povs from Rahul, the cop Nic's wife was helping and who helps explain the criminal mystery part and is clearly being set-up for a book of his own and from the villain. The villain pov gets pretty dark and graphic at times and was another component of the story that didn't quite mesh with every thing else for me.
I don't want to talk too much about the criminal thriller part or all of Jess' motivations because I don't want to spoil certain points that I think have more impact if you go in blind. If I knew this read more like fiction, I would have skewed my mind that way but I was expecting something a little different. All the components didn't jive for me and the ending seemed a bit rushed but I'm definitely going to be on board for Rahul and Kimi's story. I'm a sucker for love/hate and this couple seemed to positively vibrate with it.
September 28, 2016
This book is gut-wrenching.
The hero's grief over his murdered wife (two years previously) is some of the most intense scenes I've read in romance books.
The heroine has been raped (seven years previously) and is still dealing with that.
There is a suspense part (unlike the first two books. All stand-alones).
This book hurt - it's a messy, messy romance. I loved it.
Review coming
The hero's grief over his murdered wife (two years previously) is some of the most intense scenes I've read in romance books.
The heroine has been raped (seven years previously) and is still dealing with that.
There is a suspense part (unlike the first two books. All stand-alones).
This book hurt - it's a messy, messy romance. I loved it.
Review coming
August 26, 2016
This book does something I think a lot of writers wish they could pull off--it manages to straddle several genres seamlessly. Romance, suspense, thriller, women's fiction--Sonali Dev deftly weaves a dark tale with two incredibly tortured people who find and save each other just as they're about to go hurtling into the abyss. I loved every lyrical word and read it with my heart in my throat the entire time. Nic was a wonderful hero, but most of my love is set aside for Jess who has been beaten down and can't see a way out. I yearned so much for her happiness and I cheered for her well-deserved HEA. I can't wait to see what Sonali gives us next.
December 17, 2016
I have really enjoyed Sonali Dev's books in the past for being complete and utter angst fests, but something about this one, which is actually angstier than all the rest, did not work for me nearly as well. It probably largely comes down to the suspense element, which felt very tacked on. The scenes from the villain POV really didn't help either, because they broke the mood of Jess/Nikki and Nik's relationship development.
This one just wasn't for me and that's okay.
This one just wasn't for me and that's okay.
October 1, 2016
LOVED IT!
I loved everything in this boook, the writing, the setting, the plot, the characters!
Ms Dev is becoming one of my favourite authors.
Full reviewto come soon is here now
This is Ms Dev's third book and I have loved the first two with the second, The Bollywood Bride being my favourite. I have to say now that I have read A Change of Heart, it's a serious contender for that #1 spot in my heart. Ms Dev is definitely becoming a favourite author of mine.
All three novels are loosely connected, each telling the story of a character we met in the previous book but they work perfectly well on their own.
Ms Dev gives a look at life of Indians in the US and India through a beautiful but painful love story, that can only happen when broken souls meet and help each other heal.
I have to admit this story started slow for me and I had a somewhat hard time getting into it but once I was in the story, I couldn't put the book down. Unlike the previous two books here we have the romance mixed with a strong suspense/criminal plot. Like them it's a powerful character driven story with a slow growing romance, with an emphasis on personal growth and change and how one deals with disaster and moves on with their life.
Both Nic and Jess are broken in very similar, yet very different ways. It seems that she has moved on but in her interaction with Nic she sees that she is as stuck in the past and in her own pain and suffering as he is. You see two people who have suffered great losses trying to deal with that, they stumble forward, they fall, they make mistake but with the silent, almost intuitive support of the other they do manage to forge a way forward for themselves.
This is not a love triangle but there is a strong third person present in this romance, Jen, Nic's death wife and having notes from her diary at the top of each chapter worked well in connecting everyone and everything that happened to them.
Ms Dev is a master storyteller and she creates a captivating which moved me in so many ways (I've never highlighted so many passages in any other book on my Kindle). It will stay with me for a long time and I heartily recommend it to any romance readers looking for a mesmerising story, masterfully narrated.
I loved everything in this boook, the writing, the setting, the plot, the characters!
Ms Dev is becoming one of my favourite authors.
Full review
This is Ms Dev's third book and I have loved the first two with the second, The Bollywood Bride being my favourite. I have to say now that I have read A Change of Heart, it's a serious contender for that #1 spot in my heart. Ms Dev is definitely becoming a favourite author of mine.
All three novels are loosely connected, each telling the story of a character we met in the previous book but they work perfectly well on their own.
Ms Dev gives a look at life of Indians in the US and India through a beautiful but painful love story, that can only happen when broken souls meet and help each other heal.
I have to admit this story started slow for me and I had a somewhat hard time getting into it but once I was in the story, I couldn't put the book down. Unlike the previous two books here we have the romance mixed with a strong suspense/criminal plot. Like them it's a powerful character driven story with a slow growing romance, with an emphasis on personal growth and change and how one deals with disaster and moves on with their life.
Both Nic and Jess are broken in very similar, yet very different ways. It seems that she has moved on but in her interaction with Nic she sees that she is as stuck in the past and in her own pain and suffering as he is. You see two people who have suffered great losses trying to deal with that, they stumble forward, they fall, they make mistake but with the silent, almost intuitive support of the other they do manage to forge a way forward for themselves.
This is not a love triangle but there is a strong third person present in this romance, Jen, Nic's death wife and having notes from her diary at the top of each chapter worked well in connecting everyone and everything that happened to them.
Ms Dev is a master storyteller and she creates a captivating which moved me in so many ways (I've never highlighted so many passages in any other book on my Kindle). It will stay with me for a long time and I heartily recommend it to any romance readers looking for a mesmerising story, masterfully narrated.
August 6, 2016
That's right!!! I got an ARC! This is beautiful - great mystery - really page-turning! Combined with a beautiful broken souls love story. Loved it. A lot.
July 12, 2024
“Sometimes you just have to have faith. Sometimes you have to leap first to see if your parachute will open.”
I think people should look up the trigger warnings before reading this book.Mrs dev style of books as always are lovely to read.They’re always action packed and well paced. It is an emotionally charged suspenseful love story.
The characters are normal, flawed people dealing with their own demons.I met Nick in the previous book “The Bollywood Bride” and the contrast between this nick and that nick was drastic and had me feeling quite sad .It was also lovely reading about Ria and Vik again.I liked Jess but I didn’t warm up to her as much as I’d have liked to.However, she is such a strong,enigmatic and brave woman.
Both characters need serious therapy though.
I think people should look up the trigger warnings before reading this book.Mrs dev style of books as always are lovely to read.They’re always action packed and well paced. It is an emotionally charged suspenseful love story.
The characters are normal, flawed people dealing with their own demons.I met Nick in the previous book “The Bollywood Bride” and the contrast between this nick and that nick was drastic and had me feeling quite sad .It was also lovely reading about Ria and Vik again.I liked Jess but I didn’t warm up to her as much as I’d have liked to.However, she is such a strong,enigmatic and brave woman.
Both characters need serious therapy though.
August 5, 2020
A Change of Heart by Sonali Dev
Book 3 of the Bollywood series. Contemporary romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Rape triggers. Mob threats and actions.
A romance with Indian based influences. With mystery elements.
Painful. A very difficult book starting with the death of the hero’s wife (prior to the story), lies, mob threats and the re-enactment (remembering) of the heroine being raped. Jess is forced, under threat of her child’s life, to trick Nikhil and find evidence the mob wants.
Book 3 of the Bollywood series. Contemporary romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Rape triggers. Mob threats and actions.
A romance with Indian based influences. With mystery elements.
Painful. A very difficult book starting with the death of the hero’s wife (prior to the story), lies, mob threats and the re-enactment (remembering) of the heroine being raped. Jess is forced, under threat of her child’s life, to trick Nikhil and find evidence the mob wants.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2016
I really enjoyed her first novel so I was excited to hear about this one. This novel has an intriguing premise that I thought played out well throughout the story. The characters were well done and the story was well developed. I love how her stories center around other cultures and offer a great deal of cultural diversity. I feel like I come away from her stories feeling like I get not only a good story but also a better understanding of cultural identity.
I really like how this one is focused around black market organ transplants. I found that part of the story to be very well done. It added to the mystery of the overall novel.
Although I quite liked this novel, I didn't find it quite as engaging as the previous novel of hers. The character development was good but not as good as before. It took quite awhile to connect with them or to feel connected to their relationship. It eventually came together but it took longer than I would have liked.
NOTE: I was given an ARC of this novel by the publisher for an honest review.
I really like how this one is focused around black market organ transplants. I found that part of the story to be very well done. It added to the mystery of the overall novel.
Although I quite liked this novel, I didn't find it quite as engaging as the previous novel of hers. The character development was good but not as good as before. It took quite awhile to connect with them or to feel connected to their relationship. It eventually came together but it took longer than I would have liked.
NOTE: I was given an ARC of this novel by the publisher for an honest review.
October 9, 2017
Dr. Nikhil Joshi left the U.S. to move to Mumbai with his wife Dr. Jen Joshi, to care for those in Mumbai’s slums. His wife had been gathering a database of those willing to donate their organs. Unfortunately for her, this database caused her to become a target of unscrupulous men dealing in stolen organs and led to her death. Her organs were donated and her husband retreated from life. The story begins two years later when Nik is working as a doctor on a cruise ship. He is drinking and barely surviving. If the job had not been given to him by a friend, he would have lost it by then. When a woman on board, Jess, walks by him periodically, he almost thinks it is Jen. The hair colour is the same and she looks a bit like her. When she tells him that she has Jen's heart, he will do almost anything for her. They begin a search for Jen's list of donors, both for different reasons. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a quote from jen's journal and it is almost like her ghost is present in the story.
This story had a bit of everything. There was mystery, romance, grief, criminal underground, deceit, Indian Culture, and suspense that caused many emotions in the reader. I enjoyed this book, but it took time to get through it. There was a lot of repetition at times and I put it aside a couple of times. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
This story had a bit of everything. There was mystery, romance, grief, criminal underground, deceit, Indian Culture, and suspense that caused many emotions in the reader. I enjoyed this book, but it took time to get through it. There was a lot of repetition at times and I put it aside a couple of times. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
February 28, 2019
I became a fan of Sonali Dev when I read her first book, The Bollywood Affair, where she mixed romantic tropes with her own spin around Indian and Indian-American culture. It was both familiar and fresh and I loved it.
Now, after having finished her most recent book, Change of Heart, I find that all the things I loved about The Bollywood Affair are still there and more. The way in which this story is told, how it’s constructed, it’s wonderful, it shows the control Dev has over the story she wants to tell.
The story is told from 4 different perspectives, the main ones being Jess and Nikhil as they navigate their pasts in order to heal their wounds. But we also get inside the head of 2 other characters, DCP Rahul Savant and criminal Asif Khan, who kind of keep you guessing for a while as to what’s going on.
I loved Jess from the start, there was such strength in her quietness and in her single-minded determination to keep those she loved safe. Seeing Nikhil again (he was introduced in Dev’s previous book The Bollywood Bride) was a punch to the gut as he went through several ups and downs. He was really torn between life and tragedy.
Change of Heart deals in tough, raw emotions.; it gets at the heart of choice and circumstance and trust - what they mean and how they affect each other.
By the time we meet them, Jess and Nic have already gone through so much and are pretty battered by life, their tentative steps out of their respective shells are both touching and heartbreaking in turns; but Dev pulls it off without making the whole story feel like a downer. It’s tough to read at times, but it never gets hopeless and bleak.
We also get to see Nikhil’s family again and they are wonderful. Of the new characters, I really loved Rahul. I really hope we get to meet him again (I think we will!).
In short, Change of Heart was an amazing story and I can’t wait for whatever else Sonali Dev writes next.
Now, after having finished her most recent book, Change of Heart, I find that all the things I loved about The Bollywood Affair are still there and more. The way in which this story is told, how it’s constructed, it’s wonderful, it shows the control Dev has over the story she wants to tell.
The story is told from 4 different perspectives, the main ones being Jess and Nikhil as they navigate their pasts in order to heal their wounds. But we also get inside the head of 2 other characters, DCP Rahul Savant and criminal Asif Khan, who kind of keep you guessing for a while as to what’s going on.
I loved Jess from the start, there was such strength in her quietness and in her single-minded determination to keep those she loved safe. Seeing Nikhil again (he was introduced in Dev’s previous book The Bollywood Bride) was a punch to the gut as he went through several ups and downs. He was really torn between life and tragedy.
Change of Heart deals in tough, raw emotions.; it gets at the heart of choice and circumstance and trust - what they mean and how they affect each other.
By the time we meet them, Jess and Nic have already gone through so much and are pretty battered by life, their tentative steps out of their respective shells are both touching and heartbreaking in turns; but Dev pulls it off without making the whole story feel like a downer. It’s tough to read at times, but it never gets hopeless and bleak.
We also get to see Nikhil’s family again and they are wonderful. Of the new characters, I really loved Rahul. I really hope we get to meet him again (I think we will!).
In short, Change of Heart was an amazing story and I can’t wait for whatever else Sonali Dev writes next.
April 27, 2017
DNF at 8%
Sorry guys, I'm clearing out my TBR read pile and acknowledging that some books I'm just never going to get into!
I really enjoyed A Bollywood Affair so when I was offered a chance to read another book by Sonali Dev I jumped at the chance, probably should have paid more attention to the blurb.
The first 8% of the book just felt so slow, I couldn't warm to Dr Joshi at all and then when it transpires that the mysterious woman he keeps glimpsing on the cruise ship where he works has his dead wife's heart (and his wife is talking to her), well it was all a bit whoo whoo for me.
I'm sorry that I didn't read any further because a DNF at 8% isn't really a proper review, but I just couldn't face it. Sorry.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Sorry guys, I'm clearing out my TBR read pile and acknowledging that some books I'm just never going to get into!
I really enjoyed A Bollywood Affair so when I was offered a chance to read another book by Sonali Dev I jumped at the chance, probably should have paid more attention to the blurb.
The first 8% of the book just felt so slow, I couldn't warm to Dr Joshi at all and then when it transpires that the mysterious woman he keeps glimpsing on the cruise ship where he works has his dead wife's heart (and his wife is talking to her), well it was all a bit whoo whoo for me.
I'm sorry that I didn't read any further because a DNF at 8% isn't really a proper review, but I just couldn't face it. Sorry.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
November 18, 2017
Why? I've read the previous books by Sonali Dev and enjoyed the Bollywood feel and the romance and fun characters.
Plot. This is a little darker it seems to me than the previous ones. There has been a nasty murder, a crime ring that are dealing in human organs and Jess is being blackmailed into finding information she'd rather not do. She has a hell of a past and experienced terrible rape. Nikhil - cousin to Ria from a previous book is in the depths because his wife Dr. Jen has been murdered and her heart taken. His heart is shattered.
What Appeals to Me? The way the characters deal with the challenges, the need for healing and the need to stop a crime ring. Also the love of Jess for her son and the sense of love and support in Nikhil's family.
And so... I have A Distant Heart to read and review. I see it is the story of Kimi and Rahul the police officer involved in helping to uncover the crime ring involved in taking human organs. Looking forward to it.
Plot. This is a little darker it seems to me than the previous ones. There has been a nasty murder, a crime ring that are dealing in human organs and Jess is being blackmailed into finding information she'd rather not do. She has a hell of a past and experienced terrible rape. Nikhil - cousin to Ria from a previous book is in the depths because his wife Dr. Jen has been murdered and her heart taken. His heart is shattered.
What Appeals to Me? The way the characters deal with the challenges, the need for healing and the need to stop a crime ring. Also the love of Jess for her son and the sense of love and support in Nikhil's family.
And so... I have A Distant Heart to read and review. I see it is the story of Kimi and Rahul the police officer involved in helping to uncover the crime ring involved in taking human organs. Looking forward to it.
February 12, 2020
I was not (Arjun) Reddy for this. RTC
June 11, 2025
might be the best of the series
May 31, 2016
Possible spoiler warning!
No plot spoilers but more first reaction emotional spoilers. No specific details other than character names.
A Change of Heart-my reading experience so far.
First off let me say I don't take notes while reading. I don't sticky note or highlight or fold down pages. I just read. Except for ultra rare occasions and this is one.
Thursday-open book, read about 2 lines, feel the tears starting, put book down terrified to read more.
Saturday- Ok I'm going to do it. Even if it means sobbing on my entire flight.
Chapter 1: OMG! Just rip my heart out why don't you! You said your books have a happy ending--that wasn't just to lull me into a false sense of security was it? I'm trusting you here Sonali!
In summary, great book, definitely darker than the others (and I thought the last one was kind of dark) not a fluffy romancy light read but not so heavy it's oppressive. Tissues are required for the beginning but upgrade that to a large glass of wine for the middle. Add it to your TBR list for September, you won't be disappointed.
I received an advanced copy of this book at BEA in exchange for nothing except maybe letting the author laugh at my overreactions to her books :)
No plot spoilers but more first reaction emotional spoilers. No specific details other than character names.
A Change of Heart-my reading experience so far.
First off let me say I don't take notes while reading. I don't sticky note or highlight or fold down pages. I just read. Except for ultra rare occasions and this is one.
Thursday-open book, read about 2 lines, feel the tears starting, put book down terrified to read more.
Saturday- Ok I'm going to do it. Even if it means sobbing on my entire flight.
Chapter 1: OMG! Just rip my heart out why don't you! You said your books have a happy ending--that wasn't just to lull me into a false sense of security was it? I'm trusting you here Sonali!
In summary, great book, definitely darker than the others (and I thought the last one was kind of dark) not a fluffy romancy light read but not so heavy it's oppressive. Tissues are required for the beginning but upgrade that to a large glass of wine for the middle. Add it to your TBR list for September, you won't be disappointed.
I received an advanced copy of this book at BEA in exchange for nothing except maybe letting the author laugh at my overreactions to her books :)
November 6, 2016
What does it say about me, I wonder, that I love this book. This is raw, emotional, the hero and heroine maybe laughed three times between the both of them, and both were grieving almost the entire time while one was deceiving the other on something really big... and it still ended up a romance. A true romance, a romance without a shred of instalust, a romance with a slowly building trust in between all the mess both were in, like one of those little plants that grows between the cracks of rocks at the the most inhospitable of places on earth. Beautiful. Powerful even in its most vulnerable.
Well.
Welcome to a new book hangover.
This is one of the most expensive books I have ever bought on Amazon. So when you have read this review, or the blurb of the book, and you are having doubts, buy and read one of this author's other books, and if you like those books, you will probably like this one too. Oh. Even if the comparison is wrong in a lot of ways. The only book that comes to mind to compare this book to, is Dream A Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
What to read next?
Well.
Welcome to a new book hangover.
This is one of the most expensive books I have ever bought on Amazon. So when you have read this review, or the blurb of the book, and you are having doubts, buy and read one of this author's other books, and if you like those books, you will probably like this one too. Oh. Even if the comparison is wrong in a lot of ways. The only book that comes to mind to compare this book to, is Dream A Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
What to read next?
September 26, 2016
Whoa! I just finished this and was completely blown away. I knew I wanted to try this author and I didn't bother reading the summary.
Man, was I in for a surprise! This is not your typical romance. The story is dark, difficult, and brutally emotional. It's so much more than a love story. There's also a mystery and a crime investigation. A Change of Heart is about two broken people, finding the courage to help each other heal in tragic circumstances. This is a tear-jerker and utterly heartbreaking...but there is also hope, growth, and the healing power of human connection.
Trigger warnings: rape, violence against women
***I received a free copy of this ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, Kensington Books!***
Man, was I in for a surprise! This is not your typical romance. The story is dark, difficult, and brutally emotional. It's so much more than a love story. There's also a mystery and a crime investigation. A Change of Heart is about two broken people, finding the courage to help each other heal in tragic circumstances. This is a tear-jerker and utterly heartbreaking...but there is also hope, growth, and the healing power of human connection.
Trigger warnings: rape, violence against women
***I received a free copy of this ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, Kensington Books!***
August 21, 2016
This book is outstanding. Dev really outdid herself, and that is saying something because all of her writing is exquisite. This is such a unique story, one we've not seen before, and it's told with such compassion and gut-wrenching emotion. The hero and heroine really must struggle for their happily-ever-after but it is so, so satisfying. I loved Nic so much. This is a KEEPER.
December 18, 2018
This book was deeply disturbing and upsetting to me, and after reading it, I downgraded my review of "A Bollywood Bride" because this book changed my perception of it. In "A Bollywood Bride," I loved Nik and Jen's "carefree easygoing chemistry" as one reviewer pointed out, and would have loved a novel starring them both, as another reviewer said. Therefore, it was so troubling to me how Jen was "fridged" from the get go. ("Fridging"/"Women in Refrigerators" is the comic book phenomenon where women suffer horrific death and/or disfigurement in order to ennoble the hero--give him a cause for suffering and/or revenge.)
I really would have loved a book with Jen alive, even with the same set up with Jen/Nik broken up for the reasons indicated in her diary, and this instead being a romance about them coming back together to solve the black market organ theft ring. Knowing Jen's horrific fate casts a shadow over A Bollywood Bride, where all the lovely wedding preparation now feels somewhat hollow. I also would have preferred a premise to "A Change of Heart" where Jess was sincere and really was communicating with Jen from beyond the grave--that would have felt like a truer Bollywood set up to me, along the lines of KKHH (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai). And when I heard Sonali Dev interviewed on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books podcast, that's what I thought this book was going to be. But the fact that Jess, although under extreme coercion, is planning a long con on Nik, feels very cruel, especially from the opening where she pretends to be Jen haunting him. Because of this starting dynamic between the two, I found it hard to root for their 'two traumatized people finding and healing each other' dynamic.
A bit off topic, but something I've noticed in both "A Bollywood Bride" and "A Change of Heart." (I haven't yet read "A Bollywood Affair," and should, because I have heard it contains the lighthearted dive into Indian and Indian-American culture without all the suffering of her last two novels). I read Ria in "A Bollywood Bride" as having a restrictive eating disorder--she is always over-exercising, under-eating, pretending to eat, or vomiting, and I feel that these behaviors are seen as an ennobling sign of how deeply anxious and tormented she is.
Likewise, Nik's emaciation is given a similar treatment, as a romanticisation of how much he is suffering. I'm not sure what to do with this observation--it definitely is a timeless romantic trope going back to Jane Eyre, and I do think all the descriptions of Nik and Ria's jutting bones etc. are described in such as way as to be titillating. It's also an interesting mental exercise to flip the script, and think about how if they were bingeing instead of wasting away, we would likely see their anguish very differently, far less sympathetically.
Sources
1. Women in Refrigerators https://www.lby3.com/wir/
2. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuch_Ku...
3. SBTB Review of Bollywood bride https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/r...
I really would have loved a book with Jen alive, even with the same set up with Jen/Nik broken up for the reasons indicated in her diary, and this instead being a romance about them coming back together to solve the black market organ theft ring. Knowing Jen's horrific fate casts a shadow over A Bollywood Bride, where all the lovely wedding preparation now feels somewhat hollow. I also would have preferred a premise to "A Change of Heart" where Jess was sincere and really was communicating with Jen from beyond the grave--that would have felt like a truer Bollywood set up to me, along the lines of KKHH (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai). And when I heard Sonali Dev interviewed on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books podcast, that's what I thought this book was going to be. But the fact that Jess, although under extreme coercion, is planning a long con on Nik, feels very cruel, especially from the opening where she pretends to be Jen haunting him. Because of this starting dynamic between the two, I found it hard to root for their 'two traumatized people finding and healing each other' dynamic.
A bit off topic, but something I've noticed in both "A Bollywood Bride" and "A Change of Heart." (I haven't yet read "A Bollywood Affair," and should, because I have heard it contains the lighthearted dive into Indian and Indian-American culture without all the suffering of her last two novels). I read Ria in "A Bollywood Bride" as having a restrictive eating disorder--she is always over-exercising, under-eating, pretending to eat, or vomiting, and I feel that these behaviors are seen as an ennobling sign of how deeply anxious and tormented she is.
Likewise, Nik's emaciation is given a similar treatment, as a romanticisation of how much he is suffering. I'm not sure what to do with this observation--it definitely is a timeless romantic trope going back to Jane Eyre, and I do think all the descriptions of Nik and Ria's jutting bones etc. are described in such as way as to be titillating. It's also an interesting mental exercise to flip the script, and think about how if they were bingeing instead of wasting away, we would likely see their anguish very differently, far less sympathetically.
Sources
1. Women in Refrigerators https://www.lby3.com/wir/
2. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuch_Ku...
3. SBTB Review of Bollywood bride https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/r...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2016
I hate to say this but I couldn't finish it. It saddens me to say it because I loved her first two books. I started it, put it down, picked it up again, down and the up again for the third and last try. I gave in at 35%.
I found the conversations between Nik and Jess stilted. Nik drowning his sorrows, Jess hiding things from him and pretending to know what his wife thought and felt pinning it on her having Jen's heart. I found his thoughts tedious. It seems that they were just talking circles around each other. I just couldn't get behind either of the characters to invest any further time reading this.
Ms. Dev is a fantastic writer but this one fell flat compared to her two previous books. It's a different take for her but one that just didn't work for me.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review
I found the conversations between Nik and Jess stilted. Nik drowning his sorrows, Jess hiding things from him and pretending to know what his wife thought and felt pinning it on her having Jen's heart. I found his thoughts tedious. It seems that they were just talking circles around each other. I just couldn't get behind either of the characters to invest any further time reading this.
Ms. Dev is a fantastic writer but this one fell flat compared to her two previous books. It's a different take for her but one that just didn't work for me.
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review
December 20, 2016
Nikhil has lost everything. He was happily married to Jen, he loved his work and life was good. Until one day Jen was killed. She worked for Doctors Without Borders and discovered an organ transplant ring. She gathered proof, but before she could do anything with it she was dead. Nic is now an alcoholic who works as a doctor on a cruise ship. That's where he meets Jess. Jess looks a bit like Jen and tells Nic she has Jen's heart. She's at the ship to give him a message from Jen, but is that really what she's doing there?
Jess appearance sobers Nic up a little. He know she's lying to him, but he doesn't know why. Jess has to find Jen's evidence or her son Joy will be killed. She's done everything she can to find a decent job, to create a nice life for her son, and now she has to do something she doesn't want to do at all while leaving him with a friend. The last thing Jess wants is to hurt Nic, but protecting Joy is what comes first. Will she be able to find a way out of her dire situation or will she lose the most precious person in her life? And what about Nic, can she just leave him behind?
Jess is a brave woman. She's a fighter and I loved that about her. She's smart and resilient and she has a good heart. Nic has lost his way, but his kind and caring nature is still there. They have a strange, but strong connection. Jess can't tell the truth and Nic knows she's lying, but he doesn't know why. It was interesting to see where that would lead and I loved the direction Sonali Dev has chosen for the ending of the story. It's both fitting and romantic.
Sonali Dev's writing flows easily and I liked how she keeps adding bits of tension to her story until there's so much of it that the situation has to explode. She does this in a fabulous unexpected way. I loved this surprise element and it mixes very well with the suspense. It was lovely that romance is equally present in the story. Jess and Nic both have wonderful personalities and that made them easy to like. It's something I always appreciate when I'm reading a romantic novel.
Sonali Dev writes about some serious topics in an honest and empathic way. Some of the scenes are a bit shocking and heartbreaking to read. I had tears in my eyes when I read about the things that are being done to women. It gives A Change of Heart a serious nature. The combination of terrible crimes with awful incidents and sweet romance is making this novel gripping, moving and intriguing. I enjoyed reading this fascinating book and would definitely like to try more stories by Sonali Dev.
Jess appearance sobers Nic up a little. He know she's lying to him, but he doesn't know why. Jess has to find Jen's evidence or her son Joy will be killed. She's done everything she can to find a decent job, to create a nice life for her son, and now she has to do something she doesn't want to do at all while leaving him with a friend. The last thing Jess wants is to hurt Nic, but protecting Joy is what comes first. Will she be able to find a way out of her dire situation or will she lose the most precious person in her life? And what about Nic, can she just leave him behind?
Jess is a brave woman. She's a fighter and I loved that about her. She's smart and resilient and she has a good heart. Nic has lost his way, but his kind and caring nature is still there. They have a strange, but strong connection. Jess can't tell the truth and Nic knows she's lying, but he doesn't know why. It was interesting to see where that would lead and I loved the direction Sonali Dev has chosen for the ending of the story. It's both fitting and romantic.
Sonali Dev's writing flows easily and I liked how she keeps adding bits of tension to her story until there's so much of it that the situation has to explode. She does this in a fabulous unexpected way. I loved this surprise element and it mixes very well with the suspense. It was lovely that romance is equally present in the story. Jess and Nic both have wonderful personalities and that made them easy to like. It's something I always appreciate when I'm reading a romantic novel.
Sonali Dev writes about some serious topics in an honest and empathic way. Some of the scenes are a bit shocking and heartbreaking to read. I had tears in my eyes when I read about the things that are being done to women. It gives A Change of Heart a serious nature. The combination of terrible crimes with awful incidents and sweet romance is making this novel gripping, moving and intriguing. I enjoyed reading this fascinating book and would definitely like to try more stories by Sonali Dev.
February 21, 2024
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
This book had a distinctly different feel from the first two. It felt a little more like a romantic thriller than a pure romance, and I appreciated the element of mystery and danger. From the beginning, we know that Jess is lying to Nikhil (who we met in book #2), but we don’t know to what extent or what the end game is. Who is pulling her strings and why? How far will she go to get what she wants and what will be the consequences if she fails? It would be easy to hate Jess. Since we get her POV, though, we see her fierce love for her son and we understand how torn she is over what she’s doing.
Poor Nikhil is not the guy we knew in book two. He’s a tortured soul because of Jen’s death and it’s hard to imagine anyone getting through to him. Jess does, though—slowly (which was perfect). I was eager to find out how things would end for these two! My only complaint was that the conflict between Jess and Nikhil was resolved a little too easily. But I was generally enthralled with the story, and it put me in the perfect mood to keep reading with A Distant Heart! I give it a solid 4/5 stars.
This book had a distinctly different feel from the first two. It felt a little more like a romantic thriller than a pure romance, and I appreciated the element of mystery and danger. From the beginning, we know that Jess is lying to Nikhil (who we met in book #2), but we don’t know to what extent or what the end game is. Who is pulling her strings and why? How far will she go to get what she wants and what will be the consequences if she fails? It would be easy to hate Jess. Since we get her POV, though, we see her fierce love for her son and we understand how torn she is over what she’s doing.
Poor Nikhil is not the guy we knew in book two. He’s a tortured soul because of Jen’s death and it’s hard to imagine anyone getting through to him. Jess does, though—slowly (which was perfect). I was eager to find out how things would end for these two! My only complaint was that the conflict between Jess and Nikhil was resolved a little too easily. But I was generally enthralled with the story, and it put me in the perfect mood to keep reading with A Distant Heart! I give it a solid 4/5 stars.
October 13, 2016
Despite the huge issues I had with some topics and views of this book, I really enjoyed reading it.
I won't get into the the parts that are against my personal opinion and are in contrast with what was implied in the book, as for the rest:
From the title, the cover and the blurb of the book you don't get the slightest insight into this book. Both of the MCs have had very dark and horrible pasts there should be a warning about this somewhere in the blurb. Not everyone can pick up a book this dark and read it and stay unaffected.I thought I'm picking up a somewhat angsty romance but I was wrong, I wish I knew what I was getting into to brace myself. After reading one graphic chapter I had a headache for hours!
I don't regret it though, it was a great read. The writing was good and emotional and romantic aspect of the book very believable.The mystery wasn't really a mystery, you can guess who's who and what's what from the beginning but it added to book. The ending was a bit rushed and weak compare to the rest of the book.
I would recommend this book but with a warning!
From Netgally in exchange for an honest review
I won't get into the the parts that are against my personal opinion and are in contrast with what was implied in the book, as for the rest:
From the title, the cover and the blurb of the book you don't get the slightest insight into this book. Both of the MCs have had very dark and horrible pasts there should be a warning about this somewhere in the blurb. Not everyone can pick up a book this dark and read it and stay unaffected.I thought I'm picking up a somewhat angsty romance but I was wrong, I wish I knew what I was getting into to brace myself. After reading one graphic chapter I had a headache for hours!
I don't regret it though, it was a great read. The writing was good and emotional and romantic aspect of the book very believable.The mystery wasn't really a mystery, you can guess who's who and what's what from the beginning but it added to book. The ending was a bit rushed and weak compare to the rest of the book.
I would recommend this book but with a warning!
From Netgally in exchange for an honest review
May 23, 2016
Somali Dev has woven a tale of loss, mystery, and love in her new novel, A Change of Heart. The main characters, Dr. Nikhil 'Nic' Joshi and Jess Koirala, are put together around the loss of Nic's first wife, Jen. Both Nic and Jen were doctors who committed themselves to serving people who need help the most and have the least access to medical care that can save their lives. Nic loses Jen to a horrendous killing in the slums of Mumbai and this drains the life out of him instantly and completely. Jen's murder is never solved and after two years, Nic is working on a cruise ship and slowly drinking himself to death. Jen arrives in his life under dubious circumstances and then the plot unwinds in an interesting and whirlwind set of events taking place in spots around the globe. A Change of Heart is a mystery and a story of love. Both Nic and Jen have people in their lives who need them and they cling to that need desperately while trying to figure out why Jen was murdered. I enjoyed this well written novel for its characters and plot.
Copy courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books.
Copy courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books.
December 27, 2023
This is not a fun book to read. Aside from a few minor characters, no one in the story is likeable. The two main villains, however, are exquisitely evil and very well described. I would sum this story up as one of selfishness. Nikhil is so saturated in selfish grief that he’s slowly killing himself. After two years he’s still so absorbed in himself that it takes someone else in deep pain to finally awaken him. Jess is so greedily possessive of her son that she’s willing to hurt others to protect him. This may seem noble, but two wrongs don’t make a right. The writing is so full of beautiful metaphors and similes that it outweighs the terrible pain permeating the pages. The only reason I kept reading was hope for a resolution, which finally arrived and was as beautifully told as the rest of the story. I’m not sure I could endure another story like this if the author’s other works are similar.
March 11, 2021
2.5 Stars
It was a rather sad beginning to this 3rd book in the series, especially since I'd read the second book just a few weeks prior. Nik was a favorite character in that book, but now he's a broken shell of who he once was. Along with the change in Nik, this book took a major detour in tone from what was read in the previous stories. There was a mystery, multiple villains, and one whose POV was extremely disturbing. The romance was nice, but not convincing enough for me. Again, that was due to how invested I was in the characters from the previous book and where Nik was mentally and emotionally in the beginning of this story. The ending wrapped up a little too nicely and I needed to see more of the growth process between the main characters, independently and with each other, in order to believe in their longevity.
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