Mary Poser: Butterflies and white lies as Bollywood comes to Nashville

by Angel A.

Mary Poser: Butterflies and white lies as Bollywood comes to Nashville by Angel A is a heartwarming and intriguing read that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled with self-doubt, anxiety, or the fear of vulnerability, making it a perfect fit for readers seeking a relatable and uplifting love story with a message of hope and inspiration.

The story tells of a dutiful Southern daughter who pretends to fit into her mother's world, but who secretly holds a penchant for differences and adventure which are hidden from her family and even herself. It seems unlikely that a girl from a strict Baptist household would even meet, much less fall in love with, a Hindu Indian man whose very different world collides with hers on so many levels, but Mary Poser's illusions about life, carefully constructed in a rigid environment, are about to be wildly shaken. 

2017 Foreword Reviews Indies Book of the Year Award Finalist 
2018 American Fiction Awards Winner.
2018 Best Book Awards Winner
2018 NYC Big Book Award Winner
2018 International Book of the Year Finalist
2018 Paris Book Festival Runner-Up.
2018 Readers' Favorite Finalist
2018 Independent Author Network Book of the year Finalist
2018 London Book Festival Honorable Mention
2018 BookViral Millennium Book Awards Long List
2018 New Apple Book Awards Official Selection
2018 Body, Mind, Spirit Book Awards winner
2019 Independent Press Award winner
2019 New York Book Festival winner
2023 SOVAS (Society of Voice Arts and Sciences) best VoiceOver finalist *audiobook

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary

480 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2017

About the author

Angel A is an Australian writer, filmmaker, and chiropractor whose work explores the transformational moments when people must choose between defeat and authentic transformation—what he calls "Angel's Leap" moments, inspired by the French "le saut de l'ange."
He won the Special Jury Remi Award at WorldFest-Houston (the festival that discovered Spielberg and the Coen Brothers) for his short film Le Saut De L'Ange, which he produced in Corsica with an international crew. For thirty years, he has maintained a chiropractic practice while creating narratives that bridge healing and storytelling. His debut novel, Mary Poser, earned multiple awards, with its audiobook becoming a 2023 SOVAS Best VoiceOver finalist. His second novel, Holy Parrot, weaves together culture, belief, and the courage to question inherited narratives. Each novel begins as a feature film screenplay.
Drawing on his understanding of archetypal patterns and three decades of clinical experience, Angel A crafts what have been described as "stories that heal." His work challenges readers to recognize self-sabotaging patterns and find the courage to live authentically through compelling characters facing their own transformational leaps.

Reviews

[Leonie Allsop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous read, I couldn’t put it down! Romantic, humorous, insightful and hugely entertaining. Touches on interesting and diverse themes such as multiculturalism, religion, spirituality, mental health, friendship and love. Beautifully written with an unforgettable ending. I highly recommend it.

[Evelyn Swift (Featherbrained Books) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really expected a lot more from this. I think if you want to deal with a heavy topic, such as racism, you have to make sure to do it right. Even though this is labelled as a romance novel, racism was heavily discussed (as well as the topic of religion) and the entire premise is the story of an Anglo-Indian Bollywood director who falls for a white girl from bible-belt Nashville.

This book was just not for me. Beside the heavy religious aspect (which unfortunately shadowed the relationship) there were a few things that did not sit well with me and my review will contain a few minor spoilers.

Right off the bat, her friend Chloe is described as having “gorgeous black skin” and a “sassy attitude” within the same paragraph...common really? It is 2017, I thought we had done away with attaching the word “sassy” and/or “angry” to black women. This description is coming from the main character, Mary. Then, her Maori friend is described as having “beautiful mocha skin” in the next sentence.

Few pages later our heroine says:

“He was chatting with a young and impossibly beautiful Eastern-looking woman with flawless mocha skin."

Again with the mocha skin and also, is this an American thing? Using the term “Eastern-looking” is an absolutely terrible description. I asked my fiancé what he thought someone who was described as “Eastern-looking” was and he described someone of East Asian descent (i.e China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea), but the book is actually talking about the ethnic groups of South Asia (i.e Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka). Of course, because the main character is Anglo-Indian, the reader assumes that the girl he is talking to is as well but I have never heard the term “eastern-looking” before...

There is also one line that bothered me. Mary’s aunt is seen as less prejudice, less religious, and more worldly. Mary seems to go to her for advice and when she tells her about Simha she doesn’t say anything about him not being white. But then she says this:

Mary: “It was just one night, and he lives too far away. Besides, I don’t know the first thing about India.”

Aunt Sara: “Perhaps this is your opportunity to learn. You’ve always had a curiosity for the exotic.”

Ugh. Really is this going to be published in 2017? Diminishing someone as “exotic” is quite offensive. I mean just Google “calling people exotic”. Every article is something along the lines of “why calling someone exotic is racist”, “why calling me ‘exotic’ isn’t a compliment” and so on.

The Characters:

Unfortunately, the main character Mary Poser was very unlikeable. In a novel that deals with racism in bible-belt Nashville I get that some characters are going to say/do terrible things but you would hope the main character would stand up against any racism. Unfortunately she barely reacts to the racist comments made by her brother, boyfriend and mother (she just kind of huffs at them but doesn’t do anything) until the very end of the novel when she finally tells her mother off once, but this was not enough for me.

It was a bit embarrassing too, when at 98% of the novel Mary doesn’t know where Simha lives and just assumed he lived in India...because duh he is so “exotic”. He actually lives in London. If I was Simha I would have run for the hills by now.

The forced used of Alice saying “bro” was quite irritating. Yeah I get it is Kiwi slang. No need to shove it down my throat.

And then there is Mary’s mother who was just atrocious. It wasn’t just because she was openly racist and terribly old-fashioned but she had no redeeming quality. The first we hear about her is how she gossips with her church friends about her daughter being dumped and how Mary is going to be a spinster because of it. The worst of it is she acts horribly for the entire novel but in the epilogue, after Simha and Mary only dating for a month her mom is cooking vegetarian food and curry at their family dinners. A little unbelievable given the racist things she said just a month ago and now we are supposed to believe she is completely okay with her daughter dating Simha? It is a lovely thought and how the world should work, but too unbelievable for someone that ignorant to change within a month. I wish the author had shown real character development and explored the relationship between Mary and her mother.

The Romance:

I was very surprised that almost the entire novel has the heroine dating someone else (not Simha) and even gets engaged to him. I really don’t enjoy romance novels like this. She texts Simha throughout the novel but is in a relationship with someone else. Mary doesn’t tell Simha that she has a boyfriend and some of their conversations are definitely flirty. She gets engaged to this other guy at 75%.

I am not even sure I would classify this as a romance novel because we barely even see the heroine and hero together. Literally the book gets to 95% before she breaks up with her fiancé who is absolutely all wrong for her and he is a massive jerk and racist. He calls Simha a “curry-muncher” and Mary doesn’t break up with him on the spot....tell me again why Simha even likes her?

And the reason why Mary breaks up with fiancé was so dramatic and unbelievable. I think it was supposed to be "shocking" but the author did not write any credibility into the story to make this "shocking" conclusion plausible in my eyes. It just came out of nowhere.

Conclusion:

Besides the plot issues, the writing itself wasn’t great. I feel like the story could have been cut down significantly. There was way too much description and long winded conversations that had no real purpose. The text messages between Simha and Mary should have been emails because they were sometimes so ridiculously long. The pacing was also strange and the author mixed up present tense and past tense.

I was contacted on behalf of the publisher to review this through NetGalley. I am always grateful to receive ARCs in the exchange for an honest review and although I appreciate how difficult writing and publishing must be I cannot give this over one star.

|Featherbrained Books Blog | Twitter |

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angel A's Mary Poser, shows us that words and emotions are powerful tools.

Set in Nashville, the music capital of the USA, we follow Mary Poser, a 23-year-old daughter to a Baptist Pastor. When she meets exotic film director, Simha Das, her entire world and belief system is turned on its head. An entirely new woman emerges from within; a prospect that at first terrified Mary.

I found Mary's character to be endearing at times, though frustrating at others. She is certainly a stubborn young woman that has spent most of her life people pleasing the rest of the town. Strong quirks such as her repetitive cries of 'Oh Lordy' when nervous make her more lovable as the story continues.

In contrast, I found Simha Das' character to be a smooth and well-refined individual. He made for a complex and charming romantic interest that had my own heart beating in my ears.

Themes of societal expectation and change heavily influence this thrilling read. We learn the importance of what it means to find oneself and see the clever ways in which the author lays bare the human condition.

The writer's style is articulate and flows well, possessing a distinct voice in Mary's first-person narration. You will find a good mix of cultures, as well as a diverse range of characters throughout. The clarity of Angel's prose sings.

I adored the humorous and at times awkward, yet endearing moments between Mary and Simha, and was particularly fond of the insightful quotes regarding love that were used for each chapter heading.

Overall, Mary Poser made for a highly entertaining read that I believe has changed my life and the way that I view others. Rated 5/5 stars.

[Chitra Iyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The just released Mary Poser by Angel A, is a comfy, warm romance between a Nashville girl and an Indian film director. The first book by the author, Angel A doesn’t fail to impress us with her wordy and storytelling skills.

The story is about Mary Poser, the good Nashville bred daughter of the Poser household. Being the daughter of a Baptist pastor, she, along with her siblings, are brought up with strict Christian values (although not everyone conforms). A country music lover, Mary works towards helping the newly disabled people with housing services and makes sure they receive all amenities they deserve. It is when she attends the Nashville Film Festival with her besties, Alice and Chloe, that she bumps into the handsome Simha Das, an Indian filmmaker and they are instantly drawn towards each other. His charming and polite ways fascinate Mary and they spend some beautiful time together. After he leaves, Mary has a fatal accident. She is confused as her near death experience forces her to contemplate their relationship/friendship. Mary goes into a radio silence after a wonderful night with him on his return and Simha is left struggling for answers.

Mary Poser is a good love story between two people who are worlds apart. But their differences only bring them closer. The book is very well written, with extravagant details about the Christian way of life, which could have been condensed bit, in my opinion. The narrative is smooth and the characters well defined. The background detailing on Mary and Simha are adequately done. The book moves at a good pace with moments of helplessness, togetherness and fear thrown along in a beautiful romance which completes the picture.

I enjoyed reading the book, the romance and the ifs and buts that come with it. As mentioned earlier, it is well written and the characters remain with you long after you’ve finished the book. Especially Simha’s. One can hear his deep throated voice and feel his beautiful body through the words. That’s the magic that the author weaves, leaving us wanting for more.

The book is also being made into a movie. Yeah, that's right! Teasers of the same would soon be uploaded on the official website here.

Last word. Mary Poser is stimulating, exciting and gives you the warm fuzzies in the end. A satisfying feeling indeed! A good choice for romance lovers, go for it!

[Veronica Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book but had to put it away as it gives some intimate details that my husband might refer to as book porn. Very well written though and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Copy Courtesy of Netgalley

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was trying to find out more info about this book, the author and whatnot, I really enjoy reading about how authors got their start, interest, background, etc. etc. ... I was asked to read this book through NetGalley, I was trying to see when it will be available to the public and I only figured that out in the reviews on Goodreads, August 21, 2017 ... not sure if that is even true or just hearsay?? This is the 1st time I have read anything from or about this author. I was personally raised in the Methodist church, my Mom was raised Baptist ... I see a huge difference in both denomination ... not good or bad ... just different. I don't mean this to sounds rude or whatnot ... only how I saw it or a way to show differences ... Methodists are pretty strict (not really) but they follow a pretty strict way to pray, sing and how to do this or that. Where Baptists to me seem more dramatic or long winded ... now as I said ... this is only myself and only a few select churches I have been to or seen personally ... I am sure that other churches in these denominations could or are very different. Any who ... I enjoyed the read and found it very neat prescriptive or idea, thought! I would not hesitate in the future to pick up one of Angel A.'s book & give it a good read. Must read. If you have an open mind or interest in religious thoughts or stories. Fun read. ( ;

[Linda Morelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Poser, the daughter of a pastor and an overly religious mother, has her share of conflicting emotions. Her mother expects Mary to behave according to the religious standards her mother believes in, but this strict, overbearing attitude has created problems for Mary and has even affected her siblings. Mary feels the need to be a dutiful daughter and not cause any waves.

When Mary is out with friends, she meets Simha, a handsome Hindu Indian film maker. The attraction is instantaneous for them both, and soon Mary joins Simha in taking the relationship to the next level. Their relationship, however, creates inner turmoil for Mary. She has already disappointed her mother by breaking up with her boyfriend Jason, her brother’s best friend. While Mary’s father might be more understanding, Mary knows how her prejudiced mother would react if she knew Mary was dating someone from another culture and religion. But Mary cares deeply for Simha, believing that he reached out spiritually and saved her life when she nearly drowned. Yes, long-distance relationships don’t often survive, but love doesn’t follow strict guidelines. The result is a wonderful story that mixes love, friendship, family and even prejudice to create a truly entertaining read.

Please read my full review at: http://myshelf.com/romance/15/marypos...

[Leila Tualla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in the Bible belt, I can attest that there are people like Mrs. Poser: the critical mama, sassy Southern Baptist 'bless-your-heart' walking stereotype. In case you're not southern, 'bless your heart,' is a nice way of saying, 'oh, you must be some kind of stupid.'

And there are people like Mary: the dutiful one; "perfect" daughter. Also member of the 'bless your heart' club. She is her mother's daughter, at least, she tries, and pretends to be. We all know what happens when we try to fit into the boxes someone created for us.

When Simha Das, an Indian film director, begins to take Mary out of these boxes that she obediently put herself in, she starts to question and examine family loyalty, expectations, happiness, love, and faith.

This book was a blend in Southern hospitality that I'm familiar with, and a culture, and religion that I was not. I appreciate Angel A taking the time to reflect the differences between Hindu and Christianity. And bridging the gap of two seemingly different - and yet with some commonality - in a romantic love story wasn't lost on me.

This was a beautiful, if not irritating coupling. I was a bit frustrated in some of Mary's choices, but I understand that you have to wade and muddle your way through the waters.

This was a fun read! It takes an eloquent, and sexy director to turn a faithful country bumpkin into a mariposa.

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

More on Chill and read

Well, the American South is known for the Southern Belles, their fate and their racism, and all of these aspects are visible in this novel.

We have Mary Poser, a Southern belle, born to a religious family. Her father is a Baptist minister and her mother is such a religious person, that needs her three children to follow God’s rules line by line. Her mother was married right after high school and therefore judges her sister that hasn’t married yet, and her daughters and son for not having followed her footsteps yet. So she is very fond of Jason, Mary’s old boyfriend. Jason is Toby’s best friend. Toby is Mary’s brother and the two young men are on a country music band., whose biggest fan is Mary. But, Jason cheated on Mary and this is why the two of them broke up. Nobody really seems to care about this fact, but they are all willing to overlook

Mary has two friends, Chloe and Alice. Chloe is a gorgeous black woman with sassy attitude and is pursuing a career in acting. While Alice is Maori and has travelled in so many places, unlike Mary who hasn’t been anywhere! The three of them get along very well, even if Mary is always late at their meetings, or if at times it seems that Chloe cares only about herself. On one of those nights that they are out on a gala, supporting Chloe, the girls meet a couple of move producers and directors. One of them is Simha, an Indian director that is dazzled by Mary and the two of them connect instantly. They become fiends very soon and they keep in touch, despite being in different continents.

I wanted to really like this book, and I did, but not as much as I expected. I just could not understand Mary, who was trying to please everyone else, but never herself. She was trying to be the best daughter, the best Christian the best girlfriend to someone that was not supporting her and clearly did not love her. She didn’t really see the flaws on her mother’s behaviors. The woman did not care about her daughter’s happiness. She only cared about her daughter following her standards with respect to God and family. She was such a narrow minded person and a racist. And don’t get me started on Jason. He only cared about Mary when he learned that she met Simha, he cheated on her, let’s not forget that part… He wanted Mary to be on all his performances with the band, even if that meant that she would be all night alone at a noisy bar, waiting for him, just so she could applaud and make other people applaud too. They never went on dates, they never spent time together and this was supposed to be a romantic relationship!

While Simha on the other hand always sent her messages and gifts and took the time, through his busy schedule, to devote to their communication. He even flew back to the US for her. He truly had feelings for her and she for him, but she was always putting obstacles in their path, as she didn’t want to let herself enjoy what they could have.

I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t the right time for me to read this book, so others may enjoy it more.

Thank you to NetGalley & Angel’s Leap for an advance copy of this book. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

[Scherry at The Novel Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I have read by this author and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. This was more than just another romance book with a love triangle. It delved deep into friendships, family, bigotry, religion, and multi-cultural beliefs.

Living in Nashville, Tennessee her entire life, Mary Poser is the daughter of a Baptist minister and lives her life the way she is expected to behave, jumping through hoops for her family, friends and her boss.... until she catches a glimpse of the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her life and her life is turned upside down. When their eyes meet, chemistry explodes! But this man is from India, and is Hindu and is only in Nashville for the Film Festival. How can this relationship possibly have a chance?

After driving off a bridge and having a near death experience, life continues to get complicated for Mary. But her Aunt Sara has more insight than you can imagine as she explains why a butterfly shouldn't be helped out of a cocoon (chrysalis). She explains that "a butterfly needs to struggle within it to develop its wings, and then it needs to break out of the chrysalis by itself to get even stronger. If you open the chrysalis too early, the butterfly won't be ready. It won't be able to fly." This also seems to be true in Mary's life.

And struggle she does! Continuing to follow what her family expects of her, she is totally miserable. When she finally finds the strength within her to live her life as she chooses, many secrets are revealed.

Angel A. did a remarkable job explaining customs and beliefs in the Indian culture. I was fascinated reading every time Simha explained his culture to Mary. Very descriptive and the characters were very well developed.

The middle of the book dragged just a bit, but all in all, it was an awesome book!

* Disclosure: An advanced copy was provided by NetGalley and the Author for the sole purpose of providing an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

[Λίνα Θωμάρεη · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Lord ... This book could be better.
What I did not like:
First, the character of Mary. Mary was very anxious, she was very miserable, she had a very low self-esteem that led her to constant existential questions, and especially that it was about love, I wanted to take her head and bust her on the wall.

Second, too much unnecessary information. For Mary's family, Mary's girlfriends, Mary's aunt etc. (it did not need so much information, Jesus!!)

What I liked:

The story of Mary with Simha. Exotic but also traditional. Everyone with his culture and his deliveries that were so strange to my eyes as I do not come from a culture like their own. The story of love, which from one side I was nervous to Mary's attitude and I was running through Simha's attitude.

And also the Indian lyrics at the beginning of the chapters. Very beautiful and special...

3,5 stars !!!!

[Janay Brazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a joy to read. I love country music so that was a good start when it was set in Nashville and was mentioning a lot of my favourite country music artists. I loved the cultural differences explored in this book too and think it works as a great eye opener for some. Mary, the title character, was funny and endearing but at times she was also a little frustrating. Overall I really liked this book.

*This book was kindly sent to me through NetGalley, but the rating and review is completely my own opinion*

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I don’t love the description and I’m not sure I would have picked it up to read had I not received an invitation directly from NetGalley, which I had been wanting to join. I’m really glad I got past the sort of silly description and read the book!

I like to read books that speak to reality in an entertaining and enlightening way, and that’s exactly what this book does. Through Mary’s journey of self-discovery and her struggle to be true to herself rather than live the life expected of her, the author examines issues of religion, stereotypes and prejudice, and mental illness.

Some my favorite parts of the book, because they taught me the most, were the parts where the aforementioned Anglo Indian, Simha Das, explains his Hindu beliefs to Mary Poser, the Nashville girl. Knowing virtually nothing about Hinduism, I found a surprising amount of commonalities with Catholic Christianity. Even more interestingly to me, the things I found common to Catholicism were often the things Mary found most unlike her Baptist faith (particularly in the realm of sexuality).

The book is full of references to common stereotypes and prejudices. I’m not sure whether it makes the story more or less believable that Mary’s family manages to deal with all the hot-button issues: race, sexuality, religious beliefs. Mrs. Poser, Mary’s mother, is the character who embodies the majority of the unsavory behavior. She is a stereotype, while believing and perpetuating every stereotype about anyone unlike her. She’s pretty much insufferable, and though she comes around at the end I find her redemption a little too convenient.

Mary’s personal journey forms the basis of the story and is the most compelling part of the book. It has a very powerful metaphor in Mary’s inability to cross a particular bridge, and is full of lots of insights about a young girl trying to figure out who she is and how to find her own way in the world. While the outward issue is that Mary falls in love with an Indian Hindu man in Nashville (the horror!), Mary’s inner dialogue reveals her struggle with mental illness, particularly anxiety and self-harm. She feels she has a role to fulfil in life and struggles to allow herself the freedom to break out of the mold her upbringing has forced her into. The author, I think, does a superb job of illuminating the inner workings of an anxious mind through telling the story from Mary’s point of view. My only grievance is that I’m not satisfied with the resolution. While Mary has moments of clarity, she seems unable to actually recognize her anxiety issues (for example, she chafes at being prescribed medication for anxiety when she sees a doctor for recurring stomach issues); similarly, I feel the self-harm (specifically, cutting) issue is inadequately resolved and not given the weight it deserves.

One thing that sticks with me all these months later (that I didn’t have to reread my Kindle notes to remember) is a discussion Mary and Simha have about using the term “busy” as cover for “unhappy” when asked how one is doing – as in, “How have you been?” “Oh, you know… busy” – because “busy” seems important. I don’t think it’s an expression I’m guilty of using in that context, but it has caused me to reevaluate what it is that I’m “too busy” for, to make sure those things that truly matter don’t get lost.

I found the book entertaining, well-written, and to be an interesting cultural study. Best of all, I learned from it and it made me think.

[Lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a very interesting read for me as it opens up a world where religion or difference of faith matter more than having a complete happiness. I don't want to upset anyone by saying this, but the Divine, however we like to call it, has as purpose our happiness and will lead us to it at some point. With this, let’s get into my review.

Mary has always lived according her family's expectations, doing her best to maintain their confidence in her. Still, her heart has other plans. Meeting Simha Das had been a key moment for her, the moment she understood what it actually felt like to connect with someone. Simha's Hindu religion is definitely a disadvantage, where Mary's Christian upbringing represents the same for him. Except that, they both have to face distance and gossip.

I must admit, this book was a little out of my comfort zone and I was afraid to start it, thinking I may not enjoy it as much. However, I was quickly captured by the characters and the great writing, that I could not put it down. It touches several strong themes, like family, religion, love that can withstand miles and for that I believe it can be considered quite complex. From writing perspective, the way these themes blend into Mary and Simha’s story is amazing. The southern hospitality is very vivid and even the accent can be somehow felt through the pages. I could hear the characters talking while reading and for the that I can only appreciate it more. Also the funny lines made me smile more than once.

Mary and Simha are very well built, each showing respect for the others religion or customs. Simha shows some of the beautiful aspects of his religion, while Mary tries to show him her culture as well. They discover one another step by step and try to overcome two of the biggest obstacles in a relationship: distance and culture.

To summarize, I loved this book very much. I loved how the author combined all these sensitive themes and I definitely loved Mary. We get to experience her development as an individual and as a woman. Personally, this book gave me some courage to expand my horizon on another type of relationships and for that I am more than grateful.

I hope you enjoyed it as well 

[Danielle Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Poser by Angel A was the most interesting novel I have read in awhile. The culture and religious content Mad me even more curious. The entire story was entertaining. The main character, is in a sticky situation. Her parents want her to do what they want yet she's not happy...and what makes her happy is something they wouldn't want for her. However, she has to,learn for herself whether she wants to break free and be happy or live forever within the hold of her parents. Life is messy, complicated, and a major struggle after struggle. Here, Mary Poser has what I call the real life syndrome. Struggles are just a part of life. Mary is at a crossroads...and when she finally finds the courage to make a decision it will be beautiful. The tale lagged a bit at times but then picked up speed. Angel A created a realistic plot that readers can easily relate to...and feel connected to the characters. Overall, this story was a great read.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mix of fun and romance

Sometimes opposites attract, but when cultures attract and collide, something wonderful can happen. This book is a "recipe" for a wonderful story, and it's a lot of fun. Mary is one of those characters that you have to get used to, but she's a great one. She's stubborn, opinionated and just out right wonderful. This story gets rid of biased and brings together Mary and Simha. There can be that feeling of awkwardness which comes from any new relationship, and entering unchartered territory. It's what is unfamiliar that is most attractive. It's a great story and brings a lot of contrast. It's full of humor and softness, and where it could use a more diverse set of characters, it was a story that brings something to your heart.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. I really enjoyed this story. It's a read that flows and keeps moving. It's full of colorful characters and the storyline is fanciful and fun. It has romance, sex, music, and conflict. Nashville, Tennessee shines in this book. It's a great read for when you want to escape into a story, which is one of the reasons most of us read anyway.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary Poser by Angel A was enjoyable and addictive. Being a Nashville native, there were a few creative liberties that I noticed regarding my fair city, but the author truly captured the infectious qualities of a true Southern Belle. The events in this story were a bit improbable, but it was a fun, lighthearted read. I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.

[Susan Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A recipe for a fun and colourful read! Lots of humour, drama and witty life choices, it truly made Mary Poser an entertaining book!

Here's my full review:
https://sholeesphere.blogspot.com/201...

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read about Mary Poser, a Nashville woman with a small town upbringing. She happens to meet Simha, an Indian film director, and opposites attract but will their upbringing and different lifestyles keep them apart? It was a fun read!

[Jami · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting tale that held my attention all the way through. Great plot, twists and turns & the writing kept me hopping! Thanks for the opportunity with this ARC!

[Gabby Crehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many readers will identify with this fabulous book's main character, Mary Poser, a young social worker from the Nashville bible belt, whose default behaviour mode is to try to please everyone, her friends, her selfish boyfriend, her over-powering mother, everyone in fact except herself. Her story takes the reader through her rollercoaster journey of every escalating and often entertaining dilemmas and denials in following her heart and her passion for Simha, a handsome, spiritual, Hindu moviemaker, or doing what she feels is her duty and expected of her by marrying her home town, country music singing boyfriend. Her story includes issues of racial and religious prejudice, social acceptability, anxiety and self harm, which all roll towards a wonderful final crescendo of awakening and liberation. A riveting read and hard to put down.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truely amazing book, that was difficult to put down! Perfect for the young adult age group. Definitely recommend it for anyone interested in the crazy and amazing world of love, romance and heartbreak.
Angel has done an incredible job of capturing the sparks, the moments, the life changing milliseconds that have the ability to alter entire lives, yet inherently change a person and everything they believe in.
Capturing the essence of love is highly visible in the text, with other elements gaining the readers attention throughout the story, such as religion and the search for ones true identity. Overall, a beautifully written novel.

[Emmie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like bashing books. But I have to say, I did not click with this book. Firstly the synopsis was nothing at all like the book. I started reading expecting humour and a light hearted read full of Bollywood fun. It had its moments, but I thought it was just false advertising.

For at least the first half of this book I thought that Mary Poser was aptly named. I did not like her as a character at all. Immature, judgemental and with no backbone and so incredibly whiny. It was only near the end of the book that I realised a few things, but unfortunately it was too little too late.

This book, in a different packaging has some important messages to impart. It deals with relevant issues like racism, self harming and religious biast. But in my opinion this was not enough to save the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

[K-BRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Poser: Butterflies and white lies as Bollywood comes to Nashville by Angel A was delightful! As a former Nashville resident, this tickled my fancy. I loved this multicultural fiction. Recommend this novel!

[Ambrosia Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Posted first over at The Purple Booker

I went into this book really excited. The idea of combining Nashville and Bollywood really had my attention of course as often happens when I go into a book with high expectations I was left a little bit flat. I did enjoy the book however, it might not be a rereader for me but it was enjoyable for the most part.

What we have here is a basic boy meets girl story with a little twist thrown in for measure. Mary is your fairly standard run of the mill Daughter of a pastor, who seems to fight that yolk a bit in her life. Then you have, the more colorful and "exotic" Simha. There are of course all the things that go along with a white Christian girl and a non white non Christian man going on around in the book. I think for me personally the biggest problem is while the subjects are there, they are only on the surface. We as the reader never really get to dig deeply into any of the subject matter. Mary was also a little bit hard to connect to for me. I did feel a connection with Simha though, and I think overall that is what saved this for me.

So the bottom line for me, not a terrible read, but not a great one. Take a look at it and maybe see if it is your cup of tea.

I was given an advanced copy of this book to read through Net Galley, all the opinions are my own and honest.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review**

Unfortunately this book was not for me, This story was all about Mary Poser the title of this book by Angel A. Her undecisive nature when she meets film director Simha Das, and should she or shouldn't she actions, then with her controlling Ex Jason, as she's corresponding with Simha long distant, goes out with him and he thinks he is now her boyfriend.

At times she was quite funny, but too much in the religion, when it should have been more about the romance between them.

[Aman Mittal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angel A’s Mary Poser is set in Nashville in which we follow the protagonist, Mary Poser, a 23 year old daughter of a Pastor falls in love with an Anglo-Indian Bollywood director. It tries to offer a recipe that combines fun, humorous, dramatic romance and bold life choices to make this an entertaining one.

There is not much in the story line to discuss apart from what I mentioned before, and I will continue till we reach the verdict. This book is written in first person narrative with reader being constantly engaged with the main character. The storyline is devoted quite heavily on the religious aspects which at some point can be uninteresting for a reader to be engaged with it. The narrative flow and pace of the plot is addictive and well groomed. 

I appreciate the way Angel A. has injected humorous elements in the plot as well as the endearing moments between the two characters, Mary and the Bollywood director which are the particular highlights of the this book in the particular genre of Romance.

There aren’t much plot issues apart from the religious one. The characters are not that strongly blended as I expected after having a good plot. The theme of outcasting and racism could have been portrayed in a better manner than the way they are reflected, may be then, the love between characters would have been a bit stronger.

The author’s writing is flawless and very up to the mark. Her style does posses a distinct voice in the form of first-person narration. Good blend of cultures, well researched on this point, I have to say and a very diverse approach to the particular genre. I appreciate her work on this behalf.

Nonetheless, if you are fan of romance-fiction genre, you might consider reading this book since it certainly brings a new texture in terms of the plot, a different kind of approach that is trying to break into the American Fiction literature for some time now.

3 out of 5!

[Gata Leitora / Cat reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary is the type of girl created to be perfect, the daughter of a Pastor and with a strict and prejudiced mother, she does everything to please Everyone, even if she needs to suffer. She is beautiful, intelligent, has her own home but can not get rid of the stigma that she can not fail.
Simha is the typical enchanted prince, romantic and mysterious, he is enchanted by the sweet Mary and even having just come out of a loving disappointment, he is one more to cast his expectations on Mary and decides that he needs to know her better
The two meet at a Film Festival, Simha is an independent Bollywood film director and decides to film an adaptation of Persuasion in Nashville causing a revolution in the city and Mary's family.
This was a book that made me split because I both liked some points and I hated others. The way the writer presented Mary and her doubts was very good, I myself in some points because I also grew up in the church and I suffered many pressures to always be the Perfect Girl. At several moments, I understood her posture and felt sorry for the girl.
What I did not like about her behavior was the fact that at the crucial time when she had to decide what to do, she just shut up and only expressed her feelings and frustrations to the family because someone else took the lead and also manifested a fact. At this point, I found her very weak and irritating.
Another point I did not like was that the writer stereotyped some characters and attitudes of others in a very pejorative way, but I even understand that she wanted to show that in reality people first judge without knowing or seeking to know others.
The epilogue also did not please me at some points, I do not think Mary's mother would need to behave like her sister to show that she changed her mind, but that was the writer's decision.
I loved too much the scene that generated the cover, the idea that the writer had in how to show Mary the feeling in my point of view was perfect.
3 / 5stars

[Alceste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angel A’s Mary Poser is set in Nashville in which we follow the protagonist, Mary Poser, a 23 year old daughter of a Pastor falls in love with an Anglo-Indian Bollywood director. It tries to offer a recipe that combines fun, humorous, dramatic romance and bold life choices to make this an entertaining one.

There is not much in the story line to discuss apart from what I mentioned before, and I will continue till we reach the verdict. This book is written in first person narrative with reader being constantly engaged with the main character. The storyline is devoted quite heavily on the religious aspects which at some point can be uninteresting for a reader to be engaged with it. The narrative flow and pace of the plot is addictive and well groomed. 

I appreciate the way Angel A. has injected humorous elements in the plot as well as the endearing moments between the two characters, Mary and the Bollywood director which are the particular highlights of the this book in the particular genre of Romance.

There aren’t much plot issues apart from the religious one. The characters are not that strongly blended as I expected after having a good plot. The theme of outcasting and racism could have been portrayed in a better manner than the way they are reflected, may be then, the love between characters would have been a bit stronger.

The author’s writing is flawless and very up to the mark. Her style does posses a distinct voice in the form of first-person narration. Good blend of cultures, well researched on this point, I have to say and a very diverse approach to the particular genre. I appreciate her work on this behalf.

Nonetheless, if you are fan of romance-fiction genre, you might consider reading this book since it certainly brings a new texture in terms of the plot, a different kind of approach that is trying to break into the American Fiction literature for some time now.

3 out of 5!