Garden Spells

Garden Spells
by
Sarah Addison Allen
Romance fiction

I read a glowing review of a different Sarah Addison Allen book, but I thought I would go back and read her first book to see what she had to offer.
This book features sisters who grew up in North Carolina. One embraced her family's home and traditions, while the other couldn't wait to "get out of Dodge". Now the prodigal sister has returned, running from her abusive spouse. The sisters both need to break out of their routines and learn to fully live again. One needs to settle down some and one needs to be shaken up some.
The book features some "light" mysticism/mythology about herb lore in a way reminiscent of Sharyn Crumb or Phyllis Whitney.
This is a nice, warm, comfortable book which would be excellent for summer reading - preferably while sitting on a bench in a shady herb garden under an apple tree.

Here are some other books that the author recommends:
http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/faq.html

Marrying Anita: A Quest for Love in the New India

Marrying Anita: A Quest for Love in the New India
by
Anita Jain
Adult nonfiction, autobiography.
Anita grew up in the U. S. to parents who were born in India. She has always felt that she was part of both worlds and neither. As she ages, passing 21, 25, then the dreaded 30 her parents wonder if she will ever settle down with a nice Indian American boy. Anita thinks that she probably wants to get married and have children, but is not willing to settle for just anyone. She needs someone who is her equal. Wanted: modern, well educated, articulate, fun loving Indian or Indian American man, cast no bar (barrier).
Anita has a Harvard education and has worked all over the world. She isn't the most beautiful woman, but she is reasonably attractive. She has plenty of friends and has had a number of boyfriends. She decides to look for a man in India while working as a journalist. She tries classified ads, friends of friends, distant relatives, men off the street, men from bars, straight friends of gay friends. Will one of them be Mister Right?
In some ways, Anita is so liberated, but in so ways her situation is very sad. This is a fascinating study about how courtship has lost its way in the twenty first century. It could certainly be included in a sociology reading list about feminism, marriage, and the immigrant experience. One could compare and contrast this case study published in 2008 with those published 20 years before, 50 years before, etc. Maybe in 2029 someone will compare it to an autobiography written in 2028.
I found myself cheering for Anita to have a happy ending, but at the same time I questioned if she was too picky or not committed in her search.
Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match...