Anoop Judge’s
WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING TOUR
OF
Mercy and Grace
Fiction / Historical fiction / Romance
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: September 19, 2023
ISBN-10: 1662509219 / ISBN-13: 978-1662509216
ASIN: B0BQNBFVBR
Print Length: 283 pages
SYNOPSIS:
At twenty-one years old, Gia Kumari finally leaves the Delhi orphanage where she was raised. With few prospects for the future, she receives an unexpected invitation from a stranger named Sonia Shah, in San Francisco: an internship at Sonia’s weddings and event company. Jia and America. It’s love at first sight as she navigates an unfamiliar but irresistible new world of firsts.
It’s Gia’s first real job: her first meeting with her only known family, her uncle Mohammed Khan, and her first romance, with Sonia’s quirky yet charming stepson, Adi. But it might be too good to be true. Gia’s newfound happiness is unfolding in the shadow of a terrible family secret, the impact of which is still being felt in a place Gia now calls home. To save what matters most, Gia must come to terms with a tragic past she’s only beginning to understand—and a lifetime of lies she must learn to forgive.
CLICK TO PURCHASE!
| Amazon | Apple Books | Audible |
| Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Indigo |
REVIEW:
5 stars!
Emotional and satisfying story!
Mercy and Grace by Anoop Judge is the emotional and satisfying story of a young Indian woman raised in an orphanage who is given the opportunity to find a better life for herself in San Francisco. She soon discovers her good fortune is tied to the long-held secrets of her birth.
The story unfolds in two timelines, and with them, author Anoop Judge brings to the page two unforgettable characters in Gia Kumari and Saumya Pandey. Both have heart-wrenching early lives, which they overcome, with Saumya becoming ambitious and successful but wary, insular, and somewhat cold, and Gia retaining a naïve optimism and hope for the future. The plot twists as the timelines converge and long-held secrets are finally revealed.
The story is abundant with rich descriptions of Indian culture: traditions, practices, food, and clothing. The author paints vivid pictures with colors, scents, and textures, giving readers a feeling of seeing it all firsthand. I thoroughly enjoyed Gia’s introduction to San Francisco and American life and her dedicated posting of all her new experiences on Instagram with their absolutely perfect hashtags. I laughed out loud over so many clever comments. But there is drama and trauma, too, as tragic events unfolded and several characters were left to live on, victims of collateral damage.
With a strong and endearing main character and compelling plot, I recommend MERCY AND GRACE to readers of fiction, women’s and historical fiction.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born and raised in New Delhi, Anoop is the author of four novels, THE RUMMY CLUB which won the 2015 Beverly Hills Book Award, THE AWAKENING OF MEENA RAWAT, an excerpt of which was nominated for the 2019 Pushcart Prize, NO ORDINARY THURSDAY, and MERCY and GRACE.
Her essays and short stories have appeared in Green Hills Literary Lantern, Rigorous Journal, Lumiere Review, DoubleBack Review, and the Ornament anthology, among others.
Anoop calls herself a “recovering litigator” —she worked in state and federal courts for many years before she replaced legal briefs with fictional tales. She holds an MFA from St. Mary’s College of California and was the recipient of the 2021 Advisory Board Award and the 2023 Alumni Scholarship.
She lives in Pleasanton, California, with her husband, and is the mother of two admirable young adults.
| Amazon | Facebook | Instagram |
| LinkedIn | Twitter (X) |
BLOG TOUR LINKS:
February 12th @ The Muffin – Join us as we celebrate the launch of Anoop Judge’s book Mercy and Grace. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of her book.
February 13th @ Rockin Book Reviews – Visit Lu Ann’s blog for her review of Mercy and Grace. You can also win a copy of the book.
February 15th @ The Shaggy Shepherd – Visit Isabelle’s blog for a guest post by Anoop about creating compelling characters.
February 16th @ What is That Book About – Join Michelle for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
February 17th @ Silver’s Review – Visit Elizabeth’s blog for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
February 19th @ A Wonderful World of Books – Visit Joy’s blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about Indian wedding traditions.
February 21st @ Jill Sheets’ blog – Visit Jill’s blog for an interview with author Anoop Judge.
February 22nd @ Knotty Needle – Check out Judy’s blog for her review of Mercy and Grace.
February 25th @ Chapter Break – Visit Julie’s blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about her journey from litigator to writer.
February 27th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews & Interviews – Join Lisa for her interview with Anoop Judge about her writing journey.
February 29th @ The Faerie Review – Join Lily for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
March 1st @ World of My Imagination – Join Nicole for her book review of Mercy and Grace.
March 3rd @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion – Join Linda for her in-depth interview with Anoop Judge about her book Mercy and Grace.
March 4th @ One Writer’s Journey – Visit Sue’s blog for her review of Mercy and Grace by Anoop Judge.
March 5th @ Word Magic – Join Fiona’s blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about managing the call with a literary agent.
March 7th @ A Storybook World – Join Deirdra for her spotlight of Mercy and Grace.
March 10th @ Michelle Cornish’ blog – Visit Michelle’s blog for her review of Mercy and Grace.
March 12th @ Plain Spoken Pen – Join Lisa for her review of Mercy and Grace.
March 13th @ Sara Trimble’s blog – Join Sara for her review of Mercy and Grace. You also have the chance to win a copy of the book too!
March 15th @ Choices – Visit Madeline’s blog for a guest post by Anoop Judge about writing your way through grief.
March 17th @ Boys’ Moms Reads! – Visit Karen’s blog for her review of Mercy and Grace by Anoop Judge.
March 17th @ Nikki’s Book Reviews – Visit Nikki’s blog for a review of Mercy and Grace.
Boys' Mom Reads! 