By iamsandykay on June 10, 2026 ( Leave a comment )

Book Review – Late Bloomers

Late Bloomers
by Deepa Varadarajan

Book Description:

After thirty-six years of a dutiful but unhappy arranged marriage, recently divorced Suresh and Lata Raman find themselves starting new paths in life. Suresh is trying to navigate the world of online dating on a website that caters to Indians and is striking out at every turn—until he meets a mysterious, devastatingly attractive younger woman who seems to be smitten with him. Lata is enjoying her newfound independence, but she’s caught off guard when a professor in his early sixties starts to flirt with her.

Meanwhile, Suresh and Lata’s daughter, Priya, thinks her father’s online pursuits are distasteful even as she embarks upon a clandestine affair of her own. And their son, Nikesh, pretends to have a seemingly perfect marriage with his law-firm colleague and their young son, but hides the truth of what his relationship really entails. Over the course of three weeks in August, the whole family will uncover one another’s secrets, confront the limits of love and loyalty, and explore life’s second chances.

Charming, funny, and moving, Late Bloomers introduces a delightful new voice in fiction with the story of four individuals trying to understand how to be happy in their own lives—and as a family.

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My Take:

SK Book Review - Book Review - Late Bloomers Book Graphic

Written as a 4-person POV, it was thoroughly enjoyable because EACH POV was truly unique, down to the attitudes.

This story is told from all four members of the family – mom, dad, sister, and brother. EACH point of view has its own tone, attitude, rhythm, and personality. It really felt like you were sitting with each member of the family. Often you would notice that one of the kids would say or act like their parents – just as any child would – and you’d see the parents picking up on some of the things the children do. It was really amazing to see and when you caught those nuances, it just made the story all the better.

Starts off frustrating – because the characters are so, but draws you in until you want to shake each one to help them see the path forward.

This was a great, raw view into the life of this family and how each are struggling in their own way. Much like a beloved family member – as a reader I wanted to grab each one (at different times) and ask them “What do you think you are doing?!?!” These characters were well created and they felt like real individuals on the brink of making life-altering decisions. So many emotions are felt throughout the book and the author did a great job immersing the reader in the story that I couldn’t put the book down.

The Final Verdict

My rating: 4 stars

Would I recommend? Yes

A quick read about a family who learns from each other, faces difficulties together (in the long run), and learns (together) that honesty actually can solve a lot of your problems.