Imaginary Men

August 15, 2005
A desperate lie leads to true love in Banerjee's predictable but fun debut. At the Kolkata, India, wedding of her younger sister, Indian-American matchmaker Lina, who lives in San Francisco, gets so fed up with her great-aunt's talk of arranged marriages that she tells everyone she's already engaged. Too bad Lina isn't even dating anyone, much less the rich, cosmopolitan fellow named Raja she claims as her fiancé (she invents him, based on the real Raja Presad, a prince she met at her sister's wedding). In what becomes a Bridget Jones's Diary
meets Monsoon Wedding
–style escapade, Lina must find the Mr. Right she's supposed to already have. Enter a series of humorously awful first-and-last dates. When the real Prince Raja drops by, seeking a match for his brother, Lina's day job takes a turn for the personal. Is it possible that Raja could actually be the One? Could Lina's California lifestyle ever meld with that of a wealthy Indian prince? Besides, with his home in India and antiquated views on women, Raja is hardly interested in Lina as his real-life betrothed—or is he? Of course he is! Banerjee's prose is workmanlike, but at least her narrator isn't afflicted with the logorrhea so many other chick-lit heroines suffer from, which makes this a quick, enjoyable read. Agent, Winifred Golden
.

August 15, 2005
Professional matchmaker Lina's loving Bengali family wants to see her married off -and soon. The problem is, she hasn't yet gotten over her boyfriend's tragic death two years earlier. Unwittingly, she gets herself into trouble at her sister's wedding in India, where she blurts out that she is already engaged to a mystery man in order to deflect her aunt's badgering. When she returns home to San Francisco, she gets into the matchmaking business for herself, but never sees the "shimmering thread" of romance she is famous for recognizing in other meant-to-be couples. Instead, she fantasizes about Raja, a prince she met at the wedding, but fears he may be looking for a more traditional Indian wife. When the family comes together for her father's birthday and everyone wants to meet her imaginary fiancé , Lina must finally get a grip on reality. This contemporary romance by Banerjee ("Maya Running") is a light, romantic tale with an authentic ethnic twist. Purchase for libraries with a strong Indian population or where romance is popular. -Rebecca Vnuk, River Forest P.L., IL

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2005
Chick-lit meets Bollywood in this charming novel about a professional matchmaker who finally meets her match. Lina Ray loves her job and her life in San Francisco, but hasn't let anyone into her life since her fiance died. At her younger sister's wedding, Lina responds to her family's pressure to marry by inventing a fiance. Her family is soon eagerly awaiting an introduction to this imaginary man. Meanwhile, a prince comes into her life--literally. Prince Raja enlists Lina to find a wife for his brother, but they're finding themselves more interested in each other than in the matchmaking process. This fairy-tale-like story is filled with vivid descriptions of Indian customs that will enchant readers. Banerjee ably captures Lina's struggles with tradition and modernity in her interactions with her family. Avid readers of contemporary Indian literature may find this novel too light, but chick-lit enthusiasts will snap it right up.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)