Goldberg & Patterson”The Bollywood Lover’s Club” (Reviewed by Conor Hilton)

Title: The Bollywood Lover’s Club
Author: James Goldberg, Janci Patterson
Publisher: Garden Ninja Books
Genre: Fiction/YA
Year Published: 2021
Number of Pages: 286 pages
Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 979-8525195578

Price: $16.99

James Goldberg and Janci Patterson’s The Bollywood Lover’s Club is a delightful YA exploration of young love and identity. I’ve read a handful of James’ other works and enjoyed all of them, but this was my introduction to Janci Patterson, who works with James to bring a light, breeziness to the writing that fits the genre that the book is working in.

The story centers on two characters, who take turns as our point-of-view narrator (the shifts are clearly signaled at the chapter breaks, though I occasionally was reading through the breaks a bit too quickly and missed them, though it usually became clear who was narrating after a sentence or two). Dave is a Mormon in Ohio with Sikh heritage. Amrita is Sikh, grew up in California, and recently moved to Ohio. Amrita and Dave meet as the school year begins and the story moves forward from there.

I really enjoyed the way that the book engages with a variety of fairly complicated topics and ideas, without verging into melodrama or feeling like it was blowing the conflicts out of proportion. Both Dave and Amrita have a deep affection for their families, their faiths, and their Indian-American identity, and this affection is what drives them and some of the conflict. James and Janci dig into what it means to figure out who you are, with so many different (and sometimes competing) aspects of your identity. All while exploring young love and telling a delightful love story.

Readers of most ages (young teens and up, I’d say) can find something to enjoy here. I would have loved to read a book with two faithfully religious characters as a youth, so I’m glad that this is out there. There’s a care and attention to detail throughout for both Dave’s Mormonism and Amrita’s Sikhism, which adds depth and affection to the story. The ending is quite satisfying, even as it took me somewhat by surprise. A great summer read.