What A Happy Family
Berkley, 2021
Agent: Jessica Watterson
Nestled in the suburbs of Atlanta, a family learns the funniest punchlines can hide the hardest truths in this evocative women’s fiction novel from the author of Well-Behaved Indian Women
From the outside, the Joshi family is the quintessential Indian-American family. Decades ago, Bina and Deepak immigrated to America, where she became a pillar of their local Indian community and he, a successful psychiatrist. Their eldest daughter, Suhani, is following the footsteps of her father’s career and happily married. Natasha, their middle daughter, is about to become engaged to the son of longtime family friends. And Anuj, their son—well he’s a son and what could be better than that?
But a family scandal shows that nothing is as it seems. Bina’s oldest friendship starts to unravel and she finds herself as an outsider in the community she helped build. Suhani discovers that her perfect marriage isn’t as solid as she thought. Natasha faces a series of rejections that send her into a downward spiral.
As they encounter public humiliation, gossiping aunties, and self-doubt, the Joshi family must rely on each other like never before. But sometimes, family has to fall apart in order to come back stronger than before.
Accolades:
An Emily Giffin Book Club Pick for July 2021
A Good Housekeeping Book Club Pick for July 2021
Reviews:
"[A] sweet, funny, and deeply touching novel" - Good Housekeeping
“The narrative is thoroughly propulsive, and Dave writes intelligently about the universality of shame, disappointment, and living to please others while simultaneously sharing the unique experiences of a first-generation Desi family” - Publisher's Weekly
“This contemporary Indian American family drama with a strong dose of psychology will have readers rooting for the characters despite their human shortcomings.” - Library Journal
“A wise and moving portrait of an Indian-American family. Saumya Dave renders the Joshi family with such warmth and tenderness — yet never shies away from the complicated truths. A full, big hearted novel.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & the Six
“In her wonderful follow up to Well-Behaved Indian Women, Saumya Dave is quickly becoming a go-to author for complex stories of love, relationships and family, all told with her now trademark humor and heart.”—Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing
"Dave writes insightful, compelling characters who readers fall in with and root for on their journeys balancing love, family, mental health, careers, and belonging. What a Happy Family is a vivid portrait of family life and I was captivated by the stories of the Joshi clan from the very first page."—Sonya Lalli, author of Serena Singh Flips the Script
“Evocative and nuanced, Saumya Dave’s latest novel, What a Happy Family, captures the tenderness of first and second generation immigrant family life, while providing an empathetic portrait of generational trauma and its impact on mental health. I fell in love with the Joshi family, and enjoyed every step of their journey back to each other!”—Uzma Jalaluddin, author of Hana Khan Carries On
"Saumya Dave beautifully depicts the weaknesses and strengths of a complex and flawed family, while bringing multiple compelling perspectives to mental health issues."—Jane Igharo, author of Ties That Tether