Never Meant to Stay

A Novel

By: Trisha Das

Narrated by: Ulka Mohanty

A bighearted romantic comedy about family and finding the perfect match set against the exuberant backdrop of contemporary Delhi.

Home has always been a temporary arrangement for Samara Mansingh, a wayfaring wedding photographer and the daughter of a diplomat. When her father is uprooted once again, Samara needs a place to stay in Delhi. Next stop: the Khanna family. Samara’s memories of the Khannas are vague at best, but she doesn’t remember their home feeling so much like a war zone. And the last thing their surly eldest son, Sharav, wants is a houseguest eavesdropping on the chaos.

Sharav has a melodramatic sister pushing back on an arranged marriage, a withdrawn lead-singer brother who won’t sing, and a widowed mother hiding her grief in the garden. Sweeping into the household like a tornado, irrepressible Samara is a practically perfect distraction. She has a mind to help a girl find true love, push a young man to find his voice, and bring a lonely and loving widow out of mourning. Maybe Samara can even get on Sharav’s ruggedly handsome good side.

The only sure thing is that the Khanna family will never be the same again. Neither will Samara, who may finally find what she’s been missing her entire life: a home.

©2023 Trisha Das (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“This quick-paced and refreshing tale will have readers rooting for Samara and Sharav’s love story—and for the entire Khanna clan.”—Publishers Weekly

“Filled with quirky and lovable characters and sexual chemistry so hot it will leave you breathless. Unputdownable and delightful—a must read!”—Sonali Dev, bestselling author of The Vibrant Years

“Never Meant to Stay is a sumptuously layered feast for the senses—part fam-dram, part romance. Trisha Das portrays Indian family dynamics with thoughtful, tender care, especially the ways in which love gets tangled up with past hurts, romantic relationships, and familial and societal expectations. As much about belonging as it is falling in love, Never Meant to Stay follows Samara Mansingh, a transient Mary Poppins-esque heroine who (unlike Poppins herself) is very much meant to stay. Das writes the Khanna family with empathy and warmth, from their squabbles to the fierce way they claim Samara as one of their own. Das’s Delhi setting bursts onto the page with vibrancy, with almost every chapter liberally sprinkled with dishes you’ll salivate for. You’ll gobble up this book.”—Lillie Vale, author of Wrapped with a Beau and The Shaadi Set-Up

Perfection

This book gave exactly what I wanted. Lovely rom com. Plus an amazing interpretation of a beautiful culture!

Fun and easy

Fun and easy story about a family’s journey to their happiness. The characters a relatable and fun.

Cute Read

Really enjoyed this quick audiobook. The story was cute and I enjoyed the banter. Perfirmance was good and yhe voice for Nanita was sooo annoying as it should be! It was a nice break from my usual high fantasy and mafia reads.

Fantastic read!

This vibrantly written book captured all of the colors of the country where it took place. The characters all had depth and were richly interwoven with eachother. It was a beautiful story about the love of family and the ties that bind!

Very enjoyable, great narration!

Fun, romance story with interesting insight into Indian weddings. Narration is enjoyable, would definitely recommend.

Swoon Fest

I loved this book so much. I am a hopeless romantic and was looking for a light fun read and this book had all of the elements! I looooved the voice actor, she made me feel like I was sitting on the couch as one of the Khanna's. The angst and love of Sharav and Samara was pure magic. It was funny and joyful and made me yell at some of the characters and roll my eyes. It keeps you on edge right until the end and ties up with a beautiful bow. If you love romance novels, you will enjoy this one!

Fun Retelling of a Fave Regency Classic

I really enjoyed this modern spin on Georgette Heyer’s Grand Sophie. I really liked the setting in Indian culture, which in general I find so fascinating.

Although I didn’t find reference to Grand Sophie in the book’s description, the overarching plot structure is nearly identical.

It’s a cute, sweet, slightly spicy romp through modern Delhi.

Fiesta Fun!

Loved the setting and characters. Standard romance framework that was greatly enhanced by the author’s development. All the characters, not just the main love interests, had distinct personalities. There were a few spots that were repetitious page padding. Overall I enjoyed it, am in a much happier frame of mind and look forward to reading more of Ma. Dad’ work.

great clean book

I really enjoyed reading this author.  I look forward to reading more books by this author in the near future.

Loved it!

I love this romantic, funny story. Great story telling, predictable happily ever after. First time reading a story about an Indian family.