The Vibrant Years

A Novel

By: Sonali Dev, Mindy Kaling - introduction

Narrated by: Deepti Gupta, Soneela Nankani, Anita Kalathara

“Bursting with humor, banter, and cringeworthy first dates, Sonali Dev’s The Vibrant Years is a joyful and fun read, but it’s also very much a timely tale about a group of underestimated women demanding respect and embracing their most authentic selves.”—Mindy Kaling

Living on their own terms means being there for one another.

When sixty-five-year-old Bindu Desai inherits a million dollars, she’s astounded—and horrified. The windfall threatens to expose a shameful mistake from her youth. Desperate to keep the secret, Bindu quickly spends it on something unexpected: a condo in a posh retirement community in Florida.

The impulsive decision blindsides Bindu’s daughter-in-law, Aly. At forty-seven, Aly still shares a home with Bindu even after her divorce from Bindu’s son. But maybe this change is just the push Aly needs to fight for the segment she’s been promised for years at the news station where she works.

As Bindu and Aly navigate their new dynamic, Aly’s daughter, Cullie, is faced with losing the business that made her a tech-world star. The only way to save it is to deliver a new idea to her investors—and of course they want the half-baked dating app she pitched them in a panic. Problem is, Cullie has never been on a real date. Naturally, enlisting her single mother and grandmother to help her with the research is the answer.

From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt novel about three generations of hilarious, unconventional, ambitious women navigating bad dates, a spiteful HOA board, reemerging exes, and secrets that refuse to remain hidden. Join the Desai women on a shared journey of self-discovery as they dare to live their most vibrant lives.

©2022 Sonali Dev (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Narrators Deepti Gupta, Soneela Nankani, and Anita Kalathara come together to represent three generations of the Desai clan.… With this hilarious cast of characters and the matching range of talented narrators, listeners are in for a rollicking treat. Gupta, Nankani, and Kalathara provide great contrasts to one another as the three women fight for their happiness with wit and humor.”—AudioFile Magazine

“Bindu is a wise, sexy woman and [Deepti] Gupta delivers a well-paced southeast Indian accent. [Soneela] Nankani brings her smoky voice to the recording, her intonations varying with the text. [Anita] Kalthara’s Cullie reflects the character's forthrightness and intensity. The three narrators do an excellent job mirroring each others’ developed characters as well as setting the mood. Fans will eat it up, and those drawn in by the cover's ‘Mindy's Book Studio’ sticker will love Kaling's introduction too.”—Booklist

“Deepti Gupta's portrayal of Bindu as a woman of a certain age with plenty of buried regrets has the most emotional resonance. Gupta's audacious style drives the twisty narrative forward. Soneela Nankani's Aly is gentler and more cautious but provides a solid background to the wilder actions of her daughter and mother-in-law. Anita Kalathara brings out both Cullie's deep anxieties and her unspoken longing tor romance. The three voices interact well, creating a vibrant tapestry.”—Library Journal

Good book of three generations of women.

I'm not sure how accurate the Indian culture representations were. But I found the book intriguing and in some ways a mystery. I would recommend as a light read but uncertain of the correct genre.

regarding the performance I had some trouble at times understanding what was said. I believe the narrative was good for the story. Perhaps more of an issue of my older ears having trouble with Indian accent

Fun read.

Tells of Indian culture and women’s rights in America. Colorful characters and interesting plot. Enjoy.

Great story, bad narration

The story was great, entertaining and inspiring, but the narration almost ruined it for me. In the sample you hear the best of the three narrators. The second narrator is passable, but the third made me cringe every time the story switched to her. My advice is to read this one in book form.

Brilliant

Such a lovely tale of the love and relationships of generations. Enjoyed listening to this.👍

So good! Fun to listen to

This was a delightful story, well told. Can’t wait to hear what Mindy recommends next!

Just ok

This really dragged on and on for me. Lots of stereotypes, and predictable story. The narration was good so at least that.

Nice change

This book was an unexpected pleasure,as I was expecting just another romcom, The Vibrant Years had a lot of thought and meaning. I really enjoyed the characters and each of their personalities and challenges.
Looking forward to listening or reading another one Sonali Dev books. Thank you Sonali

Strong and loveable characters

A good fast moving story, with interesting relatable female characters but I can’t get over how annoying the narration is. Cully sounds like a whiny robot; Ally sounds whiny too. And all the male characters (especially Richard and Lee) has a slow growling sleaziness about them. The intonation does not do justice to the characters nor add to their likability.

A Woman Who Turns Heads After 60

I’ve enjoyed all the other stories I’ve listened to by Somali Dev, but this one is without a doubt my favorite!

I love the 3 generations of women dealing with their lives and loves from the perspectives their life experiences have given them; and the 3 narrators that make each of the 3 worlds distinct.

Bindu is by far Sonali Dev’s best heroine, similar to some of the younger ones in other books: there’s a Bollywood connection, food and clothing references, carefully guarded secrets, and intense emotions. The most refreshing part is that she’s hot, 65 and a grandmother of a young professional. She also seems to be able to turn the heads of men wherever she goes without even trying.

Reading The Vibrant Years makes me wish for more stories with enchanting grandmother characters like Bindu. She’s the magical, charming, loving grandma that most of us want to be.

Great Book!

Do yourself a favour and listen to it, got all the feel good aspects which makes a good book great. A little humour, little drama and romance and a lot of fun. Touching on society issues like racism and chauvinism in a tastefull way, not overpowering. Strong female characters are well written.
Definitely recommend.