Review
Namrata Patel delivers another heartfelt, entertaining character journey with Your Next Life is Now. This is the fourth title I’ve read by the author, and by now I know that I’ll get a great story no matter what she writes. It’s also fun to see her growth as an author, becoming more confident in herself and taking more risks in her storytelling.
For example, Tara is quite different than Patel’s other characters. At first, readers aren’t sure what to think about her and may get the wrong impression. When Nikki decides to share her engagement news, Tara is stoic and unenthused. Yet when we get to Tara’s POV, we realize the heartbreaking truth – Tara has endured a life she never wanted, and lost the chance at living her dream long ago. All she wanted was to go to MIT, become an astrophysicist, and contribute to the discoveries of the universe. But her traditional Indian American family had other plans for her. Be a good wife. Have babies. Build a home. Even though her husband assured she could pursue her dream after he began his career, slowly her domestic role became more and more permanent.
Nikki, on the other hand, has been the dutiful daughter always striving to live up to her mother’s values. Follow her own path, and do not let anyone else decide it for you. When her boyfriend Jay proposes, she agrees. But then she has second doubts because of what she thinks life is supposed to be – how her mother had wanted it to be. So she struggles with internal conflict – is marrying Jay among the path that leads to her true happiness?
My only disappointment is that this book is marketed as a road trip novel – but the actual “mother-daughter” part of the road trip takes place for maybe one-third of the book. Nikki heads back home to deal with the drama that results from Tara’s abrupt departure from her life, and to repair the tension between her and Jay. While the choice makes absolute sense in terms of the plot, it can be misleading.
Your Next Life is Now is the perfect late coming-of-age novel that explores generational pressure, cultural expectations, meddling families, mother-daughter relationships, and finding the confidence to search for answers you might not be ready for. The book has relatable and lovable characters, authentic family relationships and growth, and explores the dynamic between dreams vs reality. The author combines all of these components for a fantastic read. I highly recommend for fans of women’s fiction, especially those looking for more diverse authors and characters.
Namrata Patel returns to the Cantina Book Club Podcast to chat about her writing journey and plans for the future. Keep an ear out for the episode and pick up a copy of Your Next Life is Now.
Book
Life is built on single decisions. Choose wisely.
It’s one of life coach Nikki Parekh’s mottos. That and being open to opportunities and taking leaps without fear. But when Nikki accepts her boyfriend’s casual proposal of marriage, she wonders if it’s just too soon, too spontaneous—and so sudden that she seeks out the advice of her not-so-nurturing mother, Tara.
To Nikki’s surprise, Tara, who raised her daughter to be self-sufficient, urges Nikki to trust her decision. Maybe that’s because Tara has made a headstrong decision of her own. After nearly forty years of marriage, she’s divorcing Nikki’s father. She’s already packing up an RV to search for her first love, who still looms large in Tara’s memories. So what’s a daughter to do with a runaway mother? Join her.
Their romantic lives in flux, Nikki and Tara hit the road. Mile by mile, they’re reliving past mistakes, learning more about each other, and rebuilding faith in themselves and in the choices they’ve made—wherever it all may lead.
