The Copenhagen Affair by Amulya Malladi โ€“ 306 pages

Book Blurb:

Sanya was always the perfect wife, but after a breakdown at her office, itโ€™s her husband Harryโ€™s turn to step up. His proposal? A temporary move to Copenhagen, Denmarkโ€™s capital city. He needs to be there to close a business deal and figures the change of scenery will do her good. Soon Sanya goes from hiding under her duvet to hiding in plain sightโ€”a dark-skinned Indian American in a city of blondes. Within Copenhagenโ€™s glamorous high society, one man stands outโ€”not only because of his intriguing scar but because heย sees Sanya in a way Harry hasnโ€™t for years. Anders Ravn owns the company Harry wants to acquire, and soon Sanya begins to fall for him. As allegations of white-collar crime arise, she learns of Harryโ€™s infidelity, and having an affair with Anders seems ever more tempting. Surrounded by old money, smoked fish on dark breads, and way too many bicycles, Sanya slowly moves from breakdown to breakthrough, but where will she end upโ€”and with whom?

My Review: 4 stars

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The Copenhagen Affair is the authorโ€™s love letter to Copenhagen that also tackles some serious issues. This is Malladiโ€™s seventh novel and although Iโ€™ve enjoyed them all,ย my favorite will always be A Breath Of Fresh Air.

The author admits that she was battling depression when she wrote this so it only seems apropos that the main character would be afflicted as well. Writing about depression canโ€™t be easy unless you have the empathy to do so. If you or a loved one has suffered from this, you can tell that the descriptions seem spot on. How easy one can fall back into the darkness is shown in many instances.

The beauty of the novel is outside the โ€œbreakdownโ€ as the main character Sanya call it, is a heaping dose of laughter. Sanya is a wife that doesnโ€™t nag, a hands-on mother, dutiful friend, full-time career woman and a disappointment to her Indian parents. Although brilliant and cunning at work, sheโ€™s deemed โ€œless thanโ€ due to the fact sheโ€™s not a doctor. When she implodes, she realizes just how much she gave – body, soul and mind, to everyone and everything around her. Suddenly, a new Sanya emerges and sheโ€™s taking care of herself. It doesnโ€™t hurt that this new version gets to find herself in Copenhagen, one of ย the happiest cities on earth. Besides the weather, it did seem idyllic and a place Iโ€™m moving up on my bucket list. The sights, sounds, and smells of Copenhagen cameย alive on the page.

Of course as she begins the journey forward, she explores new โ€œfirstsโ€ and lives outside the box. She also begins to test her boundaries with other men after realizing some truths about her handsome husband. Being inside Sanyaโ€™s head was not a bad place to be for just under 300 pages. The bedroom romping, the daring dates and dancing, the pure boldness of some characters and Sanyaโ€™s call it like you see it attitude kept me engaged until the end. There were also many moments that pressed the reader to think about regarding marriage, fidelity, what constitutes an affair and being equally present in a relationship.

Great book for a juicy discussion, especially is the participants are willing to open up to one another.

Quotes I liked:

Anxiety is depressionโ€™s good friend, and sometimes they party together.โ€

-โ€œLove is recognizing yourself in another.โ€

-โ€œSometimes soul mates donโ€™t meet at the right time.โ€

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