Where Earth Meets Water by Pia Padukone

Where Earth Meets Water by Pia Padukone– 269 pages – ARC from Harlequin MIRA

Book Blurb:

Karom Seth should have been in the Twin Towers on the morning of 9/11, and on the Indian shores in 2004, when the tsunami swept his entire family into the ocean. Whether it’s a curse or a blessing, Karom can’t be sure, but his absence from these disasters has left him with crushing guilt—and a belief that fate has singled him out for invincibility. Karom’s affliction consumes everyone around him, from his best friend, Lloyd, to his girlfriend, Gita, who hopes that a trip to India will help him find peace. It is in Delhi that he meets Gita’s grandmother, Kamini—a quirky but wise woman with secrets of her own. At first Karom dismisses Kamini, but little does he realize that she will ultimately lead him to the clarity he’s been looking for.

My Review: 3 stars

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The premise of this book was fascinating as I often wonder about those “lucky” people who escape and/or just miss tragedy. Was it predetermined, was it dumb luck or was it chance? These deep questions are brought up in this book, however for me, there were too many other plot lines that took away from these queries. My favorite character was Gita’s grandmother yet I didn’t feel the connection between her and Karom as much as the author expected me too. She has survived many tragedies like Karom, yet beyond her secretly published books, I didn’t feel the bond between them. I do believe the author did a fine job in describing the love affair between Karom and Gita. I absolutely felt they belonged together and truly were each other’s strength. The author also did a good job at presented Indians born in India, Indians born in America as well as Americans and how they reacted to the same situation.