Meet Me in Bombay: a beautiful love story set in WWI era India

Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft is the story of love, war and the promise to see each other again. The story opens on New Year’s Eve, 1913 and Madeline “Maddy” Bright has returned to colonial India after years in England. While at a stifling party, she heads outside for fresh air and sees a man who takes her breath away. She is unable to meet him but a surprising package arrives, introducing her to Luke Devereaux. Through his letter and his guidebook, Maddy begins to explore Bombay in ways she has never seen before. Soon they meet face to face and fall in love so easily. While the bold and charismatic is new and refreshing among the British elite that she’s used to, Maddy captives his heart with her beauty and vivacity. Everyone around Maddy enjoys seeing the two together, everyone except her mother, who prefers the devoted Guy Bowen for her daughter. Only the outbreak of World War I could bring to a halt their lives together, Luke has no choice but to join the fight and while they are continents apart, separated by the horrors of war, they find themselves bound by Luke’s promise that they will meet again in Bombay. 

Meet Me in Bombay is beautifully written and breathtakingly romantic. Ms. Ashcroft’s descriptions of India are so vivid that you can almost hear the sounds of the bazaar and smell the spices from the local cuisine. The encounters between Luke and Maddy are so touching and romantic, you can’t help but smile and sigh as they fall in love. The horrors of war are devastating and heartbreaking. You will cry with Maddy and her family and friends as they learn of their loved ones who are injured and will never be the same or won’t be coming home at all. The story has a The Notebook feel but oh so better. I couldn’t put it down. I stayed up late into the night and read a good three-quarters of it before I forced myself to go to sleep. But first thing in the morning, I grabbed the book to finish. From the opening paragraph to the closing epilogue, Meet Me in Bombay will pull you in and you will not want to put it down. It is full of love, family expectations, and hope against all hope, set in the beautiful country of India.  I highly recommend Meet Me in Bombay. 

Meet Me in Bombay is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook