For anyone, meeting their partner’s parents can be stressful at best and traumatic at worst. Nik is from India, and hasn’t been back home since he came out ten years ago, and Trent is an American only child. They won’t have it easy since they have a few factors not exactly in their favor: Trent is a man, and not the nice girl Nik is supposed to marry, and he is not Indian. And even though Nik’s parents have visited them in the States, and seemed to accept Trent, as in all big Indian families, they are not the only decision makers. In an adventurous story full of the colors, sounds, and scents of India, ‘Home for Chirappu’ is also a heartwarming tale of different customs and faiths, family, and the amazing power of true love. For me, that combination makes it irresistible!

Nik is not in an easy situation. As soon as he returns to India after his long absence, the feeling of being home is almost overwhelming. At first, all he can see and all he experiences are the positives, the things he has missed while abroad. But then, and anyone who has been away from home for a long time will know what this feels like, he begins to see the negatives. Some are the reasons he left (like the disapproval of parts of his family for gay men), some are things he used to like that now suddenly seem difficult or unbearable (like the heat). Nik is also worried about Trent “running for the hills” since he is not used to a big and boisterous family, or the very different customs. Nik doesn’t want to lose Trent, but he has no idea how to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Trent isn’t in for an easy ride either. No matter how much he tried to prepare himself, the sheer “differentness” of everything once they arrive hits him square in the face. The food he can deal with, he loves Indian food. But the heat, facing so many people at once, and the fear of losing Nik are almost overwhelming. It is clear to Trent that Nik is very much at home with his family, and he is afraid his partner won’t want to return to America after this visit. Trent even begins to consider moving to India, so they can stay together, but is pretty sure that would be a disaster on many fronts.

I loved the way both Nik and Trent were worried not just for themselves, but for the other as well. The secondary characters are delightful, and the detailed descriptions of people, the food, and the scenery made me feel as if I sat right next to them. If you like stories in exotic settings, if foreign customs and rituals are your thinking, and if you’re looking for a holiday read full of Christmas spirit, no matter which faith is leading the celebrations, then you will probably like this short novella as much as I did. I think it is a fantastic story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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