Monsoon Summer    by Julia Gregson Order:  USA  Can Touchstone, 2016 (2016) Hardcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Bob Walch Julia Gregson's historical novels set in exotic settings have garnered readers who seek more than just a captivating story. As with her other award winning fiction, Monsoon Summer is about relationships tested by the tensions that often accompany the cultural and personal prejudices experienced when one leaves his or her comfort zone. In this instance the reader will meet Kit Smallwood who travels to a maternity home in South India with Anto Thekkeden, a young doctor who has just finished his medical training at Oxford. The fact that the couple's families are not thrilled with the marriage and the plans Kit has to run a maternity hospital will create some serious tensions that will test the marriage, but they forge ahead with their plans for a new life in India. A powerful account of the comforts and frustrations of family, the nature of home, and the challenges relocating to a new culture create for a person, make this a fascinating read. It is inspired by true accounts of European midwives who actually worked in India and set in the late 1940s when a newly independent Indian society was coping with Muslim Hindu riots and a deep-rooted suspicion of the English lingered. This was also a period when life in the country was a dangerous proposition for both a native or foreigner. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Historical books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews