Nidhi Arora’s forthcoming debut novel is a pleasant surprise. It took me just two days of my weekend to get fully invested in this beautiful piece of fiction and devour it to fulfil my reading appetite.

Thanks, Nidhi, for writing this book, and also congratulations. I’m looking forward to seeing how this book is received by the Indian readers when it gets published this summer.

All said and done, the characters depicted in Kapoor, Bansal, and Maya’s families in this novel were the ones that we can very much relate to in the current scenario about our loved ones, kith and kin, friends, and well-wishers.

The story takes place in Shantinagar, a fictional north Indian town, I guess, maybe in the state of Uttar Pradesh (I’m not sure).

There are three families, and Kapoor’s is a larger one, a joint family—peculiar in this day and age but still pretty much believable.
House No 1: Mr and Mrs Kapoor have three sons (Om, Dev, Vivek), two of them are married (one newlywed), and the last son is a college-goer who lives in a hostel in another far-off town.

The daughters-in-law (Mahima and Sumi), one a housewife and the other a studious girl who works in a local school, are as regular and relatable as anyone you see in your neighbourhood: jealous, loving, motherly, ambitious yet boring and simple.

House No 2: Then comes the Bansal family—father, mother, and son. Dhruv is average at studies as he is preparing for his board exams, even though he knows that his father has one of the biggest supermarkets in the town and would be the owner of the store in the future.

House No 7: My favourite characters live in this house. All are women. Three daughters (Neeti, Nalini, Naina), one born out of wedlock, and their mother, Maya—the best character, according to me, who is a mystery wrapped with strength, courage, and boldness—a modern-day single mother who does anything for her daughters.

And then, there is Pushpa (help), who works in Kapoor house, and her dhobiwallah husband, her son Chottu, and dog Sheru.
Then there are Sumi’s parents and her brother, Gyan. This is an academic family who discuss topics ranging from quantum physics to abstract philosophy to whatnot as a day-to-day dining table conversation.

What happens when the lights go off in one of the rooms of house nos 1, 2, and 7, and what consequences does it bring and change the lives of the families form the rest of the story. Who are the affected members? Who is the schemer, and what is their motive? (warning: not a sleuth story)

Rumours, mystery, disappointments, love, hatred, success and other emotions form part of this story, yet you can see the small-town charm, the bonding between the families, the amicability between the characters, and the youthful exuberance and wittiness in the form of Naina (another favourite character).

I wish I could delve deep into each and every character and read their mind and decipher their intentions. As a reader, you will do that, as I did, when the book releases in September in India.

I read this novel like watching a small-budget, well-made Hindi heartland movie with Gajraj Rao, Neena Gupta, Yami Gautam, and Rajkummar Rao. I hope this is made into a movie or a series.

Overall, this book has captured my reading attention as it is original, authentic, and illuminating with desi flavours even though the author leaves somewhere in Europe, I think.

Already my best read of 2025. I hope you guys will enjoy it too.

The Lights of Shantinagar by Nidhi Arora was an interesting read. I think readers will enjoy it. Watch for this one on pub day.

The Lights of Shantinagar by Nidhi Arora is a delightful story about the lives of residents of Shantinagar colony. Though it is mainly focused on Sumi , an aspiring quantum physics PhD candidate who is newly married into a Shantinagar family, it focuses equally on the Kapoor family members - Sumi's in laws.
It's a story based in early 90's and touches on the dreams and drama in the ordinary lives of ordinary citizens of Shantinagar.
The cast of characters included: Sumi, then her supportive and smitten husband Dev, the brash and loud personality of her older brother in law Om, his insecure but dramatic wife Mahima, and her kind, loving and very supportive in laws Mr. And Mrs. Kapoor, Sumi's own parents and brother; and neighbors Maya and her 3 daughters, house help Pushpa, her son and a lovable dog Sheru!
I just loved how well Nidhi Arora has woven quantum physics in the daily life and drama happening in Sumi's new life. And my favorite was Sumi's relationship with her brother and her father in law, these are such precious relationships and Nidhi Arora has portrayed them with playfulness and respect required for each of them, without it getting annoying or obsequious.
My only issue was I had hoped she would have shown some closure regarding Sumi and Mahima's complicated sisters in law relationship, and also a closure regarding the theft.
Nevertheless this is a simple, delightful story with lessons that are timeless doesn't matter which era it is based in.

We will not be reviewing this because we cannot easily read and review this file. The new format on Netgalley is a nightmare for serious reviewers like All About Romance. I worry that this new format will hurt all but the most famous of authors.