Amazon Shobhan Bantwal Category:  Romance Publisher: Kensington Books ISBN-10:  0758220316 Type: Fiction Pages: 343 Copyright: August 28, 2007 ISBN-13: 9780758220318 The Dowry Bride tells the story of one young woman trapped in India's dowry system and her escape and extraordinary journey to freedom and hope The Dowry Bride - Story in Brief   On a dark, sultry night, Megha, a young bride, overhears an extraordinary conversation -- an evil plot by her in-laws to kill her for not bringing the promised dowry.  Shocked and terrified, she runs to save herself from death by fire.  The only person who can help her is Kiran, a man she barely knows.  And yet, he puts his life on the line to protect her. The attraction that grows between them can only bring more danger. Megha and Kiran are soon caught in a complicated web of greed, vengeance, deceit and forbidden passion. Compelled to choose between tradition and the truths buried in their hearts, they will discover the real cost of the only things worth having in life . . .   Early Praise for the book "Remarkable...imaginative, packed with detail.  Adroitly depicting passion, brutality, cultures in conflict.  This novel is as engrossing as it is unusual." ----  Dorothy Garlock, Bestselling author

THE DOWRY BRIDE - BookIdeas.com
Review By: Diana Rohini LaVigne

Most first novels are often disappointing while the author starts to develop writing skills. The Dowry Bride is different. Shobhan Bantwal delivers a great story line with vivid characters and a non-stop sense of thrill and intrigue from cover to cover. The story of a young girl, Megha travels from her typical upbringing to her less than glamorous wedding to her post-wedding struggles and the realization of her own family’s evil plot to burn her at the stake so her husband can marry someone else offering a decent dowry keeps the reader eagerly flipping pages non-stop.
The balance between this young woman’s tragic situation and her new found love for a distance family relative is carefully crafted gradually at some points and quickly in other so the reader can’t guess at where the story will end.
The extraordinary journey the author creates will tear at your heart while also giving a glimmer of hope that romance and true love still exist, even in the most dark and dangerous places. Megha starts as a small fragile new bride and ends with a sort of sophistication that only comes with the survival of hard times and plenty of self-awareness.
It’s a beautifully written book that explores the morbid side of humanity, the small daily miracles that can happen and the imbalance in life’s justice. The Dowry Bride will make you cry, laugh, frown and most of all think. Although it’s fiction, it will present a topic that needs more attention because it still happens in today’s society. Dowry crimes can be ruthless and result in mental abuse, torture, and sometimes death. Bantwal takes a brave look at an old topic and delivers a piece of work that may just make an impact. Wonderful, Vivid, and Worth Reading.


The Dowry Bride - Amazon
Rating: 5 Stars

In Palgaum, India, Megha Ramnath overhears her mother-in-law Amma insist that her son kill his wife because divorce is unacceptable, but a widower can find a new spouse. Amma is irate that Megha has failed to produce the heir and her father has not paid the dowry. Megha knows law enforcement will think she is an inane bride and not intervene until she is dead from the execution of a fiery plan. Frightened she flees into the night to escape the arson's death.
However, anyone she turns to for help will be ostracized by society. Her own family will reject her as a woman belongs to and with her husband and her best friend would be ruined. Megha decides her only hope resides with kindhearted Kiran, Ramnath's cousin; as he has showered her with respect although he has kept his distance from her. Outraged by his aunt's plan, he hides her in his apartment even while their attraction to each other turns to unacceptable love
THE DOWRY BRIDE is an insightful look at India's culture as the beleaguered heroine has no options once Amma decides she must go without a scandal; which means homicide not divorce. The story line is incredible when the frantic Megha seeks help; once she mentally settles in Kiran's apartment, the exigency and stress abates somewhat yet also continues to provide a powerful discerning look at relationships. Still this is a fabulous look at the importance of a dowry in India in spite of laws protecting the rights (and apparently the life) of a bride.
Harriet Klausner


The Dowry Bride - BookReview.com
Rating: 5 stars

In her debut novel, THE DOWRY BRIDE, Shobhan Bantwal has delivered a superb story that weaves the controversial and archaic custom of dowry with interesting cultural elements and vivid characters that keep the reader eagerly flipping the pages.
The young bride and protagonist, Megha Ramnath, despite her good looks and intelligence ends up in a disappointing marriage that involves a weak husband and an abusive mother-in-law. The story opens with Megha’s accidental discovery of her mother-in-law’s plot to kill her for not bringing the promised dowry. A panicked Megha escapes to save herself from a gruesome death.
Her extraordinary flight is what makes the story so unique and fascinating – constant suspense combined with stark fear and glimpses of hope. Ms. Bantwal has given western readers a rare peek into the darker and more mysterious elements of a culture that can be curiously modern and conservative at the same time. The universal themes of betrayal, hope, love, and the resilience of the human spirit are captured beautifully in this book.