The Book of Everlasting Things by Aanchal Malhotra

I loved this bittersweet epic love story that covers history spanning from WWI through to the present day. The Book of Everlasting Things (2022) follows the story of Samir, a Hindu perfumist, and Firdaus, a Muslim calligrapher, who fall in love in Lahore just before it is torn apart by the partition of India and Pakistan. Author Aanchal Malhotra not only brings her in-depth historical knowledge, but also a lush, romantic writing style that will sweep you away to the rose fields of Hindustan, the fiery riots in Lahore and the brutal trenches of WWI Europe. This book is ultimately about connection – our connection to a place, memory, family and loved ones, and how that connection can reverberate through the generations.