Om Shanti, Babe

Cassia’s excited to be flying to Kerala in India with her Mum on a buying trip for her shop, leaving behind best-friend trouble in London and dreaming of Bollywood glamour, new friends and pop idol Johnny Gold.  But when she arrives in India, nothing is quite as she imagined it: Mum is getting overly friendly with Mr Chaudury, and Cass herself ends up falling out with beautiful, fashion-conscious Priyanka. Discovering that her Mum's business is in financial trouble - and then finding out that Johnny Gold is financing a new hotel that could destroy a beautiful coastline - precipitate Cass to take positive action.

There’s an energy and vigour to Cassia’s fresh, funny, unflinchingly honest voice as she narrates this story about gaining confidence and finding a place to be herself. Helen Limon won the 2011 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Award for this, her debut novel, which was inspired by a visit to Kerala in 2009 which made her aware of the social and environmental themes woven into this funny and entertaining tale of friendship and self-discovery.