Modern-day New York, a subway train. David, an American-Jewish jazz musician, torn between his dreams and his parents' expectations, sees a woman across the carriage. Ameena, a British-Pakistani artist who left Manchester to escape the pressure from her conservative family, sees David. When a moment of sublime beauty occurs unexpectedly, the two connect, moved by their shared experience. From this flows a love that it appears will triumph above all. But as David and Ameena navigate their relationship, their ambitions and the city they love, they discover the external world is not so easy to keep at bay. Ami Rao's masterful debut novel picks apart the lives of two people, stripping them of their collective identities and, in doing so, facing up to the challenge of today: can love give us the freedom to accept our differences?

About the Author
Ami Rao is a British-American writer. Born in Calcutta, India, Ami has lived and worked in New York, London, Paris, San Francisco and Los Angeles. She has a BA in English Literature and Economics from Ohio Wesleyan University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 2017 she co-authored the sports memoir Centaur with Declan Murphy, published by Doubleday, which was awarded the General Outstanding Sports Book of the Year Award and shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2017. Ami most recently worked as a banking professional in London. She has mentored girls of colour for the past twelve years, with a keen emphasis on the merits of reading and education. David and Ameena is her debut fiction novel.

Reviews
'Exquisite. Beautiful. Provocative. I love her writing' -Jim Lawless, author of 'Taming Tiger'; 'I've never read such an accurate and telling evocation of the additional complications of personal creative expression. Its truth makes it hard to read in places but Rao's sparkling voice leads you through' -Tim Hayward, writer, broadcaster and columnist; 'A touching story of multicultural love, desire, and achievement with "soul" at its heart. Ami writes in a way that makes you feel you are there in the story with David and Ameena, improvising jazz with David and helping Ameena find honesty in her art - an inspirational read!' -Geoffrey Horton, musician and vocalist; 'Ami Rao intricately weaves threads of love, family, politics and identity to create a beautiful, and very real, modern love story that sparkles beneath a New York skyline' -Huma Qureshi, author of How We Met; 'One of the most emotionally rich and mesmerising novels I've read in some time. Rao's gorgeous and graceful writing makes David and Ameena compulsively readable. This book will seduce you, enthral you, and change the way you think about love' -Jonathan Eig, New York Times bestselling author of Ali: A Life; 'A well-drawn portrait of an adult relationship where individual fears and insecurities are as present as the couple's aspirations for mutual love, support, and future happiness' -Publisher's Weekly; 'This unexpectedly moving, in-depth love story by debut author Ami Rao explores the challenge of differences in background, faith and culture when two people fall in love' -My Weekly; 'Rao makes her solo debut with a novel rich in imagery and emotions. It challenges the reader to look deep into the characters through their actions, as an almost omniscient narrative voice hints at their future. Love or hate them, they are memorable' -Library Journal; 'Easy, sophisticated storytelling...this is a fine romance' -Foreword Reviews



Book Information
ISBN 9781912054275
Author Ami Rao
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Fairlight Books
Publisher Fairlight Books