96 Words for Love

A modern retelling of a classic Indian legend, 96 Words for Love is a touching coming-of-age story that reads like Eat, Pray, Love for teens.

Ever since her acceptance to UCLA, 17-year-old Raya Liston has been quietly freaking out. She feels simultaneously lost and trapped by a future already mapped out for her.

Then her beloved grandmother dies, and Raya jumps at the chance to spend her last free summer at the ashram in India where her grandmother met and fell in love with her grandfather. Raya hopes to find her center and her true path. But she didn’t expect to fall in love… with a country of beautiful contradictions, her fiercely loyal cousin, a local girl with a passion for reading, and a boy who teaches her that in Sanskrit, there are 96 different ways to say the word “love.”

“A beautifully crafted, truly feminist coming-of-age story featuring nuanced characters in a unique setting.” —Kirkus, STARRED Review

• Praise for 96 Words for Love:
  A Junior Library Guild pickA Girls Life Chloe's Book Club pick

• "A universal love story as fresh, vibrant and stunning as the back drop of India it is set in. I loved the message, the journey and the self discovery at the root of this epic love story."

  Kim Kardashian West

• *"Raya's candor and self-reflection infuse the narration with the perfect balance of insight and momentum. A beautifully crafted, truly feminist coming-of-age story featuring nuanced characters in a unique setting."

  Kirkus Reviews, starred review

• "This book is a feast for your soul. How our inner lives and yearnings govern the adventure we call life is part of every lore in every tradition. This story by Rachel and Ava will energize you and fill you with the longing of a love that stirs within us as a spark that can turn into a raging fire and without which life stays barren and dry."

  Deepak Chopra MD

• "A witty, warm, compelling coming of age story from my friend, fashion superstar Rachel Roy and her daughter Ava. 96 Words for Love is a story that will capture your heart and leave you feeling empowered to go after your dreams."

  Brian Grazer, Oscar-winning producer of Empire, Friday Night Lights, Arrested Development

• "With heart and hope, 96 Words for Love is a vivid story of one girl's mission to unravel the forty-year-old mystery of her grandmother's past at an ashram. Roy and Dash have written a beautifully crafted homage to Bharat (India) and expertly explore the meaning of cultural identity, love and the lengths we'll go to find truth in our lives. A must-read!" -

  Nisha Sharma, author of My So-Called Bollywood Life

• "A majestic coming of age story about family, first love, and self-discovery....From the moment Raya boards a train into the Himalayas, 96 Words for Love will completely sweep you away."

  Sara Saedi, author of Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card and The Never Ever series

• "Appealing, funny, and authentic."

  Donna Scanlon