"The story of two Indian women, one a victim of a brutal crime and the other an Americanized journalist returning to India to cover the story, and the courage they inspire in each other"--,Provided by publisher.

Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story. Reluctantly. Long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena-- a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man-- Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one's own heart. The story threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita's own past. Increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment, Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her. -- adapted from jacket