This is my second novel by Thrity Umrigar, and I believe she is the only author I've given all the books I've read 5 stars. So I really have to prioritize her backlist because she is clearly an author that works for me. 

Remy goes back to India with a plan to adopt a baby, but, while he's there, he discovers his estranged mother is in the hospital. When he finds a picture that shakes up what he's known of his family, his mother sheds light on what really happened in the family's past.

I thought this book was going to go in one direction, and then it went in a completely different direction. And I loved that! I thought the characters were well-constructed, and of course I loved the author's writing. 

I can see that some reviewers might say this novel is too long, but I really enjoyed the journey so I didn't mind that it took some time to even reveal the family secret (I think it comes at the halfway point). 

As I said, this author really works for me, and I'm eager to read her backlist now I that I found she has 8 or 9 backlist adult novels (and some children's books too!).