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Angel A
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Mary Poser: Butterflies and white lies as Bollywood comes to Nashville Paperback – August 19, 2017

by Angel A (Author), Lori Draft (Editor)
4.3 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

Cultures clash when Bollywood meets the Bible Belt in this award-winning multicultural journey of self-discovery.

There's troubled love in Music City, USA. Despite deeply entrenched obstacles, Southern Belle, Mary, falls for a visiting Bollywood director, Simha Das. A life-changing event leads to questions about who or what intervenes. On the surface MARY POSER is a fun and frolicking love story. Underneath this is a message of hope and inspiration for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the expectations of others and approval demands of faith and culture. It's her time to fly. Is it your time too?

2017 Foreword Reviews Indies Book of the Year Award Finalist.

2018 American Fiction Awards Winner.

2018 Best Book Awards Winner.

2018 NYC Big Book Award Winner.

2018 International Book of the Year Finalist.

2018 Paris Book Festival Runner-Up.

2018 Readers' Favorite Finalist.

2018 Independent Author Network Book of the year Finalist.

2018 London Book Festival Honorable Mention.

2018 BookViral Millennium Book Awards Long List.

2018 New Apple Book Awards Official Selection.

2018 Body, Mind, Spirit Book awards winner.

2019 Independent Press Award winner.

2019 New York Book Festival Winner

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  1. Print length
    478 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    August 19, 2017
  4. Dimensions
    5.06 x 1.08 x 7.81 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0987622226
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0987622228
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a good metaphor in the uncrossable bridge, and a heroine who grows in understanding herself and her spirituality...entertaining and romantic." - Kirkus Review

A romance with unexpected twists, complicated layers, and tense near misses, Mary Poser is a gratifying trip.Foreword Reviews

 Readers who relish multicultural stories, Southern roots, coming of age tales, and a powerful female protagonist who figures out how she can gain real happiness will find Mary Poser a completely engrossing read: vivid and hard to put down.
D. Donovan Senior Reviewer Midwest Book Review

Full of humor and warmth, MARY POSER touches on serious issues like self-harm, anxiety, and prejudice, while inspiring readers to be happy with who they are, and to always look for butterflies.
IndieReader

This story is perfect! Their connection, their integrity towards themselves and their love for each other made this a beautiful story. Exceptionally good!Readers' Favorite

From the Author

Do we willingly sabotage opportunities for true love and happiness? 

MARY POSER is an exposé of self-inflicted suffering. On the surface MARY POSER is a fun and frolicking love story. Underneath this is a message of hope and inspiration for anyone who feels stuck in a vortex of anxiety and self-harm.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Angel's Leap PTY LTD
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 19, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 478 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0987622226
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0987622228
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.06 x 1.08 x 7.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

About the author

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Angel A

Angel A

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Angel A is an Australian writer and filmmaker who shares insights and experiences of varied cultures through narratives that are compelling, inspiring and insightful. Mary Poser was Angel’s highly awarded steamy, inspirational and revealing first novel. The second novel, Holy Parrot, is a captivating mystery that seamlessly weaves together elements of culture, religion, science, and human emotion. Angel’s passion for story reveals a richly diverse world of conflict, love and hope.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
17 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Adam Mackey
    5.0 out of 5 stars Foreword Reviews 2017 Book of the Year Finalist
    Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    MARY POSER is going from strength to strength. Looking forward to the film!
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  • Linda Morelli
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful romance by an outstanding new author.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017
    Mary Poser, the daughter of a pastor and an overly religious mother, has her share of conflicting emotions. Her mother expects Mary to behave according to the religious standards her mother believes in, but this strict, overbearing attitude has created problems for Mary and has even affected her siblings. Mary feels the need to be a dutiful daughter and not cause any waves.

    When Mary is out with friends, she meets Simha, a handsome Hindu Indian film maker. The attraction is instantaneous for them both, and soon Mary joins Simha in taking the relationship to the next level. Their relationship, however, creates inner turmoil for Mary. She has already disappointed her mother by breaking up with her boyfriend Jason, her brother’s best friend. While Mary’s father might be more understanding, Mary knows how her prejudiced mother would react if she knew Mary was dating someone from another culture and religion. But Mary cares deeply for Simha, believing that he reached out spiritually and saved her life when she nearly drowned. Yes, long-distance relationships don’t often survive, but love doesn’t follow strict guidelines. The result is a wonderful story that mixes love, friendship, family and even prejudice to create a truly entertaining read.

    My full review can be found at MyShelf.com.
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  • Kristin
    4.0 out of 5 stars The author does a superb job of illuminating the inner workings of an anxious mind through telling the story from Mary's POV
    Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2017
    To be honest, I don’t love the description and I’m not sure I would have picked it up to read had I not received an invitation directly from NetGalley, which I had been wanting to join. I’m really glad I got past the sort of silly description and read the book!

    I like to read books that speak to reality in an entertaining and enlightening way, and that’s exactly what this book does. Through Mary’s journey of self-discovery and her struggle to be true to herself rather than live the life expected of her, the author examines issues of religion, stereotypes and prejudice, and mental illness.

    Some my favorite parts of the book, because they taught me the most, were the parts where the aforementioned Anglo Indian, Simha Das, explains his Hindu beliefs to Mary Poser, the Nashville girl. Knowing virtually nothing about Hinduism, I found a surprising amount of commonalities with Catholic Christianity. Even more interestingly to me, the things I found common to Catholicism were often the things Mary found most unlike her Baptist faith (particularly in the realm of sexuality).

    The book is full of references to common stereotypes and prejudices. I’m not sure whether it makes the story more or less believable that Mary’s family manages to deal with all the hot-button issues: race, sexuality, religious beliefs. Mrs. Poser, Mary’s mother, is the character who embodies the majority of the unsavory behavior. She is a stereotype, while believing and perpetuating every stereotype about anyone unlike her. She’s pretty much insufferable, and though she comes around at the end I find her redemption a little too convenient.

    Mary’s personal journey forms the basis of the story and is the most compelling part of the book. It has a very powerful metaphor in Mary’s inability to cross a particular bridge, and is full of lots of insights about a young girl trying to figure out who she is and how to find her own way in the world. While the outward issue is that Mary falls in love with an Indian Hindu man in Nashville (the horror!), Mary’s inner dialogue reveals her struggle with mental illness, particularly anxiety and self-harm. She feels she has a role to fulfil in life and struggles to allow herself the freedom to break out of the mold her upbringing has forced her into. The author, I think, does a superb job of illuminating the inner workings of an anxious mind through telling the story from Mary’s point of view. My only grievance is that I’m not satisfied with the resolution. While Mary has moments of clarity, she seems unable to actually recognize her anxiety issues (for example, she chafes at being prescribed medication for anxiety when she sees a doctor for recurring stomach issues); similarly, I feel the self-harm (specifically, cutting) issue is inadequately resolved and not given the weight it deserves.

    One thing that sticks with me all these months later (that I didn’t have to reread my Kindle notes to remember) is a discussion Mary and Simha have about using the term “busy” as cover for “unhappy” when asked how one is doing – as in, “How have you been?” “Oh, you know… busy” – because “busy” seems important. I don’t think it’s an expression I’m guilty of using in that context, but it has caused me to reevaluate what it is that I’m “too busy” for, to make sure those things that truly matter don’t get lost.

    I found the book entertaining, well-written, and to be an interesting cultural study. Best of all, I learned from it and it made me think.

    Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the book free of charge in exchange for an honest review!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Melleny Smith
    3.0 out of 5 stars It was good
    Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2017
    Pre-reading Thoughts:

    I am so excited for this book mainly because this was the first time an author had contacted me to review their book before publication. Despite that I was really happy to get an ARC (advance readers copy) of this book, it has taken me up until now to get to it. I am excited to see where this contemporary takes me!

    Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy to review! I cannot wait to jump into! Just a small little disclaimer for those reading this review. I have received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. No money on my behalf has been spent in acquiring this book. Please note that this does not affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own.

    Writing Thoughts:

    The writing was really good. It had the right amount of imagery and the right amount of flow to make the book super easy to read. The dialogue was light and completely natural. The author introduced us to the characters as if they were old friends. The author's writing also brought the south to life.

    Plot Thoughts: (this section will contain spoilers for the book. please be advised)

    This is kind of where the boat sank for me. Mary meets this incredible 'exotic' person. She seems to feel attracted to him almost immediately but nothing really happens between them. She ends up dating some other dude, and getting engaged to him, despite her attraction to Simha. There is also a huge focus on the fact that Simha is Indian and 'exotic'. I am all for a multiracial relationship and casts but with the amount of focus that is placed on race, was weird. People would tell Mary to ditch Simha and get with a white man. It just seemed as if the author was trying so hard to make her book diverse but ended up shoving it down our throats saying "look my protagonist is in love with a non-white character". Don't get me wrong, I liked the fact that this book dealt with racism but it just felt like it wasn't done right. Religion also seems to play a really big roll in the book, but once again it was a bit too much. It overshadowed pretty much all of the Mary's relationships.

    Character Thoughts:

    I liked Mary as a character but I definitely felt like she was a bit of a push over and do-gooder. She would do everything that everyone asked of her. She would drink when she didn't want to drink because her friend told her to. Mary had multiple great characteristics. She was kind and down to earth. She was also incredibly humble.

    Final Thoughts:

    Overall, I liked this book. Yes, I had problems with the plot and how racism along with religion were dealt with but the story was kinda cute. There definitely a couple of swoon worthy moments. The writing was vivid and the conversations were natural and interesting. Thank you so much to the author for providing me with a copy of this book to review!

    Yours in Reading,

    Melleny
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Top reviews from other countries

  • The Book Reviewer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bold, heartfelt, transformative.
    Reviewed in Australia on February 15, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    In the intricate dance of identity and belonging, the human heart often struggles to lead. Sociologists have long observed how deeply ingrained traditions shape personal choices, sometimes at the cost of true happiness. Against this backdrop, Mary Poser explores what it means to break free from societal expectations and follow one’s heart. The novel transports readers to Nashville, a city where country music reigns, and juxtaposes it with the vibrant world of Bollywood—an unlikely pairing that mirrors the protagonist’s internal struggle.

    Mary Poser, a small-town Southern Baptist girl, is torn between her deeply religious upbringing and an intoxicating attraction to Simha Das, a worldly Indian filmmaker. As she wrestles with family obligations, anxiety, and the cultural tensions of their relationship, she must decide whether to conform or carve out a path of her own. Her journey is one of self-discovery, peppered with moments of humor, heartbreak, and empowerment. Through Mary’s experiences, the novel tackles themes of personal transformation, social expectations, and the courage it takes to redefine one’s future.

    What makes Mary Poser stand out is its seamless blend of Southern charm and Bollywood glamour, a refreshing contrast that enriches the narrative. The writing is evocative, at times poetic, drawing the reader into Mary’s world with vibrant descriptions and immersive settings. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, making the characters leap off the page. The novel’s emotional depth is striking, particularly in its portrayal of Mary’s anxiety—rendered with raw honesty and subtle nuance. The pacing keeps the reader engaged, balancing introspective moments with dynamic, often dramatic turns. One of the most moving moments is Mary’s confrontation with her mother, where generational and cultural expectations collide in a way that feels deeply personal yet universally relatable.

    Readers who prefer stories that adhere strictly to traditional romance tropes may find Mary’s turbulent inner conflict frustrating. However, those who appreciate layered, emotionally charged storytelling—akin to the works of Nicholas Sparks or The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri—will be captivated. Fans of contemporary fiction that delves into cultural identity and self-liberation will find Mary Poser an enthralling read.

    At its heart, Mary Poser is a love story—not just between two people, but between a woman and the life she dares to claim for herself. The novel pulses with a unique energy, weaving together the soul of Nashville with the spirit of Bollywood, creating a symphony of love, rebellion, and self-acceptance. Angel A crafts a tale that lingers long after the final page, reminding readers that sometimes, the bravest thing one can do is to embrace their true self, butterflies and all.
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  • Leonie Allsop
    5.0 out of 5 stars friendship and love. Beautifully written with an unforgettable ending
    Reviewed in Australia on June 21, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Fabulous read, hard to put down! Romantic, humerous, insightful and hugely entertaining. Touches on interesting and diverse themes such as multiculturalism, religion, spirituality, mental health, friendship and love. Beautifully written with an unforgettable ending. I highly recommend it.
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