6th December, 2025 in Recommended Reads

Garnet by Jennifer Severn

“Bindi had cringed at the romantic expression—especially coming from her mother. She was no Bollywood movie heroine, but of course she wanted a say, and she couldn’t imagine marrying without at least the prospect of love.” The novel, Garnet, by Jennifer Severn, captures the tangled lives of a small town with a keen, sympathetic eye. What begins with a curious offer rattling an old roadside business soon widens into the quiet burdens a community carries. At times, the novel moves at an unhurried, lived-in pace, and the shifting storylines can feel a bit more sprawling than expected. Even still, there’s an honesty here that outweighs the occasional detour. Severn adeptly reveals how people weather disappointment while still plodding forward, providing an observant portrait of rural life.