Munir Khan, a recent widower from Toronto, on a whim decides to visit Delhi, the city of his forbears. Born in Kenya, he has lost all family connections, and has never visited India before.

While sitting in the bar of the Delhi Recreational Club where he's staying, an attractive woman joins his table to await her husband. A sparring match ensues. The two are from different worlds: Munir is a westernized agnostic of Muslim origin; Mohini, a modern Hindu woman. Utterly witty and charming, she's religiously traditional, but also a liberal and provocative newspaper columnist. Against her better judgment, Mohini agrees to show Munir around the city. As they explore the thriving markets and historical buildings of Old Delhi, an inexplicable attraction begins.

What follows is a passionate love affair — uncontrollable yet impossible. This is a period of rising Indian nationalism in modern India that at times finds outlet in senseless violence. Constantly lurking at Munir's Club is the menacing and foreboding presence of a fanatical nationalist group. To them Munir Khan is simply a Muslim "love-jihadi" who has led the pride of Hindu womanhood, Mohini Singh, astray. At what cost, their passion? (From Doubleday Canada)

M.G. Vassanji is a two-time Giller Prize winner, who has also won the Governor General's Literary Award for nonfiction, the Harbourfront Festival Prize, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for best first book (Africa), the F.G. Bressani Literary Prize and the Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prize.

His novel Nostalgia was defended on Canada Reads 2017 by Jody Mitic.