Note: Previously published as The Monsoon Promise: A love story set in 1940 in Delhi by Varn, Elise (AUTHOR). Introduction to The Monsoon Promise StorytellerUK2025 Introduction to The Monsoon Promise Step into the heart of 1940s Delhi, where the monsoon's silver veil weaves a mosaic of passion, rebellion, and dreams. The Monsoon Promise is a sweeping romance that pulses with the fervor of forbidden love, set against the vibrant backdrop of a city on the cusp of transformation. In its rain-soaked lanes and starlit courtyards, where the scent of jasmine mingles with the cry of qawwalis, two souls find each other amidst a world of divides-class, culture, and empire. Their love, a diya's flame in a tempest, burns with the intensity of ghazals, defying the storms that seek to tear them apart. Immerse yourself in a narrative rich with Eastern poetic sensibilities, where every touch is a verse, every glance a vow, and every story a rebellion. Delhi comes alive through sensory splendor-petrichor rising from ancient stones, the jingle of anklets in bustling bazaars, the glow of lanterns under monsoon skies. This is a tale of hearts entwined, of courage forged in sacrifice, and of a love that mirrors a nation's fight for freedom. With lyrical prose and cultural authenticity, The Monsoon Promise invites you to lose yourself in a world where passion is eternal, and promises bloom like lotuses in the dawn. Will you follow the monsoon's call and discover a love that lights the dark? Open these pages, and let the story unfold. By Rashmi Nair