Imaginary Men

by Anjali Banerjee and Anjali Banerjee

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Lina Ray has a knack for pairing up perfect couples as a professional matchmaker in San Francisco, but her well-meaning, highly traditional Indian family wants her to get married. When her Auntie Kiki introduces Lina to the bachelor from hell at her sister's wedding in India, Lina panics and blurts out, "I'm engaged!" Because what's the harm in a little lie? Who's sari now? Lina scrambles to find a real fianc?...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1416509437
• ISBN13: 9781416509431
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Gallery Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Fun, heartwarming read

Banerjee has a knack for being funny, yet warm in her writing. Imaginary Men was a quick, fun read for me and I immediately gave the book to my girlfriend, who passed it to her girlfriend, who passed it to her girlfriend...you get the picture. She's my favorite new author (and she's writing in my favorite new genre). I can't wait to see what she comes out with next! Don't miss this book if you're looking for chick lit with a twist - you'll have a smile on your face the whole time you're reading it. :)

A Funny, Satisfying Read!

Just like an old saying, "the cobbler's sons have no shoes" successful matchmaker Lina Ray hasn't the time or inclination to make a match for herself--until family pressure forces her to announce her engagement to a man of her own making, in order to avoid a traditional Indian marriage to one of her relative's choices. Now the clock's ticking--and she's got to come up with a real live body before her family arrives. But all the frogs in San Francisco can't possibly measure up to the Prince of her dreams, can they? What's a girl to do? Banerjee's smooth, fast-paced style combines with witty and humorous characters to provide an immensely enjoyable read. Laced throughout Lina's lively adventures are poignant moments dealing with the importance of family and how cultural differences affect that role. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves to laugh and soak up a little romance in just the right places. Reading IMAGINARY MEN is a delightful way to spend an afternoon...

Charming and fun!

Imaginary Men centers around Lina Ray, a San Francisco-based matchmaker whose own lovelife has taken a nosedive since the death of her philandering fiance. Her family, concerned about her being alone "at her age," seems to pin their own happiness and contentment on her finding a husband, so, to get them off her back and perhaps make them happy for a moment, Lina makes up a fiance. Naturally, her lie spins out of control, and she spends the rest of the book untangling herself from the mess she's created. Further complicating matters is the bona fide prince Lina meets while in India, who looks like the man of her dreams, but acts like an old-fashioned chauvinist. Then again, maybe it's all a cover for a sensitive guy underneath who really could be "the one." Banerjee executes a tried-and-true premise beautifully, making it new by weaving in the colors and textures of India and accurately portraying the careful balancing act all of us who are caught between two cultures have to face. The characters are vibrant and the family is a crack-up. It's charming, it's fun, I love it, go read it.

I guess Prince Charming does exist...atleast in the book

I really enjoyed this book. It gave a interesting perspective on relationships that are happening between Indian kids that grew up here with the same "westernized" type kids growing up in the East today. It makes us understand that relationships are possible when we learn to compromise. The heroine of the novel ends up finding her "Prince Charming" in the place that she didn't expect. It shows us that we should keep our eyes and heart open to whatever lies in front of us. A twist to the traditional ABCD novel.

Imaginary Man is a great read!

Anjali Banerjee has created an exciting, vivid almost cinematic story in her novel "Imaginary Men." Lina is a 29 year old Indian woman. She lives in San Francisco, but at the start of the book she is in India for her sisters wedding. Her aunt, who is a matriarch of the family, presses Lina about her own wedding plans. Secretly Lina is still harboring feelings of sadness regarding her short lived engagement to her love Nathu. Sadly, two years prior Nathu passed away. Lina's aunt is all set to arrange her engagement to an Indian man whose nick-name is Pee-Wee. Not trying to go along with her aunt's plan on the spur of the moment Lina tells her aunt that she is engaged to a jet setting, wealthy man. The news of her engagement spreads through the wedding party like wildfire and for months to come Lina is forced to keep up the charade of the mystery man which she has invented in her head. At the same time she finds herself thinking about Raja, a man who she originally pegged as a sexist chauvinist. Soon he arrives in San Francisco seeking her matchmaking services for his brother. "Imaginary Man" is a really great book. The story reminded me of Sheila Goss' Essence best-selling book "My Invisible Husband." "Imaginary Man" is funny and the author really makes the character of Lina come alive and the situations were told with such detail the book read like you were watching a movie. There are some Indian/Hindu words used throughout the books and these words are shown in italics. I thought the words were italicized because there would be a glossary in the back of the book but it seems they were only italicized for emphasis. At the end of the book is a really great Q & A interview with the author.