A stunning piece of reportage, examining modern India through the stories of three couples who defy their families to be together - across faith, caste and tradition

'Staggeringly good... Much like Lisa Taddeo's Three Women, it reads more like a novel than a piece of non-fiction... it does what all great writing should - it puts us into the world of someone else, so completely that days later I find myself missing the couples and wondering how their stories end' Marianne Power, The Times

'A profound book on the politics of love, of couples who brave everything and everyone to be together. Told with warmth, truth and humanity, Mansi Choksi's The Newlyweds is an extraordinary look at what it takes to be together in modern India' Nikesh Shukla

'Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand youth in India today - or for anyone who believes in the galactic powers of love to change history, personal and political' Suketu Mehta

What would you risk for love?

Twenty-first century India is a culture on fast forward, a society which is changing at breakneck speed, where two out of every three people are under the age of thirty-five. These young men and women grew up with the internet, smartphones and social media. But when it comes to love, the weight of thousands of years of tradition cannot so easily be set aside.

An extraordinary work of reportage, The Newlyweds is a portrait of modern India told through the stories of three young couples, who defy their families to pursue love. The lesbian couple forced to flee for a chance at a life together. The Hindu woman and Muslim man who must escape under the cover of night after being harassed by a violent mob. And the couple from different castes who know the terrible risk they run by marrying.

Writing with great insight and humanity, Mansi Choksi examines the true cost of modern love in an ancient culture. It is a book that will change the way readers think about love, freedom and hope.

"A staggeringly good work of literary journalism... Much like Lisa Taddeo's Three Women, it reads more like a novel than a piece of non-fiction... It does what all great writing should - it puts us into the world of someone else, so completely that days later I find myself missing the couples and wondering how their stories end" - The Times

"Compelling, and sometimes heartbreaking" - Financial Times

"A work of non-fiction, but written with such literary flair that you wonder whether the photos of the protagonists are a double bluff and it really is a novel after all..." - New Humanist

"Choksi's narrative structure braids the three couple strands cleverly so that, as the stakes keep rising, the tension escalates through cinematic jumps and cuts. Her scenes are alive with singular details, vivid language and crisp dialogue. The net effect is that we become so vested in the lives of these six people - and the collateral damage they leave in their wake - that they linger with us long after reading" - Star Tribune

"A rare insight into modern love in India ... astonishing and unforgettable ... a vibrant observer whose ability lies in capturing the subtleties of life in a way that's nuanced and purposeful" - The New Arab

"This is a heart-wrenching and inspiring portrait of love under pressure" - Publishers Weekly

"Truly lyrical... [A] well-reported account of love in modern India" - Kirkus