There is seldom a chance that an Indian writer truly catches my eye and holds me captive through an entire book. I picked up Tuki’s Grand Salon Chase from the common library in the society where I live, hoping for something light, witty, and gentle. What drew me in immediately was that part of the story was set in Goa—my home.

Once I began reading, I finished it in a single day. I simply couldn’t put it down. The writing is beautiful in its simplicity—easy, engaging, and deeply absorbing.

Written by Parul Sharma, the novel traces the journey of hairstylists, moving from the dingy Lovely Beauty Parlour to the upmarket Nancy’s Factory. At the centre of it all is Tuki, who dreams of something bigger—her own salon. But her carefully laid plans begin to unravel when Faraz, a striking tattooist, joins Nancy’s Factory. Tuki struggles to deal with Faraz’s advances while also trying to make sense of the sudden disappearance of Bijoy Dutta—an elderly, eccentric, and brilliant writer.

Caught in the middle of too many emotional storms, Tuki decides to run away from the leafy lanes of Bandra to the old-world Portuguese villas of Goa. In the comforting calm of a villa in Aldona, she finds herself navigating an unexpected attraction to her charming neighbour Arvind, while sharing her space with Bijoy, a man haunted by the ghosts of his past.

As Tuki journeys through Mumbai, Goa, and London, she tries to understand whether the universe is conspiring to make her—or break her—accompanied by her loyal, gentle soulmate, Kallo, her black Labrador.

Tuki’s Grand Salon Chase is a warm, heartening story about ambition, escape, love, and hope—found in the most unexpected places. It is soft without being shallow, witty without being loud, and comforting in the way only a well-told story can be. A truly delightful read.