Imaginary Men

Imaginary Men has been chosen as a Book Sense Notable Book for the month of October, 2005.

A novel from Downtown Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

The first chapter won first place in the Celestial Writing Contest at the 2004 Whidbey Island Writers Conference.

If you can’t find Mr. Right you can always make him up.

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 fiancé because Auntie Kiki will be coming to America soon to approve the match. But date after disastrous date gets her no closer to her prince — until an actual prince arrives on her doorstep. Lina hasn’t been able to stop fantasizing about traditional but dashing Raja Prasad since she met him in India. In fact, her imaginary fiancé has begun to resemble him! Now Raja is in San Francisco and wants Lina to find a suitable bride for his brother. Though they live oceans apart, Lina longs to bridge the gap. But when her fantastic fib catches up with her life is suddenly like a Bollywood flick gone horribly wrong. Lina may have an over-developed fantasy life, but she certainly never imagined things would turn out like this!

Praise for Imaginary Men

"Delectable...recounted with hilarity and warmth."
— Seattle Post-Intelligencer

" A pitch-perfect romantic comedy...reminds us all that the 'lit' in chick lit comes from literature."
— Tara McCarthy, author Love Will Tear Us Apart

"A great read...carefree and clever."
— East West Woman magazine

"The author's hip-hot style combines breezy storytelling, wry humor and just enough poignant sauce in a romantic comedy equal to "Bend it Like Beckham."
— The Seattle Times
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"Chick Lit meets Bollywood in this charming novel...This fairytale-like story is filled with vivid descriptions of Indian customs that will enchant readers. Banerjee ably captures Lina's struggles with tradition and modernity in her interactions with her family."
— Booklist

"A Fun debut... A Bridget Jones's Diary meets Monsoon Wedding-style escapade."
— Publishers Weekly

"Romantic tale with an authentic ethnic twist."
— Library Journal

"Anjali Banerjee manages to invent a unique story filled with humor and love ... IMAGINARY MEN is a bright spot in multicultural chick lit."
— Fresh Fiction.com
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“Anjali Banerjee vividly portrays the dilemma of a young woman caught between cultures. An enchanting read.”
— Bharti Kirchner, author of Pastries: A Novel of Desserts and Discoveries.

“I loved Imaginary Men. Fascinating, insightful, and delightful. The descriptions shimmer and sparkle. When this book arrives in stores, I intend to rush out and buy a copy to give to every woman I know.”
— New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz

“Fresh and highly entertaining. I loved every word.”
— New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips

“Imaginary Men is that rare, wonderful novel that both breaks new ground yet celebrates the most classic theme in literature — the passion, pain and unadulterated humor of finding a mate. Brushed with magic, and written with exquisite craftsmanship and an eye for authentic detail, Imaginary Men brings the love story of Lina and Raja to vivid life.”
— USA Today bestselling author Susan Wiggs

Imaginary Men earned a 4-1/2 Star, Top Pick Rating from Romantic Times BOOKclub Magazine and this review: "Banerjee succeeds on all counts in this beautiful story."