Love Craves Cardamom

Ages 12 And Up, Grades 7 And Up

An aspiring teen art curator who’s sworn off love spends a semester in India, where the first boy to give her butterflies again has a royally surprising secret—part of the international Love in Translation series of standalone YA romances.

Archana Dhawan wants a boy-free zone this semester abroad. Fresh off a breakup, she’s headed to Rajasthan, India—her parents’ homeland—determined to find herself and thrive at her dream art museum internship. No drama. No distractions.

Alas, the universe is trying to tempt her. On day one, she meets the hottest boy on the train. Soon after, she runs into him again at work. Not only is the museum tied to a palace, but the cute guy, Shiv, is a royal gardener! 

As he takes her to the most gorgeous local spots, their undeniable chemistry grows. Then Archi gets shocking news: Shiv is not who he seems. Now she’s left wondering—was this brush with love the beginning of something warm and complex or just another bittersweet end?

The swoony Love in Translation romances can be read together or separately:

LOVE REQUIRES CHOCOLATE • LOVE CRAVES CARDAMOM

Story Locale:Rajasthan, India

Series Overview: Love in Translation pub schedule

Love Requires Chocolate (Summer 24)

Love Craves Cardamom (Summer 25)

Love Makes Mochi (Spring 2026)

*Novels will pub nine months apart.

About the Author

Aashna Avachat is a young adult author from California who has worked in publishing since college. She studied English and Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley, and law at Harvard Law School. When she’s not writing, she’s probably reading on a sunny patch of grass, going on long walks to grocery stores, or hanging out with one of her many foster kittens. Love Craves Cardamom is her debut novel.

Author Residence: Berkeley, CA