Love, Loss, and Lost Causes

Ravi had moved to the U.S. as a teenager to escape the ambient terrors of growing up gay in India. Now, a couple of decades later, two very different men will challenge everything he thought he knew about love, identity, and belonging.

During a family vacation in Goa, Ravi meets Usman, who works at their resort. Their connection is instantaneous—electric, undeniable. But the odds are stacked against them from the start. Usman is young, closeted, and deeply conflicted about reconciling his sexuality with his religious beliefs and cultural expectations. With Ravi living in Boston and their lives worlds apart—literally and figuratively—can what they share survive the distance?

Then there’s Adam: carefree, seemingly perfect, and utterly opposed to monogamy or long-term commitment, both of which he dismisses as fossilized relics of an outdated, heteronormative era. With Adam, Ravi discovers passion without promises, freedom without anchors.

Caught between these two men, Ravi must reckon with his own past and navigate the complicated space between love and loneliness, desire and duty. Sahil Mehta crafts a deeply moving story that explores the courage it takes to be truly seen—and the universal longing to be loved for exactly who we are.

Love, Loss, and Lost Causes is a tender, unflinching examination of queer identity across cultures, perfect for readers who appreciate nuanced LGBTQ+ fiction that doesn’t shy away from life’s messy contradictions. Whether you’re curled up by the window on a foggy morning or reading late into the night, this novel will stay with you long after the final page.

Additional information