Shadow of the Taj Audiobook By Lara Bernhardt cover art

Shadow of the Taj

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Shadow of the Taj

By: Lara Bernhardt
Narrated by: Heidi Bindhammer
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How much would you risk to save one child?

Leslie Matthews travels to India with her husband on a business trip, never expecting it will turn her life upside-down. During a trip to the zoo, she meets Raveena, an orphan desperate for someone to save her from a harrowing fate. Leslie tries to rescue Raveena from a sordid, exploitative underworld, but powerful and brutal men hold the girl and don’t intend to let anyone take her. Leslie tumbles into a terrifying underworld of systemic abuse she knows nothing about. But she won't stop until Raveena is safe, regardless of the cost.

In a battle against impossible odds, Leslie wagers everything she has - including her life - to free Raveena.

Shadow of the Taj is a deeply moving, inspirational novel that will stay with you long after you finish listening to it. A must listen!

©2021 Lara Bernhardt (P)2021 Lara Bernhardt Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction

Critic reviews

Oklahoma Book Awards Best Fiction Finalist

“Lara Bernhardt writes with ferocious honesty and tenderness, laying open the ugly world of the trafficking of young girls with a bright spear of hope.” (Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times best-selling author of The Deep End of the Ocean)
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This book took me on a roller coaster ride throughout India. At times I was angry, other times frustrated. Sometimes I was sad and other times relieved. In the end, I cried. Isn’t that what a good book is supposed to do? Bernhardt weaves a complicated tale about the underbelly of sex trafficking and human slaves. Her storytelling has you holding your breath for what’s next. All the meanwhile you root for justice and pour your heart and hope for the characters.

An emotional spectrum

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Listener received this title free

Audiobook. Book: 5 stars; narration 3.5 stars.

Thank you to the author Lara Bernhardt for this Audible giveaway.

I listened to most of the book yesterday and finished the final 40 minutes this morning.

The story was so gripping that within the first third of the book I was raving to my roommate that I wanted to go to India and adopt an orphan girl. This is a book with a lot of feeling, many highs and lows.

Normally I'm not one for a lot of God or Christian spirituality in my reading, however, I think the subject is handled deftly here. This is the private journey of this woman.

I wasn't overly impressed with the narrator, so 3 stars; but I added a .5 for the accents.

Author giveaway

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Listener received this title free

While the content of this book was bleak, the story was very good and the narrating was excellent.

Great book

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Listener received this title free

What an unbelievable and intriguing story. The Narrator takes us on a journey with Leslie and her husband to India. It turns out to be not just of pleasure but danger. She tries to rescue a child, but definitely filled with intrigue.

Superb

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Listener received this title free

Story of intrigue and suspense and love and a couple who will do anything to save a child from evil and from slavery and it will amaze you

So fantastic

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