Name: In-Store: Saumya Dave: The Guilt Pill w/ Palak Patel
Start: 2025-04-15T19:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-04-15T20:00:00-04:00
Location: Books Are Magic Montague

$In-Store: Saumya Dave: The Guilt Pill w\/ Palak Patel$

"Dave has written a book that's as addictive as its untested supplement. You'll want to share it with everyone you know." —Katie Gutierrez
About this Event

Event guidelines:

All attendees are strongly encouraged to wear a face mask at all times.
Tickets are limited to restrict capacity at our store, and each ticket will include either a copy of the featured book or a $10 Books Are Magic gift card.
Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.
A signing will follow the talk.
Home address is collected for contact tracing purposes; it will not be used otherwise.
The event will also be livestreamed for free here: https://youtube.com/live/ZfkvYM31kko
As a reminder: If you are not feeling well, please do not come to the event, even if you have a ticket; email us and we'll work it out.

If you have any questions regarding these guidelines or to request accessibility accommodations, please contact [email protected].

The Other Black Girl meets The Push in this taut psychological drama about a CEO on maternity leave who goes missing after she becomes addicted to an experimental, guilt-erasing pill, exploring themes of motherhood, privilege, race, and how the world treats women who dare to “have it all.”

What if women could get rid of their guilt?
Maya Patel has it all—her own start-up, a sexy, doting husband, influencer status, and now, a new baby. Or does she? Because behind closed doors, Maya's drowning. Her newborn's taking a toll on her marriage, her best friend won't return her calls, and her company's hanging on by a thread. The worst part? It's all her fault. If she could just be a better boss, mother, wife, daughter, friend… Maybe she wouldn't feel so guilty all the time.
Enter: #Girlboss Liz Anderson, who introduces her to the "guilt pill," an experimental supplement that erases female guilt. At first, it’s the perfect antidote to Maya’s self-blame and imposter syndrome, and she finally becomes the unapologetic woman she’s always wanted to be. But there's a catch: for Maya to truly "have it all," she needs to be ready to risk it all. And as Maya falls deeper and deeper down the pill's guilt-free rabbit hole, her growing ruthlessness could threaten everything she's built for herself—and the family she's worked so hard to protect.
Electric, taut, and sharply observed, The Guilt Pill is a feminist exploration of motherhood, race, ambition, and how the world treats women who dare to go after everything they want.

Saumya Dave is the author of Well-Behaved Indian Women, which was a Lilly Singh book club pick, and What a Happy Family, which was the July book club pick for Good Housekeeping. Both of her novels have been optioned for a television series. She is also a psychiatrist, adjunct professor at Mount Sinai, and frequent mental health contributor for NBC News. Dave’s essays, articles, and poems have been featured in the New York Times, ABC News, Refinery29, and others. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and son.

Palak Patel is the author of The Chutney Life, her debut and best-selling cookbook that features 100 Indian Inspired Recipes. She has been featured on The Food Network, The Today Show and The New York Times. Palak is also a content creator who uses her platform to share recipes and her day to day life as a busy mom to two boys. She is passionate about supporting small businesses, empowering women in all areas of their life, and has used her platform to cultivate a community of thousands.