Confronted with the task of re-inventing her life, young widow Priya grieves by researching spiritualism for a new age magazine and spending time in the garden her late husband, Gabe, had tended. Human contact is limited to an elderly nursing home resident, Jeevan, who is from her father's native land of Sri Lanka. Soon Priya is drawn further into Jeevan's world, which includes a mysterious nephew, Suresh. Despite rigid religious views, Suresh takes advantage of Priya's vulnerability. Soon an isolated Priya finds herself facing the prospect of either single motherhood or a loveless marriage. While her Canadian and Sri Lankan friends Meg and Shobi conduct a tug of war over Priya's destiny, Suresh's jealous and coercive tactics prevent her from exploring a third possibility, her kindly neighbour Ryan, the only person whose presence gives Priya a genuine sense of solace. In this sequel to the author's earlier novel, Priya's World, Priya's life is mired in uncertainty, but as spring begins to stir, the garden Gabe planted begins to speak to her of new life and fresh possibilities.

Tara Nanayakkara was born in Sri Lanka and immigrated to Canada with her family when she was three. She is the author of two novels, To Wish Upon A Rainbow (Creative, St. John's NL 1989) and Picture Perfect (Vijitha Yapa Colombo, Sri Lanka 2007). A professional writer for the past 30 years, her writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, The Telegram and Canadian Living magazine, among others. She was also commissioned by the Multicultural Women's Organization of Newfoundland and Labrador to write a fictionalized account of one woman's flight from an abusive marriage, The Purple House (1995). A mother of two, she divides her time between Toronto and St. John's, Newfoundland.

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"Dawning of a New Garden flows like a magical river through issues of bereavement and self-realization. It's a beautifully written story with a lightness of touch that belies its richness and complexity. A terrific novel!"
--Paul Butler, author of The Good Doctor and the upcoming The Widow's Fire