In his debut collection, Bonds, S. N. Kashyap explores the lives of immigrant students and professionals in North America as they navigate ambition, romance, humor, and the subtle cultural negotiations of immigrant life.

Across five stories set in upstate New York, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Central Ohio, characters confront misunderstandings, mismatched expectations, and moments of reckoning that test their assumptions about love, family, and identity.

The Invitation follows a graduate student adrift during a summer internship, struggling to decode the signals of attraction across cultural lines.

Triple Hex brings together clashing personalities and lifestyles, revealing how pride and circumstance can spiral into comedic chaos.

In Like Love-Life Itself, a runner’s romantic highs and heartbreak unfold against the physical and emotional demands of the Pittsburgh Marathon.

Sole Mate traces a young woman’s search for partnership through traditional and modern matchmaking, illuminating generational tension and self-discovery.

The title story, Bonds, centers on a young man drawn into a homicide investigation involving extended family, where loyalty and justice collide.

Blending humor with introspection, Bonds examines how cultural heritage, aspiration, and personal desire intersect in the everyday lives of immigrants and first-generation professionals. These stories capture the awkwardness, resilience, and emotional complexity of building a life between worlds.