Jaya Nepal! is a fun trip to the chaotic metropolis that has become Kathmandu. I enjoyed following the adventures of Benjamin Creed, whose heart finds a home among people known for their resilience and kindness.

Hughes’ descriptions of Kathmandu are spot-on. If a reader hasn’t been to Nepal, Hughes’ attention to detail and the accuracy of his observations are very trustworthy means through which to imagine the country […] it is promising that North Americans with extensive first-hand knowledge of Nepal are presenting the country in a manner not seen before.

Jaya Nepal! is a touching tribute to the gentle and welcoming spirit of the Nepalese people, their enduring strength in the face of poverty and hardship, and above all their generosity to strangers […] Hughes is a gifted storyteller.

For never having been a Peace Corps volunteer, Hughes does a remarkable job of depicting what life is really like for PCVs. Each chapter contains multiple potential discussion points and conversation starters […] I highly recommend this book to Nepal PCVs, and anyone who would like to better understand life as an expatriate in Nepal.

Thanks to the author’s due diligence with his research, the vivid, colourful descriptions transport you to an entirely different world, right from the comfort of your own armchair […] this novel will open your eyes to a wider, diverse landscape that will have you champing at the bit to visit.

It reads very much like a memoir when in fact it is a work of fiction inspired by the author’s own experiences in Nepal. The fact that he can transport us there through the written word speaks volumes in regards to his writing.