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rcosgrave's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kfryan's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book, but didn’t love. The focus on the female friendships was great, as was the Indian culture. Ultimately, I feel like there was too many side stories happening and it all wrapped up too neatly in the last few pages.
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 - This was more a character driven story than a romantic one. Serena Singh is a woman in her mid-30s feeling left behind and disconnected from both her high school friend group and her sister as those women marry and have children. Serena is a career focused woman not looking to settle down and have kids and this story is more about her relationship with new friend Ainsley than on her romantic endeavors. It is also a story about the complex relationships between Indian mothers and daughters, as well as the cultural pressures for women to marry and have children. I could really relate to Serena's quest to find inner contentment and her feelings of disconnection from her sister and friends. This wasn't the light-hearted rom-com I was expecting so if you're looking for that you won't find it here. It's more of a culturally diverse women's lit book than a romance. Really enjoyed Ainsley telling off Serena's sister's mother-in-law for being so invested in the gender of her sister's unborn baby and how gender is a social construction, etc. - it was my favorite scene of the book by far!
bushraboblai's review against another edition
5.0
The author definitely managed to capture the Indian-immigrant-eldest daughter experience.
rashmitha_books's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
shelbysfavreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
barefootcoven's review against another edition
3.0
It was a very enjoyable story, although I did feel like it fell a bit flat at times. The first half was very slow. The second half picked up the pace and was more interesting to read. I did hope to see more of the connection between Serena and Jesse as actual love interests, and I wish we would've seen some more of the relationship salvation between Serena and her dad and sister. There were so many problems there, that it would've been nice to see that play out a bit more instead of just one conversation.
antagonist's review against another edition
4.0
“Mom was right. I would never understand or agree with her decision to stay, but I knew I was judging her from a place of privilege. I grew up in a different country, a different time."
Serena Singh is tired of everyone telling her what she should want--and she is ready to prove t everyone that a woman does not need domestic bliss to have a happy life. But that isn't so easy and life isn't what you expect it to be.
I didn't know anything about this book before starting it, that seems to be a trend with me. I thought this was a really beautiful story about friendship and family. Yes, there is romance, but it isn't really the focus. I enjoyed how we got to hear the mothers point of view, and I really loved how their relationship unfolded. I didn't care for the romance at all, but thankfully the friendship storyline was beautiful so enjoyable. The author did a good job of showing how complicated relationships and be, and how important it is to communicate. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but overall a cute and enjoyable self-discovery story.
Serena Singh is tired of everyone telling her what she should want--and she is ready to prove t everyone that a woman does not need domestic bliss to have a happy life. But that isn't so easy and life isn't what you expect it to be.
I didn't know anything about this book before starting it, that seems to be a trend with me. I thought this was a really beautiful story about friendship and family. Yes, there is romance, but it isn't really the focus. I enjoyed how we got to hear the mothers point of view, and I really loved how their relationship unfolded. I didn't care for the romance at all, but thankfully the friendship storyline was beautiful so enjoyable. The author did a good job of showing how complicated relationships and be, and how important it is to communicate. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but overall a cute and enjoyable self-discovery story.
gilmoremk's review against another edition
3.0
This would've been a great book if the author had stuck to her guns and written the second half the same way that the first half was written. It was such a nice story about a woman who knew that the standard nuclear family wasn't her priority in life, despite the pressures from her family, and who was taking time to try to make friendships instead of focusing on romance. And the friendship adventures were so fun! It was also lovely to hear about her mother, and to get glimpses into her life that showed us that she wasn't merely the meek and trapped woman that her daughter saw her as. But then towards the end we get the ex coming back into the picture, and an out-of-nowhere childhood trauma narrative that seemed to take away a lot of Serena's agency in choosing the kind of life that she has been leading all these years. It was a disappointing end to a lovely story about female agency and friendship.
sofiamarielg's review against another edition
3.0
While enjoyed the themes explored in this book, and it was a very digestible read, it tipped over into the realm of the forgettable.