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bookishmillennial's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I really enjoyed the comparisons Nikki recognized between her hometown of Austin and their vacation in Dubai, specifically the commentary on how she constantly felt “othered” back at home. In Dubai during Diwali, she felt as if she was truly a part of a bigger community and that she fit in, because everyone was celebrating it. I really appreciated that aspect of Nikki’s journey in feeling authentically herself and welcomed. She compared it to how Americans feel about Christmas, since it is showcased so strongly and predominantly in American culture.
The romance is a bit of a slow burn, and a bit of antagonists-to-lovers, but obviously they are former best friends. I would have loved a bit more build up, and a bit more subtle moments between the two, as it felt like both Nikki and Yash were stumbling whenever they had dialogue with the other. I could feel the teenage angst and frustrations, but I also felt like Yash spoke like a 50-year-old man sometimes. It’s totally fine to be an old soul, but his dialogue felt forced sometimes. The moments when they shined the most were when they were trying to be vulnerable and brave with each other, such as when Yash reveals his hidden hobby of creating webcomics. Overall, I appreciated the forced proximity because it felt realistic within their family vacation context, and I was happy when they finally reconciled.
The descriptions of Diwali celebrations, as well as other aspects of her Indian culture were beautiful. Patel provided such vivid imagery that I felt I was there, and I could tell this came from a deep love and care for her culture.
Nikki’s aspirations to become a photographer could have been fleshed out a bit more, but I loved this backstory. She desperately wanted to apply for and be accepted into this internship in Washington DC, and for the most part, I felt like her family was quite supportive! I think the conflict of Yash breaking her camera was a bit convoluted at times, but I get why Patel made this choice, to bring the characters together on page before the long flight.
I'll read more from Patel, and though this was not my favorite of her work, it was still enjoyable enough!
cw: undertones of sexism in the narrative of "you're a young girl, it's too dangerous to go out," and yet, her male counterpart gets full freedom and encouragement to do so
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism
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