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3.02 AVERAGE
3.02 AVERAGE
I listened to the author on a podcast and she’s so sweet I wanted to like this book but couldn’t. It’s a very basic look at being Indian, and a caricature of our culture. It felt very superficial to me. The romance was also very fast, taking place in just a week. This feels like a book for white people who know nothing about India. I want to recommend but cannot I’m sorry.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for this advanced copy.
This book had a lot of really fun elements and characters but ultimately, the plot fell a little flat for me. I loved the idea of Manny's business Breakup (though I, for the life of me, cannot figure out how this business is profitable or actually works, but whatever) and I love how boss Manny is when it comes to the work side of her life. And the set up for her meeting Sammy worked for me at first. I loved all her co-workers (they get their own books right?) and I loved her stylist. I even really like Sammy.
But overall the plot felt uneven at times and it felt like there was never the right amount of building up to the different major plot points. Manny meets Sammy and just agreed to fly off to hang with his family for a week? I know she was in a place, but still, that seems EXTREME even for romance novels. And she thinks she can discover her Indian heritage in a week at a wedding? Don't get me wrong, Indian weddings are a blast, but I found it hard to evaluate that storyline as someone who isn't Desi and would love to hear more from Desi readers about this, especially because it felt forced and inauthentic. And the build-up to insta-love felt so off for some reason.
In the end, this wasn't my favorite romance book set in and around Indian culture, but there were some great laugh out loud moments and it was a fun read on a rainy day.
This book had a lot of really fun elements and characters but ultimately, the plot fell a little flat for me. I loved the idea of Manny's business Breakup (though I, for the life of me, cannot figure out how this business is profitable or actually works, but whatever) and I love how boss Manny is when it comes to the work side of her life. And the set up for her meeting Sammy worked for me at first. I loved all her co-workers (they get their own books right?) and I loved her stylist. I even really like Sammy.
But overall the plot felt uneven at times and it felt like there was never the right amount of building up to the different major plot points. Manny meets Sammy and just agreed to fly off to hang with his family for a week? I know she was in a place, but still, that seems EXTREME even for romance novels. And she thinks she can discover her Indian heritage in a week at a wedding? Don't get me wrong, Indian weddings are a blast, but I found it hard to evaluate that storyline as someone who isn't Desi and would love to hear more from Desi readers about this, especially because it felt forced and inauthentic. And the build-up to insta-love felt so off for some reason.
In the end, this wasn't my favorite romance book set in and around Indian culture, but there were some great laugh out loud moments and it was a fun read on a rainy day.
Cute, but not for me. Needed a little more ‘com’, to be a romcom.
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
This book was Bollywood magic! Everything I love about those movies even without the music was present. Manny and Sammy’s relationship from bad beginning to sweet ending was wonderful to watch unfold.
I also loved the finding of self identity through the exploration of culture. Manny’s story of feeling at loss at what identity was truly hers spoke to me as someone who is also stuck between cultures myself.
I truly enjoyed this story, however I just wished certain things were different. For one thing I would have liked it to be longer so that the ending, while sweet didn’t feel rushed. Also I would have like more interactions with Adam that should actual chemistry between them and didn’t feel clinical. I just couldn’t see any real affection between them to sell me on their relationship. I also would have like more interactions with Sammy to make the love story feel more believable and less rushed,
All in all the balance between romance, comedy, culture and self identity was done well. Would definitely recommend to fellow romance lovers looking for more diversity in their stories!
(I received an e-arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
I also loved the finding of self identity through the exploration of culture. Manny’s story of feeling at loss at what identity was truly hers spoke to me as someone who is also stuck between cultures myself.
I truly enjoyed this story, however I just wished certain things were different. For one thing I would have liked it to be longer so that the ending, while sweet didn’t feel rushed. Also I would have like more interactions with Adam that should actual chemistry between them and didn’t feel clinical. I just couldn’t see any real affection between them to sell me on their relationship. I also would have like more interactions with Sammy to make the love story feel more believable and less rushed,
All in all the balance between romance, comedy, culture and self identity was done well. Would definitely recommend to fellow romance lovers looking for more diversity in their stories!
(I received an e-arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
It was a nice first attempt, but it was lacking in many ways. On the one hand, I enjoyed the glimpses into Indian culture and family dynamics, and delving into celebrations and foods. On the other hand, a lot of the characters and their interactions are a bit off. In particular, the ending didn't make sense. These characters have hardly spent any time together, and suddenly decide to get married. I'm not buying it. This could have been handled better. But I think that type of character development can definitely be improved with time and work.
This one is cute and entertaining despite leading lady Manny's rather rude attitude toward everything Indian at the beginning of the book. It works out that there's a reason for it and that she's maybe doing it subconsciously, but it still doesn't make for the most likable of characters.
It's an exploration of identity told lightheartedly and wrapped up in an extravagant Indian wedding. It was fun to see Manny slowly realize that she'd been wearing a figurative blindfold when it came to her fiance and the way her parents raised her, hiding from the pain of losing them by stepping even further away from the cultural heritage that her parents never really gave her a chance to experience and remaining in a relationship that is obvious to readers from the very beginning isn't very positive.
Everything seems to happen at a very accelerated timeline and I do wish it could have given the characters more time to really explore themselves and their feelings, but I understand that it had to be quick to fit within the timeline of the traditional wedding event.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for the very interesting read!
It's an exploration of identity told lightheartedly and wrapped up in an extravagant Indian wedding. It was fun to see Manny slowly realize that she'd been wearing a figurative blindfold when it came to her fiance and the way her parents raised her, hiding from the pain of losing them by stepping even further away from the cultural heritage that her parents never really gave her a chance to experience and remaining in a relationship that is obvious to readers from the very beginning isn't very positive.
Everything seems to happen at a very accelerated timeline and I do wish it could have given the characters more time to really explore themselves and their feelings, but I understand that it had to be quick to fit within the timeline of the traditional wedding event.
Happy thanks to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for the very interesting read!
I loved all of the cultural aspects of this book, the rest was bad.
Not to mention that calling something a romance and then having both of your leads in relationships and THEN having them oddly fall for each other really doesn't fit right with me. The sidecharacters carried so much of this book but both the MMC and FMC were so painfully dull I don't think I could do this again.
Spoiler
No like, we have not one, not two, BUT THREE CHEATERS.Not to mention that calling something a romance and then having both of your leads in relationships and THEN having them oddly fall for each other really doesn't fit right with me. The sidecharacters carried so much of this book but both the MMC and FMC were so painfully dull I don't think I could do this again.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes