Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Incense and Sensibility

Incense and Sensibility takes the fake relationship trope and flips it on its head, according to author Sonali Dev. Instead of the main character's fake relationship being his actual love interest, or the developing love interest, he has always only been in love with one person and reconnects with her out of necessity.

Yash (pronounced like "rush") is running for Governor of California. His platform is progressive and based on principles that most readers will likely agree with if they are reading this book. He is purported to be in it to serve the public and not as a politician seeking power and advancement. At one of his campaign speaking events, he is shot by an audience member, narrowly avoiding death, while his bodyguard is severely injured and goes into a coma for most of the remainder of the book. This causes him to have anxiety attacks that prevent him from doing more public appearances campaigning. To help him, his cast of sisters, all very much attentive and concerned in an oppressive way to Yash, bring him to their friend India, a yoga instructor, counselor/therapist, and Reiki practitioner.

Turns out, Yash and India have known each other for ten years, although that is the last time they saw each other and had a heated, romantic moment. In the last ten years, however, Yash has been in a fake/PR relationship with a woman named Naina, who runs her own non-profit helping disadvantaged women around the globe. Yash and Naina are strictly "together" for the public's sake, but they have a hands-off, non-intimate relationship. Yash was drugged, sexually assaulted, and video footage was used to blackmail him in the past, so he has an aversion to physical intimacy to say the least.

Yash wants to call off his relationship with Naina but she resists him, insisting that their false relationship helps their public images independently and it would be too close to the election to have a public breakup or admit to their lie. Even though the book covers the span of a few months, the "too close to the election" argument is used throughout the book and eventually Yash does end their relationship and admit during a public presser to having lied to the public. Turns out, that only hurts his lead slightly and he does end up winning.

The book is mainly character driven. Not a lot happens after the first few chapters of action where Yash gets shot. The characters are likable. I think India had a hard time even admitting to herself the attraction and love she felt for Yash, so we didn't really see that through the narrative until the end when Yash admits his feelings publicly without revealing her identity. Both Yash and India feel safe only with each other, and the reader feels that too. India is like an emotional conduit for Yash; he's numb entirely until he can see her and then all of his feelings, good and bad, rush up. He's able to process them in her presence, however, and she's consented to helping him do that. We are always waiting intently for them to spend time together, and it's peaceful and relaxing when they do, even though the moment is actually tense in more ways than one. They have physical attraction but also this fraught history of not being honest with each other. Yash has other demons from his past to contend with that influence how he approaches his anxiety attacks during the campaign, and India is the one to help guide him through that. She does keep good boundaries as a professional, but she does this work for him because she cares about him and I liked that balance.

Yash's family seemed to annoy him the entire book, and said some things that were hurtful and dismissive of his experience. His father especially was only focused on him winning the election, and all of their behavior was excused as the ulterior motives of wanting Yash to be governor so he could make good changes in the world. After he confesses his love for India to his parents, they (especially his mother) realize that for him to do the things he wants to do for the public, he has to correct the private issues that are holding him back. I liked the way his sisters and mother helped plan and usher in Yash's public "come clean" and sat with India while she watched him give the presser live, or so she thought. Until she finds out the presser had been taped 30 minutes prior, and the sweet but stinky pug Chutney who loves Yash is barking at the window and she realizes Yash is standing outside waiting for her. That was super romantic and made up for the slow burn of the book for me.

Their announcement of their relationship, and Yash's lie, only did so much to hurt him in the polls and he ended up winning with a very close margin. The romantic stakes were very high throughout the book but that fizzled out once they chose each other. I think that is my main complaint, as I prefer a plot-driven story, rather than characters tugging back and forth until someone gives and then all the problems vanish once they do.

Overall this book is vibes. We have the contrast between India's world which is close-knit, plush, colorful, and peaceful, and Yash's family's estate that is massive and shows us that he is from a legacy family. Despite their varied upbringing and lives, the families have similar values and are supportive of Yash and India even if it means him possibly losing the election. As long as they are living in truth, it's better than lying to get what you want.

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noellelovesbooks's review against another edition

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3.5

Content Warnings: Gun violence, public shooting, blood/injury, racism, sexism, toxic masculinity, ableism, PTSD, and queerphobia.
Mention of: being drugged and raped, injury due to getting hit by a car, depression, mention of losing a loved one/partner, and anxiety.

Having been emotionally devastated and restored by the first two books in this series…I took my time getting around to book three. This was a book I’m pretty sure I pre-ordered and then left sitting on my shelf because I wasn’t prepared to deal with the emotions Sonali made me feel in the first two books.

I wouldn’t classify this book as a romance so much as adult fiction as the element of romance was so small in comparison to everything else the book dealt with.

The book starts with an attempt on Yash’s life when he’s set to speak at a political rally. His friend and bodyguard is critically injured when he tries to jump in the way of a bullet meant for Yash. Having his friend in the ICU with no idea if he’ll ever wake up, let alone recover, Yash is in shock. Yash has always been great in front of a crowd but after the shooting anytime he attempts to speak at a public gathering he’s overwhelmed with panic and anxiety.

Yash is close to 40 and has years of unresolved trauma that had deeply affected his life and the way he handles things. I really wish the book would have shown Yash getting professional help to process his trauma rather than just talking with India and mentioning that he’s set up an appointment. Trauma is such an important thing that needs to be addressed and I understand it taking years for him to come to terms with needing help…I just wish we were able to see him getting more help than just India.

We spend so much of the book seeing Yash acknowledge how much trauma has shaped and dictated his life and I just needed more of the after, if that makes sense. Maybe I’m just not in the right mood to be reading this book but I felt like there was so much sadness and although he does find love and he’s finally opening up to his family…I just felt like the negativity and sadness outweighed the happiness. I just needed to feel more of a win than what I felt.

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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

As a Sense & Sensibility megafan, I can speak more clearly on this story as an adaptation than any of the other Austen spins in the series. The Dashwood sisters are the heart of the story, and their characterization and conflict here felt true to the spirit of the original. China, the Marianne of this story, takes on new dimensions as a Black lesbian, so her overpowering feelings for a famous closeted K-drama actress are more complex but no less fierce than in the original. India's Elinor energy is also going strong, and she manages the feelings and well-being of everyone around her with competence and empathy as she crumbles on the inside. An adjustment that I thought worked well is a shift with their mother. India is acting as caregiver due to a new diagnosis in her mother's life, not general incompetence. She is a fully-fledged person more than comedic ineptitude. Yash's white knight mode was not my favorite even though I would love a politician like him to represent me. The way his family and supporters fawned over his every move may have contributed to my reaction.

The romance was less dazzling for me than the characters. I enjoyed Yash's story of fake dating gone wrong. Instead of following the trajectory romance books teach us to expect, a pact between best friends goes sour when one wants out of the bargain, tired of the lies. His true love story with India is second chance and all angst. Paired with instalove, it was an unideal pairing in terms of what tropes I favor. The angst comes from both internal and external pressures keeping them apart, starting with Yash's past traumas and ending with the current ones including an assassination attempt and the PR demands as his gubernatorial election fast approaches. Except for pining, the love story feels like it takes a backseat to the campaign and family and other relationships. Second chance doesn't help matters because the bedrock of their infatuation is one day spent together ten years ago when they both fell head over heels. Now, Yash's fake relationship stands in their way.

As an adaptation, I think this is a strong work. Be aware that heavy topics are on the table here, including gun violence and resulting panic attacks, rape and blackmail, car accident injuries and a hepatitis diagnosis. While I particularly liked the Dashwoods, I wasn't sold on the central romance. And since it's a bleak outlook for them during most of the story, it became a bit torturous for me as a lukewarm supporter in the best of times. If you like your romance with many dimensions and not only a romantic plot, plenty of pining, and a second chance story with a lot of obstacles, this might be up your alley.

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