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jackiehorne's review
3.0
A brief novella about a young woman, Saroj Shah, who's been crushing on her friend Adam, the bass player for a local band, for the past six years. Fellow band member Johnny Ray Morris, tired of watching Saroj "be a nun" for Adam, decides to shake his friend up by kissing Saroj after a show ("How about we give the choirboy something to be jealous of, huh?") Adam is shocked to see "sweet little Saroj" in a hot embrace; he's known of her crush for ages, and never chased her, thinking her too far above him (class-wise) for anything to come of it. But "the idea of [Saroj and Johnny] together make[s] him want to bleach his eyeballs," and Adam kisses her, too, suddenly allowing himself to want his "sweet" little friend.
Saroj, though, is tired of being taken for granted: "She was just good ol' Saroj, no? Half little sister, half study buddy. all off-limits. And now he was acting like she belonged to him. Just when she was determine to belong only to herself." The rest of the story is Saroj's back-and-forthing—will she let Adam into her life romantically? Or will she force him to make a long-term commitment first, one he's not quite ready to make?
Strong writing and relevant details from Saroj's life as a desi make for an enjoyable read, although the story is rather too short, and the final coming together not very motivated. And Saroj does come across as a bit neurotic (as Adam tells her, when she asks why he wants her now when he never did before), which makes her a bit hard to root for (not always fun to see one's own neurotic tendencies in a romance novel character...)
Saroj, though, is tired of being taken for granted: "She was just good ol' Saroj, no? Half little sister, half study buddy. all off-limits. And now he was acting like she belonged to him. Just when she was determine to belong only to herself." The rest of the story is Saroj's back-and-forthing—will she let Adam into her life romantically? Or will she force him to make a long-term commitment first, one he's not quite ready to make?
Strong writing and relevant details from Saroj's life as a desi make for an enjoyable read, although the story is rather too short, and the final coming together not very motivated. And Saroj does come across as a bit neurotic (as Adam tells her, when she asks why he wants her now when he never did before), which makes her a bit hard to root for (not always fun to see one's own neurotic tendencies in a romance novel character...)
erinnejc's review
4.0
I love a well written friends to lovers story and this did not disappoint. I enjoyed all the characters and the romance. Even though it was only 85 pages long I felt the story wasn't lacking in the slightest or felt rushed. Would highly recommend.
leonicka's review
3.0
Though the guy was a clueless idiot through most of the story, I liked the heroine a lot and the ending was sweet. :)
ajcousins's review
This book was absolutely lovely. Also, painful to read. Saroj, the heroine, has been in love with the hero, Adam, for years, while he has only ever seen her as a good friend. If you have one (or more) of these unrequited love stories in your own past, grab this book. As awkward as it is to read about Saroj being as dumb as I have been over a guy, it was a gorgeous fantasy to read how it all works out for them. Sigh. I loved it because it's the ultimate in wish fulfillment. Also, Suleikha wrote some of my favorite secondary characters ever. They are fantastic and I'll certainly be keeping an eye out, just in case she rustles up a story or two for some of them. I really, really enjoyed this one. :)
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