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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
Ananya Devarajan’s endearing YA debut was such a cute and heartfelt read that blends the all too familiar themes of adolescence—such as teen angst, complicated relationships (including familial, platonic and romantic) and the bumpy road to self acceptance — with a well written, evocative and relatable exploration into the second generation immigrant experience.
It follows teen, Madhuri Iyer who’s determined to prove her star chart can’t determine her future by taking destiny into her own hands by embarking on an experimental relationship with a boy she has no romantic feelings for: childhood best friend, Arjun. But, unbeknownst to Madhuri (and the only thing she never planned for), Arjun already has feelings for her.
As Madhuri finds herself falling for Arjun, she must decide if crearing her own destiny is worth breaking both Arjun’s heart… or her own.
I really enjoyed this one and loved how emotional and character driven the writing was. I was impressed with the level of depth we see in our driven and emotionally guarded protagonist, Madhuri, and enjoyed the nuance and realism we explore in her motivations for proving her astrology-loving family wrong.
At first, she does come off as a little indifferent to her family’s love (and celebration) of the culture she has stringently avoided for years. But as Madhuri begins to let down her guard and find the courage to share her vulnerabilities, with we uncover a confident, caring and passionate young woman ready to re-explore her family’s traditions and learn to embrace (and celebrate) her cultural heritage— which was soo heartwarming.
I also liked Arjun, Madhuri’s best friend (and love interest) who was probably my favourite character (besides Madhuri’s younger sister Raina) and I loved how earnestly supportive he is of Madhuri— even whilst dealing with his own complicated personal struggles.
I really enjoyed getting to explore his POV and loved that he wasn’t just merely a two- dimensional love interest but a fully developed character with thoughts, feelings and motivations of his own that spanned beyond his feelings for Madhuri—though those do still make up a huge part of his personal arc.
The only disappointment for me was that the romance aspect was a little too whirlwind, and didn’t have nearly as much build up as I would’ve liked. Though that might just be a me problem as I’m a sucker for a good slow burn romance.
Overall, this is a fun and surprisingly sweet, coming of age YA that’s perfect for fans of fake dating, friends to lovers or the found family trope.
Also, a huge thank you to Harper360YA for the proof.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Bullying
Moderate: Chronic illness, Racism, and Child abuse
Minor: Alcohol
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