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tavernwench's review against another edition
4.0
Anu is a hard main character to root for, but a story about finding yourself is what I needed.
raeanne's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book for free from Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Morning lovelies! Today, I'm reviewing Grown-Up Pose by Sonya Lalli. It follows Anusha as she separates from her husband and navigates their Indian community, dating, and finding herself again. It's a fun but emotional journey as we flip between past and present to figure out how it crumbled as Anusha rebuilds.
Anusha is a typical mom who's thrown everything into raising her daughter and realized she's not happy in supposedly perfect life. Now, she's trying to branch out on her own for the first time as she separates from her husband and disappointed parental figures on both sides of the aisle.
Grown-up Pose is for modern romance fans looking for a woman growing through crisis, proving it might be too late for some paths, but it's never too late to be happy. I don't read many adult romances so I'm actually looking to get some recommendations instead of giving them this time.
This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
About Grown-Up Pose:
IMHO: Grown-Up Pose
Anusha is a typical mom who's thrown everything into raising her daughter and realized she's not happy in supposedly perfect life. Now, she's trying to branch out on her own for the first time as she separates from her husband and disappointed parental figures on both sides of the aisle.
- Enjoyable
- Emotional
- Anusha is flawed and I was rooting for her to grow up and get what she wanted
- Jenny is the stand out BFF, smart, funny, and part of the plot unlike the bland married one
- Imogen is like a manic pixie dream girl until things crash in the climax & she gets better
- Neil irritated the crap out of me at first. Giant man baby. But like the rest of the adults, he grows too
- Kanika is adorable, but not the main focus, thank gods.
- Love Anusha's journey, grappling with losing herself in motherhood.
- And grieving for the path not chosen, what might've been
- Happy Ending
Grown-up Pose is for modern romance fans looking for a woman growing through crisis, proving it might be too late for some paths, but it's never too late to be happy. I don't read many adult romances so I'm actually looking to get some recommendations instead of giving them this time.
Favorite Quotes:
She was used to the guilt; it was the pain she was still coming to grips with.
It fell to the floor, and nobody else heard it shatter.
"The weird thing is," Jenny said, glancing at her phone,"if he'd just kissed me on my mouth, I probably would have slept with him."
Kanika signed sarcastically, imitating the way Jenny often did. "I don't understand grown-ups."
"You weren't boring me, Anu. You were boring yourself."
"My date etiquette is old enough to have her period."
About the Author:
This review was originally posted on The Layaway Dragon
jazzyjan94's review against another edition
3.0
Grown-up Pose is another book that was mentioned on a Modern Mrs. Darcy booklist, and I'm glad because I don't know I would have come across it otherwise.
Grown-up Pose follows 30-year-old Anu Desai, who feels like she never had a chance to grow up, having been forced by her South Asian parents to get married young, and start having kids. However, after being in a rut for several years and dissatisfied with her life, she separates from her husband in order to find who she is and what she wants, as opposed to whatever others tell her she should want. Soon she finds herself overwhelmed with not knowing where her life is going, she starts running her own yoga studio, while trying to raise her daughter.
I liked Grown-Up Pose, although there were some aspects I didn't like. For instance, I didn't like that Anu separated from her husband before talking to him. I also didn't like that they both started seeing other people before they were divorced. I also didn't like Anu's friend Jenny, because she was constantly pushing Anu to do Tinder and go out on dates, even when Anu said no, and she bullies her.
I did like seeing how Anu tries to navigate discovering who she is, with her traditional upbringing and how she comes to blend it together. I also loved her parents and how in love they are, and how her father is learning to be more domestic while supporting his wife when she goes back to school. I also really liked the ending and how things turn out.
A couple of other things that bothered me were that this book had quite a few obvious typos and could have done with a couple more rounds of edits to change those errors. Another thing is that it seems to frown on people getting married young, and while maybe not everyone should, getting married at 22/23 is not a death sentence. But then again, Anu's parents were somewhat overbearing back then.
Overall, I liked Grown-up Pose. Yes, I did have some issues with it, but it was a good read. I also enjoyed getting to know more about South Asian culture. I liked Anu's journey throughout the novel, and I really liked the ending and how her marriage is resurrected (Spoiler alert). 3.5/5 Stars.
Grown-up Pose follows 30-year-old Anu Desai, who feels like she never had a chance to grow up, having been forced by her South Asian parents to get married young, and start having kids. However, after being in a rut for several years and dissatisfied with her life, she separates from her husband in order to find who she is and what she wants, as opposed to whatever others tell her she should want. Soon she finds herself overwhelmed with not knowing where her life is going, she starts running her own yoga studio, while trying to raise her daughter.
I liked Grown-Up Pose, although there were some aspects I didn't like. For instance, I didn't like that Anu separated from her husband before talking to him. I also didn't like that they both started seeing other people before they were divorced. I also didn't like Anu's friend Jenny, because she was constantly pushing Anu to do Tinder and go out on dates, even when Anu said no, and she bullies her.
I did like seeing how Anu tries to navigate discovering who she is, with her traditional upbringing and how she comes to blend it together. I also loved her parents and how in love they are, and how her father is learning to be more domestic while supporting his wife when she goes back to school. I also really liked the ending and how things turn out.
A couple of other things that bothered me were that this book had quite a few obvious typos and could have done with a couple more rounds of edits to change those errors. Another thing is that it seems to frown on people getting married young, and while maybe not everyone should, getting married at 22/23 is not a death sentence. But then again, Anu's parents were somewhat overbearing back then.
Overall, I liked Grown-up Pose. Yes, I did have some issues with it, but it was a good read. I also enjoyed getting to know more about South Asian culture. I liked Anu's journey throughout the novel, and I really liked the ending and how her marriage is resurrected (Spoiler alert). 3.5/5 Stars.
softstuff513's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
4.0
I got this book through a “blind date with a book” thing and I loved it!! It ended kinda quickly though like the day after I finished it I wished I was still reading it...
maybe less time in London and more
Time after London fixing up the studio?
maybe less time in London and more
Time after London fixing up the studio?
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
Grown-Up Pose by Sonya Lalli is a marvelous journey of self-discovery.
Anu Desai always does what is expected of her. She honored her parents' wishes for her career choice and their views of dating. She and her husband Neil dated for five years before marrying. Now the parents of five year old Kanika, Anu shocks everyone when she asks Neil to move out. Neil and Anu share joint custody of Kanika and Neil lives with his mom. She is now dating but is Anu ready to finalize their divorce?
Anu has still not achieved what she is looking for. Always obedient, she still wants her parents' approval but their expectations do not match up with what she wants for herself. After an unexpected discovery, Anu makes an impulsive decision to fulfill her dream of owning a yoga studio. The only problem? She has no idea how to run a business. The lease is barely signed before Anu impetuously purchases a ticket to London. But she is disappointed to discover that traveling alone is not as fulfilling as she believed it would be. Anu's search for herself is a bit frustrating since she is a somewhat aimless and reckless as tries to figure out what she visualizes her future and who will share it with her.
Grown-Up Pose is an entertaining and thoughtful novel with a realistic storyline and appealing characters. Anu's fight for autonomy vs family expectations will resonate with readers who have experienced a similar situation. Occasional flashbacks provide valuable insight into what Anu is searching for and why she is having difficulty asserting her independence. Anu sometimes does not make the best decisions but she tries to move forward without regrets. An epiphany late in the story provides her with direction but her fears might prevent her from finding true happiness. Sonya Lalli brings this enjoyable novel to a gratifying conclusion.
Anu Desai always does what is expected of her. She honored her parents' wishes for her career choice and their views of dating. She and her husband Neil dated for five years before marrying. Now the parents of five year old Kanika, Anu shocks everyone when she asks Neil to move out. Neil and Anu share joint custody of Kanika and Neil lives with his mom. She is now dating but is Anu ready to finalize their divorce?
Anu has still not achieved what she is looking for. Always obedient, she still wants her parents' approval but their expectations do not match up with what she wants for herself. After an unexpected discovery, Anu makes an impulsive decision to fulfill her dream of owning a yoga studio. The only problem? She has no idea how to run a business. The lease is barely signed before Anu impetuously purchases a ticket to London. But she is disappointed to discover that traveling alone is not as fulfilling as she believed it would be. Anu's search for herself is a bit frustrating since she is a somewhat aimless and reckless as tries to figure out what she visualizes her future and who will share it with her.
Grown-Up Pose is an entertaining and thoughtful novel with a realistic storyline and appealing characters. Anu's fight for autonomy vs family expectations will resonate with readers who have experienced a similar situation. Occasional flashbacks provide valuable insight into what Anu is searching for and why she is having difficulty asserting her independence. Anu sometimes does not make the best decisions but she tries to move forward without regrets. An epiphany late in the story provides her with direction but her fears might prevent her from finding true happiness. Sonya Lalli brings this enjoyable novel to a gratifying conclusion.
littleknit10's review against another edition
4.0
This would have been 3 stars normally. But I was coming off four back to back Indigenous memoirs and really needed something lighter. This was what I needed so it gets a better rating for good timing.
blossominthebooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
maryloofficial's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
elysareadsitall's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
"Grown-Up Pose" was a heartwarming contemporary story of a woman trying to find her identity outside of being a daughter, wife, and mother. There is a romance aspect, but the main point of the story is Anu's journey. Anu does a lot of soul searching and trying new things, and it was interesting to watch her thought process through it all. It's an emotional journey, and Lalli captured that pressure valve feeling after listening to everyone else for so long. I liked the characters and writing style. I'm excited to read more from Lalli.