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bookishmillennial's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
Disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews because I don’t like leaving them. Most often, I will only leave them if I vehemently despised a book.I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all.
Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I adored this second-chance, forced proximity, fake dating Indian romance! This is the first book I’ve read by Mona Shroff but it will *not* be my last.
The details about Indian culture were so perfectly woven in! From the wedding traditions, to the food descriptions, to the elegant wedding attire, to the cultural conversations surrounding divorce, children, or family, Shroff clearly took such great care in representing Indian culture!
This is a great example of why representation matters, and how good representation illustrates nuance and layers of any identity. I felt the frustration and exhaustion of Nikhil in constantly feeling second-best when it came to his family, and I felt the deep love and protection that Tina (Nikhil’s sister) had for her older brother, even during a time that was supposed to be all about her and her relationship!
I felt the shame that Anita felt when admitting how much she missed Nikhil’s side of the family, and I felt the pressure from some elders who constantly questioned when they would have babies! This is why the setting of a wedding is a goldmine, because it’s the perfect mix of stress, excitement, and joy. Family is complicated, but gosh, do these people love each other!!
The dynamic between Anita & Nikhil was full of antagonistic quips, devastation, & major “the one who got away” energy. However, the journey towards reconciliation was so much fun as it all unfolded. As these two let go of assumptions and accepted the person who stood before them today (rather than the person who signed divorce papers three years ago), they allow their pain & heartbreak to finally be acknowledged & only then, can they decide if it’s something worth repairing.
This is a closed door romance but there’s plenty of angst, tension, longing, & swoon-worthy moments! Shroff wrote a beautiful story about forgiveness, growing up, & rediscovering lost love.
Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I adored this second-chance, forced proximity, fake dating Indian romance! This is the first book I’ve read by Mona Shroff but it will *not* be my last.
The details about Indian culture were so perfectly woven in! From the wedding traditions, to the food descriptions, to the elegant wedding attire, to the cultural conversations surrounding divorce, children, or family, Shroff clearly took such great care in representing Indian culture!
This is a great example of why representation matters, and how good representation illustrates nuance and layers of any identity. I felt the frustration and exhaustion of Nikhil in constantly feeling second-best when it came to his family, and I felt the deep love and protection that Tina (Nikhil’s sister) had for her older brother, even during a time that was supposed to be all about her and her relationship!
I felt the shame that Anita felt when admitting how much she missed Nikhil’s side of the family, and I felt the pressure from some elders who constantly questioned when they would have babies! This is why the setting of a wedding is a goldmine, because it’s the perfect mix of stress, excitement, and joy. Family is complicated, but gosh, do these people love each other!!
The dynamic between Anita & Nikhil was full of antagonistic quips, devastation, & major “the one who got away” energy. However, the journey towards reconciliation was so much fun as it all unfolded. As these two let go of assumptions and accepted the person who stood before them today (rather than the person who signed divorce papers three years ago), they allow their pain & heartbreak to finally be acknowledged & only then, can they decide if it’s something worth repairing.
This is a closed door romance but there’s plenty of angst, tension, longing, & swoon-worthy moments! Shroff wrote a beautiful story about forgiveness, growing up, & rediscovering lost love.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
lunarxcross's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Minor: Car accident
allingoodtime's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a new-to-me author and the culture the characters are from is one I don’t know a whole lot about. I’m always interested in learning more about other cultures, especially the way they integrate into living in the United States. When the first-generation Americans are still very much alive and part of the story, but the main characters are second or third generation and are expected to straddle so many different expectations. In this story, I didn’t feel the main characters were pulled in too many directions with these expectations, but Nikhil’s mom sure was. And that’s what got everyone into so much trouble.
This a beautiful second-chance romance with a bunch of forced-proximity and fake spouse thrown into the mix. Nikhil’s mom never told the rest of the family that he had gotten divorced from Anita and here it is his little sister’s big wedding celebration. Five days of festivities where Anita will be expected to be in attendance. Anita and Nikhil have not talked, let alone seen each other, in years. It hurts too much. They were still very much in love when they divorced, only they didn’t talk things out so they don’t really know that. There is a lot of hurt and baggage for them to wade through. Not that either is really thinking they’re going to do that. They just want to act their part, keep Nikhil’s mom and grandfather happy, and go on their way. Neither can handle the heartbreak a second time.
We all know how plans like this tend to go. There is too strong of a connection between Anita and Nikhil for them to not fall into old habits and buried feelings. While I always felt that connection, and even a low simmer of heat, there was only once where I felt the full-on butterflies and fireworks of this couple. But that works for this story. It’s more about them finding their way back to each other and learning how to properly communicate. The chemistry and caring were there, they just needed to dig a bit.
I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery of the wedding celebrations; the clothes and food and entertainment. The author blended the story with the setting in such a way that I felt as though I learned a lot without feeling like I was being schooled. She is certainly an author I will be reading more from.
This a beautiful second-chance romance with a bunch of forced-proximity and fake spouse thrown into the mix. Nikhil’s mom never told the rest of the family that he had gotten divorced from Anita and here it is his little sister’s big wedding celebration. Five days of festivities where Anita will be expected to be in attendance. Anita and Nikhil have not talked, let alone seen each other, in years. It hurts too much. They were still very much in love when they divorced, only they didn’t talk things out so they don’t really know that. There is a lot of hurt and baggage for them to wade through. Not that either is really thinking they’re going to do that. They just want to act their part, keep Nikhil’s mom and grandfather happy, and go on their way. Neither can handle the heartbreak a second time.
We all know how plans like this tend to go. There is too strong of a connection between Anita and Nikhil for them to not fall into old habits and buried feelings. While I always felt that connection, and even a low simmer of heat, there was only once where I felt the full-on butterflies and fireworks of this couple. But that works for this story. It’s more about them finding their way back to each other and learning how to properly communicate. The chemistry and caring were there, they just needed to dig a bit.
I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery of the wedding celebrations; the clothes and food and entertainment. The author blended the story with the setting in such a way that I felt as though I learned a lot without feeling like I was being schooled. She is certainly an author I will be reading more from.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
100_pages_hr's review
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
I absolutely adored this book. It fulfilled so many of my favorite tropes and had me turning the pages anxious to see how the happily ever after would work out.
Shroff is one of my favorite Indian Own Voices authors because she writes authentic, loveable stories that allow me to escape but also teach me more about the culture. It is especially fun learning about the culture surrounding weddings.
I really loved the realistic character flaws that Nikhil and Anita had. The storyline was very believable because it was easy to relate to the family dynamics and situations even if I haven't experienced the exact same thing.
The fake relationship and forced proximity in this book was amazing. I appreciate that while Shroff doesn't write explicit scenes she does make it clear in a clean way what is happening behind the mostly closed doors. The chemistry in this book was really good and I loved the romantic moments so much.
I really loved that Shroff basically took her characters down to their most desperate in this book and helped them dig back out. I cannot wait to see what Amar's story brings us!
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Shroff is one of my favorite Indian Own Voices authors because she writes authentic, loveable stories that allow me to escape but also teach me more about the culture. It is especially fun learning about the culture surrounding weddings.
I really loved the realistic character flaws that Nikhil and Anita had. The storyline was very believable because it was easy to relate to the family dynamics and situations even if I haven't experienced the exact same thing.
The fake relationship and forced proximity in this book was amazing. I appreciate that while Shroff doesn't write explicit scenes she does make it clear in a clean way what is happening behind the mostly closed doors. The chemistry in this book was really good and I loved the romantic moments so much.
I really loved that Shroff basically took her characters down to their most desperate in this book and helped them dig back out. I cannot wait to see what Amar's story brings us!
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Racism, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
Divorce
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