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kylieqrada's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
Yesssssss! This was a good-a$$ time! I loved learning more about Diwali and different South Asian cultural traditions. I am definitely going to read more from Sonya Lalli, especially Jasmine's spin-off book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Xenophobia, and Vomit
Moderate: Rape, Sexual harassment, and Racism
meganpbennett's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I'm not sure what I thought of Holly Jolly Diwali. It was a very cute holiday romance and it played to its tropes exceedingly well, but I didn't love it. It was beautiful, with wonderful descriptions of India, though I would have loved a glossary. After being fired from her data analyst job Niki decides to go to India to celebrate her friend's wedding. There, she meets Sam, and it's the start of a beautiful friendship, followed by a holiday fling. Until... well, read and find out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Vomit, and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual harassment
courtneyfalling's review
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
This was a sweet, light holiday romance! Lots of tropes: millennial over-committed to her career must reevaluate her life choices (Sonya Lalli's niche?), vacation fling turns into something more, there's only one bed, dorky kid grows up into hot love interest, some family drama to spur the plot. Some of the main character's decisions and the third act conflict would have frustrated me with like, any other set of characters, but I feel like it made sense for them... even though it was a bit drawn out and times I was like, y'all, communicate! But I was super invested in Niki and Sam ending up together and I love them both.
Also liked how this introduced warm, spunky older role models (I would read a whole book of Auntie Aasha's escapades) and took on colorism, casteism, and the isolation of the first-gen immigrant kid experience. It sometimes got overly heavy-handed and cushy with Niki asking folks the meaning of Diwali... like it was pandering to readers without any previous knowledge or celebration of Diwali, or trying really hard to offer some basic end-all, be-all education on Diwali, that honestly came across better in subtler moments and in allowing readers to do their own research. But to be totally fair I'm not sure I've seen any other romance set during Diwali get this level of hype and I get the impulse and publishing incentives to add these notes! And I really hope this ushers in more romances set during non-white and non-Christian holidays. It absolutely met my expectations and was so cute :)
Also liked how this introduced warm, spunky older role models (I would read a whole book of Auntie Aasha's escapades) and took on colorism, casteism, and the isolation of the first-gen immigrant kid experience. It sometimes got overly heavy-handed and cushy with Niki asking folks the meaning of Diwali... like it was pandering to readers without any previous knowledge or celebration of Diwali, or trying really hard to offer some basic end-all, be-all education on Diwali, that honestly came across better in subtler moments and in allowing readers to do their own research. But to be totally fair I'm not sure I've seen any other romance set during Diwali get this level of hype and I get the impulse and publishing incentives to add these notes! And I really hope this ushers in more romances set during non-white and non-Christian holidays. It absolutely met my expectations and was so cute :)
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Sexual harassment, Racism, and Xenophobia
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