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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Thanks to partners NetGalley and Forever for the digital ARC of Sajni Patel’s First Love, Take Two in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published on September 21!
I absolutely loved Sajni Patel’s The Trouble with Hating You, so when I saw her new book, First Love, Take Two was available, I requested it immediately! This is a great follow-up, a steamy, second-chance romance that builds on the first book’s events but doesn’t rely on them. (I think you could read this one even if you haven’t read book one.)
Here, Preeti Patel is trying to embrace an arranged marriage with Yuvan. He checks all the right boxes: he’s part of her conservative, Indian community, and his parents are close with hers. He’s successful, as is she, and this seems like the perfect match. But she has absolutely no chemistry with him.
Preeti has been the subject of gossip before, six years ago when she had an interracial relationship with Daniel Thompson. When her father’s sisters found out that she was dating outside the culture and the race—Daniel is Black—they set the full force of community shaming upon her and her family. Daniel’s parents were no more accepting of her, and so Preeti broke off their relationship.
Since then, Preeti has built a successful career as a doctor—she’s almost done with her residency—has taken care of her parents, and has made every effort to fly under the radar of the gossip mongers. All of that has kept Daniel from the forefront of her mind and heart . . . until her friends and his sister conspire to throw them together once more.
This book does a great job dealing with a number of serious issues: anxiety and racism and touch aversion and, above all, both the blessing and curse of being part of a close-knit community. As a doctor, Preeti deals with heartbreak—miscarriage, death, and the expectations of her patients’ families—and more and more, she’s feeling overwhelmed by expectations both at work and in her personal life.
Watching Preeti and Daniel work through their relationship to support each other is fantastic: this is such a wonderful, second-chance romance, filled with a deep backstory and nuanced characters. As always in a romance series, I love seeing Liya and Jay from book one, and I have high hopes that there will be at least one more book involving Liya and Preeti’s friend group.
First Love, Take Two is a worthy, steamy, beautiful follow-up to The Trouble with Hating You.
I absolutely loved Sajni Patel’s The Trouble with Hating You, so when I saw her new book, First Love, Take Two was available, I requested it immediately! This is a great follow-up, a steamy, second-chance romance that builds on the first book’s events but doesn’t rely on them. (I think you could read this one even if you haven’t read book one.)
Here, Preeti Patel is trying to embrace an arranged marriage with Yuvan. He checks all the right boxes: he’s part of her conservative, Indian community, and his parents are close with hers. He’s successful, as is she, and this seems like the perfect match. But she has absolutely no chemistry with him.
Preeti has been the subject of gossip before, six years ago when she had an interracial relationship with Daniel Thompson. When her father’s sisters found out that she was dating outside the culture and the race—Daniel is Black—they set the full force of community shaming upon her and her family. Daniel’s parents were no more accepting of her, and so Preeti broke off their relationship.
Since then, Preeti has built a successful career as a doctor—she’s almost done with her residency—has taken care of her parents, and has made every effort to fly under the radar of the gossip mongers. All of that has kept Daniel from the forefront of her mind and heart . . . until her friends and his sister conspire to throw them together once more.
This book does a great job dealing with a number of serious issues: anxiety and racism and touch aversion and, above all, both the blessing and curse of being part of a close-knit community. As a doctor, Preeti deals with heartbreak—miscarriage, death, and the expectations of her patients’ families—and more and more, she’s feeling overwhelmed by expectations both at work and in her personal life.
Watching Preeti and Daniel work through their relationship to support each other is fantastic: this is such a wonderful, second-chance romance, filled with a deep backstory and nuanced characters. As always in a romance series, I love seeing Liya and Jay from book one, and I have high hopes that there will be at least one more book involving Liya and Preeti’s friend group.
First Love, Take Two is a worthy, steamy, beautiful follow-up to The Trouble with Hating You.
I liked this book a lot more than its prequel, The Trouble with Hating You. The characters were a lot more relatable and the love interest was a lot less white-knight-y this time around. The main conflict in this book could have been avoided with a simple conversation, but I'm willing to forgive Sajni Patel for that: there would be approximately 10 romcom books if all of them required the characters to know how to communicate.
I wish I had seen a discussion on the realities of an inter-race, inter-class relationship. Are they merging finances (and will Preeti be okay with that)?. How will they raise their kids, if they choose to have them? With Preeti's character being an extreme planner, and with both characters being in their late 20s (?), you'd think these important topics would have come up at least once before
I wish I had seen a discussion on the realities of an inter-race, inter-class relationship. Are they merging finances (and will Preeti be okay with that)?
Spoiler
Who's paying for the house? I doubt a newly minted family medicine doctor can afford to go 50/50 on the mortgage of a million-dollar houseSpoiler
they got engaged.
If I read a book in one night, laughing, crying, smiling so hard while reading, that means I REALLY loved the book. This is one those books.
I’ll write a longer review closer to pub date but this is such a beautifully written story on second chances and romance. Preeti and Daniel are the most lovable characters that it’s hard not to root for them!
More importantly, I enjoyed how Sajni Patel touched upon mental health, touch aversion, racism, and interracial relationships, etc.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I’ll write a longer review closer to pub date but this is such a beautifully written story on second chances and romance. Preeti and Daniel are the most lovable characters that it’s hard not to root for them!
More importantly, I enjoyed how Sajni Patel touched upon mental health, touch aversion, racism, and interracial relationships, etc.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
At the outset, I want to say that I loved Sajni Patel's The Trouble With Hating You. I am an unapologetic lover of romance novels that balance frothy, swoony moments with intense passion while not shying away from heavier topics. I don't mind a purely light-hearted rom-com, but a story with just the right amount of gravitas is perfect. Patel manages that in both the first and this second installment of her "The Trouble With Hating You" series.
But. . . the heroine in First Love, Take Two tested my patience. I understand that anxiety and the associated pressures of cultural expectations are real, but Preeti's inability to use her words even with people who were safe spaces for her required a real suspension of disbelief. On the one hand, this woman is a physician of superior skill who makes life-saving decisions under pressure every day. On the other, she can't tell her parents she's ended her sham of an engagement, though past precedent has taught her that the gossip will get to them if she doesn't head it off? Make it make sense.
Much of the plot is predicated upon misunderstandings, miscommunication, and stretching the parameters of plausibility. There were also several protracted scenes and repetitive bits of dialogue that I could have done without. So many pages of real estate could have been ceded back to the central couple. This would have helped to re-establish their bond in the present day. The reader deserves to have the central couple be just that. . . at the center. We spent way too much time in Preeti's interior thoughts. It was such a joy to see her and Daniel actually interact on the page.
Here's something else I loved: every single dressing down any villain in the story received. These were more than earned.
At this point, I consider Patel and her TWHY series to be "must-reads," but maybe not "right away on pub day."
But. . . the heroine in First Love, Take Two tested my patience. I understand that anxiety and the associated pressures of cultural expectations are real, but Preeti's inability to use her words even with people who were safe spaces for her required a real suspension of disbelief. On the one hand, this woman is a physician of superior skill who makes life-saving decisions under pressure every day. On the other, she can't tell her parents she's ended her sham of an engagement, though past precedent has taught her that the gossip will get to them if she doesn't head it off? Make it make sense.
Much of the plot is predicated upon misunderstandings, miscommunication, and stretching the parameters of plausibility. There were also several protracted scenes and repetitive bits of dialogue that I could have done without. So many pages of real estate could have been ceded back to the central couple. This would have helped to re-establish their bond in the present day. The reader deserves to have the central couple be just that. . . at the center. We spent way too much time in Preeti's interior thoughts. It was such a joy to see her and Daniel actually interact on the page.
Here's something else I loved: every single dressing down any villain in the story received. These were more than earned.
At this point, I consider Patel and her TWHY series to be "must-reads," but maybe not "right away on pub day."
Not nearly as good as the first book, saccharine and too long. I liked that she had anxiety and I identified with her there, but otherwise Preeta was so annoying.
Can I just say that I looovvveee this book so much. Trying not to give any spoilers so this may be a bit vague. The writing was so well done and I love Preeti and Daniel. The conflict felt raw and natural and even though I had a few "no they didn't" moments, the mistakes felt like real ones that people would make.
I also love that this isn't just a great Rom Com. Sajni Patel tackles racism, anxiety stigmas, and the struggles of interracial relationships head on. She also speaks frankly about menstruation which is refreshing because it is frigging natural.
I also love that this isn't just a great Rom Com. Sajni Patel tackles racism, anxiety stigmas, and the struggles of interracial relationships head on. She also speaks frankly about menstruation which is refreshing because it is frigging natural.
i’m a big fan of second chance romance so i knew i was going to enjoy this! this book definitely has a focus on Preeti and her personal journey, with a dash of romance.
i really loved her and Daniel’s relationship and he truly treated her like a queen and we love to see it
i really loved her and Daniel’s relationship and he truly treated her like a queen and we love to see it
I’m writing this review with one single tear running down my cheek. I loved this book. I knew I would because I loved the first in this series. Sajni Patel can write an amazing book that not only is culturally accurate but invites even the most novice in Hindu culture to enjoy. This book tackles racism and family obligations while also having the most PERFECT ending. There is no one quite like Pree’s parents and if I had it my way I would just read 100 more pages of them interacting with their daughter.
Ok, I am not sure what it was, but I simultaneous enjoyed this book and also didn’t. Though based on my reading speed (finished in two days) you wouldn’t guess that.
Something about how this book unfolded/was written just had me feeling all over the place. It starts with a lot of reference to the previous book which had me a little confused. And then some of the progression of the relationship felt a little chaotic (not the relationship but the way it happened if that makes sense..).
Things I liked — seeing Preeti and Daniel reconnect, and stand up for their relationship; the scenes with the group of girlfriends; the discussion about mental health.
Overall, this one just wasn’t quite it for me, though there were some areas that were ok. I think this is more of a me thing than the book though. I have trouble with second chance romances and how/why people hold onto relationships for so long (again that is a me thing).
[3.5 rounding up if we really want to split hairs on why my star rating is what it is].
Something about how this book unfolded/was written just had me feeling all over the place. It starts with a lot of reference to the previous book which had me a little confused. And then some of the progression of the relationship felt a little chaotic (not the relationship but the way it happened if that makes sense..).
Things I liked — seeing Preeti and Daniel reconnect, and stand up for their relationship; the scenes with the group of girlfriends; the discussion about mental health.
Overall, this one just wasn’t quite it for me, though there were some areas that were ok. I think this is more of a me thing than the book though. I have trouble with second chance romances and how/why people hold onto relationships for so long (again that is a me thing).
[3.5 rounding up if we really want to split hairs on why my star rating is what it is].