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2.87 AVERAGE
2.87 AVERAGE
Overall, this was an exciting read with lots of cultural references and a little romance. In some parts of the story, it felt like a biography of the characters rather than a romance read. It does have steamy scenes, and a lot of emphasis is on relationships and their issues. I enjoyed it but found it too much of everyone else and needed more of the main characters.
Katrina's world is rocked by her father's passing and her current divorce. She is very much entranced in her family and their traditions.
The first chapter jumps into the future. From the prologue into the future, Katrina is a giver and has opened a nonprofit to benefit others. She also works for the family business. I love that she is relatable about being divorced, having anxiety issues, and making something of herself despite the challenges in her life.
Evan is a movie star who often rubs shoulders with Chicago's elite. He comes off as obsessed at first but then sticks his foot in his mouth.
I will admit I'm struggling with the reading. The characters' nicknames need to be clarified, and there is no translation for some of them. This story has a slow-burn vibe, but it gets off track occasionally.
This book gets steamy as the slow burn simmers and the angst kicks up. However, there is a minor location error in the first bedroom scene. Going from the kitchen to the bed, to the couch, and back to the bedroom must be clarified. The author might have lost track of her settings a little. The steamy scenes aren't too described, but they are enough to steam your Kindle.
There are moments in this story where I can't tell if it is a real-life biography or a romance read. The multi-person POV and real-life issues are great, but they like to go down memory lane.
The happy bubble they have lived in bursts quite dramatically, and of course, it brings tears to my eyes. The book's ending is so perplexing, as you don't get the happy ever after or happy for now; instead, you gain a celebrity-like interview, and that's it.
I received a free copy of this from the author and I am leaving an honest review.
Katrina's world is rocked by her father's passing and her current divorce. She is very much entranced in her family and their traditions.
The first chapter jumps into the future. From the prologue into the future, Katrina is a giver and has opened a nonprofit to benefit others. She also works for the family business. I love that she is relatable about being divorced, having anxiety issues, and making something of herself despite the challenges in her life.
Evan is a movie star who often rubs shoulders with Chicago's elite. He comes off as obsessed at first but then sticks his foot in his mouth.
I will admit I'm struggling with the reading. The characters' nicknames need to be clarified, and there is no translation for some of them. This story has a slow-burn vibe, but it gets off track occasionally.
This book gets steamy as the slow burn simmers and the angst kicks up. However, there is a minor location error in the first bedroom scene. Going from the kitchen to the bed, to the couch, and back to the bedroom must be clarified. The author might have lost track of her settings a little. The steamy scenes aren't too described, but they are enough to steam your Kindle.
There are moments in this story where I can't tell if it is a real-life biography or a romance read. The multi-person POV and real-life issues are great, but they like to go down memory lane.
The happy bubble they have lived in bursts quite dramatically, and of course, it brings tears to my eyes. The book's ending is so perplexing, as you don't get the happy ever after or happy for now; instead, you gain a celebrity-like interview, and that's it.
I received a free copy of this from the author and I am leaving an honest review.
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This one was something, not in a bad way. It was a cute book overall, I liked the romance and I liked the couple. I just didn't love it. Didn't passionately love this couple to the point that I never wanted it to end.
Thank you to the author, Miya Malai and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I loved that each chapter included a quote from different Bollywood films and there were definitely elements throughout the story that I could tell were inspired by a Bollywood romance.
Based on the title and premise, this book was not necessarily what I was expecting. While I do enjoy insta attraction in romance books, I thought that the actual relationship development was a bit rushed.
I think Katrina & Evan and their romance are the best part of the book. If you enjoy a secret relationship trope, this is a book to check out.
If youβre looking for a quick, easy romance read, this would be a book to consider. That being said, there are heavier topics included in the story such as domestic violence.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I loved that each chapter included a quote from different Bollywood films and there were definitely elements throughout the story that I could tell were inspired by a Bollywood romance.
Based on the title and premise, this book was not necessarily what I was expecting. While I do enjoy insta attraction in romance books, I thought that the actual relationship development was a bit rushed.
I think Katrina & Evan and their romance are the best part of the book. If you enjoy a secret relationship trope, this is a book to check out.
If youβre looking for a quick, easy romance read, this would be a book to consider. That being said, there are heavier topics included in the story such as domestic violence.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
A not so Bollywood meet cute
Well this book was such a pleasure to read.
It handles topics as mental health really well, both main characters both experiencing anxiety and panic attacks but both having therapy.
Both main characters Katrina Shah and Evan Kristof are so likeable. I loved the side characters as well especially Katrina family.
There was so much chemistry between these two and you could definitely see the draw they had to each other.
Yes there is a third act breakup but a very happy ending.
Duo pov which is always fun to read.
If you are looking for a easy read that makes you feel good this is a good one.
I was kindly gifted this book by netgalley but the views are mine
ππππ
This book sounded so much better in the blurb. A big fat desi wedding with perfect Indian aesthetics and two people falling in love. Both Katrina and Evan are rich and well off. Evan is a big star and Katrina is part of her family business. There is no unnecessary family drama with jealous siblings or dramatic aunties. Sadly this is about the the only thing I enjoyed in this book. I do appreciate the author for putting in a good mental health representation.
The MCs in this one were the biggest problem for me. It's not like they weren't good characters but they were too similar, like two half of the same side of a coin. Frankly I couldn't see them together in the long run.
Some of the things said about the Indian people (not the NRIs) were a little distasteful. Maybe the author means no harm so I am not going to elaborate on it. It felt like some rich people who settled in America and are like 'oh we love Indian aesthetics but keep the people away from me.'
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a tough one to review because I always want to be honest with an ARC, but I don't want to focus on the negatives either.
I can see a market for this book, and I bet there are romance readers out there who will really enjoy it. It's nice to see ethnic diversity and learn about different cultures. It's a story about an Indian-American woman trying to honour her heritage whilst breaking free of some of the baggage. I found Katrina really interesting and liked learning about her past with an arranged marriage, abuse, and mental health struggles.
The main issue for me was her famous British love interest (Evan)... I just didn't find him very likeable. Perhaps if this story had only been from Katrina's POV, then he would have seemed like a healthy partner as she processed her trauma. Unfortunately, we had as much (if not more) from his perspective, and I did not enjoy hearing his toxic and derogatory thoughts. Once he decided he loved her, he switched from being an unpleasant man to an exhaustingly obsessed one. Also, he kept saying he loved her for more than her looks, but the only thing he could really talk about was her body (I think he called her sexy at least twice a paragraph).
There was a huge amount of information told via memories, which confused me about the order of events sometimes. Plus, I would personally rather see the action than be informed with hindsight. Also, one or two consistency errors in the sex scenes made them feel a little awkward (ie, a sudden location change and clothes appearing/disappearing).
Basically, if this had been a book only about Katrina, then I would honestly have loved it. Unfortunately, Evan and their love story just wasn't for my personal taste.
I can see a market for this book, and I bet there are romance readers out there who will really enjoy it. It's nice to see ethnic diversity and learn about different cultures. It's a story about an Indian-American woman trying to honour her heritage whilst breaking free of some of the baggage. I found Katrina really interesting and liked learning about her past with an arranged marriage, abuse, and mental health struggles.
The main issue for me was her famous British love interest (Evan)... I just didn't find him very likeable. Perhaps if this story had only been from Katrina's POV, then he would have seemed like a healthy partner as she processed her trauma. Unfortunately, we had as much (if not more) from his perspective, and I did not enjoy hearing his toxic and derogatory thoughts. Once he decided he loved her, he switched from being an unpleasant man to an exhaustingly obsessed one. Also, he kept saying he loved her for more than her looks, but the only thing he could really talk about was her body (I think he called her sexy at least twice a paragraph).
There was a huge amount of information told via memories, which confused me about the order of events sometimes. Plus, I would personally rather see the action than be informed with hindsight. Also, one or two consistency errors in the sex scenes made them feel a little awkward (ie, a sudden location change and clothes appearing/disappearing).
Basically, if this had been a book only about Katrina, then I would honestly have loved it. Unfortunately, Evan and their love story just wasn't for my personal taste.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 stars
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First of all I would like to thank Netgalley as well as Miya Malai for allowing me to read the arc in exchange for an honest review.
-
Honestly the book was okay, it was easy to read and flowed pretty nicely.
I loved seeing the rep of mental health and the indian culture in a mainstream book.
I liked Katrina and Evan as characters but i think a lot of the other side characters (and there are a bunch) kind of just fell flat because they just seemed like the same person with the same personality.
-
I really appreciated the mental health rep in the book however i did find it a bit repetitive at times because we would read about an anxiety attack from the past that one of the character's experienced, then in the next chapter the other character would ask them about their anxiety and then we'd have to read yet another story about their anxiety.
-
One of my biggest complaints about this book is just the fact that a lot of the book seemed to take place from recollections of the past, i don't want to spoil anything for anyone looking to read the book, but i felt more like the character was talking to me about an experience rather than us seeing them experience these things themself. (iykyk)
-
The dialogue was okay, i did find some characters would say things that no real person would actual say and it just made the scene seem kind of cringey. There were also a bunch of repeat words which got a bit annoying to read over and over, in the chapters about the wedding the words "hot" and "sexy" were use constantly.
-
Now, I'm all for books having smut in them however, in this book specifically I didn't like how the first time we met Evan (chapter 2), he was instantly lusting over Katrina and even through out the book he is able to go into detail about how her body looks but when it comes to her personality he can only say that she's generous, giving, kind and a hard worker... He also starts to talk about how he feels such a connection with her in one sentence and then follows it up with only talking about her body. It was hard for me to really believe they were in love if I'm being honest.
-
The overall idea of this book is amazing, unfortunately I feel like the book still needed some editing to really make it stand out
-
First of all I would like to thank Netgalley as well as Miya Malai for allowing me to read the arc in exchange for an honest review.
-
Honestly the book was okay, it was easy to read and flowed pretty nicely.
I loved seeing the rep of mental health and the indian culture in a mainstream book.
I liked Katrina and Evan as characters but i think a lot of the other side characters (and there are a bunch) kind of just fell flat because they just seemed like the same person with the same personality.
-
I really appreciated the mental health rep in the book however i did find it a bit repetitive at times because we would read about an anxiety attack from the past that one of the character's experienced, then in the next chapter the other character would ask them about their anxiety and then we'd have to read yet another story about their anxiety.
-
One of my biggest complaints about this book is just the fact that a lot of the book seemed to take place from recollections of the past, i don't want to spoil anything for anyone looking to read the book, but i felt more like the character was talking to me about an experience rather than us seeing them experience these things themself. (iykyk)
-
The dialogue was okay, i did find some characters would say things that no real person would actual say and it just made the scene seem kind of cringey. There were also a bunch of repeat words which got a bit annoying to read over and over, in the chapters about the wedding the words "hot" and "sexy" were use constantly.
-
Now, I'm all for books having smut in them however, in this book specifically I didn't like how the first time we met Evan (chapter 2), he was instantly lusting over Katrina and even through out the book he is able to go into detail about how her body looks but when it comes to her personality he can only say that she's generous, giving, kind and a hard worker... He also starts to talk about how he feels such a connection with her in one sentence and then follows it up with only talking about her body. It was hard for me to really believe they were in love if I'm being honest.
-
The overall idea of this book is amazing, unfortunately I feel like the book still needed some editing to really make it stand out