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kbairbooks's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was such a cute and sweet little romance! I say it like that because it’s young people but they hit some hard hitting points. Also I LOVED all the recipes and repairing the relationship with the dad.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Minor: Classism and Cultural appropriation
notabookseller's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Books for Young Readers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance is scheduled for release on July 13th, 2021.
I love me a non-cookbook book that has recipes throughout, so already amazing.
Radha & Jai’s Recipe for Romance is about Radha and Jai, two incredibly talented teenagers who fall in love through dance as Radha choreographs the piece that will take their school’s and Jai’s dance team, the Bollywood Beats, to regionals for the first time in years. But more than that, it’s about each of these characters figuring out what they want and finding their way out of the pitfalls they’ve found themselves in.
Radha is one of the best competitive kathak dancers in the world, but she overhears some truly devastating gossip (that holds at least some truth) that makes her question her entire dance career — in the middle of a major competition, no less.
Jai wants to be a doctor, but his family’s financial situation has convinced him (and only him *eyeroll*) that it’s impossible for him to study medicine without completely abandoning his family. (imma be real, at first i felt for him i really did, but the more he had this conversation with different people the more i got tired of his shit, which leads me into my next point)
Radha and Jai are such well written characters, both individually and as a couple, in my opinion. They both have full, complex personalities and a variety of relationships with other characters and they have amazing chemistry with each other. However, my favorite thing about them is that I was able to empathize with them and want to call them on their shit, which I think is a very important part of the reader/character dynamic.
The book featured a fun cast of characters and I wish we’d gotten to see more of them in the book, but not having that didn’t take away from the story at hand for me. Nisha Sharma’s writing is fun and swoony and makes for a very fast read so I would definitely love to read stories about other characters in this universe in the future, especially Shakti (you know you love her).
In conclusion, 10/10 Jesse’s would say that you should read this book and also, if you make Radha’s thanksgiving samosas I would love to hear about your experiences (i would make them myself but i hate sweet potatoes)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident
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