Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Dating Dr. Dil

A sweet and spicy read, Dating Dr. Dil is perfect for fans of romcom, diverse stories, and just fantastic writing!
I absolutely adore this book, I am so happy my long journey on the library waitlist finally came to an end. Loveable characters, and great banter had me sucked into the story and I was so sad when I reached the end. BECAUSE IT'S FANTASTIC AND I WANT MORE!
Y'all the spice in this! The spice in this!? Prem knows how to dirty talk and he does it very well.
“Good little Indian girls don’t get finger fucked in the shed,” Someone fetch me a fan because it is getting hot in here! The chemistry between Prem and Kareena is off the charts! From the moment they lay eyes on each other, they truly are both smitten. I love how much they each learned and grew throughout the book. Plus again the spice? 10/10!
I think the concept of cultural identities being so closely intertwined with families is lost on so many people who aren't apart of such communities. I've seen a lot of readers miss the nuances of why Kareena isn't just cutting off her family, as toxic as they can be sometime.
“It’s hard to communicate the immigrant experience with those who don’t understand. We want to support and be with our families, and sometimes we sacrifice our mental health and our emotional well-being to do it.” People need to understand the especially with immigrant families, everything really revolves around and centers family. It is absolutely impossible to "cut" someone off or ghost them without having to do it to EVERYONE in the family. It's an all or nothing approach. If you do try to cut off just one person your phone is going to be ringing off the hook from every single relative and friend in that community. The only way Kareena could have cut them off was by losing her entire cultural identity, and everyone in that community as well. And for one that has tons of gossiping aunties, well you can see how impossible that would be for her to ever live or just exist. She instead does what so many of us do, we grin and bare it and quietly suffer. Maybe one day we have an explosive blow up and are forever regarded as a black sheep of the family, but typically it's more like a "love them because they are my family" situation.
I will say this book made me so hungry, and I am so grateful I live in a city where I can get my pani puri fix satisfied!
This is my first book by Nisha Sharma, and I am completely head over heels obsessed! I can't wait to read the next book, and y'all all need to read this too!

Content Warnings

caitlinemccann's review

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

Content Warnings

shannnne_reads_words's review

Go to review page

emotional funny 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

Content Warnings

nyree42's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional fast-paced

3.25

What I enjoyed most about this book was all the mentions of Indian/Desi food. Yum.

Content Warnings

lizgriffinwords's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Unfortunately I don’t see it working out for these two once they get tired of all the sex. I didn’t see mutual respect between the couple, and they both need major therapy.

Content Warnings

bbygirl21's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book. I loved pretty much every character in this aside from Kareena's Dad, grandmother, sister, and two of Kareena's dates.

the one that basically poisoned her with cinnamon when she specifically asked for no cinnamon because she's allergic, and he ignores that and gets her cinnamon anyway and all he could say was no normal person doesn't like cinnamon and she'll like it if she tried it, ugh just pissed me off, she was so lucky that Prem was there as she didn't have her EpiPen with her and Prem was able to rush her to a doctor, and then of course there's the misogynistic asshole that was the last date she had, saying she should lower her standards because of how she dresses and basically saying that she'd look prettier if she wore more makeup, just no absolutely not and I'm glad she held onto her standards and didn't settle for anything less than she deserves

There was one date of hers that I really liked though, but they were definitely better off as friends.

Other than some of her dates and her dad, grandmother, and sister, I really liked pretty much everyone else. I absolutely loved Kareena's aunties, Kareena's friends, Prem's friends, Prem's mother, and I actually liked Prem as well, even if he's frustrating when it comes to his feelings most of the time.

There were a few things that pulled me out of the story a time or two, but it wasn't enough to get me to stop reading. It just brought my rating down a little bit.

I'd most likely recommend this if someone asked me about it. It was definitely an entertaining read overall.

Content Warnings

caseythereader's review

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

3.25

Content Warnings

evelovesreading's review

Go to review page

medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

This book disappointed me sooo much, I’m sad :( The plot sounded amazing and I really enjoyed the female lead but everyone around her literally mistreated her. You can’t convince me her family (+ her aunties) actually love or even like Kareena.

The male lead was so god damn disappointing, I almost dnf-ed the book just because of Prem. He is like everyone else in this book misogynistic and treats the mc like a dumb and naive little girl because she actually wants to marry because of love and not because it’s convenient. Can you believe it??? Kareena wants to be loved and Prem thinks it’s immature and unhealthy???? I could not stand his every-20-pages-rants-and/tantrums how unhealthy and bad love is.

I thought I would at least enjoy the smut but no almost every scene was started with him thinking she’s a “sexy librarian” and his “Charlie” (yes, Prem named his dick) “threatening to poke a hole through his pants”…

And now the number one thing that broke me at the end:

At her sisters engagement party Prem actually stands up for Kareena and tells her family off for treating her so badly. Her sister of course gets some misogyny thrown at her and not actual criticism of her selfish behaviour and Prem tells Kareenas father how he doesn’t value her in any way especially because of the issues around his retirement and him wanting to sell the house Kareena wants so badly. And what does her father do? Of course give her the house! I’m happy for this fictional character getting her fictional house but you know what I would have liked more? Kareenas father listening to his daughters wishes and giving her her mothers house that she loves so much and appreciating having someone in his life that values and will keep the memory of his dead wife alive. But no only when a man tells him what to do he does it. I just can’t…

Content Warnings

More...