lindaunconventionalbookworms's review
5.0
Sonali Dev has become a new favorite of mine, and I keep wondering why I didn't read her books much earlier, since I have had some of them on my shelves for a long time!
The Bollywood Bride is both tender and sweet and extremely difficult all at the same time!
The character development is so well done, and the characters all felt very real to me.
The Bollywood Bride is both tender and sweet and extremely difficult all at the same time!
The character development is so well done, and the characters all felt very real to me.
sma4652's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
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
3.25
this isn’t a typical contemporary romance and I went into it thinking that it was. I think that’s where my judgement is coming from. I always appreciate a South Asian centered story and this definitely immersed me in the culture and family dynamics that I’m so familiar with. I think overall it was a good story but wish I got some more at the end.
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
ac_rva's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis
amberinpieces's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, and Sexual content
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Infidelity, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Self harm, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Medical content, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
abeckreads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-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
3.5
lassarina's review
4.0
If you're looking for intense emotional drama, second-chance romance, so much food porn and clothing porn, delicious sexy scenes, and a look into Indian-American culture, this book is for you.
Unlike many romance novels, this is told solely from Ria's point of view (without being first-person), which leaves us with only Vikram's actions and words to judge him by. Unfortunately, for the first half of the book, that judgment comes up as you're a raging douchenozzle. He makes a point of hurting Ria's feelings, he's cold and harsh and vicious towards her. Granted, he has cause; because of her, he's been physically assaulted and she definitely broke his heart in an especially epic way.
This book focuses not just on Ria and Vikram's relationship, though that would provide plenty of drama in and of itself, but also amid the breakneck pace of preparing for a full, traditional Indian wedding. We get tons of loving detail about the food (oh, the food, I was hungry for most of this book) and the clothes, and everything is a whirl of glorious color and shape and scent and sound. The book is set near Chicago, and so many of the little details ring true--I'm not specifically familiar with the Indian-American community here beyond a few friends, but the setting reads right to me.
There are lots of beautiful little context details about the cultural notes so that someone not familiar with Bollywood or Indian-American communities isn't lost; usually not direct translation, but enough context to bring understanding.
The book is doing a lot of heavy lifting around mental illness and how it impacts Ria's life and also how it's treated by the cultures she's in. I honestly found myself crying for the last twenty percent of it, not in a bad way, but just because I was feeling so emotionally wrapped up in it. This book emphatically does not lack for conflict and that makes it kind of a wild and exhausting ride, but it also makes it feel more like the happy ending is earned.
I think I'll definitely look up other Sonali Dev books, because I really enjoyed this one.
Unlike many romance novels, this is told solely from Ria's point of view (without being first-person), which leaves us with only Vikram's actions and words to judge him by. Unfortunately, for the first half of the book, that judgment comes up as you're a raging douchenozzle. He makes a point of hurting Ria's feelings, he's cold and harsh and vicious towards her. Granted, he has cause; because of her, he's been physically assaulted and she definitely broke his heart in an especially epic way.
This book focuses not just on Ria and Vikram's relationship, though that would provide plenty of drama in and of itself, but also amid the breakneck pace of preparing for a full, traditional Indian wedding. We get tons of loving detail about the food (oh, the food, I was hungry for most of this book) and the clothes, and everything is a whirl of glorious color and shape and scent and sound. The book is set near Chicago, and so many of the little details ring true--I'm not specifically familiar with the Indian-American community here beyond a few friends, but the setting reads right to me.
There are lots of beautiful little context details about the cultural notes so that someone not familiar with Bollywood or Indian-American communities isn't lost; usually not direct translation, but enough context to bring understanding.
The book is doing a lot of heavy lifting around mental illness and how it impacts Ria's life and also how it's treated by the cultures she's in. I honestly found myself crying for the last twenty percent of it, not in a bad way, but just because I was feeling so emotionally wrapped up in it. This book emphatically does not lack for conflict and that makes it kind of a wild and exhausting ride, but it also makes it feel more like the happy ending is earned.
I think I'll definitely look up other Sonali Dev books, because I really enjoyed this one.
annacola's review
5.0
People say they didn’t like Ria enough to care, but she hates herself too, and I like that we see how she’s flawed, how she hates what she’s become, and it leads the reader to also not like her. Which is the authors purpose, and the book has great character development.
sjj169's review
2.0
This author came to my attention last year when I read A Bollywood Affair I really enjoyed that little book so I was excited when I saw this one. Now I'm sad because I did not care for this one as much.
Ria is supposedly an "Ice Princess", she keeps to herself and doesn't let her personal life go public. She is a Bollywood star with a secret. (She a dang drama queen is what she is)
Ria finds out that her cousin (who's family raised her) is getting married and she must return to her home for the wedding. She is living in Mumbai after running to be a star leaving her troubled past behind. So she returns to Chicago.
She is haunted by her mom's violent mental illness touched past and thinks that it will be repeated with her. The thing is? This part of the book could have been very good but I just didn't like Ria enough to care about any of her baggage.
The of course is a romantic past that comes into play. Ria left Vikram with a cloud of misunderstanding. *insert some eye rolling here*
They grew up together and had been "soul mates" before the drama train hit them and tore them apart.
I LOATHED Vikram's character. He was a total asshat for most of the book.
I think that hurt the story for me. You can't enjoy a romance when you absolutely hate one of the main characters. So that could have some bearings on my feelings for this book. I did like her other book though so I'm open to reading more by this author.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
I'm highlighting a positive review on this book because I really do like this author and think this book may have just not been my cup.
Here is a great review for this book.
Ria is supposedly an "Ice Princess", she keeps to herself and doesn't let her personal life go public. She is a Bollywood star with a secret. (She a dang drama queen is what she is)
Ria finds out that her cousin (who's family raised her) is getting married and she must return to her home for the wedding. She is living in Mumbai after running to be a star leaving her troubled past behind. So she returns to Chicago.
She is haunted by her mom's violent mental illness touched past and thinks that it will be repeated with her. The thing is? This part of the book could have been very good but I just didn't like Ria enough to care about any of her baggage.
The of course is a romantic past that comes into play. Ria left Vikram with a cloud of misunderstanding. *insert some eye rolling here*
They grew up together and had been "soul mates" before the drama train hit them and tore them apart.
I LOATHED Vikram's character. He was a total asshat for most of the book.
I think that hurt the story for me. You can't enjoy a romance when you absolutely hate one of the main characters. So that could have some bearings on my feelings for this book. I did like her other book though so I'm open to reading more by this author.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
I'm highlighting a positive review on this book because I really do like this author and think this book may have just not been my cup.
Here is a great review for this book.
ascalun's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.75