meganhart92's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
teresavanc's review against another edition
2.0
This book was fine. not the fun and flirty romance i was expecting and looking for. the main character was pretty difficult to like or even understand. she felt so unreliable and i wasn’t sure what her real motivation way. almost all the characters were very one dimensional other than her grandma (the real star)
i think the worst part was the main character pretending to be gay to get her grandma to stop setting her up on dates. it’s very gross.
i think the worst part was the main character pretending to be gay to get her grandma to stop setting her up on dates. it’s very gross.
readwithmeemz's review against another edition
2.0
As a desi-Canadian young woman, I was really excited to read this contemporary romance, starring a ‘modern’ desi-Canadian woman, trying to strike balance between her traditional upbringing and her current life.
This book started off really promising, with an interesting protagonist, and exploring what life is often like for children of immigrants, who are brought up and raised in their new country. It touched on tradition and how it evolves, and tried to dig into a complex family unit, and how they fit together.
However, pretty soon, the book lost its luster, and kind of fell apart.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Raina is not a good person, of a likeable character. She is rude, judgmental, and an awful person. Once she started pretending she was gay, the book just became an irredeemable mess.
The book was full of unlikeable characters. None of the relationships make sense - Raina treats her best friend, Shay, like crap, and expects her actually gay friend, Zoe, to be okay with the fact that she is pretending to be gay so her grandma won’t pressure her into marriage. Both forgive her and act okay with the shit she pulls - but she was genuinely awful, and it seemed too easy to forgive her.
I think we were supposed to sympathize with her grandma, but she is manipulative, selfish, and controlling. I still don’t understand the point of Kris as a character - he is barely classified as one dimensional, he doesn’t make any impact in the book, in fact the book would be exactly the same whether or not he was in it. Manu was also just the worst - but she was supposed to be, so that’s fine.
The bits of flashbacks were, I think supposed to make us sympathize with Raina (& eventually Manu) - but there’s only so much you can keep blaming your actions and behaviours on your childhood. Raina was just a bad person. I really disliked Manu throughout the book, and it wasn’t until a flashback near the end, That she started developing as a character, and you started getting context for her actions, but by then, it was too little too late.
Honestly, a disappointing read.
This book started off really promising, with an interesting protagonist, and exploring what life is often like for children of immigrants, who are brought up and raised in their new country. It touched on tradition and how it evolves, and tried to dig into a complex family unit, and how they fit together.
However, pretty soon, the book lost its luster, and kind of fell apart.
SPOILERS BELOW:
Raina is not a good person, of a likeable character. She is rude, judgmental, and an awful person. Once she started pretending she was gay, the book just became an irredeemable mess.
The book was full of unlikeable characters. None of the relationships make sense - Raina treats her best friend, Shay, like crap, and expects her actually gay friend, Zoe, to be okay with the fact that she is pretending to be gay so her grandma won’t pressure her into marriage. Both forgive her and act okay with the shit she pulls - but she was genuinely awful, and it seemed too easy to forgive her.
I think we were supposed to sympathize with her grandma, but she is manipulative, selfish, and controlling. I still don’t understand the point of Kris as a character - he is barely classified as one dimensional, he doesn’t make any impact in the book, in fact the book would be exactly the same whether or not he was in it. Manu was also just the worst - but she was supposed to be, so that’s fine.
The bits of flashbacks were, I think supposed to make us sympathize with Raina (& eventually Manu) - but there’s only so much you can keep blaming your actions and behaviours on your childhood. Raina was just a bad person. I really disliked Manu throughout the book, and it wasn’t until a flashback near the end, That she started developing as a character, and you started getting context for her actions, but by then, it was too little too late.
Honestly, a disappointing read.
akookieforyou's review against another edition
2.0
*2.5*
Asian Readathon 2019
This book was very different from what I initially thought it was going to be. I had expected this to be a fun, adult contemporary romantic comedy, and it definitely wasn't that. In fact, the romance element felt very weak. The main character, Raina, spends a good portion of the story pining after an ex, and in contrast barely spends any real time with her main love interest. I really liked the fact that this novel incorporated so much Indian culture, and some of the issues within said culture. I thought all of those elements were really well done, and very interesting. I also think that the relationship between Raina and her nani were really good. But sadly, that doesn't fully make up for all the things that I didn't like. Raina was a bit of an annoying protagonist, and she did a lot of stupid and downright awful things. I sort of understand why she did some of them, but she ended up taking everything too far in the end. And this book just wasn't funny. At all. Overall, I was very disappointed by this book.
Asian Readathon 2019
This book was very different from what I initially thought it was going to be. I had expected this to be a fun, adult contemporary romantic comedy, and it definitely wasn't that. In fact, the romance element felt very weak. The main character, Raina, spends a good portion of the story pining after an ex, and in contrast barely spends any real time with her main love interest. I really liked the fact that this novel incorporated so much Indian culture, and some of the issues within said culture. I thought all of those elements were really well done, and very interesting. I also think that the relationship between Raina and her nani were really good. But sadly, that doesn't fully make up for all the things that I didn't like. Raina was a bit of an annoying protagonist, and she did a lot of stupid and downright awful things. I sort of understand why she did some of them, but she ended up taking everything too far in the end. And this book just wasn't funny. At all. Overall, I was very disappointed by this book.
courtkh's review
lighthearted
sad
slow-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
2.0
vkjarrett's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Raina finds herself under pressure to meet a man and ends up lying a lie she can’t take back. It is easily portrayed and I could imagine Shaylee and Rainas friendship in front of me. It explores some deep topics and how it is handled in Indian culture. An reflective read.
anna4's review against another edition
No. No. No.
All I wanted to do is to throw this book at every character.
Is this about an almost 30year old grown ass woman (Raina) not being able to stand up to her grandma about having no interest in going on blind dates and getting married? Maybe.
Every time said almost 30year old woman tries to explain why there’s not going to be a second date with a guy from a list her grandma composed, the grandma either „snaps“ and shuts her grand daughter down or says that her granddaughter has very high expectations.
As she should have tbh.
The main and probably only reason why Raina even started to go on dates with those dudes is because her grandma wants to see her getting married as this will provide „status“. Raina is supposed to be this modern woman but apparently completely fails to make it understandable to her grandma that marriage isn’t needed for a woman (in 2019 Canada) like it used to be.
After 81 pages I was just left annoyed and confused and most of all frustrated.
All I wanted to do is to throw this book at every character.
Is this about an almost 30year old grown ass woman (Raina) not being able to stand up to her grandma about having no interest in going on blind dates and getting married? Maybe.
Every time said almost 30year old woman tries to explain why there’s not going to be a second date with a guy from a list her grandma composed, the grandma either „snaps“ and shuts her grand daughter down or says that her granddaughter has very high expectations.
As she should have tbh.
The main and probably only reason why Raina even started to go on dates with those dudes is because her grandma wants to see her getting married as this will provide „status“. Raina is supposed to be this modern woman but apparently completely fails to make it understandable to her grandma that marriage isn’t needed for a woman (in 2019 Canada) like it used to be.
After 81 pages I was just left annoyed and confused and most of all frustrated.
mwanless's review against another edition
4.0
So many emotions. For the first half of the book, I really wanted to yell at Raina but by the end I was so happy and proud of her.
natnataly420's review against another edition
4.0
Ok more like 4 1/2 stars.
So first of all I would give the writing a solid 5 stars. I was thoroughly entertained the whole time. I loved the flashbacks of Raina’s birthdays and how they were told in their person and kind of gave an explanation to why something in the current day was an issue. Then the date chapters being their own labels was great too because the reader knew what number date she was on and it just set it up perfectly.
Now the dock of the 1/2 star was my major issue with Raina using - being lesbian as a scapegoat for her issues and letting it go so far. I understand it can be apart of the plot but it was so cringe to see her lie to actual gay people and her own Nana and just get away with it. I don’t know if I’m too invested in the “fake woke” culture but eh it was hard to read through some of it. I don’t think it was okay for her to do that at all and when she comes out as straight again - everything is ok? Like poor Dapesh!! And also she ruined things for a lot of people and just made things uncomfortable. It’s a shitty thing to lie about.
Alright now the good stuff- I loved the look inside an authentic Indian woman’s life. It wasn’t too white washed or anything (I found out the author is actually Indian herself and lives in Canada as well!) and I loved the use of italicized Indian dishes/dances/words and I just felt so warm reading some of the parts. I was also taught a ton like how Auntie _____ is just a parents friend and Nani is a grandmother and Nana is a grandfather. It was also interesting to see the modern age vs hardcore Indian culture battle with wanting to accept newer customs but also wanting to stay true to what they knew.
I felt for Raina but also got really angry at her need to be absorbed by Dev the complete self centered idiot. Like he’s the whole reason Raina pretended to be lesbian anyways like just trash in general tbh.
I loved Ashers character and was super bummed that he got with Rebecca and actually thought it was a little too convenient that when Raina figured all her shit out Asher was suddenly single like poor Jayesh!! What about him!?!
Although the last little list was so precious with Asher crossing out the last line ugh my babies. But at the same time how does she already love him when she was stuck in Dev for the longest? That was way too quick for sure.
I also found the list endearing and how she kept crossing things off and making little notes that was cute.
I really felt for Nani trying her best to keep up with Raina and thought it was really shitty of her to let her Nani believe that she was lesbian even after finding the lesbian porn and q’s on her tablet like poor little old woman just tell her the truth!
Clearly I had a lot of thoughts on this book. I’m really glad I read it!
So first of all I would give the writing a solid 5 stars. I was thoroughly entertained the whole time. I loved the flashbacks of Raina’s birthdays and how they were told in their person and kind of gave an explanation to why something in the current day was an issue. Then the date chapters being their own labels was great too because the reader knew what number date she was on and it just set it up perfectly.
Now the dock of the 1/2 star was my major issue with Raina using - being lesbian as a scapegoat for her issues and letting it go so far. I understand it can be apart of the plot but it was so cringe to see her lie to actual gay people and her own Nana and just get away with it. I don’t know if I’m too invested in the “fake woke” culture but eh it was hard to read through some of it. I don’t think it was okay for her to do that at all and when she comes out as straight again - everything is ok? Like poor Dapesh!! And also she ruined things for a lot of people and just made things uncomfortable. It’s a shitty thing to lie about.
Alright now the good stuff- I loved the look inside an authentic Indian woman’s life. It wasn’t too white washed or anything (I found out the author is actually Indian herself and lives in Canada as well!) and I loved the use of italicized Indian dishes/dances/words and I just felt so warm reading some of the parts. I was also taught a ton like how Auntie _____ is just a parents friend and Nani is a grandmother and Nana is a grandfather. It was also interesting to see the modern age vs hardcore Indian culture battle with wanting to accept newer customs but also wanting to stay true to what they knew.
I felt for Raina but also got really angry at her need to be absorbed by Dev the complete self centered idiot. Like he’s the whole reason Raina pretended to be lesbian anyways like just trash in general tbh.
I loved Ashers character and was super bummed that he got with Rebecca and actually thought it was a little too convenient that when Raina figured all her shit out Asher was suddenly single like poor Jayesh!! What about him!?!
Although the last little list was so precious with Asher crossing out the last line ugh my babies. But at the same time how does she already love him when she was stuck in Dev for the longest? That was way too quick for sure.
I also found the list endearing and how she kept crossing things off and making little notes that was cute.
I really felt for Nani trying her best to keep up with Raina and thought it was really shitty of her to let her Nani believe that she was lesbian even after finding the lesbian porn and q’s on her tablet like poor little old woman just tell her the truth!
Clearly I had a lot of thoughts on this book. I’m really glad I read it!