hobbithopeful's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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!
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexism
Minor: Emotional abuse and Death of parent
caitlinemccann's review
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Sexism, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent and Misogyny
Minor: Death and Panic attacks/disorders
shannnne's review
- 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
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Grief, and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
xena42's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Medical content
Minor: Death of parent
lizgriffinwords's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Sexism
bbygirl21's review against another edition
- 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
Spoiler
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 deservesOther 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.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Medical content, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Terminal illness, Ableism, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexism, Death, and Chronic illness
Minor: Stalking, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Violence, Medical trauma, and Colonisation
caseythereader's review
- 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
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexism
evelovesreading's review
- 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
Spoiler
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…Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Death
chronicacademia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
Graphic: Chronic illness, Sexism, Stalking, Medical content, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
thebookpaiges's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexism, Death, and Misogyny