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A review by thewordsdevourer
Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
dating dr. dil is a fast, lighthearted romcom that actually lives up to its genre for once, and one thats def got a lot of heart (in more ways than one) tho i do have issues w/ its main conflicts.
i love the characters (sans kareena's immediate fam): both kareena and prem are complex, w/ the latter sometimes turning me to goo bc of his thoughtfulness; their friends are hilarious; and the former's aunties are amusingly chaotic. the novel's also got a big heart - w/ kareena's ties to her mom thru the house and car, prem's desire to improve healthcare for his community - and its exploration of south asian issues like the immigrant experience, societal pressure, family, misogyny and sexism are appreciatively nuanced. throw in mouthwatering indian food and gorgeous indian clothes + culture, and it's a great read.
which it def couldve been if only i didnt find the novel's central conflicts - namely the selling of the house and prem's issue w/ love - unconvincing. for the former, rina's dad certainly has no qualms selling the house his dead wife toiled over, esp considering how loved up they were. and why the sudden extension at the end? he couldve made rina's life so much less stressful since the beginning. for the latter, i find it hard to believe prem's aversion/non-belief in love. gori's used as an explanation, but what abt before he met her? and he seems so hell-bent on it just to flip his entire philosophy after a single convo.
in the end, this book def succeeds at what it sets out to do - a romcom thats actually romantic and funny - but its core conflicts are too-obvious tools that exist just to make the heroine's life miserable.
i love the characters (sans kareena's immediate fam): both kareena and prem are complex, w/ the latter sometimes turning me to goo bc of his thoughtfulness; their friends are hilarious; and the former's aunties are amusingly chaotic. the novel's also got a big heart - w/ kareena's ties to her mom thru the house and car, prem's desire to improve healthcare for his community - and its exploration of south asian issues like the immigrant experience, societal pressure, family, misogyny and sexism are appreciatively nuanced. throw in mouthwatering indian food and gorgeous indian clothes + culture, and it's a great read.
which it def couldve been if only i didnt find the novel's central conflicts - namely the selling of the house and prem's issue w/ love - unconvincing. for the former, rina's dad certainly has no qualms selling the house his dead wife toiled over, esp considering how loved up they were. and why the sudden extension at the end? he couldve made rina's life so much less stressful since the beginning. for the latter, i find it hard to believe prem's aversion/non-belief in love. gori's used as an explanation, but what abt before he met her? and he seems so hell-bent on it just to flip his entire philosophy after a single convo.
in the end, this book def succeeds at what it sets out to do - a romcom thats actually romantic and funny - but its core conflicts are too-obvious tools that exist just to make the heroine's life miserable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
Minor: Grief and Death of parent