Meghna Raman defied her parents’ wishes and followed her life’s passion, becoming a theater teacher and aspiring playwright. When she discovers that her beloved writing partner, best friend, and secret crush, Seth, is engaged—and not to her—she realizes he’s about to become the one-that-got-away. Even worse, he’s asked her to be his best man. And worse than that, she’s agreed. Determined to try and move on, Meghna agrees to let her parents introduce her to a potential match. Maybe she could marry the engineer that her parents still wish she’d become.
Grumpy engineer Karthik Murthy has seen enough of his parents’ marriage to know it’s not for him. He agreed to his mother’s matchmaking attempts to make her happy, never dreaming he would meet someone as vibrant as Meghna. Though he can’t offer her something real, a fake engagement could help Meghna soothe the sting of planning Seth’s wedding festivities and Karthik avoid the absurd number of set-ups his mother has planned for him.
As the two find common ground, grow protective of each other’s hearts, and start to fall for the traits they originally thought they hated, an undeniable chemistry emerges. But soon, their expectations and insecurities threaten something that’s become a lot more real than they’d planned.
Release Date: Jan 16, 2024
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Random House
Imprint: Dell
Price: $9.99
Meghna defied her parents by becoming a theatre teacher. She didn’t fall in line with the traditional Indian career path. She is still not married and has no kids. She thinks she has time until the guy she has been pining for has announced that he is getting married to someone else and asked her to be his “best man”.
Meghna is humiliated and heart broken. She agrees to allow her mother to match her with Karthik just to keep face. Karthik is everything that Meghna is not. He is grumpy, an Engineer and appears to be a good Indian boy. He is not enthusiastic to go along with the matchmaking either but Meghna’s personality draws him in.
I love books that showcase other cultures. The vibrant, rich Indian culture is on full display here. I love the family vibe and the aunties always trying to set someone up. It speaks to the matchmaker in me.
Meghna and Karthik’s romance has a slow and steady pace. It is not a slow burn but a very steady pace. They first stand on their false routine with a complete understanding of what they expect. The friendship develops as they spend time with each other trying to fool their friends and family. There is no judgement with either one of them. Meghna and Karthik’s romance came very smoothly.
While it does tick most of my boxes, the story is predictable. There is no spectacular moments that stand out for me. It is funny, quirky and entertaining. Definitely a quick read on a cold afternoon.
~ Samantha
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