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Say You’ll Be My Jaan
Meghna has tried everything when it comes to dating: blind dates, apps, attempting to drum up conversations with strangers at bars (ew). Everything except arranged marriage.
But then Seth, her best friend and the-one-who-got-away asks her to be his "best man" and suddenly her parent's taste doesn't seem so bad . . . Which is how she meets the grumpy but handsome Karthik, who has seen enough of his parents' relationship to know marriage is not for him.
Turns out, Meghna and Karthik are a match made in heaven (if not the match their parents think they are making) - and a deal is struck. They will be fake-engaged for three months. That way Karthik will get out of the absurd number of arranged set-ups his mother has planned and Meghna will have a date to the wedding from her worst nightmares.
But what will happen when the wedding is over? And might they find that what they thought the other was faking could be real after all?
But then Seth, her best friend and the-one-who-got-away asks her to be his "best man" and suddenly her parent's taste doesn't seem so bad . . . Which is how she meets the grumpy but handsome Karthik, who has seen enough of his parents' relationship to know marriage is not for him.
Turns out, Meghna and Karthik are a match made in heaven (if not the match their parents think they are making) - and a deal is struck. They will be fake-engaged for three months. That way Karthik will get out of the absurd number of arranged set-ups his mother has planned and Meghna will have a date to the wedding from her worst nightmares.
But what will happen when the wedding is over? And might they find that what they thought the other was faking could be real after all?
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2024
About the author
Naina Kumar
2 books373 followersNaina Kumar is the bestselling author of Say You’ll Be Mine. A lawyer by day and a reader and writer of romance at night, she lives in Texas, close to her family whose antics provide endless inspiration. When she’s not writing, she enjoys taking her rowdy rescue dog on walks, rewatching Gilmore Girls on a loop, and shopping at HEB.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,498 reviews
February 20, 2024
really enjoyed this debut! i could really feel why these two were compatible and their struggles to be honest with each other and work thru their own personal issues felt super realistic to me. there were also a couple big gesture moments that made this memorable!
my only complaint is that this didn't have the "wow" factor that i really look for in romance. i like things a little over the top and wildly swoony (maybe even a little unrealistic). but on a technical level, this really was excellent & i'm excited to read more from this author in the future
my only complaint is that this didn't have the "wow" factor that i really look for in romance. i like things a little over the top and wildly swoony (maybe even a little unrealistic). but on a technical level, this really was excellent & i'm excited to read more from this author in the future
December 1, 2023
Say You’ll Be Mine is a lovely debut novel by Naina Kumar. If you love contemporary romances with rom com vibes sprinkled with Indian culture you will absolutely love this romance! I will for sure keep an eye out for new books in the future released by this author 💕💗
Summary: Meghna is under pressure by her parents to get married. Her mother is disappointed in her career choice as an English\theater teacher and always makes comments regarding her career. One day her mother offers to set up a meeting to meet a single bachelor by the name of Karthik. He’s a grumpy, hot engineer who is also under immense pressure by his mom and dad to get married and settle down. After an argument with his father, Karthik proposes a fake engagement to Meghna to get his parents off his back. Meghna agrees only if he will accompany her as her wedding plus one.
The romance is a gradual build which I loved! They took time to get to know each other and it felt authentic not rushed or insta love. They supported each other with their careers and gave each other advice. I loved how we could see Karthik opening himself up and falling in love throughout the fake engagement 🥹 There were moments when he was getting jealous and I was so here for it 🤭
My only dislike was there was a LOT of miscommunication where both of them weren’t discussing how they truly felt and both were hiding their feelings.
Tropes
-GrumpyXsunshine ☀️
-Fake engagement 💍
-One bed
-he Falls first ❤️
-slow burn romance 🔥
Things I loved
💘Indian representation and culture
💘Dual POV
💘the pining and the banter..oh my godddddd
💘I adored the side careers and I’m super invested in what will happen to Ankita(fingers crossed she will get a book)
💘Discussion of therapy towards end of novel- Karthik had a lot of daddy issues and needed therapy working through those issues.
💗HEA
Spice Rating
🌶️ scene happens toward very end of novel.
Thanks to Netgallery for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Summary: Meghna is under pressure by her parents to get married. Her mother is disappointed in her career choice as an English\theater teacher and always makes comments regarding her career. One day her mother offers to set up a meeting to meet a single bachelor by the name of Karthik. He’s a grumpy, hot engineer who is also under immense pressure by his mom and dad to get married and settle down. After an argument with his father, Karthik proposes a fake engagement to Meghna to get his parents off his back. Meghna agrees only if he will accompany her as her wedding plus one.
The romance is a gradual build which I loved! They took time to get to know each other and it felt authentic not rushed or insta love. They supported each other with their careers and gave each other advice. I loved how we could see Karthik opening himself up and falling in love throughout the fake engagement 🥹 There were moments when he was getting jealous and I was so here for it 🤭
My only dislike was there was a LOT of miscommunication where both of them weren’t discussing how they truly felt and both were hiding their feelings.
Tropes
-GrumpyXsunshine ☀️
-Fake engagement 💍
-One bed
-he Falls first ❤️
-slow burn romance 🔥
Things I loved
💘Indian representation and culture
💘Dual POV
💘the pining and the banter..oh my godddddd
💘I adored the side careers and I’m super invested in what will happen to Ankita(fingers crossed she will get a book)
💘Discussion of therapy towards end of novel- Karthik had a lot of daddy issues and needed therapy working through those issues.
💗HEA
Spice Rating
🌶️ scene happens toward very end of novel.
Thanks to Netgallery for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
June 4, 2024
This was an impressive debut novel! I enjoyed the Indian culture that shined bright in this one. Meghna and Karthik decide on a fake engagement, each for their own benefit, after their super involved parents try to set them up together. Karthik is firm that he never wants to get married, and Meghna is open to that part of her life starting. The book then follows them through their fake engagement, and each of them go through some personal struggles along the way. There is a grumpy/sunshine theme throughout the book with Meghna being so sweet and fun and Karthik being more serious, and super career driven. There's a tiny bit of spice but nothing over the top. The only downside for me with this book was that although it's a slow burn, I found it to be actually too slow at a few points. Overall, it was an entertaining, fun book and I will definitely be on the lookout for the authors future books, 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Thank you, Random House - Ballantine, and Net Galley for a copy in return for my honest review!
Thank you, Random House - Ballantine, and Net Galley for a copy in return for my honest review!
Read
February 6, 2024Pleasant contemporary romance using an arranged marriage as the spur for a fake-engagement set-up, which makes considerably more sense than most fake-engagement set-ups. The characters are likeable and good for one another. It didn't really catch fire for me at any point, possibly because both of the characters have most of their conflict and their debates internally rather than with one another: there's a lot of misunderstanding to keep the conflict going rather than direct clashing. Still, a solid debut.
December 31, 2023
And that wraps up my 2023 reading journey!
January 4, 2024
I just wanted to lock them in a closet together so they could make out the entire book. It was super slow burn, but the fake dating kept dangling that romance carrot to keep me engaged. They went through a lot and there was a lot of misunderstanding around the third act breakup that was a bit much, but overall I was rooting for them to finally be ready for each other. The Seth (I think that was his name lmao he’s irrelevant to me) thing dragged the plot down, but I’m glad she stood up to him on the page. I hope there’s a book 2 for the secondary relationship??? We saw some of it in the epilogue but I’m still hoping!
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️.5/5
Thanks so much to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️.5/5
Thanks so much to PRHaudio for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.
October 8, 2023
What a nice debut romcom by Naina. This had humor, tension, chemistry and all the pining. The main characters Meghan and Karthik meet when their parents kind of throw them together. Karthik is not ready for a relationship but suggests fake engagement/dating to get their parents off the issue of marriage. There is wedding in this, parents that expect a lot , self discovery and lots about Indian culture. Overall this is a cute and cozy slow burn romance that has good character development and heartwarming moments.
Read if you like:
- Slow burn
- Indian rep
- Good character development
- Some steamy scenes
- Strangers to friends to lovers
- Fake engagement/dating
Read if you like:
- Slow burn
- Indian rep
- Good character development
- Some steamy scenes
- Strangers to friends to lovers
- Fake engagement/dating
March 4, 2024
"You are more than my fiancée. You are my jaan." This is what you call a perfect debut!
The premise of this book intrigued me obviously because of the fake engagement ruse and it just exceeded every expectation that I had. Meghna and Karthik were so relatable in all of their struggles as a "fake" couple who are both warring with their feelings for each other, but also their struggles with their family life and their careers. I don't want to give any spoilers because I had the best reading experience going into this book blindly. It is everything you want in a romance and Meghna and Karthik are impossible not to root for. Naina Kumar wrote with such amazing originality and heart that's so refreshing after reading the same romance tropes and plots being used over and over nowadays. I can't wait for her next book if this is how amazing her debut novel is.
Thank you netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the arc!
The premise of this book intrigued me obviously because of the fake engagement ruse and it just exceeded every expectation that I had. Meghna and Karthik were so relatable in all of their struggles as a "fake" couple who are both warring with their feelings for each other, but also their struggles with their family life and their careers. I don't want to give any spoilers because I had the best reading experience going into this book blindly. It is everything you want in a romance and Meghna and Karthik are impossible not to root for. Naina Kumar wrote with such amazing originality and heart that's so refreshing after reading the same romance tropes and plots being used over and over nowadays. I can't wait for her next book if this is how amazing her debut novel is.
Thank you netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the arc!
September 11, 2023
Highly recommend!
This was a really fun engagement of convenience/fake dating gone right book! I loved the development between the FMC and MMC! What was really special was getting to see them also develop as people on their own as a result of having met each other, they really helped each other grow.
Other than the romance being absolutely perfect the book really was just fun, I had a good time while reading it & couldn't put it down!
This was a really fun engagement of convenience/fake dating gone right book! I loved the development between the FMC and MMC! What was really special was getting to see them also develop as people on their own as a result of having met each other, they really helped each other grow.
Other than the romance being absolutely perfect the book really was just fun, I had a good time while reading it & couldn't put it down!
October 7, 2023
Thank you to Dell at Penguin Random House for providing me with a physical ARC.
THIS WAS SO CUTE ADKGSKGL. If you loved the movie Wedding Season on Netflix, you'll love Say You'll Be Mine. It just makes me so happy to read about my favorite rom-com tropes in Hollywood but have them feature an all South Asian cast with North and South Indian rep 😍. I'd rate this somewhere around 4.25 or 4.5 stars!
THIS WAS SO CUTE ADKGSKGL. If you loved the movie Wedding Season on Netflix, you'll love Say You'll Be Mine. It just makes me so happy to read about my favorite rom-com tropes in Hollywood but have them feature an all South Asian cast with North and South Indian rep 😍. I'd rate this somewhere around 4.25 or 4.5 stars!
September 23, 2023
I am officially a Naina Kumar fan!!! This debut is a sweet fake engagement story with so much heart and culture blended into it! We’re following Meghna, an English and theatre teacher who aches for more, and Karthik, a man who doesn’t WANT to ache for anything more. Watching their story play out was PRECIOUS - their pining, the fake engagement mandatory-but-not-really practice kisses, their acceptance and understanding of one another’s personalities and quirks! I love how the familial relationships of both main characters was integral to the story. We got so much HEART weaved into the book because the characters had so much depth behind them that they became so much more real than your typical romance characters.
The author did a phenomenal job of breathing the cultural of both families’ into this novel, and it’s so easy to tell there was a lot of nuance in it! This is coming off of just finishing The True Love Experience by Christina Lauren, in which they had an Asian female main character for what it seems like no rhyme or reason - they just slapped on a Chinese last name with little to no nuance to the culture lol. Say You’ll Be Mine felt like the EXACT opposite in the best way!!! There was so much intention behind Meghna and Karthik.
I think what stood out to me is that the two main characters made each other stronger. Inevitably, they changed each others’ lives and made them more passionate and headstrong about aspects outside of their romantic endeavors.
I’m looking forward to whatever Kumar releases next!! Thanks to NetGalley and Dell for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
The author did a phenomenal job of breathing the cultural of both families’ into this novel, and it’s so easy to tell there was a lot of nuance in it! This is coming off of just finishing The True Love Experience by Christina Lauren, in which they had an Asian female main character for what it seems like no rhyme or reason - they just slapped on a Chinese last name with little to no nuance to the culture lol. Say You’ll Be Mine felt like the EXACT opposite in the best way!!! There was so much intention behind Meghna and Karthik.
I think what stood out to me is that the two main characters made each other stronger. Inevitably, they changed each others’ lives and made them more passionate and headstrong about aspects outside of their romantic endeavors.
I’m looking forward to whatever Kumar releases next!! Thanks to NetGalley and Dell for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
February 5, 2024
This book SCREAMS debut. It is so obviously a first novel. Things jumped too quickly, and the dialog was weird and all of that. But it was fun. So this author has potential. This book, though... not doing it for me.
March 5, 2024
he went to therapy 🥹
March 6, 2024
4⭑
Tropes;
- fake engagement
- one bed trope
- grumpy x sunshine
- third person
- slow burn
- dual POV
This book was SOOOOOO cute. I loved this 🤭
Tropes;
- fake engagement
- one bed trope
- grumpy x sunshine
- third person
- slow burn
- dual POV
This book was SOOOOOO cute. I loved this 🤭
February 2, 2024
I was kinda bored and I wasn’t rlly invested and attached to them at all
January 16, 2024
This book is perfect for fans of When Dimple Met Rishi x The Bride Test
What can I say except I ate this book up? I finished it essentially one day. Since I started it late at night I stayed up until 3 am to finish.
Could I probably have put it down? Yes, probably. But did I want to? No.
This was a charming and compelling contemporary romance with a little bit of everything: fake dating/fake engagement, one bed/close proximity, slow-burn romance, and dual POV. I loved the inclusion of Indian culture and foods. I love how our couple grew together and made each other better.
What am I docking one star for then you might ask? The miscommunication! Good god, I was shouting at my phone telling them to JUST BE HONEST. Both of them were so afraid, each for their reasons, afraid to put themselves out there, afraid of what might happen down the line, etc. It was almost down to the end before they finally got themselves together. Thank goodness for their supportive friends and families who helped them get their shit together.
But as someone who dislikes the miscommunication trope, still thoroughly liked this book. And I think that says a great deal in favor of it. (It also doesn't hurt that the male lead is said to be as handsome as Fawad Khan 😉😆)
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
What can I say except I ate this book up? I finished it essentially one day. Since I started it late at night I stayed up until 3 am to finish.
Could I probably have put it down? Yes, probably. But did I want to? No.
This was a charming and compelling contemporary romance with a little bit of everything: fake dating/fake engagement, one bed/close proximity, slow-burn romance, and dual POV. I loved the inclusion of Indian culture and foods. I love how our couple grew together and made each other better.
What am I docking one star for then you might ask? The miscommunication! Good god, I was shouting at my phone telling them to JUST BE HONEST. Both of them were so afraid, each for their reasons, afraid to put themselves out there, afraid of what might happen down the line, etc. It was almost down to the end before they finally got themselves together. Thank goodness for their supportive friends and families who helped them get their shit together.
But as someone who dislikes the miscommunication trope, still thoroughly liked this book. And I think that says a great deal in favor of it. (It also doesn't hurt that the male lead is said to be as handsome as Fawad Khan 😉😆)
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 12, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s a super slow burn and that tension had me PANTING. Overall, this was a solid romance and an impressive debut! My main issue was that the Seth plot dragged on way longer than I would’ve liked. But other than that, I would 100% recommend this book. It was so much fun!
January 19, 2024
From the bright, happy cover to the playful writing that grabbed me right away, I loved this adorable romcom!
Say You’ll Be Mine featured a fake engagement which is one of the best tropes, with a take on the Indian custom of matchmaking which was so fun. I loved the insight into more of the Indian culture and family expectations.
Meghna and Karthik have such an immediate chemistry that made it fun to see them grow and develop actual feelings from their initial fake engagement to appease their families. I loved the character growth as well, and to see them stand up for themselves and become protective over one another.
This was such a sweet story from start to finish that also managed to pull at my heartstrings, and allow the characters to reside in my heart. What a great debut!
WHAT TO EXPECT
-romcom
-grumpy x sunshine
-slow burn
-fake engagement
-one bed
-Indian culture
-opposites attract
-Mom’s matchmaking
-a funny, heartfelt story
🎧Again I loved to pair the book with audiobook format to allow myself to read as much as possible, and I would highly recommend them both. The narration was wonderful, and I didn’t want their story to end.
*many thanks to PRH and PRH Audio for the gifted copy for review
Say You’ll Be Mine featured a fake engagement which is one of the best tropes, with a take on the Indian custom of matchmaking which was so fun. I loved the insight into more of the Indian culture and family expectations.
Meghna and Karthik have such an immediate chemistry that made it fun to see them grow and develop actual feelings from their initial fake engagement to appease their families. I loved the character growth as well, and to see them stand up for themselves and become protective over one another.
This was such a sweet story from start to finish that also managed to pull at my heartstrings, and allow the characters to reside in my heart. What a great debut!
WHAT TO EXPECT
-romcom
-grumpy x sunshine
-slow burn
-fake engagement
-one bed
-Indian culture
-opposites attract
-Mom’s matchmaking
-a funny, heartfelt story
🎧Again I loved to pair the book with audiobook format to allow myself to read as much as possible, and I would highly recommend them both. The narration was wonderful, and I didn’t want their story to end.
*many thanks to PRH and PRH Audio for the gifted copy for review
February 7, 2024
3.8 stars maybe?
Dayum! That was sure good for a debut novel!
This is also probably the first book i’m reading with indian main characters ( as far as i remember at least- )
Meghna, our FMC, a school teacher (yep the mom ain’t happy with her choice of career and wanted her to be an engineer) is under pressure from her mom to get married soon (honestly, that’s exactly what the stereotypical Indian family would do ngl-). She wanted to find her own true love, just like how her parents did, but got her heart broken when she experienced it. Karthik, our MMC, is not ready for marriage yet but his mom keeps forcing him (yes, pt. 2 of indian parents forcing their child to get married). What’s the way out for both of them? Yes, a fake engagement. Meghna needed a “fiance” to go to her ex’s wedding and karthik needed a “fiance” to make his mom happy, so voila, they come in terms of this fake engagement!
Did i expect the thing between samir and ankita? Yes (it was sooo obvious wth-) if the author tried to keep that part a secret, she failed miserably by giving off too many hints in the storyline (but then again, it felt as if she wanted to give the hints? Idk atp-)
Seth is a fucking douchbag, a lying scoundrel, a narcissistic bitch and a big ass red flag. Period.
“And to top it all off he was wearing thin, wire-framed glasses. Glasses. The sexiest accessory known to humankind” girlie was so true for saying that, i mean c’mon, we know it’s true-
Normally i’d be mad and curse at the characters when they don’t confess their love to each other cause the think “omg what if he/she doesn’t like me back” but idk why but i didn’t really feel that here…i just felt really bad for the two of them tbh, any opportunity for them to fess up is just outright closed T.T
OK YEAH NO NVM I TAKE THAT BACK I DID CURSE-
Overall, a pretty good debut book!
One book for the reading challenge with the geysers is done!
Dayum! That was sure good for a debut novel!
This is also probably the first book i’m reading with indian main characters ( as far as i remember at least- )
Meghna, our FMC, a school teacher (yep the mom ain’t happy with her choice of career and wanted her to be an engineer) is under pressure from her mom to get married soon (honestly, that’s exactly what the stereotypical Indian family would do ngl-). She wanted to find her own true love, just like how her parents did, but got her heart broken when she experienced it. Karthik, our MMC, is not ready for marriage yet but his mom keeps forcing him (yes, pt. 2 of indian parents forcing their child to get married). What’s the way out for both of them? Yes, a fake engagement. Meghna needed a “fiance” to go to her ex’s wedding and karthik needed a “fiance” to make his mom happy, so voila, they come in terms of this fake engagement!
Did i expect the thing between samir and ankita? Yes (it was sooo obvious wth-) if the author tried to keep that part a secret, she failed miserably by giving off too many hints in the storyline (but then again, it felt as if she wanted to give the hints? Idk atp-)
Seth is a fucking douchbag, a lying scoundrel, a narcissistic bitch and a big ass red flag. Period.
“And to top it all off he was wearing thin, wire-framed glasses. Glasses. The sexiest accessory known to humankind” girlie was so true for saying that, i mean c’mon, we know it’s true-
Normally i’d be mad and curse at the characters when they don’t confess their love to each other cause the think “omg what if he/she doesn’t like me back” but idk why but i didn’t really feel that here…i just felt really bad for the two of them tbh, any opportunity for them to fess up is just outright closed T.T
OK YEAH NO NVM I TAKE THAT BACK I DID CURSE-
Overall, a pretty good debut book!
One book for the reading challenge with the geysers is done!
February 25, 2024
This was a sweet slow burn fake engagement story where I enjoyed both characters personal growth as they became closer and their romance bloomed.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Dual POV
Fake Engagement
Single Bed
Miscommunication
Slow Burn
Close family and drama
Witty Banter
Indian Culture
Fun supporting characters
Full review coming soon.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Dual POV
Fake Engagement
Single Bed
Miscommunication
Slow Burn
Close family and drama
Witty Banter
Indian Culture
Fun supporting characters
Full review coming soon.
January 11, 2024
This is a sweet and compelling story. Learning about the Indian culture and traditions was extremely interesting. Ms Kumar writes beautifully.
January 31, 2024
Now, THAT is how you write a romance epilogue👏🏼
May 14, 2024
WHAT A GEM.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I took a random chance on this one and it was a HIT y’all. I really adored this whole story. Fake dating/engagement has kind of burnt me out lately, and I can happily say this broke that streak for me. I loved the way this was approached and handled.
If I was being a bit nitpicky the FMC, Meghna frustrated me a bit with the red flags here ex boyfriend/current best friend was clearly exhibiting from the get-go. Gratefully, the way it was delt with helped me kind of roll with it all and just let it be.
The romance was the sweetest and best kind of slow burn!! I loved that this wasn’t high unnecessary heat. There was great relationship development and some absolute heart squeezing moments that made me want to hug Karthik myself. I loved this entire progression of the story. I loved the families and friends and how there was just enough side plot without being a distraction from the main couple. Oh, and it’s dual POV! Also recommend the audio. Loved that format.
A fantastic debut, I am a fan and can’t wait for more.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: 1-2 open; low explicit
- Trigger/Content Warnings: a Dad accused of workplace harassment, cheating (side characters)
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
I took a random chance on this one and it was a HIT y’all. I really adored this whole story. Fake dating/engagement has kind of burnt me out lately, and I can happily say this broke that streak for me. I loved the way this was approached and handled.
If I was being a bit nitpicky the FMC, Meghna frustrated me a bit with the red flags here ex boyfriend/current best friend was clearly exhibiting from the get-go. Gratefully, the way it was delt with helped me kind of roll with it all and just let it be.
The romance was the sweetest and best kind of slow burn!! I loved that this wasn’t high unnecessary heat. There was great relationship development and some absolute heart squeezing moments that made me want to hug Karthik myself. I loved this entire progression of the story. I loved the families and friends and how there was just enough side plot without being a distraction from the main couple. Oh, and it’s dual POV! Also recommend the audio. Loved that format.
A fantastic debut, I am a fan and can’t wait for more.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: 1-2 open; low explicit
- Trigger/Content Warnings: a Dad accused of workplace harassment, cheating (side characters)
January 5, 2024
A funny and bingeworthy debut novel about two strangers who decide to get fake engaged after being set up by their parents. Karthik wants to get his parents off his back while Meghna needs a plus one at her best friend’s wedding.
I loved the Indian representation and learning more about the culture, especially when it comes to matchmaking and wedding antics. Both main characters showed a lot of growth and I found their relationship to be believable. I will say there were a lot of side plots, and I am not sure if all of them were necessary to the story.
If you like audiobooks, Soneela Nankani was amazing and had me laughing out loud.
Read if you like:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Wedding antics
-Fake engagement
-Indian rep and culture
-Meddling families
Thank you Random House and PRH Audio for the ARC/ALC. Pub Date 1/16
I loved the Indian representation and learning more about the culture, especially when it comes to matchmaking and wedding antics. Both main characters showed a lot of growth and I found their relationship to be believable. I will say there were a lot of side plots, and I am not sure if all of them were necessary to the story.
If you like audiobooks, Soneela Nankani was amazing and had me laughing out loud.
Read if you like:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Wedding antics
-Fake engagement
-Indian rep and culture
-Meddling families
Thank you Random House and PRH Audio for the ARC/ALC. Pub Date 1/16
March 21, 2024
AHH i seriously loved this book!!
i loved both of the main characters so much!
the reason i can’t rate it higher is because of the insane level of miscommunication… which just isn’t my fav!
but the book had really good side plots too & it overall was a great romance! i cant believe this is her debut novel!
i loved both of the main characters so much!
the reason i can’t rate it higher is because of the insane level of miscommunication… which just isn’t my fav!
but the book had really good side plots too & it overall was a great romance! i cant believe this is her debut novel!
January 30, 2024
Karthik had my heart from the beginning, and I totally love his character building. It's so satisfying to see his layers unwrap with him going from a grump to a caring cutie <3 For some reason, his choices and feelings made so much sense to me, from his family dynamic to his introvertedness. His concern and support for Meghna was adorable, making me feel abundantly happy.
Meghna is amazing too, with so many feelings she takes time to understand. I loved seeing her understanding of Karthik evolve with time, as did her relationship with her ex-Seth. This might be one of the first times I felt more closely with the MMC than the FMC, and I was genuinely shocked to find that this book is a debut!
The confrontation towards the end was BRILLIANT. This entire novel made me so happy and is one of those that makes you forget you are reading. I'll be sure to grab anything this author writes and till then, I think everyone should feast on this book!
Meghna is amazing too, with so many feelings she takes time to understand. I loved seeing her understanding of Karthik evolve with time, as did her relationship with her ex-Seth. This might be one of the first times I felt more closely with the MMC than the FMC, and I was genuinely shocked to find that this book is a debut!
The confrontation towards the end was BRILLIANT. This entire novel made me so happy and is one of those that makes you forget you are reading. I'll be sure to grab anything this author writes and till then, I think everyone should feast on this book!
February 10, 2024
⭐️4.65
Omgggg this was so cute 🥰 RTC
Omgggg this was so cute 🥰 RTC
February 19, 2024
4 stars
It’s been really hard to find a desi book that didn’t make me cringe with all the references but this was honestly spectacular. The first couple of pages reeled me right in and I couldn’t help but laugh. I really enjoyed the engagement aspect of this and I enjoyed the family dynamic because it was so realistic. Probably my favorite DESI romance
It’s been really hard to find a desi book that didn’t make me cringe with all the references but this was honestly spectacular. The first couple of pages reeled me right in and I couldn’t help but laugh. I really enjoyed the engagement aspect of this and I enjoyed the family dynamic because it was so realistic. Probably my favorite DESI romance
December 18, 2023
3.5 ☆
This was a great debut romance from Naina Kumar! Fake dating, meddling families, and a bit of a miscommunication trope - this hit all the marks for a solid romance novel. I enjoyed both Karthik and Meghna's character growth and while it takes some time to realize how good they are together (slow burn and push and pull is real in this book), Kumar really nails the pining and creating tension between the two.
This was a great debut romance from Naina Kumar! Fake dating, meddling families, and a bit of a miscommunication trope - this hit all the marks for a solid romance novel. I enjoyed both Karthik and Meghna's character growth and while it takes some time to realize how good they are together (slow burn and push and pull is real in this book), Kumar really nails the pining and creating tension between the two.
January 22, 2024
4.5 stars!
Once I picked up and started "Say You'll Be Mine" by Naina Kumar, it was over for all the other books in my TBR. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! Fresh, adorable, and charming, I was entranced by this book until the very last page. Author Naina Kumar takes her time developing her main characters, Meghna and Karthik, both individually and as a potential couple. We learn about their friends, their family, their jobs, their wants, their desires, and who makes them tick as people. What a pair they are! Gosh, they were some of the best, most well-developed characters I have read in a long while. I appreciate that we learned about how Meghna got burned by her ex-boyfriend, Seth, and how she might still harbor feelings for him, even though he's getting married to someone else. I cried knowing how Karthik was berated and neglected over and over by his father, while his mother stood by and attempted to diffuse. I thought it was interesting how both Meghna and Karthik defy their parents' wishes more than once, but still let them rule other parts of their lives. I loved the banter and the dialogue between them. There is seriously some top-notch banter here. I loved the settings and the jet-setting, how Karthik must travel all over the country to please his mom in her attempt to get him married. I love their fake engagement and the moments of hilarity Meghna and Karthik experience along the way. I loved the methodical realization that Meghna and Karthik were in love with each other despite the odds. I love the conversations about traditionally arranged relationships versus modern dating for two Indian characters who face loads of pressure from their families to marry. I loved the bits of spice we get between Meghna and Karthik, and though there may not be many, they certainly feel earned. I seriously loved this book and hope you give it a chance!
Thank you to NetGalley, Naina Kumar, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Once I picked up and started "Say You'll Be Mine" by Naina Kumar, it was over for all the other books in my TBR. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! Fresh, adorable, and charming, I was entranced by this book until the very last page. Author Naina Kumar takes her time developing her main characters, Meghna and Karthik, both individually and as a potential couple. We learn about their friends, their family, their jobs, their wants, their desires, and who makes them tick as people. What a pair they are! Gosh, they were some of the best, most well-developed characters I have read in a long while. I appreciate that we learned about how Meghna got burned by her ex-boyfriend, Seth, and how she might still harbor feelings for him, even though he's getting married to someone else. I cried knowing how Karthik was berated and neglected over and over by his father, while his mother stood by and attempted to diffuse. I thought it was interesting how both Meghna and Karthik defy their parents' wishes more than once, but still let them rule other parts of their lives. I loved the banter and the dialogue between them. There is seriously some top-notch banter here. I loved the settings and the jet-setting, how Karthik must travel all over the country to please his mom in her attempt to get him married. I love their fake engagement and the moments of hilarity Meghna and Karthik experience along the way. I loved the methodical realization that Meghna and Karthik were in love with each other despite the odds. I love the conversations about traditionally arranged relationships versus modern dating for two Indian characters who face loads of pressure from their families to marry. I loved the bits of spice we get between Meghna and Karthik, and though there may not be many, they certainly feel earned. I seriously loved this book and hope you give it a chance!
Thank you to NetGalley, Naina Kumar, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
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