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Sunshine and Spice
When two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas, they find the only force more powerful than an immigrant mother’s matchmaking schemes might just be true love.
Naomi Kelly will do anything to make her new brand consulting business a success. When she lands a career saving contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family’s failing local bazaar, she knows there can be no mistakes. But as the “oops” baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi’s lack of connection to her roots represents everything Gia Mukherjee disdains.
Enter, Dev Mukherjee.
Dev knows everything his mother wants…including her wish for him to get married, like, yesterday. When Gia hires a matchmaker (without, you know, asking him), Dev vows to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a cold, loveless marriage. When a potential match assumes Naomi is his girlfriend, the solution to both their problems becomes clear: Naomi will pretend to date Dev in order to sabotage his mother’s matchmaking efforts in exchange for lessons in Bengali culture. Flawless plan, right?
But as Naomi and Dev bond over awful dancing at Garba, couples cooking classes, and tackling the rebrand as a team, they start to realize while their relationship may be fake, their feelings for each other are starting to become very real. As the line between reality and rumor blurs, Naomi and Dev must confront what it means to fit the mold, and decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.
Naomi Kelly will do anything to make her new brand consulting business a success. When she lands a career saving contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family’s failing local bazaar, she knows there can be no mistakes. But as the “oops” baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi’s lack of connection to her roots represents everything Gia Mukherjee disdains.
Enter, Dev Mukherjee.
Dev knows everything his mother wants…including her wish for him to get married, like, yesterday. When Gia hires a matchmaker (without, you know, asking him), Dev vows to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a cold, loveless marriage. When a potential match assumes Naomi is his girlfriend, the solution to both their problems becomes clear: Naomi will pretend to date Dev in order to sabotage his mother’s matchmaking efforts in exchange for lessons in Bengali culture. Flawless plan, right?
But as Naomi and Dev bond over awful dancing at Garba, couples cooking classes, and tackling the rebrand as a team, they start to realize while their relationship may be fake, their feelings for each other are starting to become very real. As the line between reality and rumor blurs, Naomi and Dev must confront what it means to fit the mold, and decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
September 12, 2024
This was a fun rom-com with a different kind of protagonist set than I typically see. I’ll admit I don’t gravitate most strongly to romance, but there is something about the fake dating trope that gets me and this book fit that. It also has grumpy/sunny which I thought was good but while Naomi was a little muted from a stereotypical sunny (Which I loved, way more realistic) Dev was a little exaggerated for me as a grumpy which detracted a little for me at times. I loved the cultural pieces of this book, both the details I’m not familiar with and the dynamics between generations with immigrants and a character completely cut off from her culture. Naomi is desperate to get the rebranding job of Gio’s Bazaar shop because since going on her own money is very tight. Dev, Gio’s son, is struggling to avoid the matchmaker and potential matches his mother is forcing his way. They decide to help each other Dev with advice on the bazaar and Naomi pretending to be his girlfriend to make prospective matches leave him alone. The beginning was a bit slow, but overall it was a fun, light, good debut.
October 5, 2024
**Many thanks to Berkley and Aurora Palit for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
Naomi Kelly knows how to bring out the best in any space...but this time, she might be in a bit over her head. As a brand consultant, she goes into different businesses and helps them rebrand, and she has landed her most important, career defining contract - to help rebrand a local bazaar run by the Mukherjee family. But the head of the bazaar, Gia Mukherjee, can't help but look down her nose at Naomi. You see, Naomi is Bengali, but growing up in Canada with a (somewhat absent) mom who does not honor the culture in any way, she is far removed from the traditions of South Asia, and doesn't know what she 'should' in Gia's eyes...but there might be a slightly grumpy cute Bengali guy who could change ALL of that.
Enter Dev, who just so happens to be Gia's SON...and who is under immense pressure to get married. The aunties et. al have arranged for matchmaking to begin...and let's just say Dev is less than thrilled. But when he happens to meet Naomi and some 'are we enemies or do I find you attractive' sparks begin to fly back and forth, Dev has an idea...if the pair can convince everyone they are dating, he can keep the matchmakers at bay AND help Naomi get up to speed on Bengali culture to please Gia...and help the rebrand become a smashing success. After every culture-fueled, couple-y activity from dance classes to cooking classes, the two begin to realize their initial snarky banter and pretend dating MIGHT be heading in a different direction. But can they keep up the ruse long enough to make it to the finish line? Or will Naomi's lack of cultural competence be her ultimate undoing?
When it comes to tropes, I have to admit grumpy/sunshine AND fake dating are both sort of hit or miss for me...and it really all comes down to the characters. This is Aurora Palit's debut, but I was genuinely intrigued by the premise and excited to learn more about the cultures explored in this one, and hopeful that Dev and Naomi would be the sort of sugar and spice mixture akin to cinnamon toast. (And if you've never had sugar and cinnamon with butter on toast...there's a reason I long for those simple days!) 😋
But when it came to this debut, Palit's hyper-focus on a very specific message about heritage and the criticism surrounding it not only took me out of the romance, but left ME feeling as excluded as Naomi did...and wishing for just ONE ray of sunshine!
It's very obvious that this was a passion project of sorts for Palit, and I completely understand wanting to provide this sort of rep, even in the romance space. In this case, though, rather than feeling enmeshed in the culture and being able to treat most of the story as a learning experience, I just felt like Palit kept finding different ways for characters to persecute Naomi with their words and actions for not being 'true' Bengali or Bengali enough...while simultaneously acknowledging that she was not brought up with any opportunity to know and live her heritage fully. So much time was spent on the fact that Naomi didn't know how to dress correctly, dance correctly, cook correctly, that much of her ACTUAL character exploration got lost. I didn't get to see her as the 'sunshine' to Dev's grump, and the whole ruse of fake dating hinged solely on Gia and her disapproval of Naomi, rather than 'conflict' between Naomi and Dev.
And unfortunately, Dev's character didn't quite have the depth I was hoping to find either...and I'd hardly call him grumpy. Based on the premise of matchmaking alone, I couldn't blame him for not exactly being thrilled by the prospect of that, but at the same time, he didn't really give it a chance either. On at least one occasion, the aunties wanted to match him up with someone he didn't seem to find repulsive by any means, but he still balked at the thought...and it still wasn't clear to me WHY. Not to mention, once Naomi and Dev DO take the uh, romantic plunge, things go from zero to one hundred pretty quickly. One minute they are kissing...and the next minute, well, GOODBYE outer garments! 😱 The tone of their romance just sort of felt all over the place, and was constantly overshadowed by all of the family problems and conflict going on throughout the book. There is a bit of redemption towards the end, but without the proper investment in the romance, I ended up being more concerned with the family drama than the romance.
And frankly, perhaps this is the direction the book should have gone instead. While it may have been more 'fun' for Palit to write more of a rom-com, I think a coming of age story (with maybe some REAL dating thrown in) had plenty of conflict and potential for the sort of emotional impact Palit was going for all along. I do hope this story makes those who find themselves in Naomi's shoes (or Dev's, for that matter) feel seen, heard, and known. I also have every confidence that hopefully this book will serve as a conduit for inner work and healing to so many; I just wish rather than trying to shoehorn a romance into its pages, Sunshine and Spice was more of a bildungsroman story for our heroine Naomi.
While I won't spoil the lessons learned as she stumbles toward a greater understanding of herself, her culture, her family, and her heart, the sentiment perhaps can be best summed up by an African proverb: "When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind."
3 stars
Naomi Kelly knows how to bring out the best in any space...but this time, she might be in a bit over her head. As a brand consultant, she goes into different businesses and helps them rebrand, and she has landed her most important, career defining contract - to help rebrand a local bazaar run by the Mukherjee family. But the head of the bazaar, Gia Mukherjee, can't help but look down her nose at Naomi. You see, Naomi is Bengali, but growing up in Canada with a (somewhat absent) mom who does not honor the culture in any way, she is far removed from the traditions of South Asia, and doesn't know what she 'should' in Gia's eyes...but there might be a slightly grumpy cute Bengali guy who could change ALL of that.
Enter Dev, who just so happens to be Gia's SON...and who is under immense pressure to get married. The aunties et. al have arranged for matchmaking to begin...and let's just say Dev is less than thrilled. But when he happens to meet Naomi and some 'are we enemies or do I find you attractive' sparks begin to fly back and forth, Dev has an idea...if the pair can convince everyone they are dating, he can keep the matchmakers at bay AND help Naomi get up to speed on Bengali culture to please Gia...and help the rebrand become a smashing success. After every culture-fueled, couple-y activity from dance classes to cooking classes, the two begin to realize their initial snarky banter and pretend dating MIGHT be heading in a different direction. But can they keep up the ruse long enough to make it to the finish line? Or will Naomi's lack of cultural competence be her ultimate undoing?
When it comes to tropes, I have to admit grumpy/sunshine AND fake dating are both sort of hit or miss for me...and it really all comes down to the characters. This is Aurora Palit's debut, but I was genuinely intrigued by the premise and excited to learn more about the cultures explored in this one, and hopeful that Dev and Naomi would be the sort of sugar and spice mixture akin to cinnamon toast. (And if you've never had sugar and cinnamon with butter on toast...there's a reason I long for those simple days!) 😋
But when it came to this debut, Palit's hyper-focus on a very specific message about heritage and the criticism surrounding it not only took me out of the romance, but left ME feeling as excluded as Naomi did...and wishing for just ONE ray of sunshine!
It's very obvious that this was a passion project of sorts for Palit, and I completely understand wanting to provide this sort of rep, even in the romance space. In this case, though, rather than feeling enmeshed in the culture and being able to treat most of the story as a learning experience, I just felt like Palit kept finding different ways for characters to persecute Naomi with their words and actions for not being 'true' Bengali or Bengali enough...while simultaneously acknowledging that she was not brought up with any opportunity to know and live her heritage fully. So much time was spent on the fact that Naomi didn't know how to dress correctly, dance correctly, cook correctly, that much of her ACTUAL character exploration got lost. I didn't get to see her as the 'sunshine' to Dev's grump, and the whole ruse of fake dating hinged solely on Gia and her disapproval of Naomi, rather than 'conflict' between Naomi and Dev.
And unfortunately, Dev's character didn't quite have the depth I was hoping to find either...and I'd hardly call him grumpy. Based on the premise of matchmaking alone, I couldn't blame him for not exactly being thrilled by the prospect of that, but at the same time, he didn't really give it a chance either. On at least one occasion, the aunties wanted to match him up with someone he didn't seem to find repulsive by any means, but he still balked at the thought...and it still wasn't clear to me WHY. Not to mention, once Naomi and Dev DO take the uh, romantic plunge, things go from zero to one hundred pretty quickly. One minute they are kissing...and the next minute, well, GOODBYE outer garments! 😱 The tone of their romance just sort of felt all over the place, and was constantly overshadowed by all of the family problems and conflict going on throughout the book. There is a bit of redemption towards the end, but without the proper investment in the romance, I ended up being more concerned with the family drama than the romance.
And frankly, perhaps this is the direction the book should have gone instead. While it may have been more 'fun' for Palit to write more of a rom-com, I think a coming of age story (with maybe some REAL dating thrown in) had plenty of conflict and potential for the sort of emotional impact Palit was going for all along. I do hope this story makes those who find themselves in Naomi's shoes (or Dev's, for that matter) feel seen, heard, and known. I also have every confidence that hopefully this book will serve as a conduit for inner work and healing to so many; I just wish rather than trying to shoehorn a romance into its pages, Sunshine and Spice was more of a bildungsroman story for our heroine Naomi.
While I won't spoil the lessons learned as she stumbles toward a greater understanding of herself, her culture, her family, and her heart, the sentiment perhaps can be best summed up by an African proverb: "When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind."
3 stars
Read
September 8, 2024I chose this romance because of the setting--second generation immigrants, and how the young generation deal with elder generation expectations and the new setting and its social and cultural rules.
There's a good quote in the middle of the book that kind of sums up why I liked that aspect so much: The heroine's mother has a talk with the heroine, saying, "There's no handbook for immigrants and the generations that follow. I think they did the best they could. They raised me according to what made sense to them. And I did the same for you."
The romance is a grumpy/sunshine romance, and it's perfectly fine, but where the writing really shines, for me, is Naomi's quest to find herself between these conflicting cultural expectations. Even when you seem to belong to one set of people, one can still feel an utter outsider for so many reasons.
There's a good quote in the middle of the book that kind of sums up why I liked that aspect so much: The heroine's mother has a talk with the heroine, saying, "There's no handbook for immigrants and the generations that follow. I think they did the best they could. They raised me according to what made sense to them. And I did the same for you."
The romance is a grumpy/sunshine romance, and it's perfectly fine, but where the writing really shines, for me, is Naomi's quest to find herself between these conflicting cultural expectations. Even when you seem to belong to one set of people, one can still feel an utter outsider for so many reasons.
Currently reading
August 26, 2024Hi everyone,
It's Aurora, the author of Sunshine and Spice, popping in to leave some content warnings so you can proceed with whatever caution your head and/or heart may need:
- Death of a parent (off page and in the past).
- Family estrangement (off page and in the past and mentioned in detail several times).
- Open door sex scenes.
I think it's important to add that the FMC and MMC are second and first generation South Asian Canadians (respectively) and the unique experience of growing up in immigrant families is discussed in depth throughout the novel. When writing S&S, my intention was to provide thought-provoking introspection that, I hoped, would inspire hope and empowerment in my readers; however, culturally-charged emotional childhood traumas are pain points for many of us and can be difficult to revisit. Please take care of yourself as you see fit.
-Aurora
PS. No brown Jesuses were harmed in the making of this book. I hope you enjoy the read!
content warnings
It's Aurora, the author of Sunshine and Spice, popping in to leave some content warnings so you can proceed with whatever caution your head and/or heart may need:
- Death of a parent (off page and in the past).
- Family estrangement (off page and in the past and mentioned in detail several times).
- Open door sex scenes.
I think it's important to add that the FMC and MMC are second and first generation South Asian Canadians (respectively) and the unique experience of growing up in immigrant families is discussed in depth throughout the novel. When writing S&S, my intention was to provide thought-provoking introspection that, I hoped, would inspire hope and empowerment in my readers; however, culturally-charged emotional childhood traumas are pain points for many of us and can be difficult to revisit. Please take care of yourself as you see fit.
-Aurora
PS. No brown Jesuses were harmed in the making of this book. I hope you enjoy the read!
content warnings
June 10, 2024
This was an okay read, it was cute and very fast-paced. This book is unique because it follows the fmc who is Bengali but is disconnected from her south asian culture. In the book, she is often looked down on by other Bengalis because she doesn't speak the language and isn't familiar with the cultural aspects. I thought that part of this book was actually the most compelling and interesting. The romance was cute and steamy it just felt like there wasn't a lot of depth to it. Overall I would recommend this especially if you like a grumpy mmc and Desi/southeast asian romance.
October 1, 2024
Thank you #partner @berkleyromance for my #gifted copy #BerkleyPartner #BerkleyIG #PenguinRandomHousePartner
Sunshine and Spice
Aurora Palit
Available now
I had the immense pleasure of attending the Booked with Berkley Fall Event and hearing Aurora talk about her debut; I knew it was one I'd enjoy, and I certainly did!
📖 Here we meet Naomi and Dev, two South Asian Canadians who enter a mutually beneficial fake dating arrangement. Our sunshine, an up-and-coming consultant named Naomi, is disconnected from her South Asian roots, while Dev, a grumpy accountant, has deep ties to his Bengali culture. Naomi's lacking knowledge proves potentially detrimental to her contract to revamp Dev's family's bazaar. Meanwhile, Dev's mother is determined to pair him up and marry him off, and he wants no part of it. So the two form a reciprocal agreement: Dev will help Naomi connect to Bengali culture, and Naomi will pretend to date Dev's to thwart his mother's matchmaking attempts. But before long, things go from make-believe to very, very real.
💭 This sexy, swoony, banter-filled, dual-pov contemporary romance is a great take on the fake dating trope! The stakes were just high enough to make it fully believable. I really appreciate the complex family dynamics and ensuing character growth. The inclusion of two opposing second generation immigrant perspectives made for a nuanced, multilayered, culturally-rich story. With a perfectly-paced story, engaging plot, well-developed characters (including the wonderful cast of side characters), I really enjoyed my time in Aurora Palit's Sunshine and Spice!
📌 Available now!
-----
Sunshine and Spice
Aurora Palit
Available now
I had the immense pleasure of attending the Booked with Berkley Fall Event and hearing Aurora talk about her debut; I knew it was one I'd enjoy, and I certainly did!
📖 Here we meet Naomi and Dev, two South Asian Canadians who enter a mutually beneficial fake dating arrangement. Our sunshine, an up-and-coming consultant named Naomi, is disconnected from her South Asian roots, while Dev, a grumpy accountant, has deep ties to his Bengali culture. Naomi's lacking knowledge proves potentially detrimental to her contract to revamp Dev's family's bazaar. Meanwhile, Dev's mother is determined to pair him up and marry him off, and he wants no part of it. So the two form a reciprocal agreement: Dev will help Naomi connect to Bengali culture, and Naomi will pretend to date Dev's to thwart his mother's matchmaking attempts. But before long, things go from make-believe to very, very real.
💭 This sexy, swoony, banter-filled, dual-pov contemporary romance is a great take on the fake dating trope! The stakes were just high enough to make it fully believable. I really appreciate the complex family dynamics and ensuing character growth. The inclusion of two opposing second generation immigrant perspectives made for a nuanced, multilayered, culturally-rich story. With a perfectly-paced story, engaging plot, well-developed characters (including the wonderful cast of side characters), I really enjoyed my time in Aurora Palit's Sunshine and Spice!
📌 Available now!
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August 31, 2024
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS
-m/f contemporary romance
-hard one and soft one
-idiots to lovers
-desi rep
-forced proximity
-workplace romance
-great banter
Aurora is a darling writing friend and I was lucky enough to read a very early copy of this. It is incredible to get to read a book that I know is so near and dear to her heart and something she has worked so hard on. Her incredible humor and heart in real life has translated so well on the page in a way only a few of the most talented authors out there can do.
How she juxtaposed Naomi's yearning for community and family with Dev's desire to get away from the traditions that have kept him feeling so trapped, yet both leaned into each other figuring their own path. The family dynamics, the desi traditions, the wisecracks, this is an effortless read that will have you cheering on these two as the stumble through major denial that they are into the other. Stoic, grumpy and hard Dev and softie Naomi were perfect for each other.
I will read anythign Aurora writes and I can't wait to pick up whatever she writes next.
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS
-m/f contemporary romance
-hard one and soft one
-idiots to lovers
-desi rep
-forced proximity
-workplace romance
-great banter
Aurora is a darling writing friend and I was lucky enough to read a very early copy of this. It is incredible to get to read a book that I know is so near and dear to her heart and something she has worked so hard on. Her incredible humor and heart in real life has translated so well on the page in a way only a few of the most talented authors out there can do.
How she juxtaposed Naomi's yearning for community and family with Dev's desire to get away from the traditions that have kept him feeling so trapped, yet both leaned into each other figuring their own path. The family dynamics, the desi traditions, the wisecracks, this is an effortless read that will have you cheering on these two as the stumble through major denial that they are into the other. Stoic, grumpy and hard Dev and softie Naomi were perfect for each other.
I will read anythign Aurora writes and I can't wait to pick up whatever she writes next.
July 2, 2024
i wanted to like this so badly and hated it instead...two stars instead of one solely bc i feel too guilty shitting on a debut desi author with a one star
September 18, 2024
I loved it! The characters, the drama, the spin on fake dating (fake dating, but behind your parents back, and also all the secrets). The spice!! I love how this book focuses on how the "grass is always greener" and how both MCs seem like their upbringing and family situations disappoint them, but grow so much throughout the book. I could viscerally feel Naomi's longing for her ancestral culture, a feeling of belonging that she has never had, always feeling alone in the middle. I loved seeing Dev's culture through her eyes and learning so much alongside her. (I had tears from some of her wide-eye revelations, happiness, and at a scene at the end where she was told she does belong and will learn!) Such a fun and spicy romance!
Audiobook note: I love these narrators and they did an amazing job with this book; highly recommend!
Note: thanks to the publisher for a free copy; my review and thoughts are my own!
Audiobook note: I love these narrators and they did an amazing job with this book; highly recommend!
Note: thanks to the publisher for a free copy; my review and thoughts are my own!
September 11, 2024
I love it when a romance is more than just a romance and gives the reader more substance! And this is one of those books! I love a diverse read, where I can learn about another culture. I wish more readers would be willing to read a book about a culture different from their own. When you don't, you are missing out on wonderful books!
This is a wonderful book! Dev is under pressure to get married, his mother has hired a matchmaker. Naomi is hired by his mother to help the family's ailing business. The two are thrown together, and fake dating ensues! Dev is under pressure to follow his family's Indian traditions. Naomi is also facing cultural dilemmas. Can the two find love, or are the cultural dilemmas so strong that they will keep them apart? Can Dev choose between pleasing his mother or following his heart?
I am a fan of Indian shows, including the Indian Matchmaking on Netflix. So I loved the matchmaking aspect of this story.
This a well-paced romance with the familiar tropes, including forced proximity and fake dating. But the cultural aspect enriches this romance.
Pick up this book, you won't be disappointed!
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!
4.25 STARS overall!
This is a wonderful book! Dev is under pressure to get married, his mother has hired a matchmaker. Naomi is hired by his mother to help the family's ailing business. The two are thrown together, and fake dating ensues! Dev is under pressure to follow his family's Indian traditions. Naomi is also facing cultural dilemmas. Can the two find love, or are the cultural dilemmas so strong that they will keep them apart? Can Dev choose between pleasing his mother or following his heart?
I am a fan of Indian shows, including the Indian Matchmaking on Netflix. So I loved the matchmaking aspect of this story.
This a well-paced romance with the familiar tropes, including forced proximity and fake dating. But the cultural aspect enriches this romance.
Pick up this book, you won't be disappointed!
Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!
4.25 STARS overall!
Read
September 10, 2024This was so fun, I raced through it in a day. Naomi Kelly is Bengali-Canadian, but she doesn’t know much about Bengali culture. Her mom got pregnant as a teenager and ran away from her family to raise her kid in Canada, in a small mostly white town where Naomi would be cut off (or protected, depending on who you ask) from her roots. Naomi always wanted to learn more, and as an adult, being hired by a Bengali-Canadian family to revitalize their small Indian imports/convenience store is a tantalizing opportunity for her. She doesn’t want to reveal her whole life to them, but she wants very badly to belong. Meanwhile, the middle son of said family, Dev, is chafing under his mom’s strict, traditional expectations. Dev and Naomi make a secret pact: she’ll help him fend off potential brides and he’ll help her successfully rebrand his mom’s store. This is fast-paced and sweet and really captures Naomi’s yearning as an outsider who wants to be invited in. And it has a mean-girl rival who is more than she seems, which I always love.
September 10, 2024
4 ⭐️
This book was such a cute, easy read for me and I’m so glad I was able to get an ARC for it. I loved the premise: fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, but also I wanted to dive into stories that represented different cultures and I loved that I learned so much from this book and its storyline. Naomi & Dev were so cute and funny with their banter AND their denial lol. I also really loved the immigrant representation & the expectations that come from older generations. I definitely related to that and was so glad that there are stories where I feel validated. This is definitely on the contemporary romance side, so the spice isn’t THAT spicy but the story I think, didn’t need that. It stood on its own.
Book comes out tomorrow!! Sept 10 🫶🏼
Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. :)
September 8, 2024
This was a standout debut by a new Canadian author and I really enjoyed it!
A fake dating, dual POV, opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine romance between two South Asian Canadians who meet while they work together to revamp Dev's family cafe and he uses Naomi to ward off his mother's matchmaking schemes. Feelings turn real quickly though and Dev and Naomi have to figure out if a 'real' relationship between them is actually possible.
Spicer than expected and full of cultural traditions and pressures, this is perfect for fans of authors like Farah Heron, Uzma Jalaluddin or Sarah Desai. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: open door!
A fake dating, dual POV, opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine romance between two South Asian Canadians who meet while they work together to revamp Dev's family cafe and he uses Naomi to ward off his mother's matchmaking schemes. Feelings turn real quickly though and Dev and Naomi have to figure out if a 'real' relationship between them is actually possible.
Spicer than expected and full of cultural traditions and pressures, this is perfect for fans of authors like Farah Heron, Uzma Jalaluddin or Sarah Desai. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: open door!
May 23, 2024
Absolutely decent contemporary fake dating romance that also grapples with cultural identity and belonging. A great starter romance for those newer to the genre.
I enjoyed the Canada setting.
professional LJ review to come.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
I enjoyed the Canada setting.
professional LJ review to come.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.
September 15, 2024
Sunshine and Spice was an absolutely delightful read!!
I didn't expect how much Naomi's worldview, angst and experiences accurately mirrored mine. I also love how Dev was not the typical mmc. It was wonderful to see how he fell so easily and unapologetically for the fmc.
It was a joy to read and learn about a different culture, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!
I didn't expect how much Naomi's worldview, angst and experiences accurately mirrored mine. I also love how Dev was not the typical mmc. It was wonderful to see how he fell so easily and unapologetically for the fmc.
It was a joy to read and learn about a different culture, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!
August 7, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
💕 Fake Dating
🫶🏻 Desi Romance
🍩 Cinnamon Roll Hero
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
Sunshine and Spice is fast paced and fun desi romance perfect for any rom-com lover.
Naomi and Dev are both struggling with their culture whether it is being disconnected from it (Naomi) or feeling frustrated with expectations (Dev) and they find themselves fake dating to help them get through this time in their lives.
Naomi and Dev’s chemistry jumped off the pages! Although the story is fast paced, it was a bit of a slow burn with some excellent steamy scenes. I felt like I learned so much about Bengali culture with this book and it made me want to learn even more.
Pick this one up for a story that is both sweet and a bit steamy with no shortage of family, food and tons of fun.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
💕 Fake Dating
🫶🏻 Desi Romance
🍩 Cinnamon Roll Hero
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
Sunshine and Spice is fast paced and fun desi romance perfect for any rom-com lover.
Naomi and Dev are both struggling with their culture whether it is being disconnected from it (Naomi) or feeling frustrated with expectations (Dev) and they find themselves fake dating to help them get through this time in their lives.
Naomi and Dev’s chemistry jumped off the pages! Although the story is fast paced, it was a bit of a slow burn with some excellent steamy scenes. I felt like I learned so much about Bengali culture with this book and it made me want to learn even more.
Pick this one up for a story that is both sweet and a bit steamy with no shortage of family, food and tons of fun.
September 17, 2024
Thank you @BerkleyPub and @BerkleyRomance for the free book and thank you @PRHAudio for the #gifted listening copy of Sunshine and Spice! #BerkleyBookstagram #berkleypub #BerkleyIG #berkley #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer #SunshineAndSpice #AuroraPalit #berkleyromance
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐤𝐡
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
𝟒★
This was such a fun one! It included some of my favorite trope all wrapped into one and Naomi and Dev had the most amazing banter. I loved how this book was full of cultural traditions, and it gave me the chance to learn more about another culture and I really enjoyed that aspect. I also really appreciated how this book wasn’t just focused on romance, but took a look at topics such as immigration and creating a sense of identity and community. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it!
🧡Fake Dating
🧡Grumpy x Sunshine
🧡Workplace Romance
🧡Dual POV
🧡Forced Proximity
🎧I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the talented duo, Soneela Nankani and Imran Sheikh. I thought both narrators were phenomenal. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and would highly recommend this one on audio!
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐦𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐤𝐡
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
𝟒★
This was such a fun one! It included some of my favorite trope all wrapped into one and Naomi and Dev had the most amazing banter. I loved how this book was full of cultural traditions, and it gave me the chance to learn more about another culture and I really enjoyed that aspect. I also really appreciated how this book wasn’t just focused on romance, but took a look at topics such as immigration and creating a sense of identity and community. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it!
🧡Fake Dating
🧡Grumpy x Sunshine
🧡Workplace Romance
🧡Dual POV
🧡Forced Proximity
🎧I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the talented duo, Soneela Nankani and Imran Sheikh. I thought both narrators were phenomenal. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook and would highly recommend this one on audio!
August 22, 2024
Read This Book If…you enjoy learning more about cultures different from your own!
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit
Genre: romance
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, 1-2 explicit scenes
Setting: Kelowna, Canada
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, secret relationship
My Thoughts:
This was a quick, fun read! I enjoyed the unique premise of being disconnected or alienated from your own culture. I always love a Desi romance where they’re set on avoid matches made by their parents. However, I was a little bored throughout. I thought it told a lot instead of showed. For example, I feel like we missed a lot of these two actually falling in love. And if you’re going to do a trope like fake dating, I need more than just standing next to each other at a party!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit
Genre: romance
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, 1-2 explicit scenes
Setting: Kelowna, Canada
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, secret relationship
My Thoughts:
This was a quick, fun read! I enjoyed the unique premise of being disconnected or alienated from your own culture. I always love a Desi romance where they’re set on avoid matches made by their parents. However, I was a little bored throughout. I thought it told a lot instead of showed. For example, I feel like we missed a lot of these two actually falling in love. And if you’re going to do a trope like fake dating, I need more than just standing next to each other at a party!
Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!
September 27, 2024
✨ Review ✨ Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit; Narrated by: Soneela Nankani, Imran Sheikh
Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!
This was such a fun fake dating romance! The book features two Bengali characters -- Naomi who's trying to secure a brand consulting gig at Gia's Bazaar, and Dev, Gia's son. When Gia hires a matchmaker to try to make a match for Dev and Naomi is trying to get the brand consulting just right, they agree to a bargain -- Naomi pretends to be Dev's girlfriend to fend off potential brides, and Dev helps Naomi to get the details perfect.
Beyond this simple plot layer though, I loved the tensions and reflection that threaded through the story about familial obligations and immigrant life. Dev grew up in a traditional Bengali family, complete with familial expectations and more traditional cultural norms. Naomi grew up in a family where her mom suppressed her Bengali culture and identity and was separated from her elders. Because of this Dev and Naomi grew up in very different circumstances, and also are looking for things beyond that (Dev - more freedom, Naomi - more cultural connection).
I thought this was both fun in its plot and deep in its reflections on immigrant life, and I really enjoyed it! My only critique is that it perhaps flagged a bit in the middle as things maybe felt a little predictable, but then she came back in and shook things up!
🎧 The two narrators both narrated brilliant, engaging me fully to where it felt like I was in the story. Great audio!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75)
Genre: f/m romance
Setting: somewhere in Canada but omg I forgot where! 😬
Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
Reminds me of: Nisha Sharma's books
Pub Date: Sep 10, 2024
Read this if you like:
⭕️ Bengali and other South Asian food and sweets
⭕️ grumpy-sunshine
⭕️ fake dating
⭕️ immigrant narratives
Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!
This was such a fun fake dating romance! The book features two Bengali characters -- Naomi who's trying to secure a brand consulting gig at Gia's Bazaar, and Dev, Gia's son. When Gia hires a matchmaker to try to make a match for Dev and Naomi is trying to get the brand consulting just right, they agree to a bargain -- Naomi pretends to be Dev's girlfriend to fend off potential brides, and Dev helps Naomi to get the details perfect.
Beyond this simple plot layer though, I loved the tensions and reflection that threaded through the story about familial obligations and immigrant life. Dev grew up in a traditional Bengali family, complete with familial expectations and more traditional cultural norms. Naomi grew up in a family where her mom suppressed her Bengali culture and identity and was separated from her elders. Because of this Dev and Naomi grew up in very different circumstances, and also are looking for things beyond that (Dev - more freedom, Naomi - more cultural connection).
I thought this was both fun in its plot and deep in its reflections on immigrant life, and I really enjoyed it! My only critique is that it perhaps flagged a bit in the middle as things maybe felt a little predictable, but then she came back in and shook things up!
🎧 The two narrators both narrated brilliant, engaging me fully to where it felt like I was in the story. Great audio!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75)
Genre: f/m romance
Setting: somewhere in Canada but omg I forgot where! 😬
Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
Reminds me of: Nisha Sharma's books
Pub Date: Sep 10, 2024
Read this if you like:
⭕️ Bengali and other South Asian food and sweets
⭕️ grumpy-sunshine
⭕️ fake dating
⭕️ immigrant narratives
August 20, 2024
This book immediately grabs you and pulls you in. Situated in a familiar town to me, it follows Naomi and Dev who find themselves in a fake dating situation. Dev is trying to scare off potential set-ups from a matchmaker and Naomi is trying to make a career for herself by revamping Dev's mother's shop.
I really enjoyed the characters and this book, however the third-act breakup was just not it for me. I found it a bit out of character for Dev to react the way he did when he discovered Naomi's 'secret' )if you can really call it that) and I felt like his secret (which to me was the bigger deal) was never really revealed/dealt with. And then the rejoining of their relationship was rather rushed and it felt like nothing was totally resolved. This feeling was also driven by the issues with Dev's brother not being resolved either. Like was he just the same? Did he change at all for his wife?
I really enjoyed the characters and this book, however the third-act breakup was just not it for me. I found it a bit out of character for Dev to react the way he did when he discovered Naomi's 'secret' )if you can really call it that) and I felt like his secret (which to me was the bigger deal) was never really revealed/dealt with. And then the rejoining of their relationship was rather rushed and it felt like nothing was totally resolved. This feeling was also driven by the issues with Dev's brother not being resolved either. Like was he just the same? Did he change at all for his wife?
July 2, 2024
As a first generation South Asian Canadian it was so great to read something that I can understand from all perspectives even if I don’t relate to all the experiences. The storyline (and light dusting of 🌶️) was fun and easy to read, but the character development and subsequent discussion within the plot is just as wonderful.
This definitely reads like a Bollywood movie, especially at the end. It reminded me of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani for some reason.
I will say though that I wish the storyline surrounding the matchmaker Veera Aunty’s prospective partners was different. I didn’t really like the way the women working with the matchmaker were written almost to be desperate.
Overall, cute beach read or weekend read.
Thank you to the author and publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review
This definitely reads like a Bollywood movie, especially at the end. It reminded me of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani for some reason.
I will say though that I wish the storyline surrounding the matchmaker Veera Aunty’s prospective partners was different. I didn’t really like the way the women working with the matchmaker were written almost to be desperate.
Overall, cute beach read or weekend read.
Thank you to the author and publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2024
Really enjoyed!
September 14, 2024
im sick and tired of reading diaspora struggles especially the pain of being 'whitewashed' yes that was the word used
September 24, 2024
Listened to the audiobook.
The 3rd act was so stupid
The 3rd act was so stupid
September 24, 2024
Thank you @BerkleyRomance #Berkley #BerkleyPartner for the free book and to @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.
In order to escape his mother's matchmaking endeavors, Dev agrees to fake date Naomi. She is hopeful their pretend match will give provide her inroads to working more on brand development with the local Indian community.
I found the ways in which this book explored culture, diaspora, and authenticity incredibly powerful. Though Dev and Naomi have similar ethnic backgrounds, she was raised completely separate from Bengali traditions. In contrast, his family expects him to follow those traditions.
I enjoyed their fun interactions. I especially appreciated the cooking class, complete with great good metaphors. I want to visit the cafe. And wow was the relationship between Naomi and Dev spicy! The only drawbacks for me were that at times I was annoyed with his lack of initiative and backbone. But I always delight in character growth and was glad to see some here.
Soneela Nankani and Imran Sheikh narrated the audiobook. While I always appreciate her performances, I was not not as fond of his voices for older female characters.
In order to escape his mother's matchmaking endeavors, Dev agrees to fake date Naomi. She is hopeful their pretend match will give provide her inroads to working more on brand development with the local Indian community.
I found the ways in which this book explored culture, diaspora, and authenticity incredibly powerful. Though Dev and Naomi have similar ethnic backgrounds, she was raised completely separate from Bengali traditions. In contrast, his family expects him to follow those traditions.
I enjoyed their fun interactions. I especially appreciated the cooking class, complete with great good metaphors. I want to visit the cafe. And wow was the relationship between Naomi and Dev spicy! The only drawbacks for me were that at times I was annoyed with his lack of initiative and backbone. But I always delight in character growth and was glad to see some here.
Soneela Nankani and Imran Sheikh narrated the audiobook. While I always appreciate her performances, I was not not as fond of his voices for older female characters.
September 29, 2024
Thank you to #berkleypartner @berkleypub for my early galley access, and to#prhaudiopartner @prhaudio for my gifted audiobook!
📖We all know fake dating is one of my favorite romance tropes. If you didn’t well now you know. 😍 When nervous Naomi’s interview is mistaken for our grumpy/sunshine Dev’s marriage match, I knew this one would be entertaining. That meet was not cute but very funny! Naomi’s plan was to try and please her potential boss who is Dev’s mother who desperately wants Dev to marry. Naomi and Dev come up with the fake dating scheme to help one another out.
I enjoyed how each one dealt with real but different issues of fitting in as well as cultural aspects. They leaned on one another initially strangers turned friends, but grew into something more, of course! But not only that, they were able to find their voices to speak on what they wanted and believed. Also, they were able to stand up and talk to the hardest people, their parents. Dev was a help to Naomi as she had never known her true background and often times pushed it to the back. This one was fun to read to see how their fake dating blossomed into something beautiful and life changing for them both!
📖We all know fake dating is one of my favorite romance tropes. If you didn’t well now you know. 😍 When nervous Naomi’s interview is mistaken for our grumpy/sunshine Dev’s marriage match, I knew this one would be entertaining. That meet was not cute but very funny! Naomi’s plan was to try and please her potential boss who is Dev’s mother who desperately wants Dev to marry. Naomi and Dev come up with the fake dating scheme to help one another out.
I enjoyed how each one dealt with real but different issues of fitting in as well as cultural aspects. They leaned on one another initially strangers turned friends, but grew into something more, of course! But not only that, they were able to find their voices to speak on what they wanted and believed. Also, they were able to stand up and talk to the hardest people, their parents. Dev was a help to Naomi as she had never known her true background and often times pushed it to the back. This one was fun to read to see how their fake dating blossomed into something beautiful and life changing for them both!
July 19, 2024
There were some interesting things about this book, mainly about the diasporic experiences of Indian immigrants and how a child of immigrant parents can feel a little lost and struggle to belong, feeling as though half their existence is mired in the cultural traditions of their country of origin and the other half in their new land. That is a feeling I can relate to very very well. However, my main struggle with this book is that it employs the fake relationship trope and having read a handful of romance novels this year by south asian authors featuring south asian characters, all of whom engaged in fake relationships, I'm beginning to wonder why so many of these books are employing the same trope. They all have characters struggling with parental pressure to marry and have children and honestly, there are other ways for south asian characters to meet and fall in love that do not include their parents pressuring them to settle down to the point that they have to engage in a fake relationship to throw them off track. This cannot be the only trope available to us! Anyway, there were some interesting points made in this book about identity and belonging but the fake relationship stuff was boring and made it hard for me to really care about any of these characters. Also, can we write less toxic parental relationships in these books? Like all these moms are overly nosy busybodies and spend all their free time trying to marry their children off and that feels like such a cliche at this point. (I am Bengali so I do know something about this, I get it, it's an easy low hanging fruit to pluck but let's stop falling into these same typical character archetypes repeatedly).
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine.
April 9, 2024
Thank you to Berkeley Publishing for providing an advanced copy of Sunshine and Spice!
Aurora Palit's debut romance novel explores themes of belonging, identity, and the challenges of being an outsider looking in. In the story, Naomi, a brand consultant, teams up with Dev, a man caught in his mother's matchmaking schemes, to fake-date in order to solve their dilemmas. In exchange for trying to ward off his potential matches, Dev agrees to give lessons in Bengali culture to help her rebrand his family’s local bazaar. The author does a great job in weaving together the characters' personal journeys while also shedding light on sensitive topics and cultural expectations.
I deeply related to Dev's struggle to fit in with his family's expectations and his search for purpose in his own life. It is a difficult thing to handle when the parents believe we are not capable of finding a partner for ourselves unless they interfere. Naomi's disconnect with her Bengali culture also resonated with me, as I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find a place in a community where there are so many expectations about how one should behave.
While I enjoyed the relationship between Naomi and Dev, I felt that Dev's character could have been explored in more depth. It seemed like he often resorted to making snide commentary about his culture without taking real action. I would have liked to see more character growth where his viewpoints were challenged.
Overall, Sunshine and Spice is a heartwarming and thought-provoking debut novel that explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and love.
Aurora Palit's debut romance novel explores themes of belonging, identity, and the challenges of being an outsider looking in. In the story, Naomi, a brand consultant, teams up with Dev, a man caught in his mother's matchmaking schemes, to fake-date in order to solve their dilemmas. In exchange for trying to ward off his potential matches, Dev agrees to give lessons in Bengali culture to help her rebrand his family’s local bazaar. The author does a great job in weaving together the characters' personal journeys while also shedding light on sensitive topics and cultural expectations.
I deeply related to Dev's struggle to fit in with his family's expectations and his search for purpose in his own life. It is a difficult thing to handle when the parents believe we are not capable of finding a partner for ourselves unless they interfere. Naomi's disconnect with her Bengali culture also resonated with me, as I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find a place in a community where there are so many expectations about how one should behave.
While I enjoyed the relationship between Naomi and Dev, I felt that Dev's character could have been explored in more depth. It seemed like he often resorted to making snide commentary about his culture without taking real action. I would have liked to see more character growth where his viewpoints were challenged.
Overall, Sunshine and Spice is a heartwarming and thought-provoking debut novel that explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and love.
June 10, 2024
I loved this. It really is sunshine meets spice with these two mc. What this book really captured is how immigrant kids aren't all raised within the culture the same way. While there are commonalities, the community can inadvertently other and shame someone who has the same ethnic background but not the same cultural interactions. It was a joy watching Naomi and Dev find and settle on coming ground.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
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