I am far from a romantic. Ask anyone who knows me. I am very picky about my rom-coms, and particularly so when it comes to a more romantic drama. However, this book caught my attention due it a few things: it sounded refreshingly cultured, realistically modern, and simply adorable.

I got all three of those things.

This story broke through my stubbornly robotic heart and made me smile, I admit it.

Of course, the first thing you have to admire is Dimple's personality. She is indeed a modern girl, purely dedicated to her love of coding and tech and wanted to land the biggest job ever. She doesn't care about landing a husband or even dating in general (which appears to annoy her mother to no end). Dimple puts her career happiness over finding love, and that is something I not only 100% support in a modern heroine, but completely understand. I may have not needed to obtain the I.I.H (Ideal Indian Husband), but I understand those pressures. I'm sure many girls out there can and will. The few jabs at single, career women owning a den full of cats aside, Dimple is a good example for readers.

Then there's Rishi, who begins things on the opposite end of the spectrum. Entirely happy to follow in his parent's footsteps, he's dedicated to tradition, marriage, and family. Equally fine, especially since he's adorably naive about Dimple's views when they first meet. However, as we get to know Rishi (both through Dimple's eyes and his own perspective), he opens up to wanting that modern lifestyle while also holding on to the past. Culture and history are very important to Rishi, and I appreciate that characteristic. The two of them sort of meld into a middle ground, agreeing to see their family's wishes in a traditional and modern light. Rishi is level-headed, no-nonsense, hard-working guy, and at the same time he has a wonderfully artistic spark, a playfulness and confidence that many will admire. Also a good example for readers.

Their relationship... a tad close to instalove, though I enjoyed their getting to know each other over the six-weeks this story takes place. I'm willing to forgive their quick attraction, because they did honestly fit well. They were a great balance of sweet and sour. I can't recall which character made this comment, but I believe it sums them up really well: "Your souls are old friends." Dimple, our leading lady resolved to never waver in her life plan, hits a roadblock, and I'm proud of her mostly rational thinking, her taking the time to think things through. True, many of it was controlled by hormones, and the sensational fling of their partnership, but everything gets brought back down to earth and they make real decisions.

Overall, a very enjoyable, fluffy summer read. I will definitely be recommending this book to my teen readers who enjoy romance, culture, and tech. Now, I need to find those Bollywood songs.

This book was so sweet! The two main characters, Dimple and Rishi, are honestly the most adorable couple I've read in a long time, and I couldn't be happier with their story. I was also glad that the story didn't completely fall into cliched tropes. The character growth felt realistic and I genuinely believed in their story arc.

The one drawback I saw in the story was how neatly it tied up. The characters came to very mature decisions all on their own, sometimes to the point that one character's decision was identical to something that another character had said about them previously (i.e., Celia and her relationship with the Aberzombies and what Dimple said about them). Though it made sense for the plot, it seemed just a little bit contrived. As a whole, though, I thought this book was adorable and fun, and I can't wait to see what Sandhya Menon comes out with next!

For a more in-depth review watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YqFh...

I received a copy of an eARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dimple's family is very traditional and want her to live the life they have planned for her including an "IIH" or Ideal Indian Husband. Dimple's parents even have the perfect "IIH" picked out:Rishi's who has embraced his family's traditions and wants to marry their choice in wife. When Dimple and Rishi meet at a coding workshop before college the two slowly begin to make a connection that may set them on different paths then they and their parents planned.

This book was a super fast read that was just kind of fun. I will admit I know very little about Indian culture and I appreciated the slight peak Menon gave into the culture. The book had many sweet romantic aspects as well as a great sense of humor.

I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this young adult fiction novel, and I think this one will be very popular with high school readers. The main characters are two teenagers of Indian descent who have just graduated from high school. Dimple will soon be attending Stanford University and Rishi will be going to MIT. They've never met each other, but their parents have "arranged" for them to one day get married. They meet each other at Insomnia Com, a summer workshop/contest for young Web designers. When Dimple becomes aware of this arrangement, she wants nothing to do with it or Rishi. But as they spend more time working together and getting to know each other, Their plans for the future aren't so simple.

I love the characters in this book. Dimple is ambitious and assertive, sometimes even quite hostile, but she just wants to be her own person instead of a carbon copy of her mother. Rishi, has more traditional views about family and his future, but he's so sweet and willing to bend because he has such strong feelings for Dimple. They meet at a technology workshop, and because they're both away from home in a college dorm, they are able to really get to the bottom of how they feel about each other and the future. They also have to deal with other social pressures at Insomnia Com that put their loyalties to the test.

This book deals with some mature themes (sex, underage drinking) that definitely make this more appropriate for high schoolers. But I enjoyed reading it as well, and I could even see this story as a terrific movie!

Menon's sweet, teen romance will carry you blissfully into the summer. Her young, Indian-American characters struggle to balance cultures, dreams, and family wishes while testing their own ability to handle the big "L" word at only eighteen years of age. Gentle humor and realistic but brief intimate moments make the Dimple and Rishi's story come alive.

This book would be ideal for older, high school YA romance readers.

Oh I am in LOVE! In love with Dimple and Rishi! Dimple and Rishi know their parents would like them to marry, it’s been sort of arranged since they were babies. So when these two teens finally meet at a Tech Con after their high school graduation, they really aren’t sure they want their future planned for them. One likes tradition the other wants adventure, how do they make this all work, follow their hearts and not disappoint their families? A classic love story told in modern times giving us so much perspective about family, culture and friendship. A story told with heart, wit, and humor. This is one of my favorite YA books to date.

I could not put this book down and loved the ending. Dimple is such a strong female character and I appreciate how she was able to realize life is not about an "all or nothing": attitude, but that you can pursue your passions and still hold on onto traditions and family values. The love story was fabulous and I enjoyed learning about the Indian culture from an American perspective.

This book is adorable. It's perfect for summertime reading!

REVIEW: I don't have a whole lot to say about this one except that it's super-cute, and I think my students will love it. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and Rishi's traditional values are a great complement to Dimple's independence. I especially loved the clash between immigrant parents and their Westernized children, who are growing up with values very different from their parents.

Speaking of the parents...how awesome are they? I love Dimple's mother's protectiveness and desire to preserve Indian culture and values within her daughter. IDimple's father is great as a calming force bringing balance to the the two strong women in his life. And I always love a YA contemporary with TWO parents actively involved in their teen daughter's life. Though Dimple has graduated high school and is away from home for the summer, Dimple still talks to her parents on the phone regularly.

I highly recommend this for all high school libraries. Bonus points for the relatively clean content.

THEMES: culture clash, first love, following your dreams, independence from parents, generation gap

THE BOTTOM LINE: It's cute and a lot of fun. A must for high school libraries.

STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: On order.

RATING BREAKDOWN:
Overall: 5/5
Creativity: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Engrossing: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Appeal to teens: 5/5
Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT:

Language: very mild; a couple of damns and hells
Sexuality: mild-medium; kissing; off-the-page intercourse; a "sexy" talent show dance
Violence: none
Drugs/Alcohol: very mild; some references to college students drinking. The two main characters do not drink.

This was slightly predictable, but incredibly enjoyable. Dimple is wonderful and I understood her struggle against finding a partner when she feels that it will derail her career, which it very well might. It's a problem that many women face when trying to "have it all".
I loved a glimpse into some of the pressures that Indian families in America might place on their teens and how that plays out. While the food and dress might be slightly different, the rule following and rebellious archetypes of teens are true across all families. I loved this novel.

Dimple is freaked out by Rishi when they first meet. She had no idea that her parents had arranged for them to be married like he did. But quicker than she thought she warms up to him and they fall into a relationship. Their feelings for each other blossom and grow through their time together. Dimple isn't sure about the whole thing because she doesn't want to lose herself but also is afraid of disappointing her parents. This was a fun book to read. I liked the back and forth between both Dimple and Rishi's points of view. This was a great book to help get me out of my reading rut.

When Dimple Met Rishi has got to be the best rom-com of the year. This story is about two teens arranged to be married who are also paired together in an app development competition. I loved the main character and her intelligence and the bits of culture laced throughout the book. This novel is a must-read this summer!

I adored the concept of this book! Basically, Dimple and Rishi are arranged to be married while they are participating in an app development competition. The thing is, Dimple has no intention of being married, and Rishi is only competing in the competition to get to know his future wife. This book is absolutely hilarious and adorable, both at the same time. There are also a lot of technological aspects to the book, such as coding, which I had no idea I was so interested in. After reading this story, I will definitely be on the lookout for more books like this one!

Dimple is absolutely one of my favourite main characters ever. She is so sassy and does not take crap from anyone. She even goes as far as throwing her iced coffee on Rishi when he meets her for the first time and addresses her as his wife. Dimple is also so independent and intelligent. She knows her values and would rather focus on coding than dating, despite her mother’s protests. If Dimple was a real person, I would definitely want to be her friend.

I really enjoyed all the Indian culture integrated into this book. Tradition plays a really big role in this story, especially arranged marriage. I feel like this is a topic that isn’t addressed very much, and Sandhya Menon did an amazing job discussing this subject with humour. I also loved the way that Dimple breaks away from tradition a bit while still embracing her culture. If you are looking for the perfect funny and diverse novel, this book is a great choice.

When Dimple Met Rishi is an Indian rom-com complete with one of the sassiest main characters ever. I loved the culture that is woven throughout the story and reading about Dimple choosing her own path for herself. After reading this book, I can definitely say that Sandhya Menon has made it onto my auto-buy list!

Decent, but pretty predictable, YA romance from the Indian-American teenage perspective. Overall, an enjoyable, light read.

This book is one of the cutest things I've read all year. Dimple and Rishi are absolutely adorable and I couldn't get enough of their story. I appreciate how saturated the book is with Indian and Hindi culture—I was constantly looking up phrases and terms, something I always appreciate in a book.

However, this book had a few problems. I found some moments in the book to be slightly unrealistic—while not impossible, they seemed just a bit too far fetched for me to buy, even with the heavy theme of the power of kismet. In addition, I found some scenes to be a bit heavy-handed, particularly Dimple's conversations with her mother about patriarchy (and Dimple's following interior monologues) and most of the scenes with Claire. While the things those characters discuss are important—especially about who is control of your body and who can tell you what to do—I found that the way Dimple in particularly responded to those moments as the narrator just a bit to heavy handed. I would have liked to see Menon trust her reader to make some of those connections.

Overall, I would recommend this book. A refreshing palate cleanser and a perfect pull out of my reading slump.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

"Keep it. Remember me. And don't tattle." - ARC of When Dimple Met Rishi

Dimple Shah got into her dream college, Stanford. However, there is this summer program called Insomnia Con in San Francisco that she wants to attend but she needs to find a way to convince her parents to her go. Dimple's parents are more concerned for Dimple finding a I.I.H. (aka the Ideal Indian Husband). All Dimple wants is to live her life and immense herself in web development learning from the best. Rishi Patel is the total opposite. He embraces his parents to find the perfect future wife. Rishi's parents knew Dimple would be at the Insomnia Con program and they already know Dimple's parents.

The first official meeting between Dimple and Rishi is priceless! Dimple seems to despise Rishi but overtime she warmed up to him and even they even become friends. She knows it's not his fault and even tells him to stay when he offered to go home early. Their budding friendship ends up turning into something more.

Sandhya Menon's debut novel is charming with just enough humor. This romantic comedy shares the views of two children of two sets of Indian parents. I found it refreshing to read a novel that shows two sides of a coin. Dimple is a quirky yet spirited, goal-orientated young lady who wants to advance her career. She doesn't care about arrange marriages; she wants freedom and her independence. Rishi, on the other hand, is a hopeless romantic trying to woo Dimple. He believes in tradition while Dimple finds the culture suffocating her. Rishi's passion is art but he sees it more like a hobby and not a practical field to go into for a career.

Dimple is a role model for teenage girls. It's okay to like math, science and technology. It's okay to wear glasses and not to wear any makeup. I wish I read about Dimple when I was younger. Nowadays STEM is pretty big in education, especially for females. STEM related fields are still male dominated. It's exhilarating to read about a career-driven young lady who is passionate about web development and not about makeup and boys.

When Dimple Met Rishi tackles the struggles of desires and passions. Dimple and Rishi both gather the strength to vocalize what they are passionate about and what they want in life. Dimple's passion is web development and Rishi's passion is art. However, even though they don't want to admit, the love they have for one another is strong and they cannot let it go no matter what they want in life. Do things that make you happy! Trust your gut feeling!

Menon writes When Dimple Met Rishi with sincerity. The novel is exuberant! I was smiling when I was reading the novel for most of the time. When reading When Dimple Met Rishi, I see myself through both Dimple and Rishi. I have never read a book where I see myself completely in. I can see a part of myself in Dimple and a part of myself in Rishi. Menon fuses culture, socio-economics and overriding gender stereotypes in this rom-com. When Dimple Met Rishi is a fluffy yet heartwarming read. I highly recommend it and it's definitely a new favorite of mine.

This was a really enjoyable YA romance about two Indian American teenagers trying to balance their parents expectations with their own pursuits. I was drawn in by the idea of arranged marriages between young people in today's society, and felt I got a better understanding of some of the challenges of American-born children in traditional Indian families. I really liked to see the way Rishi treated Dimple, and the positive portrayal of a non-white male who respected his partner. This is definitely a book to promote as a perfect summer read (4/5 stars).

This is a super sweet, fun teen romance! There's a lot of things intersecting here--race, class, and gender in the tech industry--plus cultural traditions and family dynamics--but it's ultimately a nice romantic comedy. A great summer read!

Funny and insightful, though a little saccharine. Uneven pacing made for scenes that felt endless, while other events flew by. I liked the story in general, though the last third was not easy.

This book was sugary sweet in the stylings of an any typical romance plot. I loved the diverse aspects, there are very few Indian characters through YA lit. I liked how the language and values were intertwined from Indian and American culture. I completely wanted to dislike Rishi, but couldn't. Menon created characters you can't help but love.