This was a wonderful debut book. I am really looking forward to seeing what this author has to offer in the future. It started off and it felt real. Like I could see these situations really happening in life. The way the story evolved also felt very natural. However she lost a little magic at the end. Maybe she got a little tired and wanted to end the story. It felt a like she was tired of the plot. But the ending was satisfying and worth it.

I have not read this author before but the title caught my eye. I am super glad that I tried it because this book really resonated with me. As a first-generation daughter of immigrants, I could really relate to Layla’s struggle to establish herself as her parents want her to marry.

It was so touching the lengths her dad went to in order to ensure Layla had a guy that was worthy of her. I don’t think my parents would be savvy enough to create an online dating profile and follow up with the responses. The hero, Sam, was really likeable. He was hard working, a bit cynical but he had a sense of humor. I like how he enjoyed pushing Layla’s buttons and how she gave it right back. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite trope so the whole push-and-pull thing with Sam added many chuckles for me. The actual husband hunt where Sam helped Layla weed through the profiles was really entertaining. I am glad it helped Sam do some soul searching as he had some of his own dating baggage to reconcile. He also had to work through things with his sister. At the heart of this story was the connectivity of family. The author did a great job of drawing the reader into the culture and make it feel familiar. I love that we got a glimpse into the family traditions, food, and views about careers from an immigrant family perspective. It was clear that Sam and Layla had that sexy chemistry even as he was trying to evict her out of the office space.

The writing was engaging, the story was enjoyable and the character growth was the icing on the cake. I definitely will be keeping an eye out for Sara Desai’s other work because this was a great introduction to her story-telling. The relationship journey will keep you turning the page until you finish the book. This was a winner for me.

I ended up really enjoying this book despite my initial hesitation in the first few chapters. Desai does a wonderful job weaving an engrossing tale full of unique characters. Layla and Sam are very relatable characters that readers can easily connect with.

We’ve all hit rock bottom in one way or another; or have felt like we’ve failed our friends or families. Seeing Layla and Sam deal with very real issues like loosing a job, being stuck in a job you hate, or even just navigating family dynamics and emergencies, not only makes them relatable to Desai’s readers but also creates events and experiences readers can connect with as well.

I also really enjoyed how Desai balanced Layla’s family dynamics and expectations with her desire to be independent and do things her own way. It was a nice balance that showed just how important family is to Layla, while also letting her stay true to her independent nature. I feel like often books have one or the other, or if both exist the book is often about finding that balance. So it was nice to see it established here already and for it not to be a plot point.

My initial hesitation with this book was some of the language Sam used to talk about Layla when they first met. It just rubbed me the wrong way. It wasn’t anything mean or anything like that, It was just a little too, crude, for me. But I’m really glad I pushed past it and continued reading. I really did enjoy this book and I’m looking forward to reading Desai’s next book!

I was excited to read this book as the premise looked interesting. However, the book didn't pull me in and I was not invested in the leads. They were just over the top and I couldn't get interested in them or their love story.

I know that I can’t get enough romance these days, and this book is going to be a balm for so many readers. Heartfelt, romantic, and light. Enjoyed this very much!

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

Rating 3.5 / 5 Stars

** Thank you to Netgalley, Berkeley Publishing, and of course, Sara Desai, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been on a meet-cute romcom spree ever since COVID 19 took over our lives. It has been nice to hunker down and read these stories while the world is at a pause. The Marriage Game was the perfect addition to this stack.

Our two main characters, Layla and Sam are great because they will make you laugh, cry, and sizzle with the romance provided. I loved the supporting characters as well. I mean, the Aunties! The inclusion of the Bollywood references as well made it even better! I looked some up myself.

Prepare yourself to be shocked, laugh, and cry with this book. There are a lot of scenes which might shock people (Elevator and 50 shades hellllllooo) and Daisy and her naughty jokes!

When these characters all come together - we get a beautiful debut novel. It is fun and an easy read. I look forward to seeing what Desai has in her next work!

I really wanted to like this one but I just think it wasn't the right fit for me. The writing is great but I just couldn't get into the book because I didn't like any of the characters. In addition to feeling no connection with the characters a lot of the interaction was cringe worthy. This was both annoying and distracting. Parts of it read like a bad romance book and I just couldn't do it.

3.5 stars.
There’s a lot going on here and it mostly works even though some elements, especially the not fully challenged fat shaming, made me cringe. That and some other loose ends aside, I laughed and I certainly rooted for the couple. The bachelor dates were hilarious, and I liked that there was some real plot to it.

I've never read a love story where both the male and female lead were South-Asians, so I was really excited to pick The Marriage Game up! I got introduced to the familiar atmosphere of Brown Families just after starting the book, and boy, that made me so, so happy. I've been really missing my family members a lot as I can't go out to meet my aunts, uncles and cousins for the pandemic. Just like Layla, our main female character, I have a big and loud family - so I related to her conversations with her family members a lot. This was one the main reasons behind me loving The Marriage Game. WHOLESOME FAMILY ALERT? CHECK. 

This book was my first experience with the workplace romance trope as well, and thankfully, I really enjoyed it. The chemistry between Layla and Sam built up gradually throughout the book. I liked seeing their romance develop along with the perfect amount of angst that was thrown into their relationship. 

Layla was a really lovable character. I loved her outgoing approach towards life. Sam, on the other hand....he's the reason why I didn't rate the book with 5 stars. He did stuffs that I disliked for the majority of the book, and I couldn't connect with him as much as I wanted to. The family relationships, witty banter and comedic conversations made me fall in love with the book, and these were what made me enjoy the book even though it had a main character I didn't like a lot.

4/5 stars

Okay, I really loved this one. The main characters Layla and Sam are both interesting and well-developed and I loved that they weren't super young. They had each been through previous relationships and other difficult things in life, and it had made them complex, imperfect humans. These things made it so much easier to connect to the story, despite some of the over-the-top other things and the sometimes too perfect (or imperfect) timing of things.

I really enjoyed all the nods to Indian American culture and the book does a great job exploring the lives of people growing up at the juncture of two cultures. I loved the exploration of arranged marriage. This book wasn't clearly against the concept, and instead shows the pros and cons, and lets the reader form their own opinion. I did enjoy all the crazy suitors that Layla has, and the funny back stories for each. Perhaps a little over the top, but definitely entertaining, and also helped the reader along in appreciating Sam and rooting for him and Layla to figure it out and get together already!

This was such a fun, heartfelt, and interesting read, and I thought the writing style was clear and direct, with great humor and some fun sexy scenes too. I can't wait to read more from Sarah Desai!

I love the premise of this book but had a hard time with the immediate lust. I wanted more of a slow burn. The fact that they were so hot for one another immediately seemed rushed. I did really love the feistiness of Layla and her dynamic with her family. Good #ownvoices romance read! I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley and Berkley, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wanted humour and witty repartee and it was all here in The Marriage Game. This opposites-attract, forced-proximity romance pits Layla, a whirlwind of a personality HR recruiter against Sam, a disciplined CEO. They are like fire and water but the attractive kind that you can't help to tear your eyes away from. Returning home to San Francisco after she discovered her reality tv boyfriend was cheating on her, Layla has to restart her life and her career. Her father offers her the office space above their restaurant with the intent to renege on the lease that he had agreed to with Sam. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Sam doesn't get the message so his and Layla's first meeting does not go off well. Both are insistent on the right to be there and boy do they butt heads! When a stranger shows up responding to her dad's ad, Layla thinks it's the perfect opportunity to take the guessing game out of dating and go on these dates to eventually find someone to marry. Sam thinks it's the worst idea ever but because her father is unavailable, he agrees to chaperone these dates. They have an agreement regarding the office that is dependent on the result of these dates. Shenanigans ensue.

Layla and Sam can deny up and down in front of everyone how much they detest each other but the truth is that they're not only intrigued but rather in lust. There's so much self-sabotaging of dates and crazy run ins that I was eager for the next mess they'd land in. I truly got a kick out of Sam's reactions to her dates. He had the best zingers and comebacks that I fell a little for him. Layla, though could not be suppressed. Not only did she trudge through the dates, she actually enjoyed giving Sam grief. It's been a while since I've felt two characters challenge each other the way they did and I was so into them. Honestly, these dates just gave them an excuse to be nearby but it proves to become a conundrum for Sam who's bent on achieving his own agenda which is to exact revenge on someone who hurt his family. It's an incident that's part of his past that he has purposeful left behind but continues to haunt him. Being around Layla is a reprieve from his guilt. But when the borders he's built to separate his worlds start to break down, so does he.

The only thing that's iffy to me about The Marriage Game is the initial set up where Layla wants to oust Sam from an office space that's legally his. That scenario is flimsy and let's be reasonable, rude. Anyway, it can be easily discarded as Layla and Sam's interactions pick up steam and become this ridiculous crazy train of blind dates, meddling but well-meaning aunties and constant ribbing. I live for this stuff and The Marriage Game delivers all that and the laughs brilliantly!

*review copy provided by Netgalley, but all opinions are mine

Layla has just come home from NYC after breaking up with her boyfriend (and going viral in the process), and finds out that her father has set up 10 blind dates with men he has selected for her. Not on the list, however, is Sam - who she has made a pact with that, if he finds her a husband from her father's matches, she'll give up the office.

I can see why people would like this: the pacing is good, it's a little steamy, and the main characters feel familiar from romance tropes. Layla and Sam are competing for the office above her family's restaurant, and accidentally fall in love instead of staying enemies. Family plays a major role in this story, too - Layla is close with her extended family, but Sam has distanced himself from his own family after his sister enters an arranged marriage that becomes abusive.

This wasn't for me, though. Sometimes the plot just felt overly dramatic - the plot is overall pretty normal, not too wild, and then suddenly it would veer into bananas territory. The story also felt a little disjointed for me, and it was hard to get a good grip on Sam and Layla's motivations.

I enjoyed this book as a romantic comedy. I liked all the characters, and I appreciated that it was set in a world I didn’t know much about. Overall I will be recommending it to friends.

“It was the light in her face that drew him in— a joy he desperately wanted but could never possess.”

*ARC provided in exchange for a honest review*

I've been super curious to read "The Marriage Game" ever since I first saw the blurb, who doesn't love a good romantic comedy.

The book started off kind of slow for me, I wasn't really sure how to feel about the main hero, Sam (too frequent mentions of lush hips & bo0bs as an introduction into his character in the beginning), but he really grew on me as the story progressed, I loved his humor, how protective he was of the people he cares about & the fact he wasn't completely oblivious to his actions, their impact and how precious Layla is.
Layla was a a great heroine, her strength, determination, her devotion to her big family & empathy are to be admired.
Sam & Layla had great chemistry & banter, so many cute and swoon-worthy moments. The connection between them felt rare & real.

"The Marriage Game" would suck you right into the story with its colorful descriptions, the scenes genuinely felt like they're unfolding right before my eyes. The food mentions would have you rummaging through your cupboards, gah, I'm so still craving some good donuts.
TMG has not only amazing main hero & heroine, but would also great secondary characters. I loved Layla's hectic family & how they supported one another.

If you're on the lookout for a wonderfully written romance novel with an amazing story & swoon-worthy couple and/or love reading books about different cultures & traditions, TMG is definitely the book for you!

A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy. While I loved the desi films, food, songs mentioned as well as the heroine but the hero ruined the story for me.
I don’t like to read books where heroes are egocentric jerks and he was one (almost)throughout the book. If it weren’t for Sam Mehta, I would’ve given this book 4 stars. Overall, I’d recommend this book purely because of the heroine, side characters, all the desi references, desi family, and Max the dog!

I enjoyed reading The Marriage Game by Sara Desai. It strikes the right balance between humor and angst, fluffiness and seriousness. Desai has done a wonderful job showcasing Indian culture — it informs every aspect of the book and makes for a complex and entertaining story. The humor and banter in this book are superb — they had me in stitches in parts. Desai does enemies-to-lovers so believably well.

This book is about personal growth for both Layla and Sam before they can grow together as a couple. For her, it is coming into her own personality and values and standing strong as her independent self. For Sam, the road to recovery is fraught with him having to forgive himself and be self-compassionate. He has taken on guilt and grief because of his family, and it is time for him to relinquish that burden before it destroys him.

Full review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-the-marriage-game-by-sara-desai/

The Marriage Game was such a fun and inspiring read! I would recommend it to the fans of romantic comedy and those who are looking for a light-hearted yet inspiring read!

I was sent this book from the publisher/publicity team. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

This one is not for me, but sounded really interesting. I still wanted to give it a try and was really excited, but it did not capture my attention like I wanted too. This is just a personal preference. I know others will love it.

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

CW: death of sibling, discussion of secondary character’s relationship that included Intimate Partner Violence, ailing parent

This is Desai’s debut, although she was previously published as Sarah Castille. She had some super sexy boxing series that I know I read at least one of those. I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I wasn’t sure if it would skew more women’s fiction than romance. For me it was a good blend of both.

Layla, our female protagonist, is a little down on her luck. She returns to her hometown after a break-up with her boyfriend. Her parents own a restaurant and her father offers Layle office space where she can work as a recruiter. Her father previously agreed to rent out the space to someone else but he says he will cancel that. Then her father has a heart attack. And fails to cancel the rental agreement.

Sam, our male protagonist, is the person that Layla’s father agreed to rent out the space to. He shows up and fighting begins on who gets to claim the space. Sam at times is a huge jerk and I was not sold on liking him.

After Layla’s breakup, her father put her on websites to work on finding her a marriage partner. She is Indian American and her parents are traditional and her father believes he can find a husband for her. This sets up hilarity as Sam acts as a chaperone as Layla meets several of these potential suitors. This was the best part of the book. As Layla goes on these “dates”, she and Sam get to know each other better. It was because of these dates and banter that I bought into their love story and ultimately enjoyed the book.

I really liked Layla. I thought she was a messy female character that sometimes said some mean things, sometimes drank more than she intended to. She was not a virgin and wasn’t shy about telling Sam. She felt no shame about this. She felt like a real person.

There were a few things I didn’t like.

There were times the author/editor decided to explain words/food items to the reader and used some non-English words in italics.

Some examples-

“Hi, bhaiya.” Nisha smiled, using the affectionate form of address for an older brother.

Roti, a thin round bread similar to a tortilla, was an unforgiving beast.

As a reader, this feels like spoon feeding me information. I know how to look information up.


As I said earlier, Sam was a jerk. One of his coworkers is attracted to him and he talks about her like this. -
“Sam bristled at her sarcasm. He was used to women melting at his feet. Karen had just sexted him with pictures of herself in the boardroom in provocative poses, a plastic medical kit in her hand. How did he tame this wildcat?”

And lastly, I found this quote upsetting enough to wrap it in a spoiler tag. At best, it is a horrible example of toxic masculinity, at worst it is possibly transphobic.

Dilip wouldn’t give it up. Sam gave an affronted sniff. “Do I look like someone’s sister?” “These are modern times,” Dilip said. “You could have gone through a change.” “I’m all man.” Sam leaned back in his chair and spread his legs. “Every goddamned bit.”

Overall, I enjoyed this story and did buy into their love story but had some complicated feelings about Sam and some of the things he said.

Grade: C+
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