I am so excited to be a tour stop for "The Marriage Game" by Sara Desai! With all that's going on in the world, I'm loving the lighter reads and this one has been no exception! ⠀
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--> What are you reading this weekend??⠀
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I have to admit I jumped head first into this, and immediately fell in love with the characters. I love a female lead with a little spice and spunk and Layla gave me exactly that! Her back and forth with Sam left me laughing. Then, there was Layla's family... Oh how much I love a big, loud, loving family.⠀
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Basically, this delivered everything I wanted and more. I highly recommend grabbing it and reading it ASAP!⠀

The Marriage Game is an adult contemporary romance by Sara Desai. I loved this book so much! This is everything I want in a romance and then some! It made me smile, it made me feel all the emotions and it made me fall in love just like the two main characters did. If you are a fan of contemporary romance, then The Marriage Game is a must read book of 2020! The Marriage Game is an enemies to lovers romance that has so much heart that it is impossible not to fall in love with the characters. I need more books written by Sara Desai immediately because I can just tell from her writing style that she will make me fall in love with all of her books, stories and characters.

In The Marriage Game we meet Layla, who after a failed job and a failed relationship comes back home to live with her parents and start her own job placement company. We also meet Sam. Sam is co-owner in a successful downsizing company (they get to go into corporations and help them “trim the fat”. i.e. saving money and firing people.) Everything about Sam and Layla is complete opposites, right down to what they do for work. Layla is looking to find people jobs and Sam is a professional fire-er. They are both strong willed and stubborn in their own ways, and I loved watching them clash right from the very start. These two have such huge sparks that they lept off the page at their every interaction.

Sam rents an office space above Layla’s parents restaurant, and when Layla comes home her dad promises the office space to her so she can start her new business venture, but before he can tell Sam his lease is canceled, her dad has a heart attack and is in the hospital. So Sam and Layla share an office space, which turns into a bet between them. I loved how the plot continued to unfold in charming, bicker inducing and downright funny ways. What starts out as shared office space turns into Layla and Sam joining up to interview arranged marriage prospects for Layla. Let me back up…

Layla’s dad is the cutest. In fact, I loved Layla’s whole zany family, but her dad in particular won my heart. He hates seeing his daughter sad, so when he hears about her latest break up, he set up a profile on an Indian dating website used to help people with modern arranged marriages, and he vetted hundreds of guys for her. He sets up interviews with 10 guys he thinks his daughter would like, and when the first candidate comes to the office and completely surprises Layla she sets out to meet the others to honor all the hard work her dad put into the project. Sam wants Layla to find a guy and move out of the office and forget about her business so he joins in as an old school chaperone. What comes next is pure romantic comedy gold. This book made me forget about the world for a while. All that existed was Sam and Layla, and with everything going on right now that is no small feat. This was a fantastic read. I loved every page and every second of The Marriage Game. Sam and Layla have such combustible chemistry that it was a joy to read their enemies to lovers romance. I would love to see this book made into a movie. I think it would be perfect! I think this is a must read book of 2020. It is one of my favorites for sure.

Rating 3.5 Stars

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai: After things and badly with losing her job and having had a bad break up with her blogger boyfriend in New York, Layla finds herself back at home at her parents Indian restaurant planning on opening her own recruitment agency on the office space above the restaurant. This would have been the perfect plan had her father not already leased the office to Sam the C.E.O of a corporate downsizing company.

When Layla realizes that her father had not gotten to informing Sam about the change in plan, the two lock heads as to see who gets to keep the office space. This is not the only surprise her father forgot to tell her about, turns out that he has been searching for a suitable husband for her, going as far as to set up a marriage profile on a arranged marriage site. Thinking that her father might know her better, Layla decides to go along with meeting the ten eligible bachelors that have been hand picked for her. Sam having had a bad experience with the system of arranged marriages, after his own sister married an abusive drunk. Taking it upon himself Sam decides to stand in as the male family member at the meetings and as a way to ensure Layla does not fall victim like his sister had.

The two strike up a deal of sorts in which if Layla finds a suitable husband amongst the ten candidates then Sam will get the office, however if Layla is unable to find a suitable husband then she gets to keep the office. What started as the two trying to find a way to win the office soon turns into Layla realizing that her perfect guy has been in front of her all this time and in away he to has been selected by her father.

I am of two opinions on this novel, it might just be a matter if personal preference but non the less The Marriage Game was a nice novel. I found that there was unnecessary over explanation and this took away from enjoying the actual story. I found it rather unnecessary for the constant movie references, but once again this is just a personal dislike. I will say Desai has done a brilliant job at showing the life of a Desi family and what an important role food and family play in this culture.

I think this novel had a lot of potential and had a strong story that lost a little of it s charm with the over explaining.

I had so much fun reading this book and it's one of the best own-voices rom-coms that I've read this year! With an amazing mix of romance, laugh-out-loud humor and steam, this debut novel from Sara Desai had me laughing, swooning and feeling hungry(all those descriptions of amazing Indian food)!

Layla Patel has just moved back to San Francisco after a disastrous end to her previous relationship and job! Her parents run a famous Indian restaurant and she plans to start her own recruitment firm from the office above her parents' restaurant.

But, the only problem is that her father has already sublet it to another tenant. And then her father has a heart attack and forgets to let the tenant know that it's no longer available!
In comes Sam Mehta, CEO of a corporate downsizing company and new tenant who refuses to leave the office to her!

Little does Layla know that this is the least of her problems when men start showing up to see her because her father has uploaded her profile onto a matrimonial website and he has arranged for them to meet her! Lol!

Even though Sam would like to have the office to himself, he doesn't want Layla to meet these men alone as he has his own set of views on arranged marriage due to his sister's experience. So, they end up challenging each other! Sam will accompany her on her 'arranged marriage dates' and if she ends up marrying any of them, he can have the office. And so the games begin!

My favorite part about this book was the banter between Sam and Layla! It's so hilarious! Plus, they're both quirky and even the awkward moments(like the scene with the spanx) which would've had me dying from second-hand embarassment were funny because of the characters and the way the author wrote them!
The chemistry between them was also amazing!

Another thing that I loved was the amazing cast of secondary characters - especially the Patel family! Layla's family members were so authentic, supportive and crazy at the same time! Reading about them made me miss my extended family so much!

“Listen to your mother,” Taara Auntie said. “Learn all you can otherwise your mother-in-law will curse your mother if you feed her burned chapattis.”
“You must be cursed every day,” Salena Auntie muttered. Taara Auntie huffed. “My boys love my fusion food. Last night I combined roti and pizza. My youngest called it rotzza. Or was it rotten? So many English words sound the same.”

The book was pretty realistic in the way it showcased the lives of Indian and Pakistani immigrants! I loved seeing both the sides of arranged marriages being showcased - the successes and the failures!

Though both the protagonists were well-developed, I think I liked Layla more than Sam! She was more open and willing to put herself out there despite her previous experiences. Sam was funny and genuine, but he also irritated me with his actions in the last quarter of the book! Though I could sympathise with his experiences and his need to avenge his sister, he could have easily handled the problems without being an asshole! But, I think he learnt from his mistakes after that! I would have liked a little more groveling though!

The last few chapter were awesome and they reminded me of the final scenes in a Bollywood movie! I loved how the family helped Sam win Layla back!

I'd definitely recommend this book if you're looking for an authentic and hilarious rom-com this summer! It'll definitely leave you with a smile on your face(and with a craving for some Indian snacks!)

*I was provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Layla Patel got fired and caught her man cheating on her. With her heart broken, she returns back home from New York to start her own company. She needs time to heal so her father allows her to use an office space above his restaurant. The problem is that he already agreed to let Sam Mehta lease the space for his company. Layla wants Sam gone but since her father is now dealing with a health crisis, Layla really has no choice but to try to share he space with Sam.

Sam thinks Layla is a bit crazy despite being attracted to her. He allows her to stick around for a while once he sees that her father set up a “marriage” profile on a website. As the men swing by to interview Layla, Sam can’t help but to interject himself into the process.

I love the concept of this. The story is so over the top and quirky but it still works for me. There are so many characters to love. The Aunties are spot on in this story. Everyone has their noses in Layla’s business. The food and culture is perfectly represented.

Sam escorts Layla on each of her interviews. The banter between them is hilarious. He finds flaws in all of the guys showing his jealousy. Layla can’t help but notice she doesn’t feel one spark with anyone but Sam. The thing I like is that the two act like adults once they realize they liked each other. There is no beating around it.

Sam and Layla are a fantastic couple. They both are strong, opinionated, cute and the chemistry is off the charts. We went from funny hot romcom to some seriously steamy scenes. Sam and Layla were not afraid once they cross the threshold of being friends to lovers.

The author does a great job of showing the family dynamic and definitely how it impacts the relationship. Sam’s outlook on what happened to his sister definitely defined how he viewed marriage and even showed his protectiveness of Layla.

This is surprising little gem. Great debut by this author. I look forward to other books by her…maybe there will be some other characters (hint: Daisy) who get their own story.

~ Samantha

Sara Desai has truly blown me away with this read! I loved loved LOVED Layla and Sam so much and their banter was way too good. It's a great enemies (??) to lovers read and perfect for someone who doesn't want anything TOO heavy to read.

The thing I loved the most about this book was the fact that the main characters were POC and that it stayed true to their story. Often times, the main character's cultural background is pushed into the background but in this, it was at the forefront and influenced Layla's actions entirely.

Sam is so well written and such a sweetheart. I loved his sassiness and their chemistry was off the charts. Can't wait to see another one from Sara Desai soon!

The Marriage Game is a fun, witty, and sexy enemies-to-lovers romance. Sara Desai created two characters that are opposites but allowed their witty banter and chemistry to shine through. I laughed, swooned, and even shed a couple of tears reading this book.

Layla Patel is on her way back home when the story begins. She lost a job and a boyfriend in the process. She hopes that she can start a recruitment agency of her own because she wants to turn hitting rock bottom into a positive. Her dad offers her the office upstairs in the building where he owns his Michelin starred restaurant. She is excited until she finds out that he already rented it out to someone else.

That person happens to be Sam Mehta. He is the CEO of a downsizing company so he is used to breaking bad news to people. That makes him prepared to tell Layla that his lease is real and she technically has to leave. If only that was so easy. He realizes that she won't go down without a fight.

They both agree to share the office. Their personalities clash but it makes for some hilarious sarcasm. Things get even more interesting when Layla finds out that her dad set up a dating profile and made a list of potential bachelors. She agrees because she knows how much it means to her father Nasir. Sam is amused by the whole thing and this is how their wager begins. If Sam can find Layla her right bachelor, he gets to keep the office all to himself, and if not Layla wins.

On Layla's journey of finding her perfect match, she and Sam start to enjoy each other's company. They have amazing chemistry and always have a good time with each other. Their bond makes it hard for them to deny their attraction. And this makes Layla question so many things. Can she trust her heart? Is Sam different than the other men she has dated?

They go through their ups and downs but there is never a dull moment. I don't want to give too much away but a scene in a bathroom with shapewear made me laugh so hard and I guarantee you will be laughing and blushing too.

I loved the romance so much but at the heart of the story was the importance of family. Layla and Sam care so much about their family and loved ones and all they really want to do is make them proud. Sara Desai created a special bond between Layla and her father and that was so beautiful. He is her protector and just wants to see her happy. I also adored how close Sam was with his sister Nisha. They have a special bond. Of course, he is overbearing at times but she loves him no matter what.

I give The Marriage Game 5 stars. As soon as I read the first chapter, I was hooked. Sara Desai wrote a charming romance that had so much heart, the perfect witty banter, so many loveable characters, great food, and captured the beautiful Indian culture. Everything about this book was great.

This rom com is funny, warm, and sexy. It had been a while since a romance made me laugh out loud. Layla and Sam’s back-and-forth dialogue is brimming with sarcasm and wit, which ranges from hilarious to heartfelt in the matter of seconds. Some of their antics edge on ridiculous, but that just adds to the entertainment. If you’re a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, add this to your TBR ASAP. Sara Desai writes her characters and setting with such authenticity that it almost felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book.

#FunFact: I first read this book one million years and a lifetime ago! At least that’s what it felt like this past weekend when I went to update with a review. I had a bunch of notes but Sara’s other identity is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I read it again! It made me feel just as good the second time around so YAY. Anywho, all that is just to tell you I really enjoyed this story. The book took me by surprise, tho … I shall explain …

Okay, so I was not expecting this entire package Sara delivers with this story. It is funny (like seriously well plotted humorous shenanigans all around), it is super sexy (okay, that one is to be expected) and it warmed my heart and pulled at every single heart-string I had available. ALL AT THE SAME TIME! All of those characteristics were in constant motion throughout the story. It’s a bit hard to describe without giving you plot points, but just imagine yourself laughing, turned on AND having a *happy sigh* moment all at the same time. That’s what reading this book does. GLORIOUS.

This book has some strong signature attributes that fit perfectly with Sara Desai’s pen-name, but it is also uniquely hers. It’s like taking a recipe handed down for generations and adding a few spices when it gets to you. Still that signature dish but with your own personal flare. That’s this book. I don’t know if Sara has alluded to who her other author name is because I didn’t have to stalk her to know who she was LOL so I have to keep the name reference vague (sorry lol) but MAN I wish I could just say it because I totally want to tell you to read all the books.

Sara has never disappointed me with any book I have ever read (and re-read) of hers. This beautifully crafted romantic comedy is no different. It has a well-developed plot with growth and purpose. There is chemistry from page one and I was so captivated by the story-line, that hours passed in a blink while reading!

I didn't really click with this one, and it's not too hard to pinpoint why, largely it's Sam. I'll get to that in a minute.

What I did enjoy was all the references to Indian culture. More than anything it made me super hungry, and I definitely related to Layla's passion for all things sugar. The Patel family were also adorable, and I loved how much they truly cared for each other and the entire extended family. Layla's mum and dad and their balance of modern and old fashioned views, and the admirable way they were coping with losing their son, I just loved them both.

However, for me, Sam just felt like such a problematic character. He had the shortest temper known to man, and he constantly turned to violence, threatening to punch this person and that person and anyone who so much as blinked in Layla's direction. I really hated that, especially given the background of his sister, and his quest for vengeance on a violent man. The temper also went hand in hand with a possessiveness that just wasn't cute at all. He also was pretty sexist, I don't think being less selfish in bed than Layla's other partners truly redeemed him the way the narrative seemed to suggest it did. I just didn't like him. He also went on to behave appallingly with seemingly no consequence.

I think if Sam had been nicer I might be giving this 3 stars, but I just couldn't buy into a romance when I disliked the love interest so much.

A comedic love story about a disputed office, a matchmaking papa and a series of disastrous blind dates, Sara Desai’s The Marriage Game is the perfect read for those who love hot mess heroines involved in zany situations.

Layla Patel’s life falls apart when she catches her social media star boyfriend snorting “the last of her savings off the stomach of two naked models” and responds by tossing his stuff over their balcony in a fit of rage. Caught on camera, the “Blue Fury” YouTube video goes viral, causing Layla to be evicted from her apartment and fired from her job. Having nowhere else to go, she leaves New York and heads home to her family in San Francisco. Layla’s first stop is at her parents’ Michelin-starred restaurant, The Spice Mill. Her surprised father is delighted to have her back, thrilled when she says she wants to stay and immediately offers her the empty office upstairs after she mentions a tentative plan of starting an employment agency. There’s only one small problem: he’s already rented it to someone else but he will call and cancel the existing rental contract. As they are jubilantly discussing the plans for her new company, the excitement overwhelms him and he has a heart attack.

When Sam Mehta’s sister married the brilliant surgeon Sam was doing his residency with, his life seemed as though it had reached the pinnacle of perfection. Everything went downhill pretty quickly, though. His brother-in-law turned out to be an abusive monster who hurt his sister during an argument and the hospital, eager to keep their star surgeon, refused to believe her accusations against him and gave their full support to her abuser. Disillusioned with medicine, Sam gets an MBA and with a friend, builds a corporate downsizing company that is rapidly becoming a leader in their field. He is surprised and more than a bit disconcerted when he goes to move into their new office and finds Layla already occupying it. She refuses to move, insisting that her father meant to cancel Sam’s lease. Sam refuses to leave as he has a contract which clearly says the office is his. They spend a couple of days arguing over the space, and during one of these heated encounters they are joined by a third man, who is there for a date with Layla. It seems her father had set up an online profile for her, telling everyone on the site that his daughter “needed a husband right away.” Realizing that her dad will be too busy working on his recovery to accompany Layla on these dates and determined that what happened to his sister won’t happen to her, Sam offers Layla a deal. They will share the office while he vets all the prospective grooms her father set up for her. If she doesn’t find a husband among them, he’ll leave. If she does find a husband, she’ll leave.

Rom-coms come in a variety of different flavors and the essence of this one is definitely screwball. I’ll talk about the serious holes in the plot later, but I don’t think the author was trying for a heartfelt story full of relatable characters living their best lives. The focus seems to be on the laughs and on the heat. From the beginning, Sam and Layla are deeply attracted to each other and innuendo-laden barbs, sexy banter, smoldering chemistry and great sex is the core of their relationship. Real life? Not quite part of the fabric of this novel.

That’s never more obvious than in how the whole ‘work’ aspect of the tale is handled. Without filing any papers, creating a logo, or pretty much doing anything but moving into an office that isn’t legally hers, Layla starts a ‘business’. Shockingly, at the end of two weeks, she learns “the employers I’ve targeted are either using online services or they’re working with other agencies.” Imagine that! Due diligence would have told her whether there was a need for her in the market, but in the world she lives in, one just hangs a proverbial shingle on the door and viola! You own your own company. Oh, and you take time for yourself. Haven’t been able to get your new business launched in two weeks? Head to the theater to catch an afternoon showing of a movie because that’s okay when you’re “self-employed in a business that (you) can’t seem to get off the ground”.

Sam is simultaneously the kind of guy who can sit across from a desperate person and fire them without losing a wink of sleep, but can’t evict the squatter he has in his office because she’s just so vulnerable and cute. Even when she adds a crazy cousin as a secretary who has a misbehaving emotional support dog, he can’t force this poor girl full of dreams out on her butt with no job. Wait, doesn’t he do that for a living? Like much of this story you will just have to accept this dichotomy and move on.

Because a secretary who insults the person paying the rent and a dog peeing on office chairs isn’t kooky enough, the blind dates set up by Layla’s father add yet more campy humor to the text. From a man pretending to be a CIA agent to an Indian mobster, Mr. Patel manages to find the craziest, most chauvinistic jerks in his community and arranges for them to meet his beloved daughter. These little vignettes not only add an extra touch of whimsy to our tale, but also give the hero and heroine the chance to flex their liberal creds, letting the wannabe grooms know they shouldn’t expect their future wives to be virginal, willing to cook or anxious to take care of the kids while the men develop their careers.

Naturally, as Layla and Sam are discovering just how wrong these men are for her, they are subconsciously (and sometimes consciously) realizing how perfect they are for each other. She brings out his sensitive, playful, caring side and reconnects him to the aspects of his traditional Indian culture that he threw aside after his sister’s arranged marriage ended so badly. He reminds her that there are positive aspects to having someone watch out for you and that there are men out there who respect an independent, opinionated woman.

The Patel family are the primary secondary characters, and they are all quirky, in an amiable, lovable style which makes them fit nicely into the narrative. Sam’s family and friends are more serious, sensible people who make key vignettes in the text to impart wisdom to the hero and balance the wackier aspects of the tale.

After all this snarking you are probably wondering why this book doesn’t have a lower grade and the answer is simple – while screwball comedy might not be my cuppa, a lot of people do like it and those who do should definitely give The Marriage Game a try. Readers who enjoy lighthearted, zany romances with plenty of heat will find a lot to love here.

A contemporary romantic comedy set in the desi culture-Northern Indian/Pakistan in San Francisco. I have never read a story like this one and I learned a lot about customs, dress and food of the culture while enjoying a love story about two strong willed independent people. I loved the banter between Layla and Sam and watching them snipe at each other. Layla's overwhelming and interactive family provided lots of comedy. I felt empathy for Sam and Layla as they are both hurting. Layla can't find true love and Sam is guilty over feeling like he didn't protect his sister. Sam has such a protective heart under all his denial. Through this experience with Layla he has to face his hurts and come to grips with his guilt. Vengeance isn't going to fix anything. Layla is genuine in her search for a soul mate and is willing to look within the traditions of her family's culture of arranged marriages.

Sam Mehta is the CEO of a corporate downsizing company. He fires people all day. It is not a rewarding career but it pays the bills and he hopes it puts him in a position to extract revenge on his former mentor and brother-in-law, Ranjeet Bedi, a highly respected cardiothoracic surgeon. Sam was a surgical resident but quit when his sister was disabled by her husband that Sam introduced to the family. He and Royce formed a partnership after Sam went back to school. Royce has NO people skills and I found him a real jerk in this story. I kinda wonder if he won't be redeemed in the next book. He's got a long way to go. Anyway, Sam rents the office above an Indian restaurant, The Spice Mill so they can be close to the hospital that Ranjeet works in so he could get the contract to downsize the hospital and get into Ranjeet's file to find proof of a coverup.

Layla Patel is the daughter of The Spice Mill's owners & chefs. She's come home after her breakup with her social medial lifestyle influencer boyfriend went viral and she was fired from her job finding people employment. Her Dad told her she could use the office upstairs to start her own business finding people jobs and told her he's cancel Sam's lease. Unfortunately her dad has a heart attack the same day she's home. What she didn't know is her dad set her up on an online Indian dating service to find her a husband. He decided to make an arranged marriage for her since it worked so well for her older brother and himself. When she goes upstairs she finds Sam using the office and 10 dates with prospective husbands. Sam eventually agrees to temporarily share the office with her and they make a deal that if she ends up marrying one of these men she'll leave the office to him. In this culture the women accompanied by their father to these meetings and Sam goes instead to make sure she finds the right guy unlike his what happened to his sister.

This is a new pen name for an author I've read before and that's why I received an advanced reader's copy of her book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book so much! This being a debut author (although, I think she writes under another pen name) I really had no expectations goings in but was hoping that it would be as fun and full of humor as the blurb made it sound. Spoiler alert: it was!

This is an enemies-to-lovers, romantic comedy featuring a wonderfully quirky, down on her luck HR recruiter who ends up sharing office space above her family’s restaurant with a snarky, but charming corporate downsizer. Sparks fly (and the occasional office supply) between them, but neither will back down and move out to a different space.

Layla also discovers her father has set her up a dating profile on desilovematch.com and arranged for her to meet no less than 10 matches. Sam agrees to accompany her on these dates with the condition that if she finds a good candidate for marriage, she will give up her half of the office and move out.

This couple cracked me up. The banter was hilarious and I truly enjoyed watching them navigate Layla’s marriage choices. I really don’t know a whole lot about arranged marriages, but I do like that this author gave examples of both loving and toxic relationships. This really was a slow burn, slow to build romance and I was fully invested in their HEA.

I adored meeting all of Layla and Sam’s family and friends and learning about South Asian culture and cuisine. I kind of hope that we will see all of them again in a future story.

My only gripe is that I wish Sam had grovelled harder for Layla’s forgiveness at the end. He does something at about 75% in that left me totally disappointed in him and his choices and if I were Layla I would have made him work harder to get back in my good graces.

This is such a fun read! There are some heavy themes woven in, mainly domestic abuse, but all in all I would definitely label this as a romantic. comedy.

Special thanks to Inkslinger PR, Sara Desai and Berkley Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Let's talk about what I love in an enemies to lovers romance?
1) Sassy, sarcastic, clever female leads
2) Cocky, arrogant male leads
3) Witty banter
4) OMG, LOL moments

Guess what The Marriage Game by Sara Desai has? ALL FOUR! That's right, ALL FOUR!

Layla Patel is such a strong female lead. Her character is picking up the pieces of her life and doing what she believes is best for her and her family. She knows her past is a bit shady. She knows she has to start "being an adult" and so she does. She has her dream of owning her own business and she is making it happen. She is also ultra smart, super sarcastic and hilariously sassy.

Sam Mehta is such a wonderfully flawed male lead. He has the whole arrogant, cocky Mr Darcy thing going. He knows he is hot. However, he is so misguided by his own guilt that he has sworn off his Indian heritage. I love seeing Sam come to terms with his life. I love watching him correct his wrongs. And I love his love for Layla. Yes, he fights it. He fights his love for Layla until his breaking point. However, that doesn't change the fact that he loves her so fiercely.

Here are a few other loves: I love all the dates and how they were each so individual and unique. The spy was my absolute favorite. I love getting a taste for Indian culture. I found myself googling a few things to make sure I knew what was happening and I didn't mind that at all. I also love all the wonderfully eccentric side characters.

Why not five stars? The HEA ending fell a little flat for me. The reasoning behind it is too spoilerish but I wanted a little more.

Overall, I will definitely recommend this to romance readers. It is such a fun and hilarious story. I look forward to reading more from Sara Desai.

A fun and flirty debut, THE MARRIAGE GAME is a memorable first from Sara Desai. Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers romance.

The Marriage Game, Sara Desai’s debut novel, was an absolutely delightful rom-com. I actually laughed out loud multiple times at Layla and Sam’s antics. And a good portion of Layla’s blind dates. If you’ve ever dated online or had a friend set up a terrible date for you, I can guarantee that you’ll be able to relate to Layla. All of the characters were so vibrant and also larger than life in that perfect rom-com way. The references to Bollywood and Hollywood will leave you with a movie list a mile long after you’re done reading.

Both Layla and Sam had to go through a lot of self-examination in order to figure out what they actually wanted. Desai had them question themselves and grow before they could truly be together, which was wonderful. I also loved that this book delved into some deeper topics such as what defines a family legacy and what’s the best way to measure success. I thought the subplot about Sam’s sister and his desire to get vengeance for her felt so realistic (but trigger warning for abuse). However, I would have liked to see a bit more resolution at the end, some of it felt a bit rushed.

The Marriage Game was a fun, entertaining read. If you’re looking for a rom-com this summer, I would definitely recommend this one! Also, I’m really hoping that we get a companion novel that features Daisy!

*Disclaimer: I received a digital advance copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Well, this was absolutely delightful! With excellent characters, witty banter, and a rich culture in this charming Indian family, it’s hard to believe this is a debut. It was perfection. There were lots of laugh out loud moments (especially when it came to the blind dates), but it also hit on some serious, important issues in a diplomatic way.

Layla has returned home to try to put her life back together, after some major drama. Her family is an entertaining Indian family, with lots of nosy family members, and a life heavily immersed in food, which is no surprise considering they own a Michelin-starred restaurant. The food in particular was so descriptive and detailed it actually made me hungry. Layla is trying to land on her feet, and wants to start a new business. Her meddling father offers his upstairs office to her as well as setting her up on 10 blind dates to set up an arranged marriage for her. But, a miscommunication results in someone else signing the lease for upstairs, Sam. They have an intense first meet. These two are complete opposites but the banter and chemistry between these two was insane. Layla is completely surprised when suitors start showing up at her office for their dates. Sam and Layla decide on an arranged marriage game and whoever wins gets the office. What ensues were some hilarious moments on these dates and some wonderful moments between Sam and Layla. I LOVED it, and cannot wait for the author’s next book!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Marriage Game follows along with both Layla and Sam so you get to see both perspectives.

And then you see the progress going from enemies to friends to lovers.

It’s seriously hilarious 😂

It’s also FULL of Indian culture which I absolutely loved. It has just enough information to explain what everything is and means. And it doesn’t over explain things so nothing detracts from the story line, the characters, or the culture.

And, also, since I feel like I might get asked this question. No, I didn’t dislike any of the characters 😂

For those of you who are trying to add more PoC to their #tbr this is one I definitely suggest AND it publishes today!

It’s been a minute since I’ve laughed out loud, swooned and cried over a book!
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The Marriage Game by @saradesaiwrites is the perfect enemies-to-lovers romcom you’ll want to fall in love with this summer!
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Layla is moving home after a disastrous breakup/firing that went viral. She decides she will work in the office space above her family restaurant, only issue is that her father had agreed to lease it out to another tenant and was not able to cancel the lease. Layla meet Sam, who runs a company that fires people and is in no way looking for or wanting to share his office.
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Before a family emergency, Layla’s father had set up an online profile for his 26 year old daughter in order to find her a suitable husband. When Layla finds the list she decides to take on the bachelors and find a husband. She makes Sam a deal, interview the candidates with her, help her find a husband and she will leave the office and not bother him again. Game on....
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The banter between these two was so good! I was laughing at all the sarcasm and witty remarks. The tension was building and I actually screamed “they finally kissed” out loud...my fiancé was confused lol. I even cried at the end, Oh my that ending, I can’t even remember the last time I cried over a romance!
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This is for sure a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ah I am absolutely buying a physical copy!

*** 4.5 STARS ***

I’m very happy to say that I absolutely loved The Marriage Game and I definitely can’t wait to read more of Sara Desai’s novels in the future.

I loved the main characters Layla and Sam and the chemistry between them. They had such great banter and I was rooting so hard for them. I also really liked Sara Desai’s writing style. This is her debut novel but it absolutely doesn’t feel like it is. Additionally, I also really enjoyed learning about Indian culture and I loved Layla’s family so much. They were all such great characters and it was always so entertaining when they all spent time together. The most hilarious parts of this book however were the dates Layla’s father had set up for her to find a suitable husband because each guy was for some reason or another an absolute disaster. Furthermore, Layla is a very outgoing person and seeing her interact with some of her more traditional family members or the date partners who still had a very traditional view of women was so funny.

However, there’s a reason why I didn’t rate The Marriage Game five stars. Firstly, it took me a few chapters to warm up to Layla and get into the story. Secondly, Sam really messed up at about 75% into the book and I think the whole situation was resolved a bit too easily and he was forgiven a bit too quickly. And lastly, I wish the last chapter would’ve been a little longer because I was left with a couple of questions I wish had still been answered. But overall, after finishing the book, I have to say those were all pretty minor things which didn’t change the fact that I really, really enjoyed The Marriage Game which is why I decided to only deduct half a star and not a full star.

So all in all, I loved The Marriage Game and I highly recommend you check it out. It’s an amazing enemies-to-lovers workplace romance which actually made me laugh out loud several times. I’ll definitely check out anything Sara Desai publishes in the future, but I really hope she’ll at some point write a book about Daisy (Layla’s cousin) because I loved her and her dog Max so much.