I enjoyed Accidentally Engaged so much. It made me laugh, it had me rooting for Reena and Nadim and it left me with a huge smile on my face at the end.

Reena is now one of my favorite book characters. I loved how Farah Heron portrayed her finding herself throughout this book and what she wanted to do with her life without the pressure from anyone else. I enjoyed her and Nadim's fake engagement and how it progressed their relationship progressed as they spent more time together filming their food videos. The additional cast of characters helped build the story and helped in understanding Reena and Nadim's backgrounds. One aspect of the book I really liked was that it went deeper with the discussions on mental health and doing things in life that you want to do, not what everyone else wants you to do.

"A delightful romantic comedy featuring a Muslim woman who fakes an engagement to the boy next door in the hopes of winning a couples cooking contest." - that's all you need to know, now go read the book!

This was a fun read perfect for brightening up my day. Reena and Nadim are likable characters, both dealing with checkered pasts and hoping to find something better out there for them. I loved the concept of the cooking competition and their chemistry on camera. And I really wanted to try some of Reena's bread! Some parts of the book were a little slow, but all in all this was a delightful read that I highly recommend. Now I'm going to go back and read Heron's first book (featuring Reena's best friend), The Chai Factor! I look forward to seeing more from her.

Reena Manji has been laid off once again and she dreads telling her parents because they will no doubt want to fix everything by giving her a job in the family's business. Her true passion is baking all kinds of delicious breads. One day she runs into her new, and very attractive, neighbor, Nadim. Turns out he is her dad's newest employee and apparently her husband to be!
She has no intention of marrying who her parents have decided for her and she makes it well known to him. After a night of much drinking, Reena and Nadim spontaneously enter a cooking contest while pretending to be engaged. Sparks fly and they can't deny the attraction between themselves, however, Nadim has a past and secrets he hasn't revealed.

This was a fun read! There were parts that dragged a bit, but overall it was a cute story and boy did it make me hungry! 😆 I love all cuisines, but there's nothing like authentic, flavorful Indian food! I liked how the author added a couple of recipes at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC of this book!

An incredibly grateful THANK YOU to Estelle & Forever Publishing for approving me for this title on NetGalley - I could not wait to read this one & had to devour the book as soon as I could after getting it! *** Beware, you’ll pick this one up & suddenly realize you sat down to start it & suddenly you’re finished. ***

WHAT a great love story, and I could shout from the rooftops how much I adored this own voices, cultural tale that taught me plenty of new things about xx and wanted me to try ALL of the incredible food they cooked up in this book. I may just be a boring heterosexual caucasian female, but love knows no color or sex and I am here to cheer on ALL the romances…. even if they might be a pretend engagement to the man your parents want to arrange you to marry.

“Your father and my father just entered a business partnership together. And apparently…you and I are to be married.” He shrugged, one side of his lip raising slightly. “Surprise?”

Reena’s parents may want her to marry Nadim and live happily ever after in the version of her life they see, but she just wants to bake all the bread, forever. (my kind of girl, WHO doesn’t love bread?!) And who can blame her? She may be struggling with her career, but that doesn’t stop her from making it known what she wants and going after it. Encouraged by her endearing friends and even the sister she once felt betrayed by, this romance is full of heart and hope and SO much chemistry cooking up in that kitchen!

While I had not read anything by Farah Heron before this book, I have to say I will be a fan for life. The contemporary romance had a flavor of fun, while keeping it a quick and engaging read with the witty wording & incredible character development. Reena and everything she wanted (or didn’t want) was so relatable and true to herself, it had me cheering her on in the cooking competition, in life and in love.

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron, for release March 2, 2021
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“A delightful romantic comedy featuring a Muslim woman who fakes an engagement to the boy next door in the hopes of winning a couples cooking contest.”
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I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Farah Heron’s writing style since I read The Chai Factor. I had no idea this was a companion book and was really excited when I realized! Accidentally Engaged is such a lovely blend of comedy while tackling serious issues.
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Here are just some of the amazing things about this one:
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💚Nadim is described as a Brown Captain America. Need I say more?
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💗Farah’s books have amazing Canada rep. This particular one takes place in Toronto and I squealed every time it was mentioned 😅
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💚As a self described glutton, all the food references made me hungry!!
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💗This book also touched on mental illness and portrayed therapy in such a wonderful way.
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💚The chemistry between Reena and Nadim from the moment of their meet cute was so enjoyable to read.
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Massive thank you to Forever, Netgalley and Farah Heron for access to this wonderful read 💕

4/5

This book was sooo cute! I absolutely adored the East African and Indian rep in this book and all of the baking references. This book explores family, parenthood, trust, and mental illness.

I especially appreciated the discussions about mental illness because I think that's a taboo topic in general, but DEFINITELY in ethnic families. It's not taken very seriously, or even discussed at all, but this book highlighted that and showed the importance of open communication and seeking therapy.

The only thing I thought was a little weird about this book was the references to feet... I have an aversion to anything related to feet so I was more than a little uncomfortable lol but I guess, um, to each their own??

Anyway, this book was adorable and funny. I feel like I learned a little bit about Indian and East African culture, and I definitely learned some things about Islam. What a joy it is to read books about people from diverse backgrounds. I love this, and I'm looking forward to reading more like this one.

I'll be honest - this was so good. Going into it, I didn't know what to expect. As an Asian-Canadian, I generally don't like books that focus on Asian culture. Why? Maybe it's the cliché expectations of helicopter parenting or the cringe-worthy drama and stereotypes... Or maybe it's just because I grew up with the nitty gritty low-key trauma and now that I'm an adult, why would I want to re-live it in book format? Reading books with controlling Asian families and judgmental consequences make me quite anxious and a lot of the times I find it's very over-the-top. This was one of the reasons I didn't enjoy [book:The Kiss Quotient|36199084] as much. Despite all that, I decided to give Accidentally Engaged a chance because of the high ratings, and I'm so glad I did.

Ms. Heron's absolutely fantastic at striking that perfect balance between humour and Bollywood-style drama with realism and relatable characters that are surprisingly deep. The story touches on <spoiler>depression, anxiety, self-worth, anorexia, mental health</spoiler>, and showcases brilliant growth for all the characters. I noticed when I look back at book details that it used to be called "The Right Spice" and I think it's a cuter title than Accidentally Engaged. I wish they hadn't changed it. I'm also a sourdough baker (and have been for years) so I was so pleasantly happy to relate to Reena and Nadim more this way.

It was thoughtfully funny, in a way that is less of a laugh-out-loud humour and more of a I-want-to-be-best-friends-with-them. So happy I took a chance on this Indian rom-com and I can't wait to read more from Ms. Heron!

This book is making the rounds on many "Most Anticipated" lists for 2021, and for good reason! While I'm new to this author, I can guarantee I'll be returning for any future books she writes!
For a girl thoroughly obsessed with baking and cooking shows, this was the perfect, lighthearted, and savory romance. The AMOUNT of times I have rooted for food reality tv show contestants to fall in love is too many to count, so you know I was immediately drawn in after reading the plot for this book.

Reena is dealing with overbearing parents and a job she hates, and in a twist of fate that could only happen in a romance novel (but we love to see it) ends up in a fake engagement to Nadim, her next door neighbor (and coincidentally the man her parents want her to marry) when they sign up for a reality cooking show. Sparks fly both in the kitchen and out, and the rest is history!

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Nadim and Reena and I was fully invested in their relationship by the end. While I cannot relate to the culture in the story, I absolutely loved reading and learning about it, and the diverse perspectives it's bringing to the romance genre (much needed!). If you're out of cooking shows to watch, I highly recommend picking up Accidentally Engaged.

Many thanks to the publisher, Forever, for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Reena and Nadim, what can I really say. They start out not liking each other but then agree to this contest and spend so much time together it's obvious that this fake engagement line is going to blur. I thought their romance was cute and I loved all the baking!
A fun, lighthearted romance that we all need right now!

Thank you for this ARC!

A quick, fun read! If you love stories about Indian families and Bollywood-esque drama, if you’re a Great British Baking Show fan, or if you’re just a foodie, this book is for you.

A woman in her thirties—Reena—whose passion for cooking and baking makes her finance job look even more dull, and an eligible bachelor and real estate dealer posing as a marriage prospect—Nadim—are thrown in neighboring apartments of a building in Toronto, through a happenstance set up by Reena's desi parents who are adamant on finding that perfect Muslim husband for their daughter. Efforts meet fate when Nadim agrees to be Reena's partner at a local cooking contest; consequently faking an engagement since only couples are allowed to compete; and the latter can no longer dodge this matchmaking attempt by her parents because Nadim's charm and British accent is gravitational. Intricate in the aspect of exploring family dynamics, past secrets, hurtful instances, one's career taking a nosedive, and cultural expectations, this romance focuses extensively on finding oneself uninfluenced by familial duty while coming to terms with personal motivations and fulfilling individual progress. The resplendent descriptions of food, a chemistry brewing from believable plotlines, and scenes involving adorable parents on social media, this adult contemporary romance satiates on many levels while leaving one hungry for a slightly more focus on Nadim too.

This book brought back so much food nostalgia and I loved it. I craved all the foods that were being made and it made me so happy. This is My first book by this author. And I will definitely need to check out her other books. I am so glad that I got a chance to read this one. The characters all were perfectly imperfect and their flaws need them so much more relatable.

This is the first book I finished that hasn't come out yet! Look for this in March 2021. Thanks to Readforeverpub for my gifted copy.

This book was so fun and I honestly laughed at almost every chapter (there are some sobering moments and I didn't expect to cry a bit at those but I did).

Reena kind of doesn't have a lot of luck in jobs or relationships. One day she meets her hot new neighbor Nadim (who is totally swoony) and come to find out.... They may have been two parts of an arranged marriage! They start hanging out and even entering a contest.

This was just so great and I loved learning about foods from India and Africa. Reena's family is so quirky and they all hide secrets from each other and you know how it's going to go down with them all being revealed!

What a delightful novel! It hooked me from the first page (as someone with their own sourdough starter the opening was so relatable) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Reena and Nadim were in general easy to root for, although I wasn't as big of a fan of all the secrecy/family drama that accompanied every decision. I definitely had several moments rolling my eyes, waiting for them to have an adult conversation like two thirty-somethings should. However, the cooking competition plot was so much fun and I honestly wish more time had been devoted to getting to know some of the other contestants and bringing it to the forefront. The supporting characters were tons of fun and I'm hoping we get to see more of them in a later book! This was a sweet and pleasant read from a perspective I hadn't really read before. Plus, there are recipes!

AH 👏🏽MAZ 👏🏽ING!

I loved absolutely everything about this book. Their love story was adorable, I loved the little doses of family drama and scandals and the main character Reena's amazing and hilarious network of supportive best friends!

I thought it was fun to see such a well-written Romance novel set in Toronto, Canada and very much enjoyed the diversity in the characters and in the FOOD! The book had me starving on more than one occasion.

Lastly, loved the authenticity of these characters. Especially Reena! In her work, in her frienships, and even in cooking food for TV that wasn't Westernized just for mainstream consumption!

I absolutely loved the book.
Rep: East Africa/Indian Muslim characters living in Canada

Reena: She is working in a job she's not the biggest fan of. So, in her free time, she follows her passion. Baking Bread. She loves everything about it. Her family is a typical Indian family, and I could so relate to it. They're full of secrets, oh-what-would-the-society-say, caring about promotions in work, and all about the "normal" life. I also loved her sister. She was so well thought out too.

Nadim: He is a little bit of a mystery. But, there is no mystery in the fact that he loves her bread. Reena's father gives Nadim an apartment right beside Reena in the hopes that they would fall for each other and get married (for business purposes, ofc). Nadim is just one of my fav Indian Book boyfriends ever. He was sweet, helpful, sexy, brought Reena baked goods, and absolutely swoon-worthy. Oh, did I forget, also a brown Captain America.

Relationship: These two had to fake being engaged because the cooking competition that Reena wanted to participate in was a couples only. Nadim agrees to help her out and oh my god, those scenes where they're pretending. Absolute FIRE. Like Nadim was soo good, and flirty and naughty. He has a past, and Reena has trust issues. She doesn't want to marry a man that her family has found because she knows that if she does, her family would interfere in her relationship till the end of time. These two have a good push and pull, there is angst, past, revelations, and really sweet moments.

I could not stop reading the book and finished it in a day.
My only complain was that the sex was closed door. Like these two had such great chemistry. And every time they kissed, and HEAVILY made out, I hyperventilated. If only the author didn't fade the sex to black, it would have been a five star for me.

This was delightful! Reena is tired of her family trying to control every part of her life and is not happy to discover that her new neighbor Nadim is the latest of her parents' pick for her husband. But there is something about Nadim and they become friends and they accidentally record a video for a cooking contest. When they are selected for the contest they have to pretend to be in a relationship and that's when things get confusing. A story of family, and secrets, and finding a way to trust yourself and create the life you want.

Reena’s family just can’t stay out of her business. So while she hates her career, she sticks it out because she refuses to work with her father or take his hand outs. It gets worse though. Now her father has hired the man he wants her to marry, and moves him in across the hall from her. Reena needs to make sure Nadim knows she will never marry him. They do start a great friendship though. They both have secret, a lot of them, but that’s ok, it’s not like she jus going to marry the man.

Forever publishing with another win! First of all, this is like the third book recently that I have read that was set in Canada and I loved it. @Rhardingwriter start that Canada book! I loved everything about this book! It seriously had it all. Great characters, fantastic friends, over bearing family members, secrets, and hello, lots of talk of bread! The chemistry between Reena and Nadim just flew off the pages, and I loved a look into their culture. The cooking show added such a unique and adorable element to the book that just brought that extra oomph to the story. I also really enjoyed the banter between Reena and Nadim, and that she called his beard a douche beard. I had never heard it referred to as that before, it gave me a great laugh! If you are looking for your next rom com, look no futher than Accidentally Engaged!

Accidentally Engaged is one of the most fun romances I've read this year. I loved the descriptions of food, especially all of the bread making. There are even some recipes in the book of the most important (and mouthwatering) dishes in the book which only made the story even more special.

My favorite thing about Accidentally Engaged was how "odd" Nadim was. He was fun, flirty, and had his own quirks, even a fetish I rarely see in the hero of a rom-com. It wasn't until I *met* Nadim that I realized how different he was than other heroes. In fact, despite his description being breathtakingly gorgeous (I'm a sucker for dimples) he seemed mostly like any other guy of his age if you get to know them.

There were parts where Reena really confused me which only made her seem less like a fictional person. She had a general idea of what she wanted in life and almost had it until a setback threw her off completely. To rediscover her passion and chase after it while falling in love at the same time was exciting to see unfold.

I wish I would have learned more about Reena's sister and friends who only seemed to get more interesting as the story progressed but, in a book of this size, it's difficult to fully know all of them as well as we get to know Reena and Nadim but after reading Accidentally Engaged, I want to read more of whatever Farah Heron wants to give me. Including recipes.

There are so many things to love about Accidentally Engaged.

Reena is a smart, funny and talented protagonist, and Nadim is so charming and sweet. In fact, I loved all of the characters, which include Reena's hilarious friends and meddling family. And while the plot is a touch ridiculous, Farah Heron managed to make it work. Of course, attention needs to be paid to the mouth-watering descriptions of the food, which left my stomach growling pretty much the entire time I read this book.

I'm always on the search for sharp, witty rom-coms, and this one definitely fits the bill. I'm excited to see what the author does next!