I requested First Comes Like because of the Hijabi main character, even though Romance is not usually a genre I prefer. I found the story sweet and a good read. I struggle with writing a review, because I am not very familiar with the culture and religions of the hero and heroine. I felt the topic was treated respectfully, but I have no way to gauge how accurate a representation it was. As a religious person myself, I have seen well-meaning authors portray my faith incorrectly from a lack of knowledge not from disrespect.

What a delight First Comes Like was, to read!
Having enjoyed the first two of the Modern Love series, by Alisha Rai, The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral, I was chomping at the bit for this next instalment in the series.
This time we focussed on Jia, a Social Media influencer and successful vlogger, and her love life choices.
It was a breath of fresh air to have a heroine with a headscarf, but that not to be the main point. Heaven knows women of all backgrounds have love lives and similar feelings, but they are not often all portrayed in mainstream writing.
Jia is a girl on a mission; She's already gone against her family's wishes by moving out, after quitting her medical degree, to be an influencer.
But deep down, Jia still has her family ideals and morals ingrained within; mindless flirting and sex before marriage are a no-no.
This is why she is heartbroken when an online connection that felt real ends up being far from it.
Even worse, it was with Dev Dixit, from a hugely popular Bollywood family.
Enter the brooding hero, who, it turns out, didn't even know he was meant to be that particular romantic hero.
Recently moved to the USA, to try and cross over to the Western screens, with a newly acquired young niece under his care, Dev is struggling to keep afloat, and the appearance of this beautiful headscarf-wearing woman throws him.
Tackling a few issues within the story, including cultural clashes, classism, as well catfishing, First Comes Like is a fantastic read, and a feel-good one, to match!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

This whole series has just been an utter delight? Like truly? I loved how instantly smitten he was and the mature development of their relationship (and her awesome independence in her career!). I’m unsure how I feel about the inclusion of a world post COVID but that was my only sticking point.

I read an ARC of First Comes Like from @netgalley. *The pub date is 2/16/2021, so you don’t have long to wait!*

Modern Love is the best kind of series - I loved The Right Swipe, and after Girl Gone Viral, I couldn’t wait for Jia’s story. Also, Alisha Rai is a delight on Instagram - you should follow her!

Jia is a YouTube make-up vlogger who falls “in like” via DMs with Dev (an Indian serial actor with a very famous family). When they met in person, Dev has no idea who Jia is - she was catfished! (Side note: this is why I’m afraid of online dating.) When they meet in person so Dev can apologize, the paparazzi catches them in a compromising spot. Jia and Dev then fake a relationship that doesn’t stay fake.

I enjoyed this! It’s way more of slow burn that The Right Swipe because Dev and Jia are super traditional, but it did get steamy towards the end. I can’t wait for the next one!

Also, the cover is super cute!

When instagram influencer, Jia, finally meets Bollywood soap star Dev, she remembers all their social media chats with pleasure. That is until he doesn’t know who she is. After undercoving the catfish scheme, they begin to know each other and engage in a fake dating scheme.. each for reasons of their own.

There were many things about this book I liked, and a few that I didn’t. It was an enjoyable read and I liked the main characters. Dev was a bit too good to be true but still swoon worthy. I loved the families and the cultural background that was ingrained within the story. I also give mad props for just the simple fact that the main character is a Muslim, hijab-wearing, makeup guru, Instagram influencer... so freakin’ cool. I found it a bit strange that this was part of the “modern love” series, yet there was no sex... or even touching before marriage. Then I reminded myself that the characters are from a different background, and while it may not be modern for me, it’s the norm for some. That said... I felt the plot was too “insta lovey” for me. I would have preferred more buildup. A common problem that I have with rom com is the shallowness of the relationship conflicts... but I take it for what it is with certain genres. There was also quite a bit of steam. I liked that they were able to add that in, as I wasn’t expected it with the whole chastity/marriage thing.

“Be careful how many times in your life you say not yet, Beti. You’d be surprised how quickly time flies.”

“It wasn’t a romance. It was a fauxmance at best.”

First Comes Like comes out 2/16.

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai is a wonderful blend of modern career paths and traditional family and cultural expectations in this fake dating romance. I really enjoy the diverse cast of characters in this series, as well as the heavier topics covered (grief, loss, abandonment).

I don't love the catfishing trope, so I was glad that it happened mostly before the start of the book. The progress from there kept me intrigued. I liked the authentic details of their careers, and how something they had loved to begin with can shift into something that has burned them out. Especially enlightening was the expectations set upon Jia and Dev for how they should seek out a spouse. It's something that's so culturally different from other families and is great to learn about.

Overall, I'd say this is a 3.75, rounded up. Really fun and sweet and I'd recommend the series. However, there were some things that left me dissatisfied: the conclusion felt a little rushed, the blended family was left hanging, and the career issues were not resolved. I hope that there's another book that might come along and wrap up everyone's stories. Lakshmi maybe? ;)

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, what a perfect intersection of modern social platforms and traditional cultural expectation!

It was awesome to see details that really seemed authentic, like the behind the scenes of Jia's vlog as a separate apartment space for her work. Being an online personality is absolutely a huge drain on energy, so having that depicted in her interactions with other streamers was great!

I am going to start off by saying that I literally love anything and everything that Alisha Rai writes and that this book was no exception. However, I feel like the conclusion for this book happened way too quickly, in like 10 pages it went from major problem to everything is fine, the career issues were also not really address or finalized in any sort of concrete way nor was the issue of having a blended family. Rai might sort of really wrap up this book in her next one but I was left mildly dissatisfied.

I really liked the real world situations in this book. Jia Ahmed doesn't necessarily come from a conservative Muslim American family but a modern traditional one. There are still issues with her being a beauty YouTuber/influencer but they aren't because her family believes it is not proper but because they view it as not a real livelihood and they wish she would've stuck with med school. Dev Dixit comes from a really well known Bollywood film dynasty but has chosen TV over films. After the death of his brother and Dev being made guardian of his 13 year old niece he has moved his small family (with his uncle too) to LA to try and be a crossover star of American television. Jia has been communicating with someone she believes is Dev but is actually one of his family members trying to set them up. Jia and Dev manage to work things out but after a series of comedic errors are pushed into getting married before a lot of time has passed. Like a true American/Bollywood romance everything works out in the end. It's not picture perfect but anything worth it in life takes effort. A fun and delightful read well worth anyone's time.

Alisha Rai does an excellent job of making a catfish situation — something that is terrible and not romantic whatsoever — beautiful and exciting. The relationship between the lead characters is so cute that I started dreaming up a whole follow-up story for them, and that's exactly what a good book should do. While there were some pacing issues for me, overall, I really enjoyed "First Comes Like." Maybe I should give dating apps another try....

I have really enjoyed this series about three friends finding romance. I also enjoy the glimpse into two different sorts of ethnic backgrounds.

Pakistani-American Jia writes about beauty tips on Instagram. She’s not an airhead, but she has fallen for catfishing texts from someone pretending to be Dev, a star of Indian television. When Jia gets to meet Dev and they both realize what has happened, Dev is mortified. He’s also really attracted to Jia. Dev is just the nicest guy, trying to make his own way in Hollywood while raising his niece.

This was a very enjoyable read about good people making their way and figuring out how to have a real relationship while pretending to have a fake relationship.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I was so excited to receive this eARC from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I loved the first two books in this series and was beyond excited to read Jia’s book. I’m happy to say that I loved this one just as much.
Jia is a beauty influencer. She is feeling like her content is stale and she wants something new. Her dream is to have her own make up line, so that is what she’s working toward. I thought it was really interesting to read about someone that was an influencer. I loved it. I loved how it was shown how hard Jia works, and how much work it really is. But despite all the work she does, her family still doesn’t get it and Jia feels the need to prove herself. I love Jia. I can’t speak to the Muslim representation but I love that this book exists for others to see themselves in. So, Jia has been talking online to Dev Dixit for a while. She manages to get invited to a part that he’s going to be at, so they can finally meet. Except, he has no clue who Jia is.
Dev was a great love interest. He is the guardian of his niece since his brother died and he is trying to cultivate an acting career in America. Dev is just all around a nice guy that is trying to do the right thing for the people in his life. I loved how sweet and thoughtful he was. So, when he learns of what has happened with Jia, he wants to meet with her and make amends. It also helps that he can’t stop thinking about her. (The fact that he watched all of her YouTube videos makes my heart melt.)
I loved their romance. The fake dating trope is such an excellent one. I also thought the book overall did a great job talking about religion and grief, class differences and family differences. I think there were so many good things about this book, but the slow burn, emotional development of Jia and Dev’s relationship was absolutely the best part. While I love a steamy romance, I really loved seeing these two fall in love without any of the usual physical intimacies. They don’t even kiss until after they’re married.
Overall, I cannot get enough of Rai’s books. She made me fall in love with both Jia and Dev (and also all of their family members) while they were falling in love with one another. I adored all the family dynamics, with Jia’s big family and Dev’s grandmother, uncle, and niece. I would love to see the next romance in this series to be one of Jia’s sisters. I think the romance was wonderful and at the same time, it did a great job talking about tough topics like grief. I absolutely recommend this book.

First Comes Like is the third book in the Modern Love series and can be read as a stand alone. I was so excited to finally see that Jia was going to have her love story since she was first introduced in book 2 of the Forbidden Heart series, Wrong to Love You, as Sadia's sister and then she made appearances in the Modern Love series, The Right Swipe and Girl Gone Viral, as Rhiannon and Katrina's friend and roommate. This book is more of a slow burn and is definitely a way more tame than any of Alisha Rai's previous books. The author definitely tackles sensitive issues like traditional beliefs, conservatism, religion, and family pressure in a tactful way while implementing the fake relationship and catfish tropes. I really liked the fake relationship trope in this story which worked out well, but I just couldn't get into the catfishing trope (FYI I have not found any romance book that successfully does the catfish trope). Though both of the main characters are sweet and they're a great fit for each other, the pace of their relationship was a bit off and felt that the main characters overall were a bit flat. I love that we see reoccurring characters from previous books like Rhiannon, Katrina, Sadia, and Lakshmi. We are also introduced to some lovable new side characters like Adil Uncle and Luna. Even though I didn't enjoy this as much as I enjoyed Girl Gone Viral, I absolutely love the author's writing style. I'm really hoping we'll get to read Lakshmi's story next!

First Comes Like is the next in Alisha Rai’s Modern Love series and features Jia…the third of the roommates.

Jia has been talking to Dev ever since he slid into her DMs a while back and she’s determined they are finally going to meet in person. Only issue…once they meet Dev has no idea who she is.

Can you spell C.A.T.F.I.S.H?

But what started as this conflict filled story turns into a sweet and adorable romance. Dev is instantly taken with Jia, feeding his obsession by watching all her social media videos (how adorable is it that he watches her makeup videos and orders the skincare items she recommends??). Jia doesn’t really want to have anything to do with him, despite her attraction, but they are caught by a paparazzo during an innocent night out and both of their families see the photo.

Thus, one of my favorite tropes emerges: fake relationship that turns real. Their relationship progresses really fast, but Jia is Muslim (and one of Dev’s parents was) so there is a cultural aspect to their story that is something I can’t totally relate to. It did make for a very interesting story, and I loved learning more about their traditions and culture.

First Comes Like was sweet and adorable and Dev is 100% my next book boyfriend.

I was really excited about the third book in the Modern Love series, especially after reading the second book earlier in the month. This story follows Jia, the insta influencer, who falls in love with a guy she's never met and then finds out she's been catfished. Dev is a Indian soap opera actor who comes from a famous family of actors and actresses - and he has no idea who Jia is when she approaches him expecting him to know her and love her.

I really wanted to love this story and root for Jia and Dev. I think it's nice how it worked out in the end, but I just...meh. Jia reads extremely young at (26 or 29? I can't remember) and I think the previous book set that up as well as it being continued in this book. She's super naive. So when Dev and her pursue fake dating, it seems kinda skeevy and like he's taking advantage of her. And she thinks that at multiple points too, as does her family and friends. I can't speak to the cultural aspects of arranged marriages and how involved Indian and Pakistani families are and I actually really enjoyed the family moments, but I will say I'm not a fan of the instalove - especially with no action at all - no kissing or anything. I felt there wasn't enough substance with these characters like there was with Rhiannon/Samson and Katrina/Jas, so I didn't feel as connected to them. I was also bummed that the CTE work was MIA in this story. I do sort of hope for more in the series, but I hope it gets back to more of that first book vibe. I loved the first book so much. I will also say that I appreciate so much that the first couple isn't rushing towards marriage like so many of these adult rom-com series do. They'll be like first book couple is married and has a baby now. This one is like I haven't moved in with him yet and not doing the whole marriage thing. I love that.

First Comes Like is the third book in Rai's Modern Love series. What I enjoy about this romances is the global thinking of romance novels. I appreciate the multi-faceted, multi-national perspectives.

I love the Modern Love series and this newest installment is a perfect addition to a great series. We met Jia Ahmed in book 2 of the Forbidden Hearts series (Wrong to Need You) and Jia is featured in Rhiannon and Katrina's books as their friend and roommate.

In First Comes Like, Jia has been having online and text conversations with Dev Dixit for a year and wants to finally meet him in person. Dev is a well known Indian soap actor from a Bollywood family and he is in LA shooting a new show. Unfortunately, when Jia searches Dev out and he doesn't know who she is, she realizes she has been catfished. I was worried about the catfishing theme but Rai did it so well and it didn't take them too long to figure it out and get passed it. Then came one of my favorite tropes, fake relationship, which I love love loved. Dev is literally the perfect cinnamon roll - he is so sweet and thoughtful. He is family oriented and his slow love for Jia is beautiful. I also really loved Jia - her insecurities felt real, she was strong and powerful. This is just a super sweet book. Some people might be thrown off by the lack of steamy times, but it fits with the characters and I loved it.

Thank you Avon for an ARC to review!

I'm a huge Alisha Rai fan, so it's no surprise that I absolutely loved her latest book focused this time on Jia. It's a slow burn romance between Jia and Dev with some of the best romance tropes: fake dating and only one hotel room. Throw in families forgiving each other for past hurts, and this book was basically made for me. I cried happy tears multiple times while reading. It was a truly wonderful book, and I'm very hopeful we'll get a book about Jia's twin Ayesha in the future.

I received an ARC of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Influencer Jia has secured an invite to an exclusive party to meet Dev, the handsome actor who slid into her DMs and with whom she's been falling in love via text message. And Dev.....doesn't know anything about any of them. As usual, Alisha Rai's characters plots are practically ripped from the headlines. They seem realistic, believable, and you always root for her charming, charmingly flawed, characters.

I did have a problem with the sort of is it/isn't it nature of the mysterious Covid-like illness that befell Jia and her sister on the opposite coast, at the same time. Vague allusions are made to a "tough time" in the country and in the medical field, but no other indications that it was a pandemic (there are parties, drinks out, flights from India, and no masks or social distancing). I would have preferred if the whole pandemic were ignored if it's not going to be an actual plot point...Jia could have had the flu. I don't think you can have there be both a pandemic and not a pandemic. It strains credibility.

It's not a deal-breaker on this book though. Rai continues to bring a joie de vivre to her writing, a sweetness and optimism to her characters, and an up-to-the minute contemporary feel to her plots.

First Comes Like was a charming story about second chances and embracing what life throws at us. It's an action packed fast read - I devoured this book in one day! I just couldn't stop reading and I adored reading Jia and Dev's chemistry. Talk about instant and sizzling! This dual POV story allows readers to get to know both Jia and Dev better. To see the ways that Jia feels "too much" and how that phrase affects her life. I hate that phrase! To see the ways Dev struggles with raising his niece and envisioning a future in Hollywood.

Jai stole the show. I knew she would because not only does she have a savvy business sense, but there were so many pieces of her character I adored. I loved that she records affirmations for herself, that she feels that people do not take her seriously - all of it hit a bit too close to home! As I kept reading, my instant love for Jia only deepened. At the same time, I began to love Dev. His interactions with his niece were instant swoon for me, but I began to love how feminist Dev was and the impact of his past.

I enjoyed this series so much! The main characters and love stories were all so different from book to book and while I think Girl Gone Viral was my favorite, it was a close race between all three. Jia was both strong and sensitive, a combination that made her so easy to root for. And Dev was such a gentlemen: strong, protective, and soft inside. They made a really nice couple. I hope the next book features Lakshmi's love story, but if the series is over, I will still look forward to Alisha Rai's next book.