First Comes Like soon became my favorite of Rai's Modern Love series. I loved the slow burn between Instagram influencer Jia Ahmed and Bollywood star Devanand Dixit. Jia is seemingly catfished by Dev in Instagram DMs and as they begin to uncover what happened and how they have to also pretend to be in a fake relationship to appease Jia's family. Slowly but surely they come to know each other for real and I loved that neither one compromises their values or their dreams while helping the other achieve their goals.
Wonderful book!

I really enjoyed the book! I’ve read the first book in this series and look forward to reading others.

When Jia gets an invite to a party to meet the TV star who slide into her DMs, she's not expecting him to have no idea who she is! Dev Dixit is an Indian soap star who recently moved to Los Angeles after the death of his brother. He's puzzled when Jia, the beautiful YouTube star approaches him and seems so upset that he doesn't recognize her. Slowly, a catfishing scheme not of his doing is unearthed, and Dev will do anything to get Jia's forgiveness, including posing as her boyfriend to appease her parents. Quickly, the two being to develop real feelings for each other. At First Like is fun, smart and sweet, and a great exploration of modern dating.

Loved loved loved this book! It’s my first by Alisha Rai and I’m so glad it was this specific one. My favorite thing by far is the complicated happy ending; talk about real. Full review up on my bookstagram.

First Comes Like
A Novel
by Alisha Rai
Avon and Harper Voyager
You Are Auto-Approved
Avon
General Fiction (Adult) | Multicultural Interest | Romance
Pub Date 16 Feb 2021 | Archive Date 13 Apr 2021

I wanted to like this. I have heard about the author but this book was not the one for me. Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager as well as NetGalley for the ARC.

3 star

I wanted to love this, because I've really enjoyed the other books in the Modern Love series. But....I just didn't.

I'm trying not to be an ass about this, because I know the main arc in this mirrors life for a lot of people in the world. But the innocence of it was grating for me (just kiss already? Like, once?) and the sex itself, once it happened, was like...nothing. It wasn't well-written, it didn't feel passionate, it didn't feel real...it just felt like, well, this is a romance novel so I better say something about it. Honestly, I think I would have liked it better sans sex!

All that said, I also found the main hero fairly cardboard, and the best parts of this were def. the families of both main characters which is....not good. You're supposed to root for them, and I mostly just wanted to see Aji and Luna and Adil Uncle interact with Jia's family. Just...not great for a romance novel.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this novel! Jia & Dev were both soft and cute main characters. I love their small moments where they just got to know each other and be cute.

My main issue was the last ~25% had too much plot that we got less cute moments. I also wasn't the biggest fan of the way everything panned out so I was left a bit disappointed.

Overall, book two is my favorite in this "series" by A LOT. But I love the diversity and the STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS that are all so unique.

I feel so privileged to have been able to read an advanced copy of this book. This series has been incredibly popular, and for good reason - it's fantastic! I adored Jia - she really was one of those truly authentic influencers that I would love to meet in person. She was intensely relatable - I might even steal her voice notes as pep-talks trick! Dev was also just wonderful. He is so sweet and really cares so much for his family - even when they've treated him badly.

I think one of the best things about this book is the respect Jia and Dev show for each other in every interaction. Even when Jia approaches Dev and he has no idea who she is - he is still kind to her and goes out of his way to find her and figure out what he did wrong. I also loved the respect he showed for each other on a cultural basis as well. Jia is conservative - but it seems like Dev is even more so than she is. The author really handles this so well - I could just keep gushing over it.

The only <i>only</i> reason I'm not giving this five stars as I felt their could have been more about their married life in the book - maybe I'm just bitter that I didn't get to read more! There were also a couple of plot tendrils that kind of left me hanging - like Jia and her sister's illness (COVID?), But otherwise - I highly recommend this sweet and amazing read.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

First Comes Like was another delicious slow burn by Alisha Rai, much like the second book in this series, Girl Gone Viral. Jai and Dev have been talking on and off for MONTHS when Jai has finally had it with the online communication and seeks Dev out at a premiere party for his new American TV venture... He slid into her DMs first, for the record. Their meeting leaves her quite confused when he doesn't seem to remember that he's had quite a few heart-to-hearts with her. After some in-person convos and straightening out an unfortunate catfish, they decide to create a fake relationship for some free PR for both of them. But then they kinda like each other after all.

I usually like my romances a little smutty early on in the story, but for some reason I never seem to mind Alisha Rai's slow burns. They're so worth the wait in the end. I loved meeting Luna, Dev's niece, and was fully ready to protect her myself if need be. I also loved Dev's caretaking uncle, and of course loved the peeks at familiar characters from previous books. Dev's considerate and gentle nature was sweet (and frustrating for Jia sometimes!!), and I was so interested to see the different cultures of both Jia's and Dev's households. My only complaint with this is just how suddenly everything ends-- it's like a candle burning and burning for the whole book with this bonfire of action at the end. I appreciate the potential for their stories to continue off the page, much like we've seen with Rhiannon and Katrina, but I guess I was really just sad to see it end.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It was fun to revisit the heroines of the last two books in this series during this third book. I didn’t love the premise of how the hero and heroine got together, but in the end this was a good story with interesting characters.

This gets points for excellent diversity/representation, strong friendships between a great group of women, and the nuances of Dev raising his grieving niece. However, I thought the pacing of the relationship was way off. I got reader whiplash as they careened through the various bonkers plot points we learn from the summary and then off into the deep end from there, with hardly a meaningful conversation along the way. There is one really lovely section where they bond on the mini road trip they take but after the plot shit hits the fan from there their connection fell way off for me. Still giving it three stars for the positive aspects I mentioned but this was kind of a miss overall.

Alisha Rai is a wonderful author. I really enjoyed everything about this. While it used a familiar trope with the fake boyfriend/engagement, it was otherwise unexpected and refreshing. Highly recommend!

Dev is a Desi soap star. Jia is a beauty social media influencer. They started talking after he slid into her DM’s. When he gets cagey about meeting her in-person after moving to the States, Jia confronts him at a party, but he doesn’t know who she is. Turns out she’s been catfishes. But neither of them can stay away, and when the tabloids —and their families— get involved, they quickly go from strangers to spouses. Can love blossom when marriage is rushed into?

I loved this modern Muslim woman’s romance! Jia and Dev both follows propriety and modesty according to Islam, and I looked forward to seeing how this steamy romance author would make those scenes happen. It does drag a bit at the end, though. It feels like the final complication/miscommunication was thrown in there because the editor said it needed something more— that there wasn’t enough conflict between the male and female leads.

On the chaste to steamy scale, it’s a 5.

Diverse reads:
- Jia is a practicing Muslim who wears a hijab and prays in the story. Her family is South Asian, but Jia grew up on the East Coast.
- Dev is Indian; his mom was Muslim and his dad Hindu, but Dev while very polite is non-practicing.

First Comes Like was pure escapism -- I'm not usually a big romance reader, but I really fell in love with Jia and Dev's relationship. While they had their fair share of drama, I found them to have great chemistry from the start, which is usually my biggest complaint with romance. They didn't feel forced and I believe truly respected and cared for one another. Dev was super swoon worthy, but Jia ultimately stole the show. She understood her weaknesses and could admit when she was wrong, but she was also confident and self-assured.

Most importantly, this story stood out for the way it dealt with diversity/representation in the media through Dev's new acting job in the U.S. and the role of social media and influencers on body positivity and self esteem through Jia's career. These are important topics, and as a POC, I really valued the way it didn't shy away from these issues but complemented the fun, light-hearted air of this romantic story.

I've enjoyed reading many of Alisha Rai's entertaining romance novels, and I thought I had already found my favorite, but now I know it's FIRST COMES LIKE.

Rai's talent really shines in this fresh story about a sweet Muslim influencer and a devoted Bollywood hero. Protagonist Jia Ahmed is relatable despite her beauty and social media success, yet is the tragedy-ridden oldest brother and grandson Dev that will capture readers' hearts. Their innocent courtship and fauxmance is delightful, but its Dev's backstory and family reunions that will grip readers.
This is definitely Rai's best book to date and shows her depth of talent. Congratulations.

Thank you for the ARC

Twenty-nine-year-old Jia Ahmed crashes a Hollywood party to meet a man she’s been texting with for over a year, but Dev Dixit doesn’t know who she is. A social media influencer, Jia has millions of followers for her online makeup tutorials. Dev, a famous Bollywood actor, is in L.A. for a filming project. Everyone thinks he’s wealthy, but his brother recently died, leaving Dev his debts along with guardianship of a teenage daughter. Dev’s grandfather left him an inheritance if he marries by age thirty-three, a few months away. But Dev won’t bow to pressure and has no plans to marry. Still, he can’t forget the gorgeous, confident woman he met at the party. Give this rom-com a chance, and you’ll be rewarded with a refreshing take on a familiar storyline.

Jia and Dev go from catfishing to fauxmance to like to love in Alisha Rai’s latest book First Comes Like. It’s the third book in her Modern Love series.

Jia is a makeup influencer thinking about making a career change to something offline.

Dev is a descendant of Bollywood royalty trying to strike out on his own with a television series set in America.

This book is so charming. If Hallmark made movies with completely diverse casts,, this would be the perfect Hallmark movie.

You will fall in love with Jia, you will fall in love with Dev and you will be cheering for them to reach their HEA.

This is also a great relatable family story. Dev’s complex family situation and the dynamic between Jia and her sisters and mother creates drama and humor
.
This was my favorite of Rai’s Modern Love series. I would have liked an epilogue for updates on favorite characters and to see into the future a bit for Jia and Dev, but it was still a delightful book.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third book in Alisha Rai’s Modern Love series is something of a departure, but no less delightful. Beauty influencer Jia Ahmed dreams of running her own company, and of meeting IRL the Bollywood hunk she’s been chatting with online. But when she attends a swanky LA party that Dev Dixit is at, he looks at her without recognition. Was it catfishing or is he just a jerk?

For his part, Dev can’t stop thinking about the beautiful woman in the headscarf who seemed so pleased to see him and then so disappointed that he didn’t know her. Perhaps he should track her down to apologize? But he’s also busy with his orphaned niece and his uncle and trying to get his US acting career off the ground.

I don’t want to give anything away, but the beats of this story were different than a typical Rai novel. Jia is a devout Muslim, which colors the story without being its central focus. She and Dev were very sweet as they got to know each other. There was a bit of instalove and the ending felt slightly rushed, but I hope it all works out for them!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review.

First off, I've been waiting for Jia's book ever since I first read about her in, Wrong To Need You. This book however, left me wanting a little more. Everything was just fine, the only exciting thing that did happen was at the beginning and that was it.

What a fun book! I've loved following Alisha Rai's other books and this one was special.

Beauty youtuber Jia Ahmed is trying to prove to her whole family of doctors that dropping out of med school to pursue her youtube career was the right move.

The grandson of Bollywood legend & a powerful Bollywood actor of his own Dev is trying to break into the new market of Hollywood TV while raising his niece even though he's not sure he's a good parent.

When Jia confronts Dev for ghosting her on social media, only for both of them to learn that Dev's cousin was catfishing Jia, Dev sets to work making amends to Jia. Through various hijinks both of them end up in a faux relationship that is obviously real to everyone but them. Their chemistry jumps off the pages and melts your heart!!