I enjoyed this a lot! The fake romance trope felt familiar but well done, the STEM main character was relatable and interesting, and the romance was a good medium-steam. Will certainly appeal to rom com lovers with that cover, too!

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was such a quick read and I really enjoyed it. I love a good second chance romance especially when its from childhood. I loved watching Daisy and Liam find love in each other and Liam reconnecting with his family. I love his and Sam's competitives over swords. It was an amazing read and I love learning a little more about Desi culture. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.

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“We’re off to a bad start if he doesn’t know the difference between tampons and pads,” Mia murmured. “I definitely don’t want tampons with maximum adhesion.”

This book was laugh out loud funny. It’s not often get a book featuring feminine products. Daisy works for Organicare, a company that makes menstrual supplies and after going out to get some from a competitor for a demo, runs into Liam, the man who stood her up for her high school prom.
Fake dating, second chances, misunderstandings—this book has them. And I really enjoyed all of it. These characters are adorable, they have great chemistry, and I am looking forward to going back to last year’s The Marriage Pact and getting more of Daisy.
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Another terrific Patel family romance! I love this big Indian family full of crazy antics, hilarious aunties, supportive family and swoon worthy romances. This story has smart gal Daisy in a fake relationship with her teen heartthrob Liam. He was her brother's best friend and part of the family until he broke her heart and disappeared ten years ago. He's back and needs her help to save his grandfather's legacy distillery. They embark on a win-win fake relationship that's full of laughs, heartwarming revelations, and passionate kisses that leads to sizzling encounters. I love these slightly broken characters with their long history of friendship and secret crushes and love. It's exciting as the grow up Daisy and Liam discover that what they liked about each other ten years ago is still a factor today and the love is still there. Fantastic writing that kept me engaged and rooting for Daisy and Liam to get their HEA. I look forward to more from this talented author and her wonderful storytelling with all the laughs and fun, lively family and friends, and heartfelt romance I could want. Loved it!

Daisy Patel has a job she likes and is content with her life, if only her aunties would stop trying to find her a spouse. And so what if her ex-boyfriend is dating her ex-boss. She can handle it. What she can't handle is literally running into the guy who stood her up ten years ago for Prom. Him, she hasn't forgiven yet or forgotten. Her brother's best friend, her entire family holds a grudge against Liam Murphy for hurting Daisy and abandoning their family.

When Liam Murphy finds out he needs to get married to inherit a beloved piece of family property, there's only one person he can ask to be a fake fiancé, and that's Daisy. Even though she is reluctant and still angry with him, Daisy sees a benefit too -- her aunties might stop with their arranged marriage proposals if she already has a fiancé.

As Daisy plans their dates that will establish their fake relationship, sh has the opportunity to heal old wounds
with Liam. It isn't long before they are acting like old friends, bantering about everything. There's a real spark between these two characters that I absolutely loved about this story.

I found myself laughing so many times while reading this book. Daisy is adorable as she tries so hard to stay mad at Liam and he tries hard to melt the walls she put around her after being stood up by him. He does have a good reason for breaking her heart that night, and he gives some great apology too. It's clear from the start they still have feelings for each other, it's just going to take some work on Liam's part.

I just loved this -- it was so much fun, the aunties were hysterically funny, and Daisy's father was just the right mix of fatherly and forgiving. This story warmed my heart in more than one way, and I can't recommend this book enough. If you are looking for a wonderfully romantic friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story, The Dating Plan is a terrific choice.

A complementary copy was provided by the publisher. This is my honest review.

I finished this in one night which says it all to be honest. Right from the start, the narration was so well done. I was instantly in love with Daisy. She was smart and funny and sarcastic and witty. I loved how relatable she was as a desi main character struggling to be independent while also wanting to be part of this huge community that desi families tend to have.

I found myself laughing out loud with all the banter and jokes, especially the little ones about how the family gossiped. Most of the time when writing about desi family gossip, it feels pretty stereotypical, but Desai did a great job making this feel more wholesome and well meaning. You could truly see that while it could be a bit overwhelming have to deal with the family, Daisy knew they were just well meaning and trying to look out for her because she was family.

Now onto the fun stuff. I LOVED Liam and Daisy's relationship. It was so much fun to see childhood friends to lovers to enemies to lovers. The banter was top tier. the chemistry was off the charts. The pining! The angst! Just so much fun to read. While I personally didn't think the drama with prom and family stuff was as dramatic as I usually like from rom-coms, I do think this book just did such a good job fleshing out the characters and making them have their own individual problems and lives along with having them work so perfectly together!

Also, just the whole fake dating trope really makes me happy. I live for that and I think this trope was executed really well! The vibes were excellent and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants just some fun romance!

Eu estou completamente apaixonada por esse livro, por esse casal, pela família da Daisy e por seu cachorrinho Max. A história é divertida, romântica, tem seus momentos emocionantes e tudo encaixa de forma tão perfeita. A família de Daisy é indiana, e a autora colocou detalhes interessantes sobre casamento e culinária, que eu em vários momentos parei a leitura e pesquisei no Google para visualizar aquilo.

O romance é lindo e tem seus obstáculos, já que ambos os personagens levam feridas deixadas por seus pais (o pai de Liam e a mãe de Daisy), e isso é uma barreira que dificulta que eles acreditem em si mesmos quando se trata de sentimentos. Recomendo muito a leitura desse livro, principalmente para quem busca algo divertido.

The Dating Plan has everything you need for a great read! Passion, heartbreak, tragedy, secrets and spreadsheets...what? Lol. Daisy is an extremely beautiful and overly intelligent woman. She plans every aspect of her life from what is a the dinner menu, what she is going to wear, her day to planning her dating method up to her wedding! Where Daisy has an agenda calculated for every event Liam is a fly by the seat of his pants kinda guy. He plans nothing. Since he walked away from the one girl he could remotely think of planning a future with...his lived his life one moment to the next with zero plans. Especially plans for his future wedding...until one chance meeting, one sweet innocent kiss, a malfunctioning personal care machine, a nosey aunt, and the girl who hates his guts...nah not even then does he stick to the plan...entirely, but for her he does just...but it may be too late to change her mind. I received a free advanced copy to read and review. All five stars were hard earned. Loved this cute second Chance angsty read. Wonderful characters, beautifully written and lots of laughs and tears.

Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.

This was very enjoyable! It hit a lot of great checkboxes- main character is an interesting woman in STEM, fake relationship (/second chance romance of sorts), great family relationships, etc. It was medium on the steam scale, and there was a lot of humor to it, but also some incredibly realistic emotional moments as the characters worked their way towards understanding each other and not letting their personal and joint pasts get in the way of love.

Surprise surprise I went into this totally blind and have not read the first book. So that being said I loved this one. There were alot of people to get to know and figure out but this one grabbed me from the first chapter.

We start with Daisy in the bathroom trying to get some pads out of the dispenser for a presentation, in the stall is her ex boss doing whatever with her ex boyfriend. Daisy crashes out of the bathroom into the arms of the boy who broke her heart so badly he has become the one we do not speak of. Except now they are both in a situation where a fake relationship status is blurted out and could really help them both. What could possibly go wrong.

Liam never wanted to leave and break Daisy's heart and he is the product of a sad back story and messed up home life. Daisy's family was his safe place as a kid and immediately he feels that again, And its scary as hell. He doesn't want that he wants to save a legacy and prove himself. Daisy's dating plan will keep them from catching feelings and keep both their hearts safe- safe is totally overrated.

This one was full of laughs and funny antics with swords and pads. But it is also a story about these two becoming the wonderful grownup people they were meant to be. I just loved it and cant wait to read the first one because I loved Layla and Sam.

The Dating Plan is a fake dating story full of great characters, interracial couples and Avengers references 😊. Daisy is a strong, logical, smart girl from an Indian family that shows the reader all their fun dances, delicious food and family dynamics. Liam (love interest) on the other hand comes from an Irish dysfunctional family. The fake dating trope is perfectly written and demonstrates how two completely different people can fall in love.
Great book!

I ADORED this!

The female lead was relatable and nerdy, which I loved! Her family is amazing and supportive, although a bit pushy. The Indian culture, food, family dynamic were probably my favourite things in the book and why I also loved The Marriage Game so much.

I preferred Liam as a love interest. He was funny, flirty, sweet and selfless. I loved how spontaneous he is! Liam is definitely a much likeable and relatable love interest than Sam, imo, which is why I had to give this one a 5-star rating.

I really can't wait for Sara Desai's next book!

This book was a charming fake fiancee book! Daisy is a logical person. She is good with numbers. Liam is determined but also laid back. There is history between Liam and Daisy, and it did not end well. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Liam and Daisy and how they got past their past and worked on their own issues to develop a real relationship. Although I have not read The Marriage Game, the supporting characters were a great bonus. If you are looking for a fake fiancee book that will have you laughing, has a couple with great chemistry, and will make your heart fill good, this is your book!

So many great things going on in Sara Desai's The Dating plan: complex characters, a strong female lead (Daisy Patel) who works in computer programming and is a master scheduler, plus a fun second chance romance with a fake-dating trope pulled off to perfection. I really enjoy how Desai seamlessly weaves in different aspects of Desi culture (from food, dance, language and social customs). There are a couple open door scenes, some great bed-breaking chemistry, Marvel Universe/Avengers references and the male lead, Liam Murphy is a motorcycle-riding venture capitalist from a big dysfunctional Irish family - a perfect connection for reading this book on St. Patrick's day! This was one of my most anticipated reads for spring and it did NOT disappoint. For fans of other diverse or interracial romances like her earlier book, The marriage game, or authors, Alisha Rai, Sonali Dev, Sanji Patel or Talia Hibbert. Excellent on audio as well - I really enjoy Soneela Nankani as a narrator (she voices Accidentally Engaged and the Daevabad trilogy among many others). Desai's next book, The singles table, comes out in November and I can't wait!

CW: alcoholism, domestic abuse, car/motorcycle accidents

The Dating Plan presents a slightly different take on the fake relationship with Daisy and Liam already having some history and them being somewhat familiar with each other's families.

Daisy just wants her family to back off and stop all attempts to marry her off. She's content with her life at the moment and has no interest in shaking things up. At one of her conferences, she runs in to Liam and it goes off with a bang! Liam, the teenage heartbreaker and enemy number one since he was a no-show as her prom date years ago. Seeing him again at that very moment is seriously awkward on so many levels but also good timing. Their fortuitous encounter not only reunites them but also allows them to call in a favor: appear to be in a serious relationship with each other in order to appease their families. It's so wacky and honestly, there's no way it's going to work out as easily as they think. But it's fun them reconnect and handle Daisy's overbearing but well-meaning extensive family network. His family is just as wild, too.

Daisy is such a lively personality. She's a nerd, a stickler for organization and a MCU fanatic, and it all translates in to her own cute aesthetic that she owns completely and effortlessly. I liked that she broke some stereotypes. As for Liam? I dug him from the beginning. Sure, he has a bit of attitude but there's a super nice guy that comes forth and he's just so freaking charming. While the two have concocted this crazy idea to throw their families of their scent, so to speak, Daisy does have some reservations. Liam's unexplained absence from her life makes her explore her own issues with abandonment and how it affects her views of relationships and being reliant on someone else. Liam's own negative experiences have also colored his perspective though it's not so clear cut around Daisy. Having known her family from before and feeling the nostalgia of their closeness and hospitality, he falls back into her world so easily. Her family was his safe haven from his messed up one and Daisy was always so kind and accepting of him. Then he screwed it up and now he's working hard to earn her forgiveness. Let me tell you, he's hard to say no to, though Daisy does make him work to earn her trust again.

As with most contemporary Desi romances I've been reading, family plays a hugely important part in everyday life. Daisy's is no exception. I will say for me, it tends to be a bit overwhelming as I didn't have a large family surrounding me when I was growing up, so to me all of Daisy's uncles and aunties coming at her from all directions was intense. But at the heart of it is love and togetherness, and some of the aunties, even with their melodramatic tendencies, are entertaining.

I quite enjoyed reading The Dating Plan. I laughed out loud when Daisy and Liam had their run in - that was only the first chapter - and the amusement continued on from there. This second chance romance will sprinkle joy and laughter in your little reading corner so definitely check it out!

~ Bel

Included as a top pick in bimonthly March New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

This was a cute, feel good book that I really enjoyed, even if it was nothing new.
It was a fun book with the premise of a fake engagement turning into real feelings. Desi was in love with Liam as a teen until he disappeared on Prom night. When he unexpectedly walks back into her life (or rather she runs into him with a handful of pads) their lives change.

I appreciated that there was a good amount of detail with the family backgrounds and characters so that I felt more emotionally connected to them. I dont know if the whole idea of a fake engagement-to-get-an-inheritance worked for me but the author needed a reason to shove them unwillingly together.

Thank you @berkleyromance for gifting me an e-ARC of THE DATING PLAN by Sara Desai.

THE DATING PLAN is a fun romance between a software engineer and a venture capitalist who decide to fake an engagement despite being on ill terms because of past events.

I had to suspend my belief quite a bit and some of the events felt overly dramatic, but I still felt it was an enjoyable read. I’d recommend this book if you like

🌱 Second chance romance f/m
🌱 Slow burn
🌱 Representation
🌱 Family dynamics
🌱 Childhood friends to lovers
🌱 Unresolved angst from the past, childhood trauma
🌱 Moderate steam

TW: anxiety, child abandonment, domestic abuse, car accident

✦Review: THE DATING PLAN by Sara Desai https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-bKy
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

I enjoyed this romantic comedy about second chances and a fake engagement. I thought Daisy was a fun, nerdy, intelligent woman. Yes, I got tired of hearing about how hurt she was over something that happened ten years before. Move on, girl. I also liked Liam right away and knew he would give Daisy a run for her money. There were holes in his backstory, but not enough for me to worry with it. I liked their banter once the “old hurt” stuff went away. I’m glad she moved on, so the sexy romance could blossom.

My complaints on this book would be: Too many characters actively involved in the story. Too long on the “you hurt me ten years ago, so I hate you now”. Some important moments were skipped or lightly passed over, leaving me feeling a bit cheated.

The first chapter had me cracking up and anticipating the rest of the story. It didn’t sustain the level of mishap, but the snarky humor and fake engagement kept it lighthearted. All said, it was a cheesy and sometimes corny romance that made me smile. I liked it.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle https://amzn.to/3lqooub

A hilarious and sexy book, The Dating Plan is a must read! Daisy Patel is a software engineer at a start-up, Organicare. An expert in logically planning her life out and making lists Daisy is not interested in dating or getting married. But that doesn't stop her big family of many aunts and uncles from finding the perfect match for her. Until she meets Liam Murphy, a venture capitalist and an old friend of her brothers’, the same person who broke her heart at prom. When Liam learns that he must get married before his birthday to secure his inheritance, he must find someone who knows him well but has zero stake in his future. Who better than his friend’s little sister who hates his guts. A marriage of convenience that will solve both their problems is the only answer, but will they be able to complete their 8 -date plan to the end?

Sarah Desai’s writing and wit was fun to read and thoroughly enjoyable. The main characters are lovable and have cute quirks that are entertaining to read. Daisy’s big family is very reflective of many South Asian families including my own which made it relatable. I also loved the acceptance by Liam’s family and Daisy’s family regardless of race and class. I thought it a bit naïve, but also hopeful that there are families with an open mind and an open heart.