Yash Raje's gubernatorial campaign is interrupted when someone attempts to shoot him, and he develops panic attacks. Desperate to keep it quiet, he reluctantly enlists the help of India Dashwood, a yoga and mindfulness teacher. Little do either of their families know, these two have a past--and it didn't end well.

This is a clever take on Sense & Sensibility. The plot very loosely follows Jane Austen, but even someone completely unfamiliar with the story would enjoy this. The nodding references are fun for Austen fans, though. I actually exclaimed, "It's Colonel Brandon!" when we meet the character based on him from the original novel, and I was entertained watching the story play out.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Sonali Dev weaves magic into her third Jane Austen-inspired novel, and I loved everything about it! Dev has a lovely wry spirit that connects us deeply to her characters, while adding an irresistible Indian-American flavor to her storyline.

She’s my new fav writer and I loved meeting the Raje family, especially Yash, who is running for governor of California when a friend is shot during a political rally, and sought-after yoga therapist India Dashwood, who helps Yash deal with the resulting anxiety. Dev adds depth to their budding relationship as elements of past hurts and current trauma are dealt with. A profound and enticing romance, highly recommended!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 06 Jul 2021
#IncenseandSensibility #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

I would like to thank the publishers for giving me an ARC of this book to review.

Incense and Sensibility is the third book in The Rajes series by the talented and incredible Sonali Dev. I adored the first two Jane Austen retelling books in this series and devoured the story of the handsome and charming Yash Raje. Till now, Yash had appeared in the previous books, however readers were only given glimpses into this life and personality. A key theme that Sonali highlights in the book is that of mental and spiritual wellbeing as she explores the ramifications of trauma, survivors guilt and unresolved grief. Yash has dedicated his life to his people, family and duty, neglecting his personal growth and believing that his true happiness lies in winning and control. India is adopted into a single parent, multicultural family; her siblings come from Thailand and Kenya. Being adopted myself, I feel the love and respect that is shared between the members of the Dashwood family is fated and special. She has always been surrounded by love and care but her sour encounter with Yash a decade ago has left her feeling unwanted and undeserving of true love. India devotes her energy into running her family yoga studio for the betterment of people, ignoring her wishes. Despite their starkly different upbringing and backgrounds, I always perceived Yash and India as travelling together on parallel train tracks. The beauty of Sonali’s writing lies in the way she connects the readers to her characters as you grow to cherish and provide them a place in your heart. The romance is the icing on the cake; spectacular, sweet and soulful! Yet again, we are reminded of the realistic nature of love, the trials and tribulations this sweet torment brings with it. It was wonderful to be able to “meet” all my favourite characters from the previous two books that feature in this one, as well as be introduced to some new, lively personalities that brighten up the story. Although this is a book based on a political campaign, we never feel overwhelmed with too much political jargon, rather enough to keep you on the Rajes campaign. Finally, Yash Raje, who absolutely stole the show and my heart in this story, how can he be so perfect? The male protagonist’s in Sonali’s stories are some of my absolute favourites and with his faith, perseverance and inherit simplicity, Yash had me smiling the whole way through. For me, this 5 star read is one I cannot wait to see hit the shelves on July 6th 2021 and for the world to shower this book with love. The Rajes are a family that will stay with you forever and the wonderful lady behind them, Sonali, is one whose books will leave you with a heartwarming feeling.

I loved this book. I love this whole series. The characters are relatable, flawed, charming, funny, honest, and real. I love the Raje's and would love to read more about the rest of the family.

Small spoiler: One of the side characters gets shot in the first chapter and ends up in a coma. His daughter had just been born two days before. So if you are pregnant or just had a baby maybe skip the first few chapters, it is a lot.
This is a pretty heavy book, lots of trauma, heart break, current political issues, but well written and a good story. It is a romance so there is a happy ending but not what I would call a light read.

India and Yash are wonderful characters, and we come to care very much about their love story. Yash is a rising young politician, running for governor of California. He is shot during a campaign event, which causes him to lose his confidence to the point where he feels he can no longer speak in public. His close, wealthy family arranges for a renowned yoga therapist to help him heal. That would be India -- the woman with whom he shares a somewhat painful almost romance with. So -- painful for both of them, but the healing takes priority. Great characters, lots of yoga, and two loving families make this a terrific love story.

I don’t know how this series gets better with every single book when they’re all so awesome, but it does. Yash and India...a second chance that took me on a journey I didn’t want to end (and I stayed up past midnight finishing). Just AMAZING!

For fans of the existing series, this is a lovely addition. For new readers, this will come off as a bit of a mess in terms of character development and plot points.

Fair warning: Until just before halfway through this does not come together as an independent S&S retelling at all (though things coalesce nicely from that point). If, however, you've read the other books in the series and love the Raje family (and Austen) as much as I do - boy, do I have the book for you.

After reading Sonali Dev's "Recipe for Persuasion," I was excited to check out her next book in this series, which was an Indian-American twist on 'Sense and Sensibility,' as evidenced by the clever and punny title. Here, eldest Raje sibling Yash is the first Indian gubernatorial candidate in California, who always knows what he wants and how to use his privileged background to get it by controlling his feelings. After a hate-fueled incident at one of his rallies, his friend and bodyguard, his life starts to feel like less of a less and he spirals. To keep his anxiety attacks from leaking to the press, his family sends him to his sisters' best friend India Dashwood, a popular stress management coach and yoga instructor. Oh, and these two once shared a mystical, magical night over ten years ago that didn't lead anywhere but that neither of them could ever forget. So, from the get-go, it's always fun to see previous characters pop up and still have their HEAs from earlier novels. This read starts in with plenty of action, so you get in Yash's head and just want to keep reading. This book, told in dual perspectives, features compelling and relatable storytelling that just drew me in. While obviously this is an adaptation, it still feels current, new, and fresh. And, yes, it's plenty cute too with a few squeal-worthy occurrences and monologues.

Disclaimer: I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review by @NetGalley!

Fans of Jane Austen will adore this series! I think this is my favorite one in the series and it's a retelling of Sense & Sensibility. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers then you're going to ADORE Yash and India's story. This also perfect for readers who enjoy the friend's brother trope. I thought it was incredibly cute and it's coming out this summer!

It was great to be back with the Rajes and get Yash’s story. I really enjoyed this book. The main characters were both fully realized people and it was nice to finally learn all of Yash’s story. There are parts of it in the first two books, but more here and it made me want him to find true love all the more. Highly recommended!

Oh my goodness. I love this series. This book was wildly infuriating in the best ways. I love how it tackles a lot of tough topics with sensitivity and grace. This book was very swoonworthy and a delight to read!