This was my first Sonali Dev title, and I've been working through the backlist.. Charming, sweet romance set within a family of wealthy Indian immigrants and California politics. Read, and clear time on your calendar to read more.

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev is a different kind of romance, some of it cultural, but not all. It offers a glance into the world of politics and the way politicians often wear a mask covering their true selves in order to win elections. Yash Raje is running for Governor of California when he is shot. Worse, his bodyguard had leapt in front of him and he had been shot as well. Abdul had lain across Yash's legs, bleeding. Yash, discombobulated, had tried to stop his bleeding but there was so much blood. They both made it to the hospital, alive, but Abdul didn't wake up from his surgery. Yash was unable to take the stage again; the anxiety was too great. The family, who was basically his campaign team, tossed around plenty of suggestions, but one rose to the fore: India, a relatively well-known yogi therapist. Yash is resistant remember one day, ten years in his past, but eventually agreed. India was surprised to see them, but agreed to try to help. It took several visits but eventually Yash was better. But, he found the lies he had been living with no longer worked for him. He wanted the relationship he had begun ten years earlier.

This is a thoughtful book, delving into emotions that are normally left lying still. It is a perusal of peoples' higher desires. It delves into the difference between a politician and a public servant, as well as personal good vs. the greater good. It is a history of keeping secrets and living a lie. It is beautifully written and forces the reader to examine himself as well. I did not know what to expect as I opened this book. I was surprised, pleasantly so, to find such a lovely story, albeit, like all romances, with a happily ever after. I would seriously recommend this book for modern readers.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Incense and Sensibility by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #IncenseandSensibility

I whizzed through Sonali Dev’s Raje family series recently. I am a sucker for a Jane Austen modern day retelling. Having this series centered around a South Asian family made me even more excited. I read the first 2 (Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavours followed by Recipe for Persuasion) and then got approved by @netgalley to review an ARC of Incense and Sensibility and I JUMPED ON IT. I love the world Sonali built and enjoyed seeing what was going on with the other characters as the books went along. Another game I played with myself was see which Jane Austen character this character is supposed to be. Check out the series!!!

Incense and Sensibility
A Novel

By: Sonali Dev

William Morrow and Custom House

William Morrow Paperbacks

General Fiction(Adult)/Romance/Women's Fiction

Publish Date July 6, 2021

#IncenseandSensibility#NetGalley

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I would like to thank NetGalley for letting me review this book. I would also like to thank the book club girl page on Facebook who brought it tom my attention.

Unfortunately I was unable to read this book to the finish. I just couldn't finish it. I did get 25% of the way through. I gave this book 1 star. I will put the full blame on me because I didn't fully look into this book before I requested it. I didn't realize it was book 3 in a series. The title should have been a clue for that it is based off a Jane Austin and I am not a fan of hers.

What I did like was that you could read this book as a standalone if you wanted. I also like the family dynamics and close friendship.

You already know why I didn't it because it is a Jane Austin reimagining of Sense and Sensibility.

I would recommend if one you have read her other books in this series and enjoyed them. And second if you like Jane Austin.

4.5 stars

Sonali Dev clearly has a love for Jane Austen! I have had the pleasure of reading the Rajes books that each feature their own unique Austen novel retelling. Naturally, when I saw this one coming out I jumped on it. While Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel, Sense and Sensibility boasts my favorite heroines. I love the contrast between the two Dashwood sisters and I was eager to see how that plays out in the Rajes family in this book.

Dev adds so much spice, flair, and uniqueness to her novels that will leave readers desperate for more. When I first saw that Dev was working her way through the Austen classics and writing modern Indian retellings I was skeptical. Austen books are notoriously hard to do retellings (especially modern ones). People have high expectations and often the things that make the Austen novels ‘classics’ are the same things that make it hard to do retellings.

For example, women needing to find a marriage of means, that’s not really relevant for the modern woman but it would have been during the time of Austen. But when it comes to Dev’s Austen retellings she doesn’t go all in for the typical retelling but instead leaves enough of the recognizable Austen characters and themes but adds her own unique spicy flair to the story and I am so so so here for that!

Summary
The author of Recipe for Persuasion—“not only one of the best but one of the bravest romance novelists working today” (Shelf Awareness)—adds an Indian American twist to Jane Austen’s classic Sense and Sensibility in this delightful retelling that is a feast for the senses.

Yash Raje, California’s first serious Indian gubernatorial candidate, has always known exactly what he wants—and how to use his privileged background to get it. He attributes his success to a simple mantra: control your feelings and you can control the world.

But when a hate-fueled incident at a rally critically injures his friend, Yash’s easy life suddenly feels like a lie, his control an illusion. When he tries to get back on the campaign trail, he blacks out with panic.

Desperate to keep Yash’s condition from leaking to the media, his family turns to the one person they trust—his sister’s best friend, India Dashwood, California’s foremost stress management coach. Raised by a family of yoga teachers, India has helped San Francisco’s high strung overachievers for a decade without so much as altering her breath. But this man—with his boundless ambition, simmering intensity, and absolute faith in his political beliefs—is like no other. Yash has spent a lifetime repressing everything to succeed.

Including their one magical night ten years ago—a too brief, too bright passion that if rekindled threatens the life he’s crafted for himself. Exposing the secrets might be the only way to save him but it’s also guaranteed to destroy the dream he’s willingly shouldered for his family and community . . . until now (summary from Goodreads)

Review
The Rajes books keep getting better and better in my opinion. Each one has stood solid at 4 stars but this one seemed to have a little something extra that made me just adore it. I love how each book has it’s own unique Indian American flair plus the Rajes family is so well developed and charming that it’s hard to not love the characters and family members. Throughout the series Yash has been a consistent character and seeing him now getting his own story was so fulfilling. I really enjoy his character and I thought that this book did him justice. His character went through appropriate changes and internal evaluation and I loved watching him in this book. Dev consistently write believable characters that are well thought out and interesting.

This story is a bit more complex than some of the others though and while you can easily read each of the books as stand-alones, I would recommend reading the other books since many of the characters make appearances, especially Yash. It will give you a deeper understanding of his character I think. Plus this story has a bit more substance behind it including some more serious issues (mental health etc) and I think readers will find a lot to appreciate in this one. It’s not just a fluffy Austen retelling.

Now on to the romance parts—-the second chance romance. Second chance romances are hit or miss for me. I generally don’t go crazy for second chance romances but in this case I thought it was fitting and sweet. India was a great romantic interest for Yash. She was someone I would love to be friends with and I think she had great chemistry with Yash. I mean yoga instructor meets stressed out politician? They are so mismatched that it works and I jus adored watching their romance come to life in this one. I hope that Dev does the all of Austen’s books because her retellings are smart, modern, funny, romantic and mixed with substance. If you love Austen but want something refreshing and new, these books are an excellent option!

Book Info and Rating
400 pages, Paperback

Expected publicationJuly 6, 2021 by William Morrow Paperbacks

ISBN9780063051805 (ISBN10: 006305180X)

Free review copy provided by publisher, William Morrow in partnership with the Tall Poppy Writers/Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Genre: retelling, romance, womens fiction

A yoga expert and a politician are drawn together again after a tragedy on the campaign trail. Incense and Sensibility started off strong and there were a lot of good things about it - it's got a unique cast and fun pairings of characters. The family dynamics are engaging and realistic. The romance mostly worked but the chemistry was a little dry sometimes. Overall a good read.

Yash is very driven. He knows his career path and life trajectory so it is a major disruption when he no longer can do what he had loved. He is experiencing a mental block and survivor’s guilt after surviving a major tragedy. His family thinks he should get some help from his sister’s best friend, India.

India always had feelings for Yash. They had a brief moment in time years ago but nothing occurred with that. She has moved on and is serious about her yoga career. Yet, when she learns that he has been hurt, she genuinely tries to help him.

I’ve read books by Sonali Dev and enjoyed them. Incense and Sensibility left me wanting the same magic from the author but it was not forthcoming. For some reason, I never got the feeling that we (the readers) were getting deep with these characters. I didn’t get the feeling that I knew Yash or India. They are one-dimensional the entire book.

The story moves very slow with a lot of inner dialogue. This is a slow burn that didn’t catch me and hold me. The main characters don’t really interact alone until after forty percent. I always take issue with that especially since in this case they already had a romantic entanglement. I didn’t even care that they were a bonus romance.

It is always nice to catch up with characters from previous books in the series but they didn’t really add much to the overall plot. It just dragged the story out even longer. I also wanted less page time with China.

Overall, the structure was there but somewhere it fell short from being the perfect romance. This is not the best by this author but it is still a solid read and a must if you had read the previous books.

~ Samantha

Show me a Jane Austen inspired book and chances are excellent that I'll want to read it. So it was when I came across this.

Sonali Dev's Incense and Sensibility is utterly charming.; the entire series is excellent (I started reading this first, but stopped so as to start from the beginning, hence my publication day review) and I'm so glad that I discovered the series, albeit in time for the third title.

Strongly recommended.

I received an eARC from William Morrow and Custom House through NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions shared are mine and are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.

Thanks to Net Galley and William Morrow for this ARC. The story of Yash running for governor of California, his body guard being shot and rediscovering someone from his past had me hooked. The characters are so well written that I invest in every one of their stories - good or bad. What a great ending to the Raje series. Highly recommend!

At long last...Yash gets his book! Yash Raje is running for Governor of California, rising in the polls, and doing swell until some nutjob tries to shoot him and gets his bodyguard instead. This incident causes Yash to shut down emotionally and to start to have panic attacks at the thought of public appearances. Enter India Dashwood, good friend of the family and yoga practioner. India has helped other family members and seems to be the perfect choice. But...…no-one knows that Yash and India had a romantic interlude a few years before and it didn't end well.
India has never gotten over her feelings for Yash and isn't sure she can help him. She has a lot of stress of her own. Her mother has a mysterious ailment, the yoga studio needs financial help and her normally steadfast gay sister is gaga over a closeted Korean movie star which is leading to lots of bad decisions.
I have to be honest, I'm a huge Persuasion fan so I was concerned that the last book ( Recipe for Persuasion) couldn't be matched but this was pretty good. Yash wants to do the right thing both for his constituents, his family and maybe himself. His faux girlfriend is acting strangely and adding to his anxiety. Being with India is a calming wind in a tornado of conflict. India still has the feels for him too. But they both worry about letting other people down and it kind of seems impossible for them to be together. Nobility can be a downer sometimes! Add all of the quirky Raje family members with all of their expectations and it doesn't look good.
Ms. Dev takes this complicated twisting story and makes it all work. The ending is a little short but it gets us the desired result and in a way that doesn't strain believability.

Complex, thought provoking, and deeply emotional, Incense and Sensibility kept me reading late into the night. Then, when I turned the final page with a heart-felt sigh, all I wanted to do was return to the beginning and read it all over again, slowly this time so that I could fully savor the depth and beauty of Sonali Dev's words.
I have fully enjoyed the other books in The Rajes series but this third one was my favorite. There's just something about India and Yash that spoke to me. Yes, it's true that I love a second-chance romance but this book is about so much more than that. It's rooted in family, culture, service, loyalty, and in pursuing not only what's in the best interest of others but in our own best interest as well.
I enjoyed the dynamics within both families and how India's and Yash's journeys were interwoven with them, with side-story threads bringing additional complexity and richness to the main plot without detracting from it. I loved what Yash stood for, admired his genuine dedication to public service, understood his reasons for past decisions (even if I didn't agree), and fully understood the inner turmoil those decisions caused. I adored India. I wanted to be friends with her, take her yoga class, just hang out with her. She and Yash are so good together, as if they had each been created for the other. I was pulling for them the entire way, through some pretty big obstacles.
I highly recommend adding Incense and Sensibility to your summer reading list. Like the previous books, it can be enjoyed on its own but if you choose to begin the series here and enjoy Raje's story, I encourage you to also check out his sisters' stories in Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors (book one - Neurosurgeon Dr. Trisha Raje and Chef DJ Caine) and Recipe for Persuasion (book two - Chef Ashna Raje and soccer star Rico Silva). If you haven't already guessed from the titles, yes, these books are present-day stories inspired by the novels of Jane Austen. And, they are not to be missed.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Sonali Dev has been introducing readers to the powerful Raje family of California through her Jane Austen-inspired series (Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors and Recipe for Persuasion) and in Incense and Sensibility we meet golden son Yash, California's first Indian-American gubernatorial candidate. The election is coming up and the entire Raje family is pulling out all the stops to support Yash's run. But a hate crime at a rally hurts Yash and critically injures his friend and bodyguard Abdul, and suddenly Yash feels more out of control and helpless than he ever has before. Family friend India Dashwood is asked to help him deal with his stress, but there's a lot more going on than their families know. One magical night ten years ago, Yash and India met and instantly clicked. But Yash put aside what he wanted to form an alliance with family friend Naina, and now he's keeping secrets for others that are eating away at him- not good for helping reduce stress. India doesn't know if she can help Yash without losing her heart again, but she's determined to try.

I absolutely fell in love with India and Yash, and Sonali Dev does a brilliant job here, bringing them to life and pulling the reader into the emotional turmoil of their journey. India is calm, centered, and self-assured, she believes in herself and is determined to handle every problem life throws at her family. She's strong and carries the burdens of being the responsible one in the family without coming across as a martyr. From the outside, Yash seems the same- strong, focused, confident, and ready to use his power and influence to fix the wrongs he sees in the world. But Yash has been physically and emotionally traumatized even before the rally shooting, and has finally hit the point of not being able to push it down and ignore his feelings anymore. The contrast between who Yash presents to the world and what he feels inside as he tries to deal with everything was written with empathy and sympathy, and complete believability. But what really caught me was the emotional pull between Yash and India, the magnetic and fantastic connection between them, the yearning to be together and all of the sensible and real-world reasons why it couldn't happen. This wasn't the class disconnect or family obligations or "I'm not good enough" made up reasons that so many books use as the angst to separate lovers until the very end, but literally Yash as a person vs Yash as a politician. Which makes way more sense when you read the book and I won't spoil it by explaining further here.

One of the problems a lot of adaptations of Austen novels have is trying to stay too closely to the original, making the contemporary story feel forced into a mold it can't work with. Incense and Sensibility is its own story and never makes the mistake of forcing in a plot point from Sense and Sensibility that doesn't work. But Austen fans will occasionally find themselves seeing a shadow of the original story or a character in ways that will make them smile without taking away from the originality of the characters and plot they are immersed in.

Some Jane Austen books are harder to adapt than others and Sense and Sensibility always seems to be particularly difficult. Even though it isn't my favorite of Austen's books, I keep reading modern adaptations, looking for a good one and being left disliking what I read. Until now. Incense and Sensibility blew away my expectations, captured my emotions and held me in thrall until long past the final page. A wonderful, colorful, and original story full of emotion and empathy, this book is a real winner.


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

Sonali Dev takes up the life and times of the Raje family with the story of Yash who is in the middle of a campaign to be governor of California. He has himself in a bit of a tangle as he his along with Naina made it appear that they are a couple, but they are not, just friends mutually helping each other out. Yash really has only eyes for India - a very wise yoga teacher and reiki healer.

What a tangled web we weave when we set out to deceive! Well that should have been Yash's lament, and at times I wanted to shake him. However reading on and finding out his back story I had sympathy for him and was hoping he'd find his way through the maze.

India is a lovely person, but sort of carries the weight if not of the world at least of her family. Her mother is unwell and her sister has herself involved in a relationship that doesn't seem to be good for her.

Speaking of mothers I enjoyed the mothers in the story. Especially Yash's mother when she came all over "mother". She eventually sized up things well.

There is a stinky dog, a body guard or two who took my heart and numerous other members of Yash's family we have met previously. I liked some of the political issues that took centre stage and Yash's stance on them.

As all romances do, it ended well, but far too abruptly. I wanted just a tad more from the ending. A little more hoop la!

This Sense and Sensibility retelling was so sensitive and sweet, with some very serious plot lines as well (for anyone who thinks the romance genre doesn't tackle serious issues, this series is a worthy place to start remedying that). Issues of politics and gun violence, race and culture are all incorporated. The family relationships with both characters are so full and complicated and integral. A well done retelling that stands completely on its own.

In this third installment of the Rajes series, it’s Yash’s turn for love. Yash Raje is months away from the winning California Governor election when he is shot, along with his bodyguard, at a campaign event. India Dashwood is a yogic healer and the one person who might be able to help Yash recover and understand his feelings, but she’s also the girl he ghosted ten years ago after a magical night.

Incense and Sensibility is a charming, romantic story, proving love only develops when based in truth to both those you love and with yourself. My favorite characters from the previous two novels return making this series like comfort food for my heart. I’m wishing and hoping for another Raje book!

Incense and Sensibility
The Rajes Series - Book 3
By Sonali Dev

Harper Collins - July 2021

Contemporary Romance


With the help of his family and many friends, Yash Raje was on the campaign trail with the hopes of being California's next governor. He had plans and goals, but many disapproved of his ideas. Disapproved of him. And one of those people had brought a gun to a rally and had shot at him. Grazing him. His bodyguard, his friend, fought for his life.

Yash didn’t want to focus on the campaign. He couldn't concentrate on the next steps he needed to take. He grew nauseous at having to be in front of a crowd. Lucky for him, his sisters had the perfect solution for someone who could help and keep confidences. Unluckily for him, it was the one woman he could see a future with. Which was inconvenient when he'd made a pact with his best friend on a pretend courtship.

India Dashwood needed to focus on her mother’s health, and finding a way to increase their earnings between their yoga studio and incense sales. She never anticipated her friends to bring their brother to her for help. Of course they could trust her to keep their secrets, but she and Yash had their own secret. One beautiful day that she had placed so many hopes on, until he had left her to go to another.

She could see his pain, still feel their connection, but she knew better than to trust this man again with her heart.

Incense and Sensibility brings a unique twist to Jane Austen’s story. I enjoyed seeing different bits of the original blended by Sonali Dev into a fascinating romance. Yash is a true hero, dedicated to his family, friends, and actually everyone. India is a caring heroine, focused on helping her mother, and of course Yash. Although part of a series, Incense and Sensibility does stand on its own.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

This series makes me warm and fuzzy inside, and the third installment was no different. Learning about Yash’s journey to becoming a politician, his previous trauma, and how his family’s expectations forced him to live a life alone was like adding another piece to the puzzle. India as a character was so complex yet you always knew what to expect from her kind heart. I very much enjoyed this book and will be hand selling this and the series to everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Meet Sense and Sensibility with a modern and cultural twist.

India Dashwood is a much sought after yoga instructor and life coach living in San Francisco. She lives with her sister, China, and mother, Tara, in a multilevel yoga studio/home/incense shop that has belonged to her family for generations.

Yash Raje is a successful, overachieving, people-pleaser running to be the first Indian-American governor of California. He is part of a very large and wealthy family.Indian family.

He and India met only once, at his sister's wedding, for one magical night. Although he made a promise to meet her again the pressures of his public life prevent him from doing so. India is left heart broken and throws herself into work and family.

Ten years later, while campaigning, Yash is shot as is his body guard who is in a coma in critical condition. Now Yash is having panic attacks and guilt anxiety keeping him from being able to making public appearances. One person is at the top of list of those who can help him overcome-India. Both try to be professional and guarded but for Yash to heal (and India too) they have to face the past.

I really enjoyed this book. I gave it 4 stars because I am not a huge romance fan and there were some parts that I skipped over because is was too mushy-gushy and drawn out for my liking.

It is hard to capture my adoration of this book in words except to say that it is currently my favourite book of any genre I’ve read this year out of the 113 I’ve read so far. It is not exactly shocking that I loved this book. I’m a huge fan of this authors The Rajes series- the first book in this series of standalones, “Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavours,” was my number 1 favourite read of 2019, and Book 2, “Recipe for Persuasion,” was a top 10 read of 2020 for me. This author for me, really knows how to tell a compelling, angsty absolutely gorgeous story that breaks your heart to pieces but puts you back together and delivers the most amazing characters.

In this 3rd book in the series, we get to know perfect older brother and politician side character from previous books, Yash Raje, better. Yash, is the perfect politician- suave, passionate about the issues, responsible and caring but also honest maybe to a fault, and his perfectly curated world is about to be shaken when after a tragic incident he needs the help of the only woman who has ever been able to destabilize him, yoga instructor and stress coach, India Dashwood. India has already been let down by Yash in the past but can’t help caring about what happens to the aspiring California governor.

I’ve explained the book really drily. Take my word for it that from chapter 1 you will be sucked into a well of angst and emotion and you will fall in love with these characters. Thematically, this is a political love story about an Indian-American man seeking to be the first POC governor of California- it’s about running for office for the right reasons and the real meanings of public service. This novel explains lies and truth within the context of politics and public life in a way that really calls to mind narratives around truth and service that came into acceptance leading up to the 2020 US elections. But inasmuch as this is a political book since the themes of truth and selflessness can’t help but bring to mind what truth because in US politics between 2016 and 2020 when the concept of truth and “alternate truth” entered public discourse, this is not a political book in the sense of being partisan. It is not a book about any particular candidate or any particular party. It is also a story about family and friendship and resilience- a beautiful beautiful love story about understanding and a responsible sort of love that serves others more than self.

Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” has never been my favourite of her books- I have too little patience with the characters. But after reading this book, after recognizing the Marianne and Elinor characters, I have infinitely more understanding and compassion for these sisters. Even the Willoughby character is less irredeemable villain and more “e be like dat sometimes” f-boy (or f-girl in this case). If you’re familiar with the original story, you will recognize the major players and think of them differently as long as you remember this is an adaptation not a retelling. If you’ve never read Austen and have no intention of doing so, it won’t signify because this book is MORE THAN ENOUGH on its own.

I have to flag content warnings of rape (male victim) and trauma related to that, anxiety, gun violence, familial pressure and loneliness. I loved how vulnerable this author allowed Yash to be and how much in sync he and India were. The secondary characters were absolutely delightful- most of them we already knew from previous books in the series. Tara Dashwood, India’s mother and her gory stories, was a particular treat in this book providing some needed comic relief with her predictably gross yet compellingly delightful stories. If I have one minor niggle, it would be that perhaps India is perhaps too nice, but so was Elinor… perhaps she didn’t have as much growth as Yash or change as him… but even then, I didn’t feel like this book did her a disservice. She too had to also had to find herself and find how to live with her responsibilities in this book. And I adored her as much as I did Yash. Perhaps, I also craved more of a resolution for Yash and Naina, but then what more resolution could there have been? When all seemed lost like there was no solution, this author managed to create the most gorgeous conclusion to this amazingly beautiful, angsty book.

I am soooo blown away by this book. I could speak or write about it forever. I can absolutely not recommend this enough. It stands alone really well but there’s a reward of feeling like part of the Raje family if you read the other books in order first. This author has done it again in this series!

I received an advanced copy of this book from William Morrow Books.

Incense and Sensibility is a spin-off of Sense and Sensibility, one of my favorite Austen novels. Add in yoga and politics, and you have an unlikely match that’s sure to win you over!

This second chance love story has so many layers of insecurity and disappointment that must be peeled away in order to reach their HEA. The struggle they both go through in their own personal self-discovery and healing are so wonderfully done!

Sonali Dev brings so much levity and hope to her stories, which is a needed balance when you’re dealing with issues like racism, hate crimes, sexual assault, and mental health. This wonderful book can be read as a stand alone, but I recommend starting from the beginning of the series for the whole backstory!

Thanks William Morrow for my gifted copy!