Yash and India spent one amazing night together ten years ago. From that one encounter, both of them knew it would be an end game relationship, so when Yash not only ghosts India, but starts dating someone else a week later, India is heartbroken. Fast forward ten years and India is a prominent stress management coach. When Yash is shot at his political rally, his family connects him to India to help him recover.

I loved this book! At times, this book is gut wrenching and messy, and at other times, it is warm and funny. The relationship between Yash and India is incredibly complicated for many reasons. Yash has put others' needs in front of his own for so long. When Yash and India meet again and he realizes the connection is still there, he starts to rethink how he has been living and what it would mean for him to live with integrity.

There is a lot to love about this entire series, but I think what I have loved the most is the Raje family. Like all families, their dynamic is not always healthy, but you never doubt the love they have for each other. In this book, you add in the Dashwood family and I can honestly say, I would love to spend time with either family! The characters Sonali Dev writes have incredible depth and I never fail to become emotionally invested in all of them. I would highly recommend this book to Jane Austen lovers, book clubs who want to read romance with low steam, and anyone who needs a great vacation read!

Couldn't put it down! Not just a romance but a book for our times, a governor we all need, and a first lady who proves to be even stronger than he is.

A very interesting book on the take of Jane Austin's book but with a modern twist The main character YASHR AGE he was running for it was running for mayor But coma shot at a campaign event but his body got ended up in the hospital fighting for his life and you can see how they played often on each other and how this woman Women somehow tied it all together It was called Indian dashwood How the meeting is not to get involved I just thought it was a really good book

I loved Austen's Sense & Sensibility; so, I was happy to read this author's modern retelling of this classic. I liked the Indian-American aspects of this retelling, and there were lots of romance, misunderstandings, betrayals, heartaches, and incense. It was fun recognizing the characters from the original classic. I found this book entertaining. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

After enjoying the first two books in The Rajes series I was really excited to get this opportunity to read Yash's story. I've been dying to get my hands on his book since he was introduced along with his campaign for Mayor in Trisha's story and this did not disappoint. Yash has been through so much in his life, it was really lovely to get to watch him explore this other part of himself.

It was delightful to be in Yash's head as well as learn about India and gradually realize (along with them) that they were perfect for each other. The stakes seemed especially high because of Yash's campaign for governor (and also weirdly timely as well). All of the conflict felt very natural and earned and the payoff was just as great.

I hope we get to read more in this universe because I am obsessed with Brandy and China and want to read what happens to them (and Chutney as well!). I'm particularly interested in the youngest Raje sibling as well!

All in all, a fun and heartfelt romance between two deserving people who are able to get what they want without sacrificing their dreams.

Put simple, I loved this book. This is a very emotional story, with two main characters who have been hurt, who somehow only feel whole, safe, and at peace with each other—but so many things keep them apart. Yash and India grabbed hold of my heart, so that I, too, felt their pain as well as their desires and dreams. I loved that Yash is ambitious and focused in his quest to become governor of California, and I also loved that India is the only person who sees the real Yash, who sees beyond the politician, and who becomes the keeper of his secrets—the only one he trusts, even over his large, wonderful, extended family. Although this book is part of a series, it’s a perfectly wonderful standalone novel—but I encourage to read the other books as well!

Incense and Sensibility is the first book by Sonali Dev I've read. Her prose is clear,
cultural references are realistic and thoughtfully relevant to the storyline, and most characters are multidimensional. However, the plot did not hold my interest, and I found myself skimming periodically. I was also turned off by a bit of unnecessary, crassness, but it was not pervasive, only distracting from the quality of the read a few times.

There is a slight connection to Austen's work, which this title implies. I was looking for more serious nods to Austen (wit, deeper plot and character mirroring), and I felt let down.

The second half of the book was stronger than the first, so I'm glad I didn't quit when I considered it. However, I probably won't choose to read another of her books at this time.

Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Netgalley for early access to the eARC.

This book is hard for me to review. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. At times I was a little bored. I enjoyed the ending and I felt engaged with the book at the end. This is the first book I've read by this author and I will definitely give another book a try. I rate this book 3 1/2 stars.

This was a super sweet story about second changes and misunderstandings. Yash and India were like ships in the night crossing paths 10 years ago and making a deep connection only to lose each other to circumstances. The story picks up 10 years later when Yash is breaking ground as an India America gubernatorial candidate in California. India runs her families yoga studio and incense company. When circumstances bring them back together the chemistry is still there and yet the walls between them are just as thick. UGH I LOVED reading the longing in both of them. Their unwillingness to destroy everything and the continued misunderstandings between them. I wanted to grab them and just force them to face their love. This story really swept me up in the swoony moments and the tortured love.

A major bonus for me was that both characters were in their late 30s!!! We need more older leading romance characters so I really appreciated this.

Although this is the third book in the series it was my first and I can attest that it can completely be read as a stand alone. With that said, I hope to red the first two this summer.

I have not read the other two books in this series. Perhaps I would have enjoyed this one more if I had. Yash Raje seems on track to achieve everything he's dreamed of until he's shot by a hateful bigot. His full recovery depends on India Dashwood, the woman whose life he dropped out of ten years earlier. The love story is well written, but at times, the book feels as if it's trying to tell two stories at once: a romance and a the story of a man trying to be a public servant in a world grown cynical. Maybe this is covered more in the previous books, but Yash's politics and policies are only brought up to make him sound like a better person. I understand this is a romance, not a political novel, but deeper insight into Yash's beliefs might have helped me understand him more. That said, once the romance took off, I was pulled more and more into the story.

This is the third book in The Raje series, which tells the story of the Raje family. They’re an family with an Indian background in California. This book focuses on Yash Raje, a charismatic man running for governor of California. An incident at a rally rocks his confidence, and a stress management consultant is brought in. She and Yash have a romantic history, and their relationship grows as they spend time together.

The story is beautifully written, and the characters are so true to life I felt like I knew them. I look forward to the next book in this series! 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you BookClub Girls, NetGalley and HarperAudio for gifting me an early digital galley and ALC of The Incense and Sensibility, the third book in The Rajes series!

Sonali Dev has weaved a beautiful story in her Rajes series inspired by Jane Austen! The series revolves around Rajes siblings whose parents have migrated to California from India. This book features Yash, son of Dr. HRH and brother to Nisha and Trisha!
Yash is running for governor of CA and engaged to childhood friend Naina!

Yash is unable to control his attraction and pull towards India, with whom he had spent one magical night ten years ago and who is his sisters best friend. The plot was very gripping and I was sucked in it’s captivating and sizzling storyline to read whim does Yash end up with!

Soneela Nanwani has done an amazing job with the narration. I enjoyed listening to her narration and she brought the characters alive!

This book will be available on July 6, 2021 and I highly recommend to get this one along with other two books in this series! It would be a perfect summer read!

I really enjoyed this book. The author does a great job of weaving the worlds together of the two protagonists, which was pleasant due to the immense culture clash between the two. Honestly, it was refreshing to read romantic books that have real life entwined into it, not just the love and overcoming obstacles. The story itself was heart-wrenching for the hero's family and political campaign. I would definitely recommend it.

When gubernatorial candidate Yash is injured in an assassination attempt, images of his long-time companion crying over him go viral. Everyone loves a love story—but unbeknownst to the public, the two of them are really just friends. That turns into a problem when India Dashwood comes back into his life.

Holistic healer India fell hard for Yash a decade ago, and thought he felt the same. After he ghosted her, she tried to forget him. But seeing him again, she realizes the connection between them is still there. That's a complication she doesn't need in her life when her mother is sick and her sister is mooning over a closeted K-drama star.

Yash's whole life has been leading up to this campaign for governor. Can he risk telling the public that his long-term relationship has been a ruse? Will he lose India if he doesn't?

This novel is thoroughly addicting. I loved Yash and India—they've got so much chemistry together! This book is the most romantic in the series IMO, and not as dark as the first two. It's an emotional, and ultimately joyful, journey.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I've been very invested in this series thus far, and have re-read previous titles multiple times and was very excited for Yash's story. While Austen's Sense and Sensibility is not my favorite, Incense and Sensibility definitely gave me a bit more love for the story. I've been intrigued with Yash since he was first introduced, and his relationship with his fiancé, so I was glad to finally see his side of the story. I really appreciated the attention to detail Sonali Dev put into the PTSD that Yash experienced. It was all around a great addition to the series, and one that I'll be re-reading along with the rest of them!

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev is the third in a series of Jane Austen retellings. As a JA Purist, I typically pass on the “Read Alike”, so this is the first of this series that I have read. The description of this one, along with the fact that Sense and Sensibility is one of my favorites, made me curious enough that I picked it up. Incense and Sensibility holds up fine as a Stand Alone, although no doubt having read the first two might have made it easier for me to sort out all the players earlier.
Yash is a bright young friend of the Dashwood Family, and is running as the first serious Indian gubernatorial candidate in California. It is well known that he has a long-distance relationship with beautiful, successful Naina with plans to marry someday. When the novel begins, Yash has just been shot while speaking, the victim of a hate crime. Naina is in the audience, and the press is quick to capture videos of her rushing to his side sobbing over his fallen body. Thus ensues an interesting saga complete with cover-ups for hidden anxieties, a female ex-Marine Bodyguard, a Yoga/Stress Management Coach, a Fake Romance Trope, etc. This was a fun, quick read and has made me strongly consider going back and picking up the first two books in the series by this extremely captivating writer!
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC for this book.
#IncenseandSensibility #NetGalley

As the third book in the series, Incense and Sensibility focuses on Yash Raje. Yash is a politician who arrives to be a public servant. Yash's reasons for struggling with trust were well established in the earlier books in the series, and this is a series where I recommend reading the others first. This book goes deeper exploring how his previous troubles affected him and into realms I haven't seen explored in romance before.

India Dashwood is such an amazing protagonist. She had practiced yoga her entire life and is a incredibly grounded. She is such a great match for Yash. The contrast with her sister China was a bit tougher for me, as China seemed so changed from who she was in the previous books.

I often have mixed feelings about romances featuring politicians, as I am rather cynical about politics. But the descriptions of Yash led me to be hopeful. I really enjoyed the approach to political service here.

This book is a wrenching, emotional romance with a very slow burn. It got me in all the feelings. And there's an adorable pug named Chutney. What more could I ask for in a story?

Thank you to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

TW: shooting, anxiety

I've read all three of Sonali Dev's Raje books and Incense and Sensibility is as great as the first two. The books are modern takes on Jane Austen novels. The characters are so well-developed I feel like I know them in "real life". I love the diverse characters and have grown to really appreciate each and every one. While the books are marketed as romances, they're so much deeper. Some of the outcomes are predictable, but so what, so is real life. Kudos to Ms Dev for daring to take a progressive stance during these divisive times. Praying for a fourth Raje book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book.

This was my favorite in the series. I really love everything about India. Her character is so selfless and warm and thoughtful. I loved how healing and calming her touch was to everyone around her.

Yashe was not my favorite character but he definitely grew on me especially learning his backstory. I loved that he just wanted to serve the people and had such a heart for them through running for governor.

It was very well written with endearing characters.

Heat Factor: This book is like 90% pining. The other 10% is political stuff and a few kisses.
Character Chemistry: “We had an immediate connection, but then you ghosted me, and now you’re engaged to someone else, but I still have feelings for you.”
Plot: After Yash survives an assassination attempt on the campaign trail, his family encourages him to learn some meditation techniques from India to help him get back in the saddle. Too bad nobody knows that he and India had one beautiful day of connection many years ago.
Overall: I’ll be honest, it took me a while to settle into this one. It doesn’t help that the characters don’t even start interacting until solidly a third into the book.

In reading this book, I came to the conclusion that Sense and Sensibility is challenging to translate into a genre romance in a way that both really captures the original and meets the expectations of today’s readers. Austen’s original is really about the relationship between Eleanor and Marianne (or perhaps, the contrast in the ways they view the world). Retellings, therefore, either have weak romantic plots, or they choose to focus on only one sister and lose the contrast. In this case, the Marianne / sensibility plotline is shortened, and Dev focuses on the Eleanor / sense arc, which sort of bums me out because I love Col. Brandon (but let’s be real, mainly because of Alan Rickman).

On the other hand, Dev has achieved what I had always assumed was an impossible feat: she made me sympathize with the Edward Ferrars stand-in.

So, basic premise. Yash Raje is running for governor of California. Some jerk tries to shoot him and his bodyguard takes the bullet, all of which leads to a bit of a personal crisis—which is so not what his campaign needs right now. Enter India Dashwood, yoga teacher, wellness coach, and his sisters’ friend. Also, the one woman with whom he has ever felt a deep and true connection, except they had one beautiful day together and then he never called her. (Classic Edward Ferrars move, if you ask me.) Also of note: he’s been engaged to his best friend Naina for years, except, whoops, this is a fake engagement of convenience. Obviously, India feels hurt by this, but she still feels the connection and won’t turn someone away who needs her help, so she swallows her pride and starts teaching him to meditate.

There is a lot of angst here. And a lot of pining, because they both feel the connection, but they can’t be together. Yash can’t break up with Naina right after she was photographed crying over his wounded body, and he *definitely* can’t admit to the world that he’s been lying about their relationship for years. And he can’t have an affair, because he can’t cheat on his fake fiancée. All of that would be bad for his political career—but his political career is tied up in his family and his identity and his desires to make the world better. Dev really successfully teases out the pressures that Yash faces and his internal conflict, such that he comes across as sympathetic rather than as a spineless weasel.

India is more immediately sympathetic, in that she’s longing for this man that she can’t have (she doesn’t know the engagement is fake). She does have some self-abnegating tendencies, but that’s to be expected, given the source material. Sidenote: casting the Eleanor character as a yoga practitioner who purposely works through her meditation practice to calm her emotions makes complete sense.

You might have noticed that I’ve used the words longing and pining and angst in this review. This is definitely a sloooooooow burn, where the sexiest thing that happens is a touch fraught with emotion. While Yash and India have decent chemistry when they finally get going, it took too long to get there for my taste.

India’s sister China does fulfill the role of headstrong Marianne, and her story is cute if a bit cursory. However, the contrast between the two sisters is less thematically central than in the original, which makes China’s arc feel a bit crammed in.

Overall? There were some lovely bits in this book, but it’s not my favorite of the series.

PS: I can’t wait for Naina’s redemption story. I see you, Knightlina.


I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.