I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Rules of Arrangement by Anisha Bhatia is a Women’s Fiction novel with romantic elements.
Zoya Sahni wants to be a good daughter, but fulfilling the dreams her parents have for her may mean letting go of her dreams. At age 27, Zoya is close to being on the shelf, and her parents are getting desperate for her to get married. On the marriage mart, Zoya is considered to be too fat, too dark, and too old, but amazingly enough, Lalit Khurana asks her to marry him, and everyone appears to be happy except Zoya because she has dreams of working for a large advertising agency in New York, dreams that are not out of reach because her boss Arnav Bajaj has recommended her for a position and it’s just up to her to ace that interview. I enjoyed reading this book tremendously. It had the perfect balance of humour and angst, a heroine who had you cheering for her and wonderful secondary characters who added much to the story. I highly recommend this book. Steam Level: Kissing Only Publishing Date: July 13, 2021. #TheRulesOfArrangement #AnishaBhatia #NetGalley #AlcovePress #WomensFictionNovel #ContemporaryWomensFiction #bookstagram #bookstagrammer

Thank you to the author, Alcove Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am really torn on this one - a romantic comedy around arranged marriage in India, and the family drama inherent in that, and with a great protagonist. On the other hand, it's been a very long while since I read a book with so many toxic attitudes, and so much shaming of various persons and groups. Fat shaming, thin shaming, colorism, misogyny, transphobia, ageism, bullying, slut shaming, Islamophobia. I kept reading thinking the characters would grow and develop, using the harmful stereotypes and ideas they were caught up in as a springboard to overcome them. Unfortunately, nothing of this kind happened. Since the topics of marriage, gender, and job roles in Indian society were the foundation of the story, I assumed these were issues that would be looked at. They were, but only very briefly and the grossly problematic whole rest of the book overwhelmed these brief mentions.

This is the first book I've read by the author and thought it was fantastic. I loved every second of the big noisy family, and would be very happy if there was a sequel.

A good, easy romance novel, with a difference.

At the ripe old age of 26, modern Mumbai marketing professional, Zoya Sahni, is in danger of being left on the shelf. While she (mostly) loves her life and has been happily focused on building her career, as her cousin Aisha's nuptials approach, Zoya succumbs to family pressure and allows her matchmaker auntie Sheila to begin introducing some 'boys'. Meanwhile, increased attention from her boss, Arnav, is leaving Zoya feeling flustered.

You can guess where this is heading, and I'm sure you'd be at least 98% correct. But I think the trick with romance novels, apart from being in the right mood for it, is to let yourself enjoy the journey even when you know the destination. And Bhatia takes us on a fun but unusual journey with the lovable character of Zoya.

What's so different? First of all, this is middle-class Mumbai, a stratum of society that (at least in my experience) doesn't get a great deal of attention in literature. Not so wealthy as to be alienating, and not so poor that compromises are inevitable. As an armchair traveller, Zoya's world was new to me. The other big thing - no pun or offence intended - is that Zoya is a plus-sized character, or 'filled-out in body' as they say in the online marriage profiles. It was really interesting to see where Bhatia would take this aspect of the story. For probably the first half of the book I couldn't really feel any sense of empowerment coming through, but by the end I was satisfied with how it was handled.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and a fun book to spend a couple of days with.

I really wanted to like this book. Part of it was that I went into it expecting romance and it really isn't a romance novel. So I was a bit set up for disappointment on that end. However, I think the book tried to do too many things. There were so many storylines and subplots, which never got fleshed out enough for me to care about them. Instead of focusing on a couple of core plots, the impact just got so diluted. I also had a hard time connecting with most of the characters, several of whom were incredibly unlikable.

In this novel, we walk hand-in-hand with a girl in Mumbai who is trying to come to terms with what she wants out of life, even under heavy social expectations. Zoya speaks directly to the reader, coy and fun and brimming with dry remarks about the everyday humor of her life. As she embarks on a trying, stressful journey to get engaged and be a perfect daughter, she imparts "rules of arranged marriage" to the reader that match with her experiences. In the midst of her own comedic adventures and other family dramas, she also secretly applies for a promotion that would send her to New York. Throughout the story, she must try to reconcile her dreams with her efforts to make her family happy.

Beyond the fun writing style, there were some really beautiful plotlines in this story. The one I loved most was the unravelling of Zoya's aunt. In the beginning, Sheila Bua is introduced as a busybody matchmaker with a less-than-perfect understanding but enthusiastic appreciation of gifs. Throughout Zoya's own turmoil, she learns more and more about her aunt's history and passions. Each new revelation brings Sheila Bua into new focus as a full person, and I found that journey to be highly relevant and touching. The other plotline I most enjoyed was Zoya's grappling with the idea that marriage is not a cure-all for life's ills. Engagement is not a success so profound that it wipes away anything challenging. It may even introduce new challenges of its own. There is also a nice romance in the background, but it doesn't take center stage in Zoya's story.

I do want to give readers a trigger warning on this one. Zoya experiences a lot of fatphobia and fat-shaming throughout the book in the form of direct comments and passive aggressive pressures. Zoya has also internalized a lot of shame about her appearance and even projects the same thinking onto others. She has a particularly volatile relationship with a cousin that largely devolves into taunts about physical appearance. Zoya is also very aware of and even snide about others' weight, whether viewed as too fat or too thin. No person or character can be expected to be relentlessly body positive, so I don't fault Zoya for her struggle to see herself in a beautiful light. However, the pervasiveness of the shame makes for a difficult read, especially when thinking of one's own body image issues. So use that knowledge to decide if you're in the headspace for this read before you pick it up.

I really enjoyed this story's Indian atmosphere and cultural representation. I felt like I learned a lot and gained a great perspective on the culture. I wasn't really connected to the characters or the plot though. I did not enjoy the romance aspect at all. I just could not get myself interested in any of it. Overall, I think a 3 stars is good for this story because I did enjoy the atmosphere.

In this book, Anisha Bhatia captures the Indian life and thus, my desi heart. When I first saw this book, it was a non-brainer, me requesting it, and I am honestly so glad I did, because The Rules of Arrangements is absolutely brilliant. It is funny, but stark in it's message about women like me, like us, and it was that relatability of the story that makes it all the more special for me.

I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This novel is fun and relatable as Zoya is a down to earth heroine trying to make her way in the world.

I'm really divided about this one. On the one hand I liked that Zoya is a plus size heroine who is willing to step outside what's expected of her. On the other hand, she's not kind to other women. And. there's other things as well. That said. I enjoyed the family dynamics and the setting. The romance- not so much. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I suspect I'll be the odd one out on this one and that others will adore both Zoya and the story.

Hi this book has a pub date of July 13, 2021. It was archived prior to the pub date (by at least a month) by the publisher. I would have read it closer to pub date and provided feedback but was not allowed the opportunity.

I am absolutely living for books like this. I think Anisha Bhatia nailed this one. I love diving into such a beautiful and unique culture of which I know so little about. I found it funny but still touching on important themes. I also found Zoya to be very well-rounded and unlike other characters we normally read about in similar settings.

This is fun for anyone who wants a joy ride through NYC during a random steamy summer! The protagonist takes the world by storm and it’s a wild (hard to fathom yet entertaining) ride!

I loved the description of this book, but I just couldn't get past the relentless fatphobia in the book. Zoya is constantly making terrible comments about her body and the bodies of the people around her. I pushed through the first three chapters where it was relentless, but the further I got into the book, the less I felt that Zoya was going to change the way she thought about fatness.

The reason this gets two stars and I didn't put it down immediately is Sheila Bua. Despite Zoya's early criticisms of her aunt, Sheila Bua immediately stands out as the most interesting character in the story, and I kept reading to see where her storyline would go.

The life of wealthy Mumbai young women is full of luxury and modern amenities, but for some matters it is still governed by traditions, especially when it comes to marriage. A young woman must marry before she is 25, to a young man presented to her by her parents, and she must smile, be thin and fair-skinned. She can’t be overly interested in her career, she can’t utter her opinions in front of prospective in-laws, she can’t paint her nails black and fart when doing yoga.

I downloaded the review copy of this book expecting light romance, but this is slightly misleading. While the book indeed has some tropes of the genre (happy ending, love triangle, office romance…), it is more about a young woman breaking away from social conventions and family expectations to forge her own destiny. The love story is not really the center stage here.

Zoya is very good at her marketing job, but she is fat and dark-skinned, and her chances of marrying well are shrinking fast, to the despair of her family, especially her mother and aunt. Zoya can’t really say no to them both as they conspire to get her married to a wealthy young man. It doesn’t seem to matter that he is actually a health and fitness freak, while Zoya doesn’t do sport, that his calorie-counting mother wants her prospective daughter-in-law to stay home and dutifully have kids, while Zoya dreams of New York. It doesn’t matter that the young man might have a few skeletons in his cupboard, especially when Zoya’s family may have been totally lying when presenting her as well. Indeed, this is not a match made in heaven.

There were quite a few weaknesses in the book, starting with this weird pigeonholing in the wrong genre. Secondary characters are rather schematic, the pacing is a bit uneven and the ending predictable from the get-go. Some scenes seem more than implausible (but plausibility and romance are not known to go hand in hand). Also, I can’t avoid mentioning that the novel is not even attempting to sugar-coat the fatphobic remarks that Zoya encounters every day from everyone, including in her own train of thoughts (Zoya is a strong character but nowhere near perfect). I understand that the book might not be for everyone but I guess it’s a reflect of Indian culture as well.

Still, The Rules of Arrangement has redeeming qualities. I really enjoyed the immersion in Indian culture (and that the author expects us to take it in stride, instead of dumbing it down with too much exoticism). We might have come in for a Bollywood glittery story, but we get to see how much stress and sadness there is behind the curtain for the women. I enjoyed how the writer shows the complexity of mothers and aunts who put pressure on daughters to perpetuate a tradition they themselves were also victims of.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC exchange for a review. The rules of arrangement I initially thought going in was going to be romance heavy however I enjoyed what it truly was about and that was about perusing one's own dreams even if that clashes with one's culture. I really enjoyed how Zoya went through a journey of finding herself even when at moments as a reader you thought she was making a mistake. My favorite character was Shelia Bua although in the beginning she is annoying and pushy you see towards the end where all her intentions come from and that is from her not being allowed to peruse her dreams. Although the fatphobia around this book made me uncomfortable at times and broke my heart for the main character I enjoyed how her family in the end supported her dream to leave and spread her wings. I also enjoyed the bit of romance the Zoya experienced and wish we got more of it.

I absolutely loved this book. I love a non-traditional MC and The Rules of Arrangement gives us a great one in Zoya. Zoya is a 26-year-old, overweight, Indian woman who has decided to focus on her career despite her family's and aunties worries that she might never be married. This book tackles a lot of cultural issues with skin color, weight, age, and how women are valued. It does not shy away from difficult topics or language and though it doesn't always sit right with you, I think the specific, and very troubling language used feels even more real.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I decided to DNF this due to the fact that I wasn't enjoying the story.I also think that the main character was bland and didn't really have much too her.I definitely could not stand her family and their behaviour was so unnecessary also the fatpgobia in this book started to trigger me and the way her family would be so disgusting to someone they say they care so much about.I feel like maybe this book just wasn't for me

The Rules of Arrangement follows the life of Zoya, a 26 year old with a good career but to be 26 and unmarried also means that her aunties are full on trying to find Zoya a match. Zoya struggles between her families traditions and her own dreams when she's off meeting potential matches and also applying for a promotion in New York.

This was such a good read. The Rules of Arrangement is a heartwarming, funny and energizing story about a lovely main character, Zoya. I loved the setting in Bombay, it was really refreshing to read more about Indian culture. The romance was cute but there could've been more of it in my opinion. All the characters were great and the banter between the characters was really fun.

Even though the story was a bit predictable it was still a very enjoyable read. The ending felt a bit abrupt but maybe I just wanted it to go on a bit longer. I definitely think that fans of stories like Crazy Rich Asians will also enjoy The Rules of Arrangement. I sure did!

There’s a lot I didn’t love about this—the fatphobia, parts of Zoya’s personality, the pregnancy scare, the romance (which was flat), and (honestly) the first third of the book—but I did enjoy the way Bhatia describes India and the dynamics of Zoya’s family and friends.

There are some elements of Bridget Jones in here that resonated with me, so if that’s appealing to you then I would pick this up.