I just loved this book. I think I'm in a rom-com phase right now and I feel like reading these books, cause they make me feel good. I'm thankful that I got to read this one in advance, thanks to PRH International.
This book is beautiful in so many ways and one thing I loved the most about it is all the Indian culture that is present in this book. There are so many things I didn't know, that I had to google and therefore I got a little bit more educated on a lot of subjects. I love books that can make me feel good, but also teach me things at the same time!

I loved Niki, the main character. She's a woman in tech *like me* and I loved that about her! We need more books about women who are this cool. She's 29, she's still living with her parents, she lost her job and she decides to go to Mumbai and take part in her best friend's wedding. A rush decision that changed her life in so many ways. Niki's journey to Mumbai made me want to try all the delicious food she was talking about, visit all those beautiful places and have fun like her!

Niki is a strong character, even though she doesn't see it at first. But her journey in this book is so inspirational and it made me think of how many times I should've said "yes" instead of "no".

Niki has always been the good daughter and done what was expected. When her carefully designed life starts to fall apart she makes an impulsive decision to travel to her friend's wedding in India. Niki discovers things she never knew about herself in India. Can she find a way to be a good daughter and be true to herself? A story of family, expectations, and finding yourself..

This book was so cute! It was a little short but I like short in my romcoms. The relationship between Sam and Nikki was super cute, sweet and flirty. I really like how this book was on the light side but also discussed identity, personal growth, and brought the family aspect home. I would have enjoyed a happier ending but overall a cute book.

This book was cute. I really loved Sam's mom. Like, I could read a whole book about her. Overall, I thought Sam and Niki's relationship was sweet, I liked the strong female friendships, I like the strong family dynamic. This was a fun, festive read.

Absolutely adorable romance with just the right balance of soul searching and plot depth. I look forward to the 2023 release featuring the protagonist's sister, Jasmine.

A very cute story though a little short. I liked it overall but I’m not a fan of “insta-love” and all-in-all the plot revolved around finding a man to make her parents happy. The end fell flat for me as I wanted more of an HEA for our couple. Sometimes “more realistic” isn’t the most satisfying. I did appreciate the theme around Diwali and what it means to so many people. If you’re looking for a cute, funny, quick read with no steam, this one is for you.

This was a cute rom-com, with likeable and relatable characters. I was expecting Diwali to play a larger role considering the title, which was a bit disappointing. Overall a enjoyable and light read.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Holly Jolly Diwali is a perfect holiday read about identity, family, and finding your passions sprinkled with a swoon-worthy romance. Sonya Lalli is known for writing stories within Women’s Fiction that center on the main character’s growth as a person rather than putting the focus of the story on the love they find/do not find. And although A Holly Jolly Diwali is marketed as a romance, I think what stole the story was, again, Niki’s journey to finally take charge of her life and pursue avenues that truly made her happy within her career and within her social life. As someone who is also Type A like Niki, I liked watching her come out of her shell and think about what things actually deserve her time and attention in her life.

I also liked the discussions about socioeconomic class, identity, and family that Niki and Jasmine have as daughters of first-generation desi immigrant parents. The scenes in which Niki described how she felt always being compared to Jasmine were deeply accurate for the children of desi immigrant parents who grew up with siblings. I also thought that Niki’s relationship with her roots back in India was explored perfectly. It’s very common for second-generation Americans to feel disconnected with their home country, culture, and language. I especially loved the discussions about the socioeconomic status of Niki’s family (who are of the working class) and how their inability to pay for trips back to India inadvertently caused Niki and Jasmine to be more disconnected with their culture. I also liked the discussions of colorism, casteism, and rape culture in India and how instead of fully bashing on Indian culture, the Sonya Lalli pointed out that it's the people who are abusing their power that are causing these cultures to exist.

Lastly, I can’t end this review without talking about my new fave: Sameer Mukherji. This is the first time I’ve read a South Asian rom-com (let alone rom-coms period) in which the love interest is Bengali. And the fact that he has a British accent with long shaggy black hair (I’m literally just picturing Dev Patel at this point), and calls her ‘love’ killed me. This man literally swept both Niki and me off my feet and I’m obsessed with his mom, Asha Auntie (yes Bengalis are just as cool as Niki thinks they are). I do wish the book was slightly longer and that his relationship with Niki was a little more developed. Their love was a little rushed and insta-lovey, but I believe that with a longer plot and more of a slowburn romance, I would have fully believed Sam's feelings for Niki throughout and at the end of the book. Their moments during the book and in the epilogue were very cute though!

Overall, if you’re looking for a festive PG-13 romance, I definitely recommend A Holly Jolly Diwali!

This was a cute Insta love story that takes place in Seattle, Mumbai, and Goa.

The beginning and the very end touch on Diwali briefly but seeing as this was part of the title I expected more? I enjoyed a lot of the banter, the Mc was funny at times, but 50% in a lot felt repetitive. Insta love is a hard trope for me to love cause if I am not sold on the romance I feel meh about the whole book, which is the case here. As with most romances we have the “fight” that makes or breaks the couple and it felt rushed and not flushed out.

There were a few scenes in which India is described that I felt played into problematic stereotypes and maybe that was the point but truly not sure where the author was going with that.

As someone who feels removed from her roots a lot of the time, I did understand a lot of that inner dilemma the MC was having in not feeling like enough.

Even though the MC, Niki Randhawa, is 29, A Holly Jolly Diwali has a New Adult. We learn about Niki’s career, family life, and dating life – well, lack of dating.

Niki’s made life choices, like her career as a data analyst, to please her immigrant parents. Unlike her free-spirited, well-traveled older sister, Jasmine. When Niki’s laid off, she rethinks her approach and decides to give in to impulses. Like booking a flight to Mumbai for her best friend Diya’s wedding, to celebrate Diwali, and meet her extended family to explore her Sikh heritage.

Then she unexpectedly meets Sam. And there’s an insta-attraction. Does she totally give in to champagne-fueled impulses or does she hang onto her plan for the future mindset?

What I liked:
• The strong female friendships
• The supportive family relationships
• Niki’s relatability – especially her conflicted feelings about pleasing family vs herself
• Learning about Diwali and Sikh/Hindu culture -descriptions are so vivid
• The sweet, flirty banter between Niki and Sam
• Sam’s mom is the kind of Auntie I’d love to have! She seemed a touch like Blanche from the Golden Girls, in the best way
• The acknowledgment that the tech world is tough on women, especially women of color

What I wasn’t crazy about:
Niki’s constant questioning of what Diwali is and why it’s celebrated. She couldn’t Google? Ask someone in her Indian community at home?

Overall, a sweet, flirty, and charming novel highlighting Indian culture. The descriptions are lush; the banter is clever. Perfect for fans of Shauna Robinson or Annika Sharma.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book. I enjoyed Ms. Lalli’s previous novel Serna Singh Flips the Script very much and I am so grateful for the chance to review Holly Jolly Diwali. Unfortunately, I just learned that someone else at my review site will be reviewing this and I don't want to duplicate their work. Again, thank you and I hope the new reviewer likes the book as much as I enjoyed Ms. Lalli's previous novel. https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/serena-singh-flips-the-script-by-sonya-lalli/ I look forward to reading this when it comes out in October and possibly reviewing future novels by Ms. Lalli.

A sweet holiday romance that FINALLY focuses on a holiday other than Christmas. What a delight! My main issue with the story is there was so much potential to truly dive in and tell a complex, in-depth story. So much is glossed over-- Niki's visit with her family, the separation of Niki and Sam, the development of the relationship between Niki and Sam... this is fine for being a trade paperback romance. It's fantastic that it's a trade paperback romance that focuses on something other than saving the village cookie shop at Christmas or whatever. I just wish the author had gone for the MORE.

"A Holly Jolly Diwali" by Sonya Lalli
Release Date: 10.5.2021

Niki Randhawa is 29-years old and completely level headed. She's practical and meticulous. Even though she loves music and art, she chose her career as an analyst, because it is a stable job. Niki stays close to home, in case she's needed. She's dated good guys that her parents would approve of, even if they do not give Niki goosebumps. She's a good girl.

Niki is suddenly laid off, and she realizes that being practical has not paid off. Her hard work did not pay off. She books a last-minute flight for her friend's wedding in Mumbai.

Niki arrives in India right as Diwali starts. She meets Sameer Mukherji, a London musician, and Niki feels an instant attraction. Sam is the complete opposite of Niki: rebellious, passionate, and free spirited. She is not sure if it is just because she is caught in the moment, but she likes this new feeling. During the wedding, Niki and Sam banter and drink champagne.

Niki and Sam join her friend, Diya and her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon. Niki and Sam's relationship only grows. Sam helps Niki pursue her love of art and music. Niki receives a new job offer while on "honeymoon," and she must decide if she wants to stick with the status quo or live a bold and exciting life following Sam to London!

I really enjoyed this book. I felt a connection with Niki with her decisions about her career and family. When she lost her job, I completely knew what it was like for the universe to change plans. Niki and Sam are perfect together, and I am happy to have learned more about the Festival of Lights!

Thank you, @netgalley, for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

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1.5 stars rounded up - I didn't like it, but I finished it so it was ok at best.

Sonya Lalli is a decent writer with a knack for making her characters feel real, relatable, and multidimensional. This was a book about a young woman realizing that while she was busy playing by the rules and making sure she was the "good Indian daughter" her parents didn't have to worry about, the people who broke all the rules and didn't give a hoot about disappointing their parents and danced to the beat of their own drum were leading successful, interesting, uncompromising lives. They weren't any worse off for not doing things properly and disobeying their parents, and she wasn't necessarily better off for having complied with everyones rules and expectations.

So in an impulsive move unlike her typical nature, after she suddenly get laid off from her job, Niki takes off to attend her friend's wedding - in India. A country whose culture and ethnicity she embodies but ultimately a place she has never been. In India, she meets the bride's friend Sam(eer) and what ensues is a flirtatious game of will they or won't they admit their feelings for each other and realize that what's going on between them is more than just a wedding "fling".

It's insta-love romance, sometimes funny, and good for anyone looking for that "love overcomes all obstacles" kind of story.

There are very specific reasons that I didn't like this book and I wrote a massive essay about it here and then deleted it because I think the review is too spoiler-y, harsh and severe in its criticism of the novel and novelist pre-publication. I will probably update this review after publication with specific examples in the book that I didn't like/appreciate. If anyone reading this really wants to know the specifics, send me a DM. But I'll summarize it like this: I had high hopes for this romance novel specifically because of the South Asian representation. And in the end I felt like I read a book about how Niki met and fell in love with Sam because he was the only nice stranger in all of India that she encountered. The India Sonya Lalli describes through Niki's lens is a smoggy, hot mess. It's dangerous, dirty, rude, ungrateful, ungracious, and its traditions, customs, and beliefs are nonchalant, loosey goosey, open to interpretation and can/should be completely disregarded when possible. Ultimately, I cannot relate to Nikki and Sonya Lalli's harrowing, stereotypical, caricature-like depiction of Indians and India. And how is it that not a single person Niki met in India could tell her why they, or any Hindu, celebrates Diwali? A religious holiday held in celebration of a god or symbol is not exactly a free-for-all holiday, in my opinion. And if Niki really wanted to know about the meaning, purpose and history of Diwali, she literally could've googled it on her phone. But I don't think she actually wanted to learn or embrace Hinduism, the culture or India at all.

So, despite having high hopes, this book was barely just ok for me. In the end, the negative atmosphere overwhelmed the lukewarm romance between two very confused and directionless lead characters.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley Romance, and Netgalley for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Woohoo! In my opinion: This is so far the best book of the author! It was like watching a riveting, heartfelt, entertaining romcom. I already visualized each scenes in my head. One of my favorite scenes of the book depicted at its lovely cover: Niki in her vivid yellow sari held in Sam’s arms, facing away from the pool and squinting at him, slightly leaning backward as the fireworks erupted! That’s the night they met!

I already worked on cast options and visualized Niki as Alia Bahatt and Sam from the Band …well, actually I went back and forth between Sidhart Malhotra and Shahid Kapoor ( actually my first choice was Ranbir Kapoor but he might be a little older for the character)

Anyways: this book has everything for my romcom craving soul but this is not only a random love story. It’s about self discovery, family conflicts, cultural discovery, reconnecting with your roots story! It was also educational to learn more about Sikhism and Hinduism and their rituals, differences.

Niki was data analytics manager at a start up that sold e-products who was hired straight out of college as analyst and easily climbed the corporate ladders. Yes, I’m using past tense. Because she got sacked! Yes, after spending her years working her ass off to get her promotion one year ago for moving out from her parents’ house now she is going back to ground zero! She didn’t take risks, she didn’t fool around. She was always the responsible, all work no play girl, a quiet workaholic, a good daughter never flirts with random guys. Is this the way how universe rewards her!

She always envies her sister Jasmine who is going with flow, getting risky decisions, doing the opposite what her parents told. But she has her dream job, living with her boyfriend: she has it all. This is not fair!

Well, the same day she’s sagged, she reluctantly goes an arranged date with flirty doctor Raj. ( thanks to her nosy parents) When she hits the bar with her date, getting too drunk, motivated by the extra flirting doctor, she calls her bestie Diya who is going to marry in a few days and as an unemployed 29 years old single woman she has no better things to do to fly to Mumbai and attend her best friend’s wedding.

This may be a great way to reconnect with her roots by visiting her relatives and traveling to the places where her parents came from.

Of course her lack of knowledge about Punjabi culture, her fashion style and lack of language skills create some issues to connect with people. But thankfully Aasha Auntie takes her under her wings and insists to arrange her a date with her son. She rejects at first but when she discovers her so is the same guy at the band she’s ogling all night long, she has second thoughts.

Sam from the band a.k.a. Sameer: Diya’s childhood best friend, chased his dream to be a musician, moving LA with his sister instead of getting a secure job in Mumbai, then moving to Europe to tour around with his band at several venues. He’s her polar opposite: a rebel, pursuing his dreams in music , passionate, free spirited, going with the flow.

But their attraction is mutual and as their connections get deeper after attending honeymooners’ vacation in Goa, Niki realizes she has to make a decision about her next path she’ll follow in her life! Should she go back to the states, dating with her awaiting, family approved doctor, finding a secure job or taking risks and following Sam to London to start a new life without knowing what future brings!

Overall: I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 happy Festival of Lights, long distance relationship, feel good romance stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This is perfect for fans of When Dimple Met Rishi, but for readers who are a little older. My only issue is the fact that although the characters are 29, they still do things that make it sound like they're in high school. Other than that, I loved this a lot more and Sameer was definitely my favorite character! Full review will be up on pop-culturalist!