DNF'd at 33% - the writing was too over the top and the characters felt like caricatures of people so I couldn't connect to the story

Sara Desai knows how to write ridiculous and outrageous characters in such a loveable and fun way which made this book a win for me. Though I liked it much more than The Marriage Game, it wasn't quite as good as The Dating Plan.
This is a grumpy/sunshine enemies to lovers romance book following Zahra, a free-spirited and energetic lawyer, and Jay, a serious veteran who now owns a security company. The two meet as opponents during a paintball game and soon forge a tense bond where Zahra will search for a relationship for Jay, because his mother wants to see him with someone, and Jay will introduce Zahra to his famous clients.
A kind of flimsy premise they are mostly together by the time either of them are in a place to fulfill their end of the bargain, but it's cute nonetheless.
Things I loved: Zahra. She is such a fun character but there is also a ton of depth and background to her that makes her so real. A lot of authors try for the fun-loving eccentric lead but they often make them caricatures. I felt like Zahra was a perfect example of this done well.
I also love Jay and his backstory. This is a cute romcom that deals with deeper topics like PTSD and I thought Desai handled it well. I also am a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine book and this couple is just the epitome of that. Their love for each other shone off the page which is what I most want from a romance novel.
The things I didn't like so much: I felt like a lot of the side characters veered too much towards ridiculous. The aunties and Zahra's co-workers for example were just way too much. This is also a petty complaint but there was no Layla/Sam or Daisy/Liam in this book. They were only mentioned once even though the author has the perfect opportunity to show their wedding. Since Layla and Daisy were so close, it made this book seem set apart from the first two in the series and it was kind of out of place.

If you want to laugh out loud one page and swoon the next, check out this stunning book by Sara Desai.

This is, by far and away, my favorite Sara Desai book yet! I absolutely loved this one--full of banter, and fun, and laugh-out-loud moments, it reminded me a bit of The Hating Game (another recent read of mine). As a lawyer myself, I also love that Zara shows us that not all of us fall into a mold, and you can be yourself even in an old-school profession. Zara is entertaining without being annoying, which is a hard balance to achieve for quirky heroines. Some are so hot mess you can't stand them but Zara truly has her sh*t together while still be quirky.

I think with the previous two books I was experiencing romance burnout reading them back to back, but having a little separation before reading this one elevated the experience. This one was also pleasantly steamier, and the chemistry between the two leads was off the charts!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Loved this one so much! It's full of witty banter, swoon worthy moments and everything that makes a wonderful story. I think I liked this one even more than The Dating Plan, which I LOVED!

I fell in love with the concept of The Singles Table immediately. There's this delightful, electric, almost sizzling chemistry and tension from the beginning. How it seems, on paper, that Zara and Jay couldn't be more opposite. Their push and pull dynamic is sure to cause sparks - but maybe not all good? In The Singles Table we are able to see through both perspectives. While that normally makes it much easier to fall in love with the characters, it took me until about 50% to love Jay.

At the beginning, he was standoffish and guarded. Only through getting to know Jay, did I realize what he was hiding behind his defenses. He doesn't like to be vulnerable - although who does? - but because of that, we see, at the beginning, only their differences. However, as you continue to read, you'll get to know Jay and see his own sense of vulnerability. Zara, on the other hand, was an instant win. She's passionate, almost like a whirlwind, and say hello to denial!

Zara Patel is this crazy celeb-obsessed attorney who loves her single life. She makes sure to dodge all the aunties during the wedding season by hooking everyone else up. She reserves her spot at the singles table but she never remains there. She is too busy playing match makers until this season she realizes she may actually find her match.

At her table, she is introduced to a grumpy military security personnel, Jay Donovan. He is definitely adding a sour vibe to the mix but she is determined to pair him up with someone. Jay doesn’t mind since his mother has been riding him to find the perfect woman. He agrees to Zara’s scheme. All he has to do is let her in on where he will be with his celebrity clients. The problem is that Zara thought pairing Jay with a woman would be easy but she finds herself wanting to be with him.

This book is so hilarious and zany. I really love the cast of mix characters. We get to see old and new from the series. There are some really fun times and the chemistry between Jay and Zara are off the charts. This is the perfect blend of rom-com meets opposites attract. I couldn’t pair two different characters together for the perfect romance if I wanted to.

Jay is top-level book boyfriend. Yes, he is a bit grumpy and very militant but he loosens up and he allows Zara to be Zara. He also has some PTSD from childhood and his family. The author could have gone deeper on that issue but I understand that she may wanted to keep the light feeling. The only thing that annoyed me was the back and forth with the characters. The push and pull feeling is never attractive to me in romance novels but they are a ploy many uses, that I tend to accept it.

Overall, I can’t wait to see who is next up in this series. Fans for a fun light hearted read should definitely pick up this book. You didn’t even have to read the first book in the series.

~ Samantha

This was one of my anticipated reads for the second half of 2021 and it didn't disappoint. This was an absolutely amazing romcom and definitely what I needed coming up to the holiday season.

This was a cute romance! I've read Sara Desai's other books and have always found them to be sweet, light romances and this one was no exception. I wouldn't say that it's going to stick with me for an extended period of time, or that it was super memorable, but it was still a fun story that I think many will enjoy! 3.5 stars from me! Thank you to Netgallety and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sunshine/Grump Trope= Yes!
Witty banter full of tension= Yes!
A matchmaking arrangement= Yes!
Wedding shenanigans= Yes!
Steam= Yes, please!

The Singles Table is full of everything a good romcom needs!

An entertaining, whirlwind romantic comedy of opposites attracting and finding love exactly when they don’t want to, “The Singles Table” pairs up conservative, in control Jay with disaster prone Zara. In order to find Jay a match, the two have to spend time together and discover alone the way that sometimes opposites really do balance each other out. The ending went on a little longer than it needed to, but still wrapped up in a satisfyingly cinematic way. Both Zara and Jay have to change how they view themselves and relationships but I was glad that neither had to change themselves to make their fragile truce turn into a lovely romance. Overall a fun a high energy rom-com.

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

I've spent many of my days at the singles table of various friends weddings over the years, so when I saw a book that had that title in it I was intrigued to read. Not to mention that this was also about Indian weddings, which I have never been too, but I have always wanted to go to.

Zara the perpetual single, has a flair for life that I wish I had. She can wear bright colors and see the best in everything. Jay, the former military love interest, is much more my speed. Focused on his goals and doesn't tolerate distractions. Unless that distraction is getting hit in the ass at paintball. The story follows their less than conventional, yet sexy story of getting together. And I wish their was more to read of Jay and Zara.

Bubbly lawyer Zara and grumpy CEO Jay are both constantly being introduced to potential partners at weddings. When Zara (a mini matchmaker herself) tells Jay she can find him the perfect woman in exchange for some introductions to potential work clients for herself, the two strike up a deal. And I'm guessing you know how it all ends up...⁣
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This was such a cute read with great banter, that had me invested from page one. Zara was such a likable fun character and I was laughing out loud at quite a few of her antics. And Jay, well who doesn't love a grumpy hero?

Even though The Dating Plan will forever and always be my favorite of this series, The Singles Table was an amazing addition. Filled with moments that made me laugh out loud as well as moments that had me swooning in my room in the middle of the night, this is a romance that I will definitely be recommending to my friends. Zara and Jay were so sweet together, and this is the perfect book for anyone looking for a good grumpy/sunshine romance. The angst as Zara wrestles between her desire to stay single and her growing feelings for Jay was top-tier. I saw a review comparing Zara's energy to Hazel from Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating and I think that is a perfect comparison. Zara is wild and high-spirited, and she makes me want to have that same energy. And as with any other Sara Desai book I've read, the families of the main characters are always stand-out characters. The meddling aunties never fail to be entertaining, making them one of my favorite parts of every book of this series.

This series is so much fun. I'm always a sucker for an Indian wedding and there is not shortage of them in this book. While not my favorite of the series, I found Zara to be annoying at times, this was still a solid choice. ⭐⭐⭐💫 Definitely pick this up if you are looking for an entertaining read.

I loved The Singles Table by Sara Desai. Enemies to lover and grumpy/sunshine tropes. It was an entertaining romcom with many cultural wedding details woven into a story with tension, steam, and amazing banter.

The chemistry between Zara and Jay was sizzling, and I simply adored Zara’s bubbly, energetic personality that resulted in many laughs. But oh the banter, tension, and push and pull between these two. This is the banter of my dreams. 🔥

Recommended for fans of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and Shortcake

You’re in for a delicious treat with this wonderfully hilarious romantic comedy. This is book 3 in the Marriage Game series but can easily be read as a standalone.

When opposites collide at a bachelor/bachelorette paintball outing, the sparks fly.

From the moment they meet, the energy is high. Zara Patel is an unconventional personal injury attorney who enjoys matchmaking for her friends and family on the side. Unfortunately, love is not in her cards because she’s too much for most men. Jay Dayal is an uptight and serious CEO of a security firm who lives and breathes his company. There’s no room for relationships in his life. However, when Zara catches him in a weak moment at the singles table, they make a deal for him to give her celebrity clients while she finds a perfect match for him. To his surprise, instead of wanting cultured and refined, he wants unorthodox and exciting.

I love Zara. She has an addictive enthusiasm for life and people. She makes people smile and brightens their days. Even the grumpy and uptight Jay has fallen under her spell. Jay makes her feel safe and he pays attention to her. A dangerous combination. The way he watches out for her well-being is honorable and sweet. After all, his natural protective instincts are a plus with someone like Zara who unequivocably brings disaster in her wake. Jay comes across as cocky, but he’s lonely and hiding a darkness inside that only Zara can brighten. As Zara takes his breath away and loosens him up, his smiles and thoughtfulness shine through. Zara’s zest for life is enlivening and Jay’s calm and sexy control is comforting. The perfect match.

All the characters in this book are superb. From Zara’s artistic father and his outrageous paintings of the female body to Jay’s loving mother and her biker boyfriend of many layers. Also, who couldn’t love Zara’s snarky, promiscuous BFF Parvati who watches the Autopsy Channel to chill (did I mention she’s a doctor?). And, of course, Zara’s overzealous matchmaking aunties.

I highly recommend this delightful multicultural romantic comedy about following your dreams, doing what you love, and stepping out of your comfort zone. The entertaining traditional pre-wedding and wedding antics are unforgettable and the characters are charming and extremely amusing. I’m definitely going back and reading books 1 and 2.

Thank you to Ms. Desai for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Wedding season has begun! Zara has a knack for matchmaking and she already has a few matches under her belt. Enter Jay from the singles table, whom Zara seems to have an immediate attraction too. So what does this matchmaker who is very anti-relationship do, she sets her sights on finding him a wife.

Zara is the life of the party and Jay doesn’t like to party. Regardless of being polar opposites their chemistry is 🔥.

I need to know if Zara is a real person because I want her as my bestfriend! She is carefree and completely owns up to her loud and over the top personality.

Sara Desai is a new author to me and she did not disappoint. This book was so much fun and ridiculously funny. I devoured it. I also really enjoyed how the characters were relatable with real life issues.

I feel like I liked this best of Sara Desai’s books so far. She ratchets up the spice and sex in this one and Jay is one hot main man. Zara is the quirkiest and made me laugh out loud so many times. The wrap up and ending felt abrupt but I was still satisfied overall!

Zara is a quirky, celebrity-obsessed lawyer who has decided that while love is not for her, she will make more matches that the aunties this wedding season. Jay is former military and current CEO of a security company who doesn’t have time for love. Jay and Zara make a deal - he’ll introduce her to celebrity clients and she’ll match him with someone so his mom will get off his back. The problem? The two might just be a perfect match.

This was so cute! It’s an opposites attract book: Zara is quirky, Jay is serious. They both have reasons for avoiding love, but they both grow over the course of the book. The book was ridiculous like Zara (Zombies, paintball) and serious like Jay (cancer, PTSD, divorce) at times and just so fun.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkley for my ARC!

This is a book full of laughs, an OTT family, and two people that click but take a journey in their ups and downs throughout the story. Zara is full of life, full of energy and sometimes the constant ON wasn't fun or funny when it comes on so strong. I did really love Jay. He's a bit grumpy, set in his ways, and his military background brings a depth to him and his personality. I definitely didn't click with all the OTT aunts, the overly nosey busybodies can be annoying and felt unnecessary. Overall the story works, there were just some of those things that pulled me from a complete emersion into their world. It's a diverse cast, with cultural things that I was unfamiliar with and I did learn a lot.