Ahhhh! How have I been sleeping on this author! I adored this book so much! She may have even convinced me to give Emma another try someday 😂 This was fun and lively and there were recipes and dancing dogs and love and strong women and so many good things I don’t even know where to start! And then add in that it’s based in my hometown and you get MAGIC!
Kamila and Rohan (who btw is swoon worthy!) have been friends since they were literally children. Their parents were best friends. Now they’re grown and both successful in their own rights-Rohan as a tax attorney and Kamila as a CPA, an event planner, volunteering. The only thing not working for her is her personal life. Rohan and Kamila are still friends and Rohan helps with her father, and has taken over the business that his father and hers created many years ago. So of course, this is a classic friends to lovers trope, but in the most fun way. It wasn’t a straight line and there were times when I was shouting “NO” because I was afraid it wasn’t going to happen, but the thing I loved most was their banter! It was so fab and real.
Read this if you need something fun and refreshing and just want to feel good.
Thanks to Forever Publishers and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this friends-to-lovers rom-com set in Toronto among a close-knit Indian family. Kamila has flashy taste, a penchant for extravagant parties, and a social influencer puppy. She's a doting daughter to her ailing father. Sometimes Kamila is a little too brash and hard to like. Then, you learn that her bold style is a cover-up for her insecurities, wrought by her late, overly critical mother. Rohan Nasser is a dear family friend who is indispensable in helping Kamila manage her father's health issues. Friendship becomes love, with lots of twists and turns along the way.

As a side note, I don't know nearly enough about Indian food. Reading this book made me google local Indian restaurants - I want to learn more about the cuisine!

Thank you Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

A quirky and joyful modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, but with some Bollywood flair. Much like Emma, Kamila is a self-assured daddy’s girl who plays matchmaker to all her friends. Full of vibrant descriptions and lots of cooking mishaps, this is a delightful romcom about finding happiness within and discovering love close to home.

Kamila Hussain lives a charmed life. Kamila works and lives with her father, throws fun Bollywood movie parties, has a huge Instagram account for her dog, and loves nothing more than playing matchmaker to her friends. So, when a match goes wrong and Kamila has a scare with her father, Kamila starts to question her life choices. She wonders whether Rohan Nasser, her longtime family friend, may be “more“ than just a friend.

I had a really hard time getting into this one at first. The first half of the book consisted of cooking and really long descriptions of parties. At the halfway point the chemistry between Rohan and Kamila finally took off and the tension propelled the story forward. On the plus side, Heron was spot on capturing the heart of a modern day Emma. Kamila is definitely the star of the show and makes everything more interesting with her unconventional aesthetic and eccentric personality. This is a fresh retelling that bursts with energy.

I loved this #ownvoices, Bollywood inspired, Emma retelling! There were a couple of members that reminded me of Clueless and now I know why!

This was a well-balanced rom-com that had my heart wrenching for Kamila one moment and the laughing out loud the next. I love that Kamila was both a super smart accountant and a girly-girl Instagrammer. it definitely highlighted the view that social media influencers are just flippant, airy personalities, when, in fact, you can be d art, professional, AND into fashion, Instagram, and having a fun personality.

This is a super slow burn friends-to-lovers romance told from Kamila’s POV (3rd person). It’s not something I typically gravitate towards, but it worked well for the story. This one’s for you if you like and also a close-knit friends group, misunderstood frenemies, cute rescue dogs, strong lead females, LQBTQ reps, and, of course, sexy lead males with delicious forearms!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Pub Day @farahheronauthor !!!
I discovered Farah this summer with her book Accidentally Engaged and loved the super cute cute read about a fake engagement to compete on a cooking show, and was thrilled to get approved by to read her ARC of Kamila Knows Best. And even moreso when I learned it was an Emma retelling! While Pride and Prejudice is definitely a favorite book of mine, I have a soft spot for Emma and her story.

Kamila Knows Best is about accountant by day and Bollywood fanatic, dog loving, fashion forward matchmaker Kamila. She prides herself in setting up her friends, throwing the best parties, dressing fabulously while doing her job and charity work. She lives with her dad who has dealt with both some physical and mental health issues over the years. After his divorce, lifelong family friend Rohan has become a more regular fixture in Kamila’s life. Hangouts, taking her dad to doctors appointments and teasing her. But Kamila is so busy taking on charity work, helping her friends, worrying over her dad and being angry her high school rival is back that she may be missing what’s right in front of her.

I loved it. I loved the fresh updated take on the Emma story with a Bollywood twist. Kamila was so relatable and Rohan is the perfect match and book boyfriend. I tore through this story in a day and a half with a smile on my face. I can’t decide if Kamila is who I want to be or if I want her to be my friend but she is beautifully written and fleshed out as a character. I wish she was a real person I could be friends with!

In this update of Emma, Kamila is consistently underestimated by those around her. Even though she is a successful accountant who manages both work and her father’s health issues, friends and family only see her love for fashion and fabulous parties and don’t take her seriously. Her sister’s BIL, Rohan, whom she has known her whole life, is the only one who seems to really see her, but even he can’t help himself from teasing. When her high school rival returns to town and begins hanging out with Rohan, Kamila starts to feel some uncomfortable feelings and, if that wasn’t enough, her world starts to fall apart around her.

Yes, this is an Emma update, but more specifically I got serious Clueless vibes and I’m not mad about it. Kamila is delightful and I really want to attend one of her Bollywood parties. Rohan is smoldering and supportive and absolutely worthy of the greatness of Kamila. I loved Kamila’s group of friends and it was great that, even when she felt unseen by some, she was very aware of how lucky she and her father were for all the support they were given. This is a great book for spring—happy and bright. Available today! Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for the eARC. CW for past emotional abuse by a parent.

This was giving me so many Emma vibes before I realized it was a "Jane Austen's Emma goes Bollywood" so perfect! Emma is my favorite of Austen's novel I love all the movies and the adaptations like Clueless and am so happy with this version!! Oh Rohan (Mr Knightley, Josh)!

Kamila is a bright dressing, bubbly, effervescent, dog purse wearing accountant. Apparently this makes her the most unserious of the serious business people. I can relate lol.

Her family friend that stepped up to help run her father's firm when his health declined humors her and is always at their house.

Kamila has her hand in everything taking on new clients, volunteering with puppies, planning fundraisers, hosting Bollywood nights, matchmaking, managing her dog Darcy's tik tok and ig account.  She is busy and it seems that everyone has underestimated her greatly! 

She flirts shamelessly with everyone but starts to catch feelings for one person though she is sure he can't possibly return her feelings. Ok there is so much happening and family drama. And omg all the food! You even put a Chicken Biryani for Beginners recipe at the end!! Thank you for that will try to convince my husband to make it for me! 

I loved all the different relationships in this and there was some toxic and some great! And some learned not to make huge life decisions for others without asking. Communication is key but it goes both ways.

I loved the mental health rep especially for the father since there is a stigma for the older generation to seek help but it doesn't mean you are weak. Asking for help and learning to manage, can make you stronger.

Thank you netgalley and grandcentralpub for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

3.5 stars

This is my second book by Canadian author Farah Heron, Accidentally Engaged was a 5 star read. While these are 2 completely different stories that share the common theme of food. Add is some puppies for Kamila though.

Kamila is a force, in her late 20’s she is confident, caring and has her own style. She has friends, a good job and Bollywood Movie Nights. What she doesn’t have is love.

The beginning might have been a little slow for me, but I was totally immersed for the last half. There are many layers to Kamila's story, which is a bonus on many levels - makes for more interest and getting to know the characters better. I liked the openness of mental health/therapy.

Kamila Knows Best is a well written story about family and friends, relationships and overcoming the past. It will make you drool for biryani and other Indian cusine (some recipes are included). If you like a friend to lover trope as well as enemies to friends then I recommend this book - it’s out in the world today.

My thanks to Forever Books for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

Pub day review!! This is my third Farah Heron novel in the last year and and this was certainly a fun read!

In this modern day retelling of Emma, Heron introduces us to a fun cast of characters who all centre around the MC Kamila. Kamila is bright and bubbly in the surface but she is more than her superficial presentation. She has her own struggles and is working towards understanding her authentic self and that her wants are just as important as pleasing other people.

I really enjoyed the friends to lovers trope but I was occasionally frustrated by all the miscommunications and repetitive behaviour of making blind assumptions. So much could have been dealt with using better communication!

A highlight of this book for me was the discussion of mental health amongst generations and the work towards our understanding of self and self-acceptance.

Overall a fun read! Lots of fashion, Bollywood and food for all to enjoy! Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy!

Kamila isn’t just the life of the party, she is the party. With her themed Friday Bollywood movie nights she puts on for her friends, her Instagram famous dog, her love of putting on events for her volunteer endeavors she breathes life into them.

Her life isn’t all fun though, she is trying to get her father who suffers from depression to take a step back at work. Trying to show him she can take on more work at their company where she is a CPA accountant.

She couldn’t do it all without her family friend Rohan. Rohan seems to always be there when she needs him. However when her secret arch nemesis returns to town she worries about his inviting her to Bollywood night. Is he attracted to her? Why does she care?

They had really great banter and while it might be slightly obvious to us than Rohan has feelings for her, Kamila is slower to see that maybe what she is feeling is reciprocated.

I loved seeing these two come together even when you wanted to yell at each other to figure it out already! I empathize with Kamila having to overcome her mothers terrible treatment of her and moving past it. Her fight to stick up for who she is and what she wanted was so empowering! This was such a gem!

Let me begin by saying I love all of Farah Heron’s books, but Kamila Knows Best is my new favourite. It’s a loose retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, set in Toronto. I love that Farah’s books are set in Toronto since I used to live there myself. I found myself wishing Kamila, Rohan, and their friends were real people so I could hang out with them and beg to be invited to their amazing Bollywood parties. Kamila loves matchmaking and volunteering for the animal shelter. She seemingly has it all—the most stylish wardrobe, a career she loves, a great social circle, and most of all Rohan, a family friend she counts on, who just happens to have the sexiest forearms. She’s so used to having him around that when her secret nemesis Jana returns to town and Kamila notices Rohan and Jana hanging out, she starts to internally panic a little and realize her feelings for Rohan are a bit more complicated than she thought. Kamila and Rohan’s chemistry jumps off the page from the first chapter. Their dialogue is so good. It’s a slow burn, friends to lovers story with ALL the food. Like Emma, Kamila experiences a lot of internal growth throughout the story. I can't say enough good things about this book. I highly recommend!!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date March 8, 2022

My favorite trope! This is a fast & fun friends to lovers story about Kamila & Rohan. Kamila is devoted to caring for her father and the business he built. She doesn’t want anything to get in the way of her priorities & success, especially a serious relationship! Kamila is a full of life social butterfly, an enthusiastic dog mom & a genuine friend and it’s no surprise that someone she’s known most of her life would take notice. Someone like Rohan, who has the same devotion to friends & family and is also harboring feelings deeper than what their friendship would suggest.
I really enjoyed this contemporary romance retelling of Emma with a South Asian twist! I found myself checking out some of the food mentioned in the book and adored the social media influencing dog, Darcy!

This was my first read by Farah Heron and I was pleasantly surprised!
It's a modern retelling of Emma with a Bollywood twist, set in Toronto.
I really enjoyed how descriptive Heron gets about Kamila’s clothes and the parties she throws. I would definitely be at one of those parties trying all the food also described in the book. Heron paints a picture that really makes you feel like you’re there eating biryani at a Bollywood theme night! I also grew to really like Kamila’s friend group and I just love her dad!
This is a friends to lovers romance with a relatable protagonist, that also highlights the importance of family and mental health. How mental health impacts men is not often discussed and I really love that Heron does that in a kind and gentle way.

First I have to say that I enjoyed this book by Farah Heron more than I did Accidentally Engaged when I read it in January. However, this one fell a bit flat for me and I had difficulty really feeling invested in the storyline. I think that it may have been the very slow burn with this story where it was expecting more romance but it felt more like a story about friendship.

I feel that if I had gone in with another train of thought I may have liked this better since it felt more of a journey of family, friendship, and breaking out of the molds you have placed yourself in from others judgements.

Also, this is written in past- third person and I don’t know that I loved that. I think I would have preferred current and first person narrative while moving though this story.

Overall, it was a quick read and if you go in with the right mindset that the focus is not romance then you will enjoy it more. This one was much different than my last read by this author as that one was a lot more heavy on the romance and was expecting that again.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever Books for the ARC of this book! I am so thankful to obtain a copy to read in advance of its release!

I’ve been soooo excited for this newest book by Canadian author @farahheronauthor and it did not disappoint!

Not only is the cover gorgeous but this story is full of so many great things:

☔️Woman of color in STEM heroine (accountant)
☔️second chance, friends to lovers romance
☔️delicious South Asian food
☔️Jane Austen Emma retelling
☔️cute pudgy puppy called Potato!
☔️great mental health rep
☔️Canadian setting (Toronto) 🇨🇦
☔️audio narrated by @soneela (one of my favs!)

Perfect for fans of Sonali Dev, Sara Desai or Sajni Patel. Highly, highly recommended and great on audio! Much thanks to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for my advance review copy!!

Kamila Knows Best is a joyful take on Jane Austens’ Emma. It is simply a hilarious, unputdownable adventure. I loved Kamila’s character growth throughout the novel. Not only does she develop more self-awareness, she also sees for the first time how much hard work she has really put into herself and her goals. It was refreshing to see a character who is so committed to her personal and professional dreams. There is such a strong sense of family and friendship that ties the entire novel together.

One of my favorite parts was the full-circle moment in inclement weather. It would truly be impossible to pick just one favorite scene, as the whole novel is filled with witty banter and lovable characters. And of course, puppies! In fact, a puppy prom! I would highly recommend this for readers seeking a hilarious friends-to-lovers adventure. Kamila Knows Best releases March 8, 2022. Thank you so much to Farah Heron, Forever, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am such a suspense/thriller lover, but I am always up for a good romcom. It took me a little bit of time to fall for Kamila and Rohan, but once I did, I rooted hard for them. Now I may have been slightly influenced byher chosen profession, but she did win me over. In fact I ended up loving the entire cast of characters. Who isn’t going to love a dog with a jean jacket and backpack that can pull off a dance routine?

The Indian influence in this retelling of Emma seemed fresh. I enjoyed the Bollywood movies and the food descriptions. And I chuckled every time she was hot and bothered over bare forearms. While this relied more on slapstick humor reminiscent of Stephanie Plum blowing up her car, instead of witty banter, it is a worthy Emma retelling. The obstacles that kept the couple apart before the friends became lovers were believable.

Anyone looking to laugh and root for a happily ever after, should give this one a try. It’s both heart-warming, fun and a quick read

This was such a delightful read! I had such a fun reading experience with this book, especially as an Emma retelling. I kept matching the characters in this book to their Jane Austen counterparts, and wondering where the plot would go in this modern take. I also LOVED Kamila as a main character, how she's so confident and owns her fabulousness. I also really liked her love interest Rohan, he made a great Mr. Knightley for sure. They had a wonderful back and forth relationship where they continuously challenged each other, all while maintaining the roots of their strong friendship. Overall I highly enjoyed this read, and can't wait to see what Farah Heron comes up with in the future!

I had no idea before reading KAMILA KNOWS BEST by @farahheronauthor that it was a fresh, modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma! (I have yet to read Emma, so that’s probably why I didn’t see the similarities). I REALLY enjoyed this book! Thanks so much to @readforeverpub @netgalley and the author for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review! This one publishes next Tuesday, March 8!

Farah Heron lives and works in Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦 and so this book is set in Toronto! I loved reading about familiar places I’ve been to! Also, this is your warning that you will become VERY hungry while reading this book, especially for South Asian food!

While I loved the good aspect and Kamila’s adorable Instagram and tik tok famous dog, I especially loved the more serious topics this book tackles. There is in depth discussions on block people working in white dominated jobs, especially black females, the hierarchies within white collar jobs that POC have more struggles with.

Kamila struggles within her chosen profession, because even tho she enjoys fashion, and taking pictures of her dog, she also works extremely hard in her job, and volunteers in her community as well. She isn’t taken seriously in her job, because of her flair for style, and that all her Clint’s work in the service industry (beauty salons, tattoo parlours, dog training classes). Despite how hard she works, and being successful, she isn’t even able to make her own decisions they directly affect her own life, because the men in her life decide they know her better than she does.

There is also a great discussion surrounding emotional abuse from a parent, and how that affects a child for the rest of his/her life. Feelings of not being good enough, trying to prove their worth etc. Kamila is open about being in therapy for this, which opens up a great and positive view in therapy!

I also really enjoyed the romance part of this book. Rohan and Kamila have know each for years, so they are friends, but they both don’t know about each other’s feelings for each other. Their budding romance is very sweet ☺️

What a beautiful and entertaining new take on Jane Austen’s Emma. Farah Heron rights the most interesting south Asian characters which keep you interested throughout the book. Here we have Kamila who seems to have a fun life with her Bollywood parties, her social media star dog and her friends. She loves matchmaking for her friends and even better her old friend Rohan is back in town. Unfortunately her old enemy/nemesis has also returned.

The way Kamila‘s past and how she thought of herself was handled beautifully. It was heartbreaking at times to see how judgments about her when she was a teen still affected how she thought of herself in the present. But how she moved past and built a successful career is also fun to see.

The way Kamila and Rohan‘s relationship progresses is done in a lovely way. You can see that they have a traction and that they understand each other. Camilla Hass to get out of her own way in order for the relationship to succeed. Also when Rohan and Camilla‘s father do something businesswise behind her back that doesn’t help either. All in all this was a fun book to read that had the most wonderful banter.