I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing)!

Everything about Kamila Hussain’s life is picture perfect except her love life. She realizes she’s been harboring secret feelings for her longtime friend Rohan Nasser. When a rival also starts to show interest in Rohan, Kamila must decide if he’s worth the risk.

Kamila Knows Best is a cute modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. I like that Kamila was more than just a socialite, like what you find in most Emma retellings. She’s smart, educated, and witty. Kamila is loyal to friends, family, and causes. The chemistry between Kamila and Rohan is built up in a realistic way.

This is the first book that I have read from author Farah Heron but I look forward to reading some of her other works in the future.

This book was a glorious friends to lovers romance!!! There was a slight age gap and some mingled sunshine grump mixed in there too along with a stellar cast of characters as well.

Kamila was this bright, vibrant character with a solid head on her shoulders for brightening her friends lives as well as her clients. She gives 110% to everything from the puppy prom to her family business and the care of her elder father. I enjoyed finding the layers beneath the surface that she only exposes to her closest circle. Rohan for his part was this evolving character that seemed to change a incrementally through the story. He was a bit of a mystery but a perfect match to Kamila's energy. I found myself both laughing and crying when reading this book and I honestly would LOVE to see this book on the big screen because it felt like a classic romcom that I would want to come back to again and again.

I really enjoyed this book! It was so funny and I loved the connections that Kamila had with her family & friends! I loved that there are cute dogs and only resent that I couldn't see them! There was so much banter that straddled the lines of witty, funny but also emotional and touching. I loved the fight that Kamila had for what she loves and how she learned to advocate for herself. I'm also a fan of there being a bubble tea place in this story! This was just a great book, overall!

Kamila Knows Best is fun and lively!! I found this to be a super enjoyable read. Kamila and Rohan are both fantastic characters and super likable. Kamila is independent, sassy, and driven. Rohan is the definition of a perfect book boyfriend! I could definitely feel the blossoming chemistry between them. This book had a Bollywood theme and super cute dogs involved within the storyline which added more fun to the book. This is a light, easy read that leaves you with a smile on your face. Also, I love the cover, it is cute and eye-catching!

Thank you Net Galley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC of this book in return for my honest review!

DNF @ 30%

Thank you to Forever for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Kamila Knows Best I was excited by all the rave reviews (and the fact this, like Farah's other books, is set in Toronto and features such a diverse cast), but unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. In the 30% I read, there was so much going on without anything actually happening. The dogs and the matchmaking and the movie nights and Kamila's arch-nemesis and her meeting with clients and her dad’s health and the puppy prom and the endless conversations between Kamila and friends. I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters or enjoying the story itself, so after a few attempts, I decided it was better to set it aside. I’m clearly very much in the minority because most people are raving about this book, but it just wasn't for me.

Oh Kamila... Building an empire without a man only to think she needs one once she reaches the top... I love her drive and ambition, her desire to help those around her, the friends she surrounds herself with, and yes, I loved Rohan as much. This stud is the topper on her cake.

But when that perfect princess arrives back in town vying for Rohan, all bets are off. Let the games begin in what is such a fun read. Farah has this way with words that just sucks me in and I love reading her stories!

Kamila Knows Best follows, you guessed it, Kamila as she navigates what she believes is her perfect life. A job with her father that she enjoys, a best friend, Rohan who helps take care of her father, close friends and an uncomplicated love life in which she doesn't get close to anyone. Everything is going well until Kamila's father decides to retire and sell his company, the same company Kamila works for. This sets into motion a series of events that start to expose the cracks in Kamila's world.

My favorite part about this book was watching Kamila grow - I found myself cheering for her multiple times throughout the book. I love a rom com in which the woman is her own hero, which is the case in this book. I also loved Rohan - he was easy to love and the relationship with him and Kamila felt genuine and believable.

If you are looking for a friends to lover troupe that is mostly a closed door romance (my favorite) - I would not hesitate to pick up this book!

Thanks, Netgalley, for the ARC of this book!

Delectable! Was delighted to include this title in March’s edition of Novel Encounters, my regular column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for Zoomer magazine. (at link)

Thank-you NetGalley and Forever for the chance to review this ARC.

This was my first Farah Heron book, and it won’t be my last!
It took me a while to get used to the writing style and at times it seemed heavy on the subject their jobs but once I got used to it.
I dint want to put the book down!
I loved the diversity in the book, I liked how things were explained.
The social media aspect of this was really fun.
Friends to Lovers is one of those tropes that I don’t actively look for, but I know I will love and this one was so great!
This being a kind of Bollywood retelling of Emma was really fun to read about and refreshing since we do have lots of retellings.
I loved Kamila and Rohan their friendship was great, and I really liked them together!
Overall, I’m really happy I read this book and now I want to read more of Heron’s work!

Heartwarming, witty, and romantic!

Kamila Knows Best is a charming, playful tale that transports you to Toronto, Canada and into the lives of the responsible, handsome Rohan Nasser and the spirited, intelligent Kamila Hussain as they discover that even though they’ve known each other forever and are the best of friends perhaps there’s a little something more underneath all that innocent flirting and casual embraces than they’ve ever cared to admit.

The writing is humorous and light. The characters are kind, supportive, and genuine. And the plot is an entertaining mix of friendship, family, snappy banter, shameless flirting, red-hot chemistry, tender moments, responsibilities, community, and culture.

Overall, Kamila Knows Best is a sexy, sweet, uplifting tale by Heron with a whole cast of characters I couldn’t help but fall in love with, an inclusive, diverse storyline that kept me engaged from start to finish, and a happy-ever-after ending that made me swoon.

Dogs, dogs in outfits, dogs in paintings, dogs dancing, PUPPIES, one named Potato, a dog park, and a dog prom.⁣
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Okay needless to say, I adored all the doggies in this book!⁣
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Kamila is a boss babe, a fashionista, lover of dogs, an incredible accountant helping women in small businesses, throwing weekly Bollywood parties for her friends, and volunteering at the animal shelter; while also trying to manage taking care of her dad. She has the world on her shoulders, but still never feels quite good enough. ⁣
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Rohan is a close family friend, who is also part owner of Kamila’s fathers company and such good friends with Kamila. He’s always there for her and her father, but he’s wound a little tight but has some fun banter with Kamila when her dads not around.⁣
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These two get close while throwing Bollywood parties and working a fundraiser for a company while also hitting roadblocks a long the way with her dad and a nemesis coming back to town.⁣
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Will these two realize they’re in love or will their friendship end on the rocks?⁣
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This story really showed how important self love is and how sometimes you have to rely on your besties to help shoulder some of your stress to get by; and that’s okay. ❤️⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
Thank you @readforeverpub for an ARC for my honest review !

Kamila has her life together. She lives and works with her dad, running their own accounting firm; they have a great relationship. She hosts weekly Bollywood movie parties. Her Instagram account featuring her beloved dog is followed by many. She has good friends, including her sister’s husband’s brother, Rohan, who helps Kamila manage her dad and his health concerns. Everything seems to be going her way until her secret nemesis, Jana, returns to town, and now Kamila frets she’ll lose Rohan to Jana.

Kamila Knows Best is another wonderful tale from Ms. Heron. A mix of women’s fiction, humor, and romance, the story shares Kamila’s journey as she is challenged and discovers who she’s meant to become. I love how Kamila embraces her various roles and lifestyle, never apologizing for who she is and what she loves. She may adjust her image to fit the moment, but doesn’t really change her inner core. She is glorious in her element and willing to stretch herself beyond her comfort zone. Her motives aren’t always noble (trying to keep Rohan and Jana from spending time together), but she is a good person and does the right thing.

Kamila’s and Rohan’s fathers are best friends. The pair, along with Jana, grew up together, but because of the age difference, Kamila and Rohan didn’t spend much time together until more recent years after his divorce. He spends a lot of time with Kamila and her dad, and recently, Kamila notices things like how sexy his forearms are and how well his pants fit. This shocks and bothers her because she doesn’t do relationships and Rohan is definitely relationship-material. Seeing how their relationship builds and finally blossoms into love is exciting and scary all at once. Kamila feels she can’t take a risk because she can’t lose Rohan as a friend.

There are a few conflicts that make the story more emotional. Kamila’s dad makes a unilateral decision that shakes up Kamila’s world. It broke my heart and wow, did I feel so much during this part of the book. But it causes Kamila to focus and gain insight into what she really wants in life.

Kamila Knows Best is a beautiful friends-to-lovers romance. The author creates characters I care about and am invested in. She makes them original, yet universal in that I can relate to each in some way. The author pays amazing attention to detail with setting each scene, making the reading experience more than just words. I throughly enjoyed Kamila’s journey and following her as she discovers happiness and love.

My rating: A-

Kamila Hussain is a woman who loves bright colorful fashion (for herself and her dog Darcy), throwing parties (especially her weekly Bollywood movie nights), sharing her life on Instagram, and matchmaking her friends. She's too busy to concentrate on her own romantic life.
Rohan Nasser is a longtime friend of the family and has always been there for Kamila. Other than a teenage crush on him and some harmless flirting, she's never looked at him "that way". Hugely successful at his corporate career, he's always been out of her league. But when a childhood nemesis returns to town with an eye on Nolan, Kamila starts to see him differently. Everyone, including Nolan, only seems to see a shallow socialite, will he ever see the competent, career-driven woman determined to go after what she wants?
This book was loosely based on Emma, which I could see in the basic story line. But I fell in love with Kamila's quirky character, her love of dogs, her care for her father, and her determination to make everyone happy. She had some deep-seated insecurities from her past that drove her on to try and be everything to everyone and I was glad to see her go after her own dreams in the end.
Thank you to the publisher for this complimentary advance reader copy. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

DNF: Unfortunately, it didn't take long before I started skimming - this heroine is definitely over-the-top, and it's really her book, so that was a problem. I never warmed up to Kamila, and I also didn't warm up to the friends to lovers dynamic of this VERY slow burn romance. I'm not a fan of friends to lovers books when the guy is a manhoe, so the role reversal didn't work for me either. While I love the diverse cast and the humor of the book, it quickly became apparent that it wasn't a good fit for me, so I left it unfinished.

This was my first book from Farah Heron and I loved it!

I do love a good retelling of a classic and rom-coms are my absolute favorite!! Emma is one of my favorites and I was excited to read Farah's story.

Kamila's character goes on such a journey throughout this book and truly finds herself. She has a great group of friends, has hobbies and even goes to therapy. I identify with her ability to put others before herself--it is a blessing and a curse. Rohan had me a bit tied up, but I understand the storyline.

Overall I enjoyed it, 4 out of 5 stars!

You can count on Farah Heron for an enjoyable rom-com with a fiery, independent lead with a full, well-rounded life. I've enjoyed each Heron book I've read, and so when I saw she was releasing a modern EMMA retelling, I was super excited.

KAMILA KNOWS BEST did not disappoint, both as an EMMA retelling and as a story of its own right. Rohan was just perfectly dreamy and Kamila was perfectly imperfect. This is a great rom-com to add to your list!

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Kamila Knows Best publishes Tuesday, 3/8, and it is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. Have I ever read Emma? As if! But I've seen Clueless at least 500 times so I think I understand the plot 🤣

Kamila is the Cher of this adaptation, trying to matchmake for her friends and otherwise involve herself in everything that’s going on, whether it concerns her or not. Her character is a lot, and I had trouble getting into the book because at the beginning it’s all about her (and her looks and her dog and her dog’s Instagram). Her character has some redemption in the arc of the story, as her love and care for her father shine through. I loved how much she loved dogs (especially naming the shelter puppy Potato!).

The book had epic descriptions of food. From the many different types of biryani ordered for the weekly Bollywood night to the homemade momo that Kamila and Rohan make, I wanted to try it all. In fact, I ordered Indian delivery from my favorite spot Saturday night to savor the flavors myself! I almost forgot how much Heron’s previous book, Accidentally Engaged, made me crave homemade bread. I am HERE for authors describing food this well - I am almost always thinking about food, and I love reading about it, too!

I chuckled to myself when Canada’s Wonderland was mentioned in a memory in the book. I have some excellent memories of visiting this park on a high school choir trip to Toronto. We probably watched Clueless on the bus ride there from NJ, so this whole review comes full circle - you’re welcome!

Emma is by far my favourite Austen novel, and Farah Heron is by far my favourite romance author - so this was a match made in heaven for me!

Heron’s re-imagining of the classic romance was so perfectly crafted. The characters were adapted to the modern setting in a way that compliments and adds to what I already love about them, all while making them astonishingly relatable. And when it comes to communication, the characters interactions had an incredible naturalness to them that I can only adore. I genuinely understood each sides’ motivations and felt that any confusion was the sort we’ve all had, and wasn’t at all contrived.

Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for the early copy of this one in exchange for a review.

Kamila is a young accountant but she is also into parties and rescuing dogs and her family and friends seem to think she isn't capable of a lot. Kamila is constantly having to prove that she is smart and capable.

In this story she grapples with her father's health issues, her job stressors and her new feelings for her old friend Rohan. This was a story I really enjoyed reading, becoming invested in Kamila and what she was going to do to make her way in her life.

This was such a cute story and I really loved the serious issues that were thrown in related to sexism in their culture and her ways to overcome it. Great story, I loved it.

I loved Accidentally Engaged and was excited to read Kamila Knows Best, but, unfortunately, I wasn't the right audience for this one.

I think this is in a large part because this is an Emma retelling, and there's only so much that an author can do in a retelling. I've never found Emma (as a protagonist) to be particularly compelling, and am not an Austen fan. so I struggled as a result. I think that the puppy prom and instagram-famous dog storylines will endear this book to a lot of people, but it didn't work for me. This was a little bit too slow-burn of a romance for me, and the single point of view made me feel like I was missing out on getting to know Rohan better.

I liked how there was mental health representation here, and I love the way that Heron weaves in food in her novels.

I'll pick up future (less dog-focused) books from Heron in the future, and think that this one is going to be an absolute hit with its audience.