Let me start off by saying that I loved Farah Heron’s Accidentally Engaged, so I was super excited to see her new book Kamila Knows Best on NetGalley.

I enjoyed both Kamila and Rohan, they’re quite opposite but their friendship just works. Kamila is feisty and fun, and yet she’s had to overcome some tough experiences when she was younger, she’s a family first type of girl and would do anything for her Dad. Rohan is incredibly supportive of Kamila and helps her take care of her father, he’s sweet and caring. This is a slow burn, but there is a lot of buildup!

I think the thing I love about Farah Heron’s books is all the food talk (plus the included recipes), as well as a friend group anyone would kill to have and close knit family atmosphere.

Overall, I didn’t love this as much as I anticipated, but it was a fun read that had me laughing and swooning.

Kamila Knows Best is a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma with a Desi twist. Kamila lives her best life working as a CPA at here father’s firm. She spends her time volunteering at the local animal shelter, hosting biryani and Bollywood movies, and her old family friend Rohan is recently always there to help take care of her father.

Kamila’s old “arch nemesis” is back in town and it is the spark for the change in her friendship with Rohan.

What was so great about Kamila Knows Best was how the story was both funny and an easy read while at the same time showing such emotional depth and character development. Kamila was a wonderful Heroine. She knew who she was and accepted her flaws, always learning more about herself. Rohan was a swoon book boyfriend with the perfect amount of groveling.

Kamila Knows Best was a sweet and fun read and I’ll be looking for more from Farah Heron.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the review copy.

Oof. So this is an Indian reversioning of Emma. I didn’t enjoy it. The writing is far too twee for me including a woman who uses terms like “poop nuggets”. Oh lord, no. Sorry just no.

What a fun read! Yes it's a reworking of Emma but don't worry if you haven't read that wonderful book or seen any of the movies, this is fine on its own merits. Kamila has a happy life, a good job, a nice place to live, a great das, and friends but she doesn't have a love interest. Rohan has been part of her wallpaper forever and she hasn't really thought about in in "that way'' but now an old enemy is back in town and well, Rohan is in play. Rom-com fans know that Jamila and Rohan will discover their hidden desires. What makes this special is the Toronto setting and the Bollywood details,. thanks to Netgalley for the ARC,

Kamila Knows Best is an absolutely enchanting book. I was invested from the beginning, drawn in by the characters, colorful descriptions, and unabashed flirting. Kamila is so bubbly and fiery and relatable, I love her dedication to her dad and friends. Rohan is the charming reserved type whose devotion to Kamila is swoony. Plus, rolled-up dress shirt sleeves, which are always delicious. I adore everything about this, the super slow burn, the tension, the plot twists. I felt everything, the ups, and downs, the anticipation, and my heart ached a few times. Definitely recommend!

What a delightful read! I read a lot of romance and rom-coms and my very favorite is when something different comes across my path. Kamila is a unique, complex character. She's a fancy dressing, accountant, Bollywood party host, animal activist, toast-burning, sex positive, bright ray of sunshine. I adored her almost immediately as she stood out right away with her vibrance, but as the book progressed, her complexity and layers intrigued me even more than her effervescence. While I truly enjoyed the storyline, the secondary characters and the hero, Kamila was absolutely the star of this show.

3.5 stars!

Kamila is an accountant working at her father’s firm, trying to balance her somewhat conservative career goals with her penchant for fashion, parties, volunteering, social media, and matchmaking. She lives with and cares for her father, with help from her long-time friend, Rohan. When Kamila’s childhood nemesis, Jana, comes back into town, Kamila struggles with the perceived competition, as well as her complicated feelings about Rohan.

This book had such fun references to Emma. The names were great reflections of the original character names - Asha for Anne, Jana for Jane, Kamila for Emma. The plot points also were reminiscent of key events in Emma. If you’re an Emma fan, you’ll have fun catching the references.

Like Heron’s last book, Accidentally Engaged, this book was filled with mouthwatering cultural food references. It also shares the Toronto location, which I really enjoy - this one was even set in my east end neighbourhood in Toronto!

Plot-wise, I found myself feeling bad for Kamila a lot while reading. Emma is about a shallow, self-centred girl who learns the errors of her ways. Kamila Knows Best seems to be more about how other people see Kamila as superficial when she’s really not. Kamila just didn’t strike me as deserving of the critiques she got throughout the book about being selfish; it all seemed a bit harsh.

The main reason for my 3.5-star rating is that I found the first half of the book to be a bit choppily written; I had a hard time getting into it. But the second half was much smoother and more engrossing - I sped through it. Overall, I ended up liking it a bit less than Accidentally Engaged.

This was a fun, sexy, sweet story.

It was a nice retelling of Emma (though have to be honest haven’t read the book just a synopsis). Based on that, though, I feel like this story kept the essence of the original while incorporating the new elements.

I really liked Kamila as a character. I liked how she worked hard, cared about her friends and family, and was willing to admit when she was wrong/needed to reevaluate an assumption. I enjoyed watching the relationship between her and Rohan progress.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a South Asian twist on a classic. Or for someone looking for a fun, low steam romance.

[cw - depression, anxiety, emotional abuse, health concerns (they were pretty general), death of parent]

A retelling of Jane Austen's Emma with a South Asian twist and peppered with its own distinctive seasoning, Kamila Knows Best kept me entertained, laughing and swooning from start to finish.

It features a feisty heroine, Kamila, who is an accountant by profession but loves dressing up (stereotypes be damned), throws the most elaborate and fun Bollywood themed parties, is mama to a darling TikTok famous dog and plays her part of the devoted daughter to perfection. The love interest is her now best friend, former childhood crush, Rohan who is sweet as he is sexy, caring as he is hot, easily the perfect book boyfriend material!

Perfectly executed friends to lovers trope, with the slowest burn yet plenty of chemistry, ever increasing romantic tension and full of the most playful yet sexy banter that had me cracking up multiple times.

Also, tons and tons of food talk, but in the best way. So make sure you have an abundance of both sweet and savory snacks around to munch along while reading. Pro tip - Order plenty of your favorite biryani beforehand because you'll be craving it more and more as the story progresses.

Alongside the lighthearted and fun storyline, there are also some serious issues addressed, such as forgiveness, overcoming personal insecurities, letting go of childhood demons, struggles involving mental health and emotional abuse to name a few. However, in my opinion this is mostly an entertaining romantic comedy and the grave topics are only fleeting discussions, so don't go looking for a story that delves deep into these issues in this book.

But, if you're looking for an enjoyable story full of family, friendship and laughter, food and plenty of banter pick this one up and you won't be disappointed. Meanwhile, I'll be eagerly awaiting Farah Heron's next book!

I had so much fun connecting the similarities to the original Emma (and of course Clueless, which is also a retelling). Heron did an amazing job creating a smart, sassy, and independent woman. She is fiercely loyal to her father and friends. I loved that she is serious about her work as an accountant who helps small businesses but also cares about fashion and her hair. Once again, Farah Heron's food descriptions had me drooling and I need to find some biryani ASAP. Another highlight was that Heron didn't stick to food, puppies, and romance but dove into deeper topics that added depth to the story. The mental health storyline is presented in a real way and normalizes anxiety and depression. This friends to lovers romance is filled with fantastic witty banter, clean, sexual tension, and the message of not only taking care of others but remembering to take care of ourselves.

I snagged this book when it was available as Read Now and I'm very glad I did!

I enjoyed the dynamics of family and relationships written in the context of Indian culture and expectations of daughters. Kamila for sure seemed like someone I would want to be friends with, but could get frustrating at times as she couldn't get passed what she thought others thought of her.

I picked up Farah Heron's other book "Accidentally Engaged" right after finishing this one and I'm already so engrossed. Heron's writing style is so good and perfectly compliments contemporary romances.

Farah Heron does it again!!

I love the way she writes!! So much culture and attention to detail. I honestly feel like I’m living in these stories.

First and foremost, I enjoyed the strength Kamila had and how she overcame her insecurities, I’m 33 and I’m still trying to learn how to do that!’

I would have rated it higher, but the romance fell short. It could be because friends to lovers isn’t my favorite, but I just didn’t feel the chemistry.

At the end of the day, the story was cute and I still enjoyed it.

Read if you like:
- friends to lovers
- slow burn romance
- Emma (book or movie)

Thanks to the amazing Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Though I've never read Emma by Jane Austen, I'm certainly a sucker for Emma retelling so picking up this one was a no brainer. In this retelling, we follow Kamila. An accountant who lives and helps care for her dad and in her free times hosts Bollywood movie parties and plans proms for dogs at the local shelter. She likes to match make her friends (whether they realize it or not) and harmlessly flirt with Rohan, a long time family friend.

Overall I thought this book was very fun! I can't quite comment on its merits as a retelling, but it did hit the beats I have come to expect from other Emma retellings, so I assume it's at least a pretty decent retelling. Kamila's personality balances the cutesy vibe with a competent adult who knows what she wants (and wants those around her to realize it to). She was somewhat like what I would imagine Cher form Clueless to be like 10 years after that movie and I think she might rub some readers the wrong way if you're not into a quirkier FMC, she worked for me and I found her mostly charming.

I really liked Kamila's dynamic with Rohan. I thought they were very cute together and their bantering and flirting worked really well for me. And the friends to lovers trope was pulled off very believably.

There were a couple instances were scenes felt like they were shoehorned in potentially because they were hitting points from Emma (though again I can't confirm) but they weren't quite done seamlessly in a way that felt like they actually belonged in the story. So a few hiccups along the way but overall a very cute story. I would definitely recommend this to anyone wanting a light hearted romance or anyone that likes Emma retellings

Kamila Knows Best is a fun Desi retelling of Jane Austin’s Emma. Always down for a good party, Kamila Hussain knows how to make an entrance, whether at her Friday night biryani Bollywood watching parties, or celebrating an animal clinic at a Puppy Prom. Ever the flirt and fashionista, Kamila is not a stereotypical tight-buttoned accountant. She loves her father, his business (that she works for), and her friends. I enjoyed Heron’s rendition of Emma and found this such a pleasant and light-hearted read. Kamila is just the type of character you hope to have in your corner; she gives 100% even when most of us would be stretched thin. Her matchmaking goes hand in hand with her meddling, but you can’t help but love her for it. I found myself rooting for Kamila and Rohan as a match and fell in love with Rohan’s character—he’s the ideal man without being too perfect. A big thanks to NetGalley and Fover (Grand Central Publishing) for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Farah Heron books are always a joy to read and this one was no exception. There were so many elements to love: a business-savvy heroine, dogs as a main plot point, and so many vivid side characters. I think if you liked the character of Piper in Tessa Bailey's It Happened One Summer and like diverse stories set in Toronto, you will love this book.

Farah Heron is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. Kamila Knows Best is a wonderful rom-com with lots of heart, quirk, and laughs. This friends to lovers romance features a sweet, caring heroine in Kamila, and Rohan, her best friend who apparently has hot forearms and is loyal to a fault.
This story is the perfect slow burn romance with great chemistry, complicated friendships and family dynamics, and great food. As much as I loved the romance between Kamilla and Rohan, I really enjoyed watching Kamila grow into this fierce, independent business woman. And seriously Darcy and the puppies (Potato!) were the cherry on top.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever(Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read and review this book.

Kamila Knows Best is a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma mixed with Bollywood flair. I enjoyed Kamila, she seemed like a lot of fun with all her parties and her social media famous dog. Rohan and her have been friends forever and he works for her father. But lately their flirty interactions have Kamila wondering about more. And I have to mention all the yummy food descriptions…have snack on hand while reading.

I recommend this for those that enjoy:
💛 friends to lovers
💛 slow burn romance
💛 Jane Austen retellings

Thanks so much to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this modern version of Jane Austen’s Emma. I loved the bits of culture the author introduces us to and wanted to eat some of the meals that Kamila and her friends have. What a lovely group of friends and Rohan is a great friend and book boyfriend.

Kamila is a three-dimensional character and I liked seeing her development as she overcomes her insecurities and is willing to stand up for herself. She is a woman who has her own style and doesn’t have to change who she is in order to be successful professionally or to keep her friends. She’s a loving and kind person who really deserves all good things and Rohan Nasser is definitely a very good thing!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

3/5 -

I liked the personal growth Kamila had in this book, but where It fell short for me was the romance. I couldn’t read the chemistry as well as I would have hoped for a friends to lovers story, and it just was a odd slow burn. It was rather wholesome, and I think more spice would have improved the chemistry for me, but overall it was a fine read, but nothing I’d rave about.

Emma meets Bollywood, Kamila is trying her best to keep her life perfect - with work, her dogs social media, and weekly movie night parties, she has to keep up her peppy persona. But the stress of her fathers health, and her flirty friendship with Rohan lead to her having to prioritize and be more honest on who she is, and how she shows that truth to others.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an eARC copy of Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron, in exchange for my honest review!

Kamila Hussein has it all. A successful career as a CPA, a loving father, and a nurturing network of good friends. Kamila has everything. Well, not everything since she is missing an important component in her life — love. Sure, she had Ernesto in the past, but to Kamila, it was casual — a friend with benefits. So how can Kamila find love? She is just so busy that who has time to find love? Kamila had her career to think of. She was busy building her client base and on top of that, she was also involved with event planning, volunteering at the puppy shelter, and not to mention hosting weekly Bollywood parties.

Rohan Nasser has been friends with Kamila since childhood. They grew up in the same neighborhood and became very close friends. Rohan was there for Kamila through her growing pains, love interests, and now her career. As a sucessful tax attorney, Rohan knew what it took to be on the up and up and he had Kamila’s back every step of the way. But there was something else. Rohan couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew that there was much more between him and Kamila. After all, Kamila never did blink an eye at his provocative playful banter. But that’s nothing, right? Best friends always tease each other…

Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron is my very first novel that I read by this author. Needless to say, I am impressed. Heron manages to capture the finer details of the characters — from their features, image, and personalities. There are a number of characters but not too many to overwhelm. And each character comes to the table with their unique quirks. And for you pet lovers out there, cute puppies abound.

The storyline follows the friends to lovers trope in a PG sort of way. There are smatterings of sexual innuendos but that just adds to the comedic value of the novel.

Overall, Kamila Knows Best is certainly a novel for fans of the contemporary romance genre who also enjoys the friends to lovers trope. It is nothing short of wonderful and definitely a novel worthy of five glowing stars from me.

I received a digital ARC from Forever through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.