Ayesha Shetty (28) runs her family business along with her mom. She values nothing more than her mom's happiness after they lost her father and brother. It is at her best friend's wedding that she meets Emmit and her mom sets up her meeting with a doctor from the same community. Whether Ayesha will choose her happiness or her mom's is for you to read.
Producers shouldn't miss this book for it feels like it is written for Bollywood. Ayesha gave me the YJHD Naina feels. The male leads are sensible and pleasant. The best character in my opinion is Ayesha's mom; 100% Indian and eternally worried about her daughter. The book is quite short and ends exactly on point, without lagging. It can be picked for a quick read even if romance and family drama isn’t your genre. Or, if Bollywood is your genre. I like how it is filmy but not cheesy.
I got a copy of the book from the author and I am posting my review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed the set-up of this story. I liked how you’re not given all the information up front, but rather learn about the characters and world as the story progresses. I wish we had learned more about Emmett and Ayesha’s past relationship, because it would make me feel more desperate for them to be together. After the first couple chapters it was a bit obvious where the story was going, but it was still a fun and sweet read. I wish the steamy scene hadn’t been a fade to black after all the build-up. Amma and Ayesha’s last conversation was a bit frustrating because I felt like Amma was mad Ayesha didn’t read her mind, and Ayesha and the readers are supposed to accept this explanation of Amma’s frustration.

For a short story, this packs so much in without sacrificing the important things, like character development. As a reader, I felt like I got a true sense of Ayesha and her grief, as well as the relationship she has with herself, her mother, and her former love Emmitt. It was well written and fully fleshed out - very impactful for such a limited amount of writing. Highly recommend!

I will be completely honest that I am not in love with romantic comedies of any sort, but I couldn’t resist a sixty-five page bit of cotton candy fluff to rehydrate my brain after working late on a Wednesday night. And this perfectly fit the bill, especially the happily ever after ending that I knew I was going to get. The humor and the seriousness were perfectly balanced - any more of either would have been overkill. And all the aunties! They definitely do know best, no matter how convoluted their schemes may be.

DNF at 71%.

I hate to not finish a book, but I just didn't connect with any of the characters. I think I would have enjoyed this one more if it had been a full-length novel.

It definitely appears to be an "it's me, not you" situation as most reviews I've seen have raved about it, so don't let my experience deter you from picking this up!

"From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt short story about one woman’s journey of self-discovery and what it means to be happy.

Ayesha Shetty lost her brother seven years ago, the same time she lost everything else important to her: her dreams, her fierce independence, and the man she loved. Not wanting to see her mother hurt anymore, she put her wild self away and became the dutiful daughter her mother needed and took on her brother’s role in the family business.

Now her best friend’s big, fat Indian wedding is a chance to get away from her endless duties at the restaurant and maybe even have some fun (if she remembers how). But a setup arranged by her mother, with a doctor no less, is the last thing she needs. The fact that he checks all her mother’s boxes just makes everything better...and worse.

Then Emmitt Hughes shows up. Her brother’s best friend. The love she once chose over family duties and her responsibilities. The one she asked to leave, and who did. The one who knows the real Ayesha. Torn between a love from the past that could cost her the only person she has left and her sense of obligation to her mother, will Ayesha find the strength to stop thinking about what everyone else wants and finally put herself first? Or is the old Ayesha truly gone for good?"

If you haven't dove headfirst into the writing of Sonali Dev, how about take this quick little swim. I'm sure you'll be picking up the rest of her catalog in no time!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Man, I have truly missed Sonali Dev’s writing! Reading this short story felt like going back into a familiar comfort zone. I love the way Dev handles themes that are often considered taboo in South Asian culture such as coping with grief and intercultural romance. She has a magical way of putting things into perspective and getting the meaning across in a manner that makes your heart ache for the character. The mother-daughter relationship explored in this book is wonderful and realistic. A great read to keep me going before her next book releases!

Plot ✍
Ayesha Shetty lost her brother seven years ago, the same time she lost everything else important to her: her dreams, her fierce independence, and the man she loved. Not wanting to see her mother hurt anymore, she put her wild self away and became the dutiful daughter her mother needed and took on her brother’s role in the family business.

Now her best friend’s big, fat Indian wedding is a chance to get away from her endless duties at the restaurant and maybe even have some fun (if she remembers how). But a setup arranged by her mother, with a doctor no less, is the last thing she needs. The fact that he checks all her mother’s boxes just makes everything better…and worse.

Then Emmitt Hughes shows up. Her brother’s best friend. The love she once chose over family duties and her responsibilities. The one she asked to leave, and who did. The one who knows the real Ayesha. Torn between a love from the past that could cost her the only person she has left and her sense of obligation to her mother, will Ayesha find the strength to stop thinking about what everyone else wants and finally put herself first? Or is the old Ayesha truly gone for good?

Thoughts 💭
AHHHH. Second chance romance. You have to love a good comeback story. This is a short story so it's pretty straight to the point and fast paced. It has a great amount of backstory and emotion. Very sweet read. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC!

This short story packs an emotional punch! I might have cried at one point. Okay, who am I kidding I totally cried.

I am usually not a fan of the second chance trope but I really enjoyed this story about Ayesha and Emmitt and even though they had been apart for so long I immediately felt the spark between them.

I don’t usually write full reviews for novellas and short stories. I also didn’t expect to like this story so much, but in the 60 or so pages (this is just a guess and I do not know the actual page count) it really made an impression on me. It was heartbreakingly sad, funny and sweet. I truly had ALL THE FEELS.

This is a story about love and loss and finding yourself again when grief has consumed you for so long.

As far as steam goes, there are a few make out scenes but this is closed door and honestly the lack of steam didn’t bother me at all since I was enjoying the story so much.

This is the first book I have read from this author and I’m determined to read more of her work now.

I received an eARC of this story from the publisher Amazon and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Wedding Setup releases on January 11th and will be available in Kindle Unlimited.

CW: death of a loved one

"Actually, you two were amazing. I never met two people who were so unafraid of losing each other. So confident of each other's love."

The Wedding Setup by Sonali Dev is a second-chance romance between Ayesha and her brother's best friend, Emmitt. Two of my favorite tropes! But it's actually the second-chance at a relationship between Ayesha and her mother that I can't stop thinking about. They're both fierce and passionate and sorely confused about what's best for the other.

At her best friend's wedding, Ayesha and Emmitt are forced to reconsider the relationship they abandoned years ago. There's a choreographed dance. An eligible bachelor that climbs through a window. A wine cellar with a door that sticks (hello, forced proximity trope). And lots of meddling aunties.

Such a fun short read full of spirit, depth and the ultimate lesson that we shouldn't let our grief hold us back from what we love.

Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me the chance to read and provide an honest review of this book!

This was a sweet short story about life and love and second chances. I've never read anything by Sonali Dev before but now I'm intrigued to read more!

Everything changed for Ayesha Shetty seven years ago when she lost her beloved brother. Gone were all her hopes and dreams since Ayesha gave up everything including the man she loved to devote all aspects of life to her widowed mother. The restaurant they own takes all their time, energy, and has sucked the life out of Ayesha. Ayesha was a wild child who enjoyed sassing her mother and living life to the fullest; now, at age twenty-eight, all the previous bright colors of her life has faded into the background.

When Ayesha’s is set to be part of best friend, Bela’s, over the top, elaborate Indian wedding, she begins to come back to life a bit even though her mother and aunties are now playing matchmaker. The intended prospect turns out to be an Ob/Gyn who enjoys talking about his work raising his ick factor. When Emmitt Hughes, who was her brother’s best friend and love of her life, shows at the wedding, so many emotions resurface for Ayesha, good and bad. Ayesha pushed Emmitt away after the tragic loss which essentially did nothing but punish them both.

Emmitt is determined to win back the girl who broke his heart if only he can break through her wall of self-punishment and deeply restricted life. Slowly, with the background of the wedding festivities, Emmitt and Ayesha try to find their way back to one another if only she is willing to let go of the sorrow, guilt, and sense of obligation to her mother and their family business. Emmitt has spent the time away working towards a reunion; he is more than ready to win Ayesha back. This second chance romance with a Bollywood backdrop will please fans of Ms. Dev who deftly explores the deep of emotions of grief, loss, and the redemption of love.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.

3.5 (4 stars)

The Wedding Setup is a second chance romance short story inspired by Bollywood movies. This story is my first of this author's and I quite enjoy it.

Ayesha has given up her dreams to help her mother after the death of her brother. On the weekend of her best friend's wedding, Ayesha is set up by her mother and auntie with a prospective husband, until someone from her past shows up.
Sonali Dev's writing style is easy to read and enjoy. The characters and emotions of this story are written with so much depth and is delightful.

Overall. a fun short read, where you have to check out if you like second chance romance!

#netgalley

Ayesha unexpectedly lost her older brother, Ajay, seven years ago and since then has been managing the family restaurant and trying to be the perfect daughter for her mother. Her mother tries to set her up with a cute doctor at her best friend’s wedding but someone from Ayesha’s past comes back and derails the whole set up.

This is a short story about a second chance at love after dealing with grief, uncertainty, and family expectations. Although short, the author, Sonali Dev did a great job at portraying so many of the emotions that comes with grief and love. It was cute and heartfelt, definitely for fans of contemporary romance. It’s a great read if you’re looking for something quick. I gave it a 4/5.

*thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review*

This book follows Ayesha, who used to be a passionate and fiery woman, but seven years after her brother's death has left her only wishing to be a good daughter to her mom. Ayesha is stuck between two men: 1) Samrat, who checks all her mom's boxes, 2) Emmitt, an old flame of Ayesha's whom she had to leave after her mom expressed her dislike of him.

This was such an amazing short story to read!! I loved the chemistry between Emmitt and Ayesha and the love that Ayesha and her mom shared between each other. The relationship between mother and daughter is so hard to put into words, but somehow this book illustrates it so perfectly. I identified so much with Ayesha wanting to be her own person but at the same time wanting to make her mother proud. This was way deeper than just a quick love story, but somehow Sonali Dev was able to put all of that emotion into this short book!

My first read by author Sonali Dev and I truly enjoyed this story. the characters were developed and the back story was interesting. Ayesha struggles to find herself and back to love following some changes made for the sake of her family after a tragedy. This short story was a sweet second chance romance with a happy ending. For me it was an introduction to this author and I will check out some of her backlist for sure!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Writing a romance with potent chemistry and backstory is difficult enough in itself, but Sonali Dev accomplishes all of that and more in less than 100 pages. As a fan of second chance romance, I couldn’t ask for more in this slightly heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting romance.

We get an in depth look into Ayesha’s backstory, as well as that of Emmitt and snippets of the other side characters. The overall character arc’s were pretty well fleshed out, with the theme of healing from old wounds and reuniting at the center. There were a few times I was a bit skeptical of what the ending of this story would be, and if Emmitt would end up working out with Ayesha, but the happy ending was happily delivered. I also enjoyed the bit of plot twist that happened near the end to bring everything together.

Overall, a very good short story from Sonali Dev, with a couple and a main character that you learn to root for, and learn to love rooting for. It feels like a fully fleshed out romance novel, and like any good book leaves you satisfied but also wanting a bit more. I definitely recommend it!

This was my first book by Sonali Dev and I really enjoyed the way she wrote the story. It was an easy read and was quick short story.

Personally, I love the second chance trope and the story between Ayesha and Emmit was beautiful and you could feel the emotions between those two without much words needed.

All in all, if you are searching for a quick cute Second chance romance book this is definitely something for you !!

I was lucky to receive an ARC of this story, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story revolves around second chances and moving forward, and was a lovely and tender read. Ayesha and Emmitt are such warm and wonderful characters, and I love the way Sonali Dev was able to put so much emotion and love into even a short read. She really has a way of drawing you into the story and giving each character a unique personality. Highly recommended!

'The Wedding Setup' is a short-and-sweet story that follows Ayesha, a woman who, in the wake of tragedy, is struggling to connect with who she was before. When she attends her best friend's wedding, she's confronted by the ex-boyfriend she left behind. Ayesha must wrestle with the consequences of her choices, and decide if she is willing to let them impact her future - will she settle for the life her mother wants for her, or will she pursue the future she's always dreamed of having?