This book was a cute, quick read however it lacked humour and i found it quite boring at times. .The cover is cute and drew me in. The plot was good and i liked the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

It's a shame that I'd only just watched a film with almost this exact same plot, even down to the Indian heritage, as I definitely felt like I'd heard this story before. I did enjoy the way the plot developed and how a compromise was reached without sacrifice (one of the main niggles of relationships according to the main character). But the writing sometimes felt very repetitive and could have done with some editing down.

I love an enemies to lovers fake dating romcom and this was definitely a good read. Finished in one sitting and enjoyed the story. However, unfortunately this genre is popular and this definitely wasn’t one of the best I’ve read

I really enjoyed this book and got through it quickly.

Annika parents are always asking if she will ever find an husband and settle down so she tells them she is dating someone when she isn’t. She meets Ravi by accident again after a few years of not seeing him, she tells him she needs a fake boyfriend. Ravi comes up with an idea to help them both so they enter a fake relationship. I really liked Annika and Ravi thought they were a great couple together.

I liked the story of the Asian community and the different languages they spoke. i couldn’t put this book down.

Many Thanks to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book before being published in exchange for an honest review.

I have read quite a few rom-com books with fake dating on them. The love arrangement is the weakest one so far.
Independent Annika has no plans to settle down anytime soon… if only her parents felt the same way. But when her father unexpectedly falls ill, she’ll do anything to make things better. Even if it means suddenly blurting out that she has a boyfriend.
So when her family wants to meet him Annika has to find somebody who come with her. That´s when she bumps into old friend Rav. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement and love wasn´t in the contract but when you fake date with your childhood nemesis, only one thing can happen…
It is an ok book if you enjoy rom-com books. For me a bit too much and a bit too fake. Couldn´t connect with the characters, didn´t feel the chemistry between the main characters either. And also a bit too repetitive.

I love an enemies to lovers and I love a fake dating. This checks all the boxes. The I thought you hated me, the one bed, the maybe we should practice physical intimacy so this is more believable....leading to the moment. You all know the moment. The oh no I caught feelings moment.

Despite the rocky meet not cute after running into each other for the first time in ages, Annika and Rav enter into very pragmatic fake dating arrangement. A certain number of events to attend on both sides, and an easily identifiable end date for their charade. Minus the inevitable ignoring of the feels, they had some of the best communication, they supported each other well and truly fought for each other from the beginning in a way that was above and beyond the means of their arrangement. They grew together from the get go, which made the third act break prior to the HEA, that much harder to anticipate.

There were some spots I would have loved a dual POV (Dubai anyone??) I also would have loved to spend more time on Annika's work, it was fascinating! The ending felt a little rushed, I would have loved an epilogue maybe from Rav's perspective a year later (or three...because, his timeline!) But overall, this was such a quick and fun read!


Thank you Netgalley and HQ for the ARC in exchange for my review!

3.75 stars
I love me a good romance book with fake dating. Especially when there's any kind of history in their past! Annika and Rav were so so cute!
The book is very lighthearted and it was obvious it was going for a fun vibe (it would've benefited with more banter between the main charachters). I loved the Indian representation although it always irritates me the family pressure in books with South Asian characthers. While I'm well aware of cultural differences and different family values, I need more romance books with South Asian chracters that have less toxisity in their family lives.
That aside, I enjoyed the book. It was just a typical fake dating romance book and it didn't give anything surprising with its content. At times I felt like wanting to sit Annika down and open her eyes, as Rav was quite obvious with his feelings. I do understand her worries over the arrangement, so I guess that's okay.
Rav had been the perfect example as a child that Annika's parent used to shove in her face. It was funny how she thought of him as her childhood nemesis. They randomly meet in their adult lives and embark on this "love arrangement" that with time evolves into a beautiful relationship. As I've said, Annika has some setbacks even when everything was so obvious, but it made the book longer, so that's okay.
I think this book is a lighthearted funny romance with beloved tropes and representation. While I do enjoyed it, I think it's more of a "I have some spare time to read after work book" than "clear my whole schedule, imma read" book.

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.
On to another I jumped for the second I saw it-The Love Arrangement by Ruby bass. This is the story of Annika, who is under a huge amount of pressure to convince her dad that she has found her partner for life. I was pulled straight in with Annika's decision of where to search as she tried to figure out should she fill potential suitors in on the fact that she only wanted them for a fake relationship.

The love Arrangement was vivid and vibrant and fun, with a cast that was very well done, so much so, in fact, that I fell for her fake partner too, and was gunning for him throughout the book! The settings were brilliant, the comedy nicely done but there was a standout moment for me and that was a beautifully cinematic wedding they attended, which blew me away-I could see it! My only issue at all was that Annika reminded herself way too often of why this couldn't work-I kept begging her to just see what was right before her! The other thing, really weirdly was that even by the end of the book I had no idea what Annika actually worked at! But that I think is showing my age, perhaps? Either way, really really enjoyable and so recommended!

Rating: 5/5

I didn't love this one, but I didn't hate it either! I thought it was a decent book to read at a time when I had nothing else, but I don't think I would've picked it up if I had something to read. This is supposed to be. a romance, but I didn't feel the love. Chemistry isn't easy to write, they either have it they don't, and these two just didn't. I felt like we didn't actually get to know the MMC's side of the relationship, a shame because I think that would've helped the chemistry problem a lot! I think dual POV is just a MUST when it comes to the romance genre!

Annika's parents are constantly asking when she is going to get a serious boyfriend, settle down and marry. Along comes Rav, who they think is eminent future husband material. It suits them both to plan a false romance. But will it stay false? Entertaining, a lovely read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of the novel in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the story and the culture that was explored through the characters, events and family dynamics presented.

Opposites attract and fake romances are always a good starting point for me and I did enjoy the additional cultural implications of this on the relationships.

I struggled with the idea of Rav as a “nemesis” as all interactions with him from the beginning suggested that Annika’s view of him may be skewed. I think the character of Rav and his background could have been given more insight and time throughout the story rather than at the end.

I would also have liked to have seen interactions between Rav and Annika’s families, as I think the characters were under-utilised.

Overall, I would say this is an easy read, but personally I feel more character development was needed (as individuals) in order for me to engage more fully with the story.

This was a really enjoyable read with likeable characters. I liked how the setting and themes were different to other ‘chick-lit’ books. I have never read any of the authors work before but look forward to doing so in the future!

Annika is all about her career. She enjoys the fact that her job allows the ability to travel. Unfortunately for her, her family want her to settle down and get married. Something she does not want. Enter Rav. Rav and Annika never saw eye to eye growing up so who better to play her fake boyfriend than her childhood nemesis. This book is great for those who love the enemies to lovers trop and fake dating. Although the book had such amazing tropes, something was missing for me. The chemistry between the two just wasn't there for me unfortunately. There were some cute scenes and as a South Asian myself I did like the fact that the author made the authentic decision not to have the two be all over each other just as our cultures teach us. For that I definitely give points!!

Thank you Netgally for the ARC.

Just finished and can honestly say this was my favourite read of 2022 so far! It has a fake dating trope aswell as a slow burn romance which was to die for! I loved how the characters had grown up with each other but same time were strangers to one another. Would recommend to everyone!

Do you think that love makes you sacrifice your life or adapt you to another person? This book puts you in the difficult position to make you decide; your freedom or a life with love? Not easy, am I right? Annika has an amazing life; a job she loves, a lot of friends and trips around the world. The only problem is that her parents want her married and she doesn’t want to sacrifice her freedom for another person, so she decides to have a fake boyfriend till the end of summer. And then she will tell the truth, when she thinks that her father is much healthier and at no risk. She never thought that her fake boyfriend would be her nemesis from her childhood, Rav Gohil, a man she never thought would accept her proposition. As you can imagine, these dates at the beginning are really weird, but as they start to know each other the feelings start to get more complicated… So, Annika will have to make a difficult decision, freedom or love?
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book, it’s a light read but with interesting facts about life and love that make the reader rethink their view about love.
I loved how Annika knows that she loves to travel and doesn’t want to sacrifice it for love, as it should be, we wouldn’t have to choose between what we want or someone we love, what we can have both? I think that with a good match, everything is possible, don’t you think?Are you ready for “The Love Arrangement”?

Such a lovely read, I found it really enjoyable. I loved the development of Annika and Rav’s relationship and the cute vibes they created together. They start with a fake dating agreement that challenges all the natural emotions, that can be created in this type of situation. They end up having some fun times together and it’s nice seeing them finding enjoyment in spending time together, even though they’re not wanting anymore than fake dating.

I really liked all the characters in this book. It’s a great all round read. It made me smile with its sweetness and chuckle along throughout. It’s nicely written and kept me entertained.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

OH MY GOD!!!! As a brown girl living in England I always wondered if someone would or could write a story I could connect to and OH BOY... this was what I needed!!!

Both the main characters are POC and are South Asian (Indian). The tropes for this story are the guy falls first and fake dating (one trope I absolutely love <3).

The story talks about identity and it is different for every one (one I could relate to) and talks about the achievement culture in south asian and many other communities while opening a space to discuss diverse career prospects and how they too are important and that just because someone choses a different career path they are not selfish or not good enough and further more goes on to talk about settling down as an adult (which is beautiful because plans change).

The story also mentions how past experiences can make someone skeptical and pessimist to not ry out new thing which is not spoken about. The author does a beautiful job to paint a realist picture of our generation and our struggles to form strong bonds and relations due to past experiences and the fear of them not working leaving us heart broken and alone to pick up pieces all by ourselves.

So our Bengali girl Annika has always heated the Marwari golden ideal poster desi boy Rav and has always considered him as her nemesis. While at a singles event they happen to bump into each other and one drinks too many lead to an agreement. An agreement to fake date..... Bad idea? Maybe but who cares!!!! Practising faking a relationship our MCs develop feelings or in our case one our golden boy is hit with the realisation that he has always been fascinated about Annika and our girl discovers a pure and intense feelings called Love for Rav.

This story shows a journey of dealing families, society, emotions, past hurtful experiences while moving on and creating beautiful memories. It is interesting to read bits of blast from past told by Rav... I swear this man remembers every little bit and interaction of his with his lover girl which is so sexy!!!! I would give a 10000 to this book this was a fade to black I did not know I needed! Loved it! Will always recommend this! hopefully I can get my hands on the physical copy one day:)

When Annika's father becomes ill she knows that she must invent a fake boyfriend to please him. She has to make sacrifices but are they a step too far. Can you love the one who you thought you hated? At times the characters needed a good talking to but overall an enjoyable read.

This was such a sweet and cute story. Annika and Rav are perfect for one another but Annika has always seen him as her nemesis when in fact she had completely misunderstood him the whole time, When he opened up and revealed aspects of their interactions as teens I felt really sorry for him and I wanted to push Annika towards taking a chance on love rather than pushing him away. I liked Rav. He was quiet, and steady and put a lot of effort into building a relationship with Annika.
The story has the eventual third-act break-up but it is short-lived and my heart melted when they finally resolved things between them.
A lovely, light-hearted and uplifting novel.

Wow, really enjoyed this book, couldn't put it down, lots going on but never lost my place, heartwarming and good story