I got to interview Priyanka on my podcast, Raise Your Words. I have Bengali relatives (brother's wife) and this was so much fun to read. It has a halal romance and IS SO SATISFYING. I legit read this in ONE day. I will promote the hell out of this book. Zahra is an incredible protagonist and I loved the two main leads. There's a lot of banter and family drama in this.

I very much enjoyed this book! The angst and tension were definitely there, and reading about Zahra's experiences was so relatable. The pressures of being the oldest daughter are so real, and while I haven't experienced what Zahra did, I understood how she felt towards her siblings and mom and grandmother. Zahra's hopes and dreams and her morals and values were well developed throughout the book The romance in this book was great, and not predictable in a very fun way. While I don't usually enjoy love triangles, this one pulled me in. Harun and Nayim made interesting characters and their involvements with Zahra created a very interesting plotline. This book is definitely worth reading when it comes out!

I first learned of The Love Match when Priyanka Taslim first announced its publication in 2020. After hearing it would be a YA rom-com with Bangladeshi characters, I was so excited and waited (impatiently) over the next couple of years for its release and after having finished the ARC, I can definitely say that it was worth the wait. I plan to write a longer review closer to pub date, but this story is so joyful, romantic, and heartwarming. It captures the true nature of Bangali culture beautifully, while delving into other contemporary issues such as parental expectations, classism among South Asian communities, friendship, and more. The comedic aspect of this rom-com was fantastic as well--the hijinks that the characters get up to in this novel felt straight out of a Bangali natok, as Priyanka promised, and I found myself laughing out loud numerous times throughout the story.

If you're a fan of the dramatic flair that typically comes with deshi stories, commentary on the dynamics of South Asian communities, and the tropes found in the best romance media throughout history, you'll love The Love Match!