Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat is a lovely, fun book about two younger people (late 20s/early 30s) who find themselves on an Alaskan cruise as part of a senior's group, which includes their parents, aunts and uncles, and other members of their extended Sikh community. The book is told from Jasmine's POV.

Jasmine has just broken up with her long-time boyfriend for the third time and despite being broke, goes on the trip to spite her parents who prefer to spend time with Jasmine's younger sister than their oldest 'bad girl' daughter. On the cruise, she reunites with Jake, whom she had known years before, and is on the cruise with his father.

Over the course of the cruise, Jasmine and Jake spend a lot of time together, first by accident and then because they are growing more and more attracted to each other. However, Jasmine desperately wants to get her life back in order, and Jake has a bit of growing up to do as he vacillates between being a 'bro boy' and a thoughtful man who has just graduated law school. Both of them need to figure out some things before they can even think seriously about acting on their mutual attraction and date each other.

Overall, I really liked this book. The author did a great job of showing the messiness of being an adult, that we don't all have our sh!t together, and that it takes work to be different and not repeat destructive habits.

There was lots of humour sprinkled throughout, which helped to balance out the more serious discussions that took place. I was laughing at various scenes, especially when both Jasmine and Jake were in on the joke.

This is definitely a slow burn book, with Jasmine and Jake taking their time before committing to being in a romantic relationship with each other. I think this approach really serves the story well and allows for their individual growth, and for Jasmine in particular to nurture her relationship with her parents.

I will definitely be seeking out other books by the author to read after enjoying this one so much!

Just a delightful story! Jasmine's life seems like it's hit a dead end when she finds herself tagging along on a seniors cruise with her parents. I admit that at first Jasmine annoyed me, but I grew to root for her as the book quickly moved along. Well worth reading for inspiration to find yourself at any age.

I have mixed feelings on this one. I was so excited for the premise, but Jasmine was just so immature and rude at first to Jake. I liked how they developed a friendship into more and there were lots of funny antics along the way. I appreciated that she knew she had to find her place before she could be with Jake. I alternated between the audiobook and the ebook. I really enjoyed the narrator.

Jasmine and the Jake Rock the Boat is more a coming of age than romance. Jasmine is a lot to take in this story, and her level of immaturity wore on me at times. And, she was just mean. I often wondered at times "why" Jake was trying so hard to be with her. Unfortunately, this story did not work for me.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the complimentary copy.

A perfect Summer Enemies to Lovers Rom-Com about 2 people stuck on a seniors cruise with their family and have nothing else to do but discover that perhaps there is truth to the old wives tale that love and hate are only a kiss apart.

There is a lot of traditionally immersed simmering hostility regarding gender roles in their society that rise to the surface, but also show that traditional values and ideals can be tweaked and changed as we grow as a society. We just need the change agents shout out.

Great escapist novel with gentle lessons to be learned.

Jasmine's vacation with her parents takes a wrong turn when she discovers it's a seniors' cruise with other members of the Indian community. Among the sometimes judgmental aunties and uncles she's known since birth, she runs into childhood acquaintance Jake. Can their newfound relationship survive beyond the cruise?

This is a whimsical novel with an eclectic cast. Jasmine has never felt she fit in with the expectations of her community, but Jake makes her feel like she's just fine the way she is. It's a fun and sometimes emotional read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I've read a couple of Sonya Lalli's romances, and this is definitely my favorite! I was skeptical at the start because I hated Jasmine's lack of self-control over her spending and lifestyle, and Jake's random, dickish aloofness put me off. (Also, the five-year age gap is not huge, but it's enough to give one pause.) Ultimately, though, both won me over with their willingness to be vulnerable with one another and address their mistakes in a healthy way. The romance is a slow burn, but in a way that allows them to get to know one another better and appreciate both their shortcomings and their positive traits--I love to see growth in relationships! I also appreciated Sonya Lalli's depiction of cultural expectations and the double standards for boys and girls (aka, sexism) that Jasmine experienced. It was heartwarming to read about how Jasmine's dynamic with her parents and with her local South Asian community changed by the end of the book.

I loved this fun second-chance romance! Jasmine and Jake found themselves on a seniors' cruise to Alaska - alongside their VERY large South Asian community. Jake was (or appeared to be) the perfect Indian golden boy, whereas Jasmine had an undeserved reputation as a troublemaker. I really enjoyed seeing their personal growth and romance as they planned an onboard dance show, So you think you can boogie? The meddling aunties provided plenty of entertainment, and Alaska was a beautiful setting. Narrator Mayuri Bhandari made this a fun listen, and I'd recommend it to fans of sweet romcoms!

Thank you to @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobooks and Berkley and @letstalkbookspromo for my e-ARCs.

Sonya Lalli brought me another fun read! I was fortunate to be granted access to the ebook by @berkleyromancr and I listened to this title courtesy of @prhaudio. I knew I enjoyed it, because I was picking things to do that enabled me to keep listening!

Jasmine is nursing a broken heart from her most recent breakup with her on again off again ex. Her job is going well, but her spending habits have left her in less than ideal circumstances. Her relationship with her parents is as strained as always, but when Jasmine finds out her parents invited her sister to go on a cruise with them, but not her, Jasmine jumps the gun and insists on going too.

However, her sister isn’t going on the cruise. Things get worse when Jasmine realizes she’s on a cruise for seniors and it’s too late for her to get off. As if things could even get worse… oh but they do! Jasmine flirts shamelessly (and harmlessly) with a waiter, only to realize it’s actually Jake, the boy she used to babysit who is now all grownup and hot as hell.

Listen, initially I struggled with this age gap- particularly being the former babysitter. However, I realized the gap was small and she really only kept an eye on them ONCE. So the ick feeling subsided!

I loved the way these two respect and buck traditions in a way that is hard to do when you push back on your elders, but also so nice to see, because things have changed a lot.

This book kept me laughing at silly things they did together and the way they hesitated to explore anything deeper than friendship.

This book releases next week and I cannot wait!

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat is a fun and heartwarming contemporary romance with dynamic characters, a gorgeous setting, and a wonderful love story.

In the story, Jasmine finds herself on a cruise with her parents and a bunch of meddlesome aunties and uncles. Since Jasmine has a recent break-up with her long-time boyfriend, she has no place to live. Pushed to take her vacation days, Jasmine sees the cruise as the perfect escape even though her parents didn’t really invite her. Unbeknownst to her, however, it is a senior cruise, and the only other person under 50 on the cruise is Jake, who Jasmine babysat when they were younger. Now, Jake’s all grown up and awaiting results from his bar exam.

When Jasmine first meets Jake, they do not hit it off. She sees the same cocky, arrogant attitude her ex had. As they spend more time together, they see past the superficial, and their feelings start to grow. But they’re on a cruise with their families. Jasmine is also older than Jake, and she babysat him once upon a time. Plus, she just got out of a relationship, and her life is a little chaotic. She finds a million reasons not to go forward with Jake, but her heart is telling her to take a risk. She is so conflicted, and the comical, antagonistic, and goading banter shows it. They have the best back-and-forth that highlights all of their chemistry and sexual tension.

The story is definitely a romance, but the focus is really on Jasmine’s growth as a character. She learns a lot about herself during the cruise, and I think she takes a hard look at herself and her relationships with her parents and her ex. Jasmine has always felt she was a disappointment to her parents, and they have a very strained relationship. The outcast of her family, Jasmine struggles with confidence and self-worth because of the years of judgment, disapproval, and berating she received. She goes through an amazing amount of growth over the course of the story, and the cruise that seemed like it was going to be a dull and unpleasant time becomes an experience of a lifetime and an opportunity to med old hurts and start new relationships. At first, I felt like Jasmine was immature, and I didn’t really understand her. However, I ended up really liking her and thought she had a lot of depth.

Unlike Jasmine, Jake has always been treated like the golden boy. He can do no wrong. However, this comes with its own pressures, and Jake has familial expectations and responsibilities too. I thought the author did a great job of highlighting the double standards that Jasmine faces while also revealing how both characters struggle with the labels placed upon them and the inability to be seen as anything but those labels.

There are a lot of other great messages and themes that I think readers will relate to. Trying to live up to the expectations of others, struggling with family scrutiny and pressures, break-ups, taking a chance on love, healing, and forgiveness are all woven seamlessly through the plot. I like that, though the story tackles some tough issues, it’s balanced well with other more lighthearted and empowering moments.

Special thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I enjoyed this one so much!

Jasmine is 33 and struggling after (another) breakup with her on again, off again boyfriend. She's missing her dog and just searching. Her parents tell her of a deal on the Alaskan cruise they are leaving on with a large group and she decides, why not? Jasmine and her parents have a bit of a strained relationship and she feels she doesn't live up to their expectations. She sees this as a way to maybe mend that relationship. She doesn't realize until they are setting sail that it's acutally a seniors cruise.

Jake is also on the cruise with his father. He's 28 and has just taken the bar exam and is waiting on results. He and Jasmine knew each otehr as kids and when they meet, sparks fly. But not in a romantic way. They banter and bicker. Jasmine doesn't have the best reputation, but is trying hard to prove to her parents that she can be a good Indian girl. Jake has other plans.

Their banter and bonding was the best. There were some LOL scenes. And I was really cheering for them to get together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and allowing me to be a part of this Berkley Buddy Read!

A cruise to Alaska, but with a twist....well a few!

This was so fun. The banter. The community. The growth! Also, there was communication. I LOVE when we get communication.

I love Sonya Lalli books! And character alliteration names.

Thank you Berkley, Berit, and Netgalley for access to this title. I'm excited to talk about it in our group.

Jasmine Randhawa has just gotten out of a long-term relationship with her boyfriend which tarnishes the façade of perfection that she likes to present to everyone around her. Truth is, things are far from perfect for Jasmine. Besides the break-up, Jasmine's financial situation is not good. Also, her sister's upcoming engagement party has only highlighted the tense relationship she has with her parents. So when Jasmine's parents reluctantly invite her on an all-inclusive cruise, Jasmine believes it'll be a chance to escape for a little while. But when she arrives, Jasmine discovers she's not only on a senior's cruise, she'll be travelling with all of her aunties and uncles having to endure their constant scrutiny, and the only other person close to her age is her childhood acquaintance Jake Dhillon.

Jasmine and Jake clash immediately. Jasmine always pushed back against the way Indian women are expected to behave, and her reputation has taken a hit for it. Being a son, Jake does not fully understand the pressures that have been put upon Jasmine and the ways in which he had been praised for the very same things for which Jasmine has been derided.

Regardless, being the youngest passengers on board they still end up, more often than not, spending time together. Jasmine begins to see that, like herself, there is more to Jake than surface level. A trip that started out as a mistake, might actually be exactly what Jasmine needs.

I've read and enjoyed Sonya Lalli's books before so there was no doubt that I would pick this book up too. In fact, it's one that kept me up reading late into the night until I was finished.

I liked the layers that Sonya Lalli incorporates into her characters. It's interesting because we start out thinking that Jasmine's going on this trip to get away, she's just gone through a breakup, etc. It turns into so much more, by each turn of the page another layer to Jasmine's character is added. We see the cracks in her relationship with her parents. We see her wanting desperately to repair them. We learn that Jasmine views herself in a completely different way than she is viewed by other people. Those insecurities and vulnerabilities slowly give rise and we, as readers, begin to see past the initial confident woman. I liked the progression of Jasmine's character as it opened up a lot more nuance. Yes, she has a great amount of pressure put on her by her family, but she's not completely innocent either and I think that the way Sonya Lalli writes the distinction between the two sides to the story is very spot on.

Jake's own story is a mirror in a lot of ways to Jasmine and it's interesting to see Jasmine realize that her perceptions are called into question as she gets to know him.

I loved the idea of these two people who are seemingly opposites finding that they have more in common than previously thought. Not only do they have things in common, but they have this amazing chemistry.

Really, I appreciated that even though this story certainly has strong romantic elements, the focus is still on Jasmine.

Sonya Lalli has proven to be an author that I can count on to give me a story with heart.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for an advance copy of this!

This is my first Sonya Lalli book and won't be my last. This was such a delightful read with heart and humor! I also loved some of the pop culture references that Lalli threw in there that made me laugh.

Quick Recap: Jasmine and her boyfriend broke up (again) and she decided to join her parents on a Alaskan cruise. Expecting that it was going to be filled with childhood friends that she would reconnect with instead it was a senior cruise. She spots another young cruise goer whom she mistakens for a waiter. Turns out Jake was someone she babysat as a teen. While navigating these new feelings for Jake she is also working to improve her relationship with her parents who never took her serious.

Jasmine had tried so hard not to fall for Jake but his charm was undeniable. Heck I was even charmed by him. He never gave a reason to doubt Jasmine but she just wasn't sure if he was just being a flirt/playboy and didn't want to end up hurt. Could a 28 year old be ready for a relationship with a slightly older woman who is ready for a serious committed relationship? I love when they would have their heart to heart that allowed them both be vulnerable to each other. They were playful with each other and Jake could tell when Jasmine needed backup to deal with the aunties on the ship.

I had seen reviews prior to reading saying that this was women's lit as oppose to a romance. Was this a full open door romance? No but I thought there was enough of the dynamic with Jake to make it a romance. I thought this gave a good balance between her growing relationship with Jake and her mending the relationship with her parents.

This book would be a perfect palate cleanser that has just enough sweetness and humor that would make you smile after an emotional read or opposite a scary thriller.

In addition, I paired my reading with the audio via Penguin Random House and the narrator Mayuri Bhandari was the perfect choice to voice Jasmine.

This definitely made me want to go to Alaska (which I already wanted to go to) and heck I would even do a cruise! You'll want to read this if you like forced proximity (hello cruise ship), dreams of Alaska & meddling family members.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat is the latest from Sonya Lalli, and it’s definitely one of her better books. And given her tendency to write across the romance/women’s fiction spectrum, I definitely felt this one leaned more toward romance, with the story revolving heavily on the evolving dynamic between the main couple. 

Lalli is great at crafting desi heroines and all their struggles, especially with having to balance the traditional expectations of one’s elders, while trying to find one’s own footing in the Western world, and that’s very much the case here. Jasmine chafes at the myriad double standards based on gender, as well as the way she’s compared to her younger sister, Niki. 

Jake as a romantic interest is interesting, as he and Jasmine have history, as he’s the five-years-younger kid she used to babysit. However, things are different now that both are adults, and I appreciate that the age difference, not being too pronounced, isn’t something that makes things too awkward. I did find their initial dynamic upon meeting each other again as adults, as it really leaned into the false interpretation of “enemies to lovers,” where they just have petty arguments. However, things evolved from there with them both acknowledging where they went wrong. And while there are some miscommunications used to create false tension, it’s overall a cute relationship. 

I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for multicultural contemporary romances.

This was a fun reverse age gap vacation fling between two of the youngest members stuck on a seniors Alaska cruise. Initially Jake and Jasmine butt heads but eventually they mend fences and bond over a shared love of Outlander and some funny past history.

Great on audio and with a lot of emotional depth, I liked how Jasmine had to work through her reputation issues, growing up considered the 'fast girl' in her very conservative South Asian community. The cruise was a unique opportunity for her to mend fences with her parents and take steps toward a more positive self-image.

Many thanks to NetGalley and @prhaudio for complimentary digital copies in exchange for my honest review. This was definitely my favorite book by Canadian author Sonya Lalli!

Throughout her life, Jasmine has always felt like a disappointment to her family. When she and her boyfriend of 4 years break up and she is begrudgingly invited on an Alaskan cruise with her parents, she jumps at the opportunity despite not really being able to afford it. She soon realizes that the cruise is a senior cruise and there is almost no one else her age. Except for a very handsome man who seems to be her type - until he tells her that she was once his babysitter. Jasmine and Jake start off on the wrong foot - Jasmine thinks that Jake is just a typical flirty hunk who doesn't have real depth and she is quick to judge. But the more time they spend together, the more she realizes that his outer personality is hiding much more than meets the eye.

I really liked this book! It deals with some really deep issues but also had levity and joy. It really explores current issues within the South Asian community and the judgement that Jasmine feels. I appreciate the growth that Jasmine experiences through the book and how she and her parents work to repair their relationship.

Read this if you like:
- Forced proximity
- Enemies to Lovers
- A very cute dog
- Complex family relationships
- Reverse Age Gap
- Outdoorsy setting
- South Asian rep

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for a review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When 33 year old Jasmine decides to spend more time with her parents by attending their Alaskan cruise with them, she doesn't realize she is signing up for a seniors cruise. As it transpires, 28 year old Jake is also onboard, attending with his father. But when J&J meet, they immediately fall out. Jasmine knows her reputation isn't the best considering she isn't the typical good Indian girl and with all the Aunties watching her every move on the ship, she is determined to stay as far away as possible from Jake. But Jake seems to have other ideas...

I really enjoyed this book! There were plenty of laugh out loud moments, cute banter and the chemistry was sizzling. I was really hoping we might have gotten an epilogue but maybe there is a sequel in the works?! Please Sonya 🙏

This was a wonderful romance and coming of age story from Sonya Lalli! I've been a fan of her previous novels, especially the coming of age stories she includes in all of her women's fiction and romance novels. However, I think Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat may be my favorite novel of hers that she's written. I adored Jasmine as a character and related to her so much as the eldest child and eldest daughter of a desi household. The scrutiny and judgement Jasmine endures from her local desi community in Seattle felt all-too-real. The commentary on how South Asian women are unfairly judged compared to their male counterparts in South Asian communities was also incredibly thoughtful and realistic. The arc of Jasmine feeling neglected from her parents compared to her sister Niki was also heartbreaking, and I enjoyed the scenes that explored her relationship with her mother and father.

The romance was also very sweet! I liked how much time in the story was dedicated to Jasmine and Jake's dynamic and budding relationship. Most romance novels do not feature an older woman & younger man relationship to begin with, and it was super interesting to see this played out in a South Asian setting. I really enjoyed watching their romance blossom while they discussed the similarities between their upbringings and again, the differences in their treatment in their Punjabi community.

I think fans of strong female South Asian characters and discussions of family dynamics and societal expectations in South Asian communities will love Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat! I look forward to reading more South Asian romance from Sonya Lalli! I'd rate this 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! I was very excited to read it.

I enjoyed this book, but I also finished it feeling a bit unsatisfied. It really reads as more of a women's fiction than a romance, and while I like women's fiction...it's very disappointing to go into a book thinking it's a romance when it's not. The romance aspects were engaging and cute, and I was invested in the characters...but not really in the plot. The book kind of floated along for me and while I kept reading, I didn't really feel like I was getting much from the story.

I did think the characters were really well-written, and I'm a very character driven reader...so that was a win for me! I thought they were interesting and relatable, and I was rooting for them even if I wasn't super invested in the storyline itself. I enjoyed the witty banter and forced proximity as well! I'm always a sucker for forced proximity and well-done banter.

Overall, this book is cute and fun, but read more like a palette cleanser to me than anything else...which is okay! Sometimes you need a good palette cleansing book. If you like cute stories with good banter, I highly encourage you to try this one out! It wasn't the book for me, but I can see why people like it!

Star Rating: 3⭐️