This was one of the very first NetGalleys I requested, before I really knew what I was doing. It’s been sitting in my NG Backlist for over 2 years because there was always another NG to read and there isn’t any audiobook available for it. I told myself once I cleared out a monthly NG list I’d read this and guess what?! I did! I read all (3) of my October NetGalleys in record time and finally got to this one.
17 year old Ila’s Mom, Veena, thinks Ila’s obsession with a pop star is overkill and wants her to be more like her (Ila’s) friend Deepali. Both Ila and Deepali think if Veena had a man she’d lay off of Ila so they hatch a plan to get Veena a man and in doing so Ila finds there is more to life than fan girling over a pop star.
This started out very cute but ended up falling flat about 30% of the way in. This quickly became boring when the exact same scenarios were happening in every chapter.
It turns out this was originally written in 2014 and updated in 2022 with more up to date dating apps. I love that it takes place in India (it seems that I am very drawn to books set in that country) and I loved the Indian terms that were sporadically used, but I had no idea as to what they meant and was a bit confused at parts where conversations took place in this language.
Thank you to NetGalley and Reenita Malhorta Hora for an advanced copy of this. I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it. Operation Mom hit the shelves on August 22, 2022.

I read this on the train, which I probably wouldn't have had I known how entertaining this book was going to be. I laughed, I snorted, I giggled, I gasped. This book has all the feels, and it's so so so good. I had my mom read it too and she found it amusing too. 5 stars! This book is amazing.

I loved this cute witty story! It was an easy read and I loved the indian rep in the characters! I really loved how this book made me laugh multiple times! It was full of puns and quirkiness and it was just really enjoyable

"Operation Mom: My Plan to Get My Mom a Life & a Man" by Reenita Malhotra Hora is a heartwarming and humorous memoir that follows the author's mission to help her single mother find love and happiness. With wit and compassion, Hora chronicles her humorous attempts to play matchmaker and navigate the ups and downs of modern dating on behalf of her mom. Through her candid storytelling and relatable anecdotes, Hora explores themes of family, love, and the complexities of intergenerational relationships. "Operation Mom" is a touching and entertaining read that will resonate with anyone who has ever embarked on a quest to find happiness for a loved one.

this is sooo fun oh my god. thank u netgalley and genz publishing for operation:mom and it took me so long of course so let’s get it.
this was such an enjoyable read,reading about kids relationships with moms is a minefield you never know what you’re going to get and for this to be such a heartfelt loving story (albeit mischievous) was a breath of fresh air. loved this<3

Pretty interesting book about the Indian culture as a daughter try’s to find a man for her mom. Definitely a book that you won’t put down! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

This was my first time reading a book from this author, and it won't be my last. This story was so cute and fun and all around enjoyable. I felt like I was watching a movie. And the shenanigans were hilarious. It also showed some of the complex issues in a mother/daughter relationship. It absolutely had my attention and I could not put it down. Very good job with this story.

This was a fun and fast read with a look into the culture of the elite Mumbai family. The characters were so much fun and the romantic comedy aspect was done a little differently in the best possible way. Highly recommend!

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Operation Mom by Reenita M. Hora
⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 220 / Genre: Young Adult

In an effort to get her mom off her back, Mumbai teenager Ila decides what her mom needs is a boyfriend. So with the help of Ila’s friends and her mom’s best friend, they set her up on a dating app—and that’s where the real fun begins. All in all, this was a cute story. I enjoyed the touching mother-daughter relationship. It was also very interesting to learn about Indian culture. But there were a LOT of Indian words and references thrown in that threw me for a loop, so I had to either just gloss over a lot of it or look them up each time, which got quite tedious.

Thank you @netgalley and @reenita_storyteller for the free copy of this book.

Ila is on a quest to help her mom find a date, so her mom will stop interfering in her life.

This was so funny and just had so much heart. The characters were amazing. Ila is absolutely amazing as the lead. She's a bit neurotic and that's what makes this work.

While some things were explained, I was a bit confused about some of the Indian culture in the book. There were words mentioned that I didn't know, so i did have to look up a few things,but the last half was much much better. I still recommend this book, as it is a lovely coming of age book.

Ila is desperate to have a summer dedicated to following her favourite singer but her mum is deadset on putting a stop to that. So what better way than to get her mum off her back than by making sure shes too busy with a boyfriend than checking on her?
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Okay, I admit this has been on my TBR forever and I should have read this well over a year ago. But thats that and I have now, finally, read it.
In general, it was fun. The plot was engaging and I liked the characters but the main drawback is that I lacked a lot of the cultral context that played a key part in the book. I am very grateful for my friend who was able to translate and explain things but without her I honestly would have been quite lost with a fair number of things.
That being said, I liked the general story but again I felt that it could have been a bit more fast paced.
Overall, just not really the book for me.
Favourite Quote - "Wake up and smell fhe coffee." She waved a Nespresso pod in my face.
Favourite Character - Dev
2.5/5 stars

It was a fun novel, which did take a little while to get into but I enjoyed it when I continued. Was a heartwarming story following the growth between a Mother and a Daughters relationship.

I struggled with this book and only got to 20%. Primarily, it's the culture difference and, whilst I googled a few things, it got a bit tedious in the end. I felt like large passages went over my head, so I couldn't connect with the story. I'm sure if this is your culture, you'd appreciate the witty lines and references.

I was provided an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

First, I LOVED the Indian representation in this novel. It’s an adorable witty “mom” com. It’s a lot lighter than I normally read and it was a nice palate cleanser.

I do loathe the miscommunication trope which was rather heavy in this book. Overall I face it 3/5 stars.

I would like to thank Reenita Hora for sending me this book.

I genuinely enjoyed reading this lighthearted YA rom-com. This book was very relatable and reminded me of my teenage years & being a fangirl. I felt very nostalgic while reading, and was grinning from ear to ear basically the entire time. The book had likeable characters and great relationship dynamics. I also enjoyed how realistic this book as and how it incorporated modern day themes, events, and technology/apps. I would recommend this book if you're looking for a lighthearted, funny, quick read, especially to my current and former fangirls and boys!

Also thank you for the Justin Bieber mention, I suddenly don't feel as old! Haha

Ooh this was fun!

As someone who grew up in Mumbai, where this book is set, I don't often get to read books that are set from where I am. This book took me back to my home and my family and I absolutely loved that nostalgia!

One of the things I loved about Operation Mom is how realistically it portrays teenage angst. The protagonist Ila may seem a little 'cringe' when it comes to her obsession over pop sensation Ali Zafar or her anger at her mom totally obsessing over her - but isn't that all of us at that age? I could feel the teenage angst and rebellion through the words and it definitely brought a smile to my face.

There are times when the story gets a little slow, but overall I definitely enjoyed this one. If you're looking for a comfy YA to curl up with, definitely consider this one.

A super cute ya romance with the most hilarious characters and an amazing familial storyline. I couldn’t stop laughing the whole time.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Operation Mom

Author: Reenita Malhotra Hora

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 2/5

Diversity: Indian MC with Anxiety, Indian characters, Pakistani character, Indian character with ADHD

Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, blind dates

Publication Date: August 22, 2022

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Age Relevance: 15+ (drugs, cursing, fatphobia, diet culture, ED language, romance)

Explanation of Above: There are drugs mentioned in this book and some cursing. There is a lot of fatphobia in this book and discussion of diet and weightloss that kinda leans into the ED language. There is also some romance shown.

Publisher: GenZ Publishing

Pages: 220

Synopsis: Ila, a Mumbai-based teenager, is going nuts with Veena, her controlling, single mother who prevents her from stalking her pop idol, Ali Zafar. Veena wants her daughter to date real guys in the lead-up to finding a husband. But Ila decides that the only way to get her mom off her back is by finding her a boyfriend instead.

Review: So… I didn’t like this book that much. I though the concept was fun. I loved that it is a “my kid sets me up on a blind date” which is a twist on a favorite trope of mine (my family sets me up on a blind date). The MC of our book is desperate to get her mom interested in someone else when she’s trying to go to a concert. The book focuses on our MC finding men for her mom on dating apps and reaching out for the help of other family members. It was a cute book for that part of it.

However, the book had a lot of fatphobic language in it. There was a lot of remarks made to the MC from her mother about her weight and appearance. There were whole scenes of them all just going to the gym and talking about weightloss and dieting. There was a lot of remarks about body types and a lot of horrible language being associated with being plus size. It was very uncomfortable to me, as a plus size person, to read all of that and it really messed with my head for a bit. The book was also really rushed in spots.

Verdict: Overall, based on the fatphobic language, I wouldn’t recommend this book to younger audiences.

This was a funny and amusing look at how a child deals with the breakdown of her parents marriage. I loved that she embarked on this mission to find her mom a new partner and how this ended up backfiring on her. I had some laugh out loud times as i could imagine myself doing some of the same things. Keep up the good work and I can not wait to see what comes next

Thank you for sending me this book to read via @netgalley 🩷

This was a really fun read for me! I love that it's set in Mumbai and getting to immerse myself in the culture and sights of what is a middle class Indian family.

I will admit, that, despite having numerous Indian friends, they all failed to inform me that there is a westernised middle class cross section of the population. I also went into this one with no personal experience to draw from.

The characters were enjoyable and wholly relateable. Ila the MFC coming from a dysfunctional family in a single parent household. Myself being of Croatian descent, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the fiery nature's of both countries inhabitants.

The parts I struggled with were the language barriers. I almost feel like parts needed further explaining regarding cultural aspects and more thorough translating for those, like me being thrown in the deepend. I spent a bit too much time on Google seeking clarification, which too away from some of the enjoyment.

I also found that Ila had what bordered on an unhealthy perception of her own body image. While Veena was a great role model for body positivity, Ilas' own perception could have been resolved better at the end.

Overall, this is a really fun read, with some twists and a great cultural experience for those who are seeking a setting different from the norm.

Rating: 4✨️
Apologies to my 🌶 book lovers. This one is wholly YA with but a chaste kiss 💋 and nothing more.