Nisha Sharma knocks it out of the park once again with her follow-up to the delightful Dating Dr. Dil. Her newest adult romance, Tastes Like Shakkar, is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and the second installment of the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series. It focuses on wedding planner Bobbi Kaur and grumpy chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda in an enemies-to-lovers romcom with plenty of spice in and out of the kitchen.
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I started reading Tastes Like Shakkar before I read Dating Dr. Dil, so when I realized they were connected I just had to go back and listen to the DDD audiobook (which I highly recommend–it was so fun). Once back to TLS, I could not put it down!

This series has easily become one of my favorite romance series. It’s incredibly well-written with fun and lovable characters. I am on my knees begging Nisha Sharma to write my love life! The fictional men in these books have set a standard to which no man in real life could possibly achieve. I mean, Bunty cooking food for Bobbi and sneaking it into her purse because he knows she tends to forget to eat when she’s working? Not to mention him using her geolocation to send her food deliveries when he can’t be there to cook for her! Literally, that’s all I want in a relationship–just keep me fed and happy.

The evolution of Bobbi and Bunty’s relationship was such a fun journey to experience. I was giggling. I was blushing and swinging my feet. I was even reaching for my nightstand drawer a couple times. 😜 I'm such a sucker for romance novels where the male love interest falls first, falls hard, and spends most of the novel slowly breaking down the walls the female main character has built around herself. They make each other better and add value to each other’s lives.

What makes this particular romance stand out was the addition of the shaadi saboteur mystery. I love how this gave Bobbi and Bunty a common goal to make sure nothing bad happens to the wedding instead of just being forced to spend time together planning the wedding menu. It gets them on the same side and makes the foundation of their relationship that much stronger.

The only downside of reading this book is that now I have to wait for the next installment! The If Shakespeare Was an Auntie universe is such a blast to immerse yourself in I can’t wait to see what Nisha Sharma does next.

I really liked the romance between Bunty and Bobbi. The chemistry and tension were definitely there. I really liked the incorporation of character growth when Benjamin realized he didn’t need to be everything to everyone and constantly be the mediator between his family members. What didn’t work for me as much was the drama around Prem and Karina’s wedding. A lot of the interactions felt a little forced and over the top.

Thank you, Avon Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

If you write a shakespeare inspired book, I will read it. If you make it a POC retelling, I will preorder the book and try to get it signed. There was a little cringe in the dialogue, but I enjoyed it much more than Dr Dil.

I really wanted to love this one. I love this authors writing style and how she writes her characters. Her books are always laugh out loud and this one is as well but the spicy scenes were a turn off for me. That’s just a personal preference. I hope all others enjoy it and can’t wait to read more from this author. Dating dr dil was a 5 star read for me

Absolutely loved Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma. Bunty and Bobbi are just great in this frenemies that need to plan a wedding for their best friends.

I'm mad that I waited so long to read this novel, but the timing hadn't been right - I knew this book would have me craving Indian food, and I just always had previous meal plans any time I was ready to start this book. Especially since Bunty is a chef/restaurateur. I was not wrong in my prediction. I also still need to go get myself some Indian food. But I digress

As someone that has read Sharma's three other adult novels, and thinks that Sharma's writing is fabulous, I'm not sure how, but somehow Sharma like elevated her writing with Tastes Like Shakkar. The banter between Bunty and Bobbi, the organized chaos of the Aunties, the sex scenes...everything just seemed to level up beyond the scale. And that's before we even delve into the role of the family manager, particularly in immigrant families. The very realness of seeing Bunty play that role while trying to navigate a path for himself (physically) far from his family. The very real feelings of Bobbi in how one mistake has others second guessing her ability to make decisions. Everything just felt so real.

Looking forward to the conclusion of this trilogy next year, and what the future brings for Sharma's writing.

Tastes Like Shakkar is a super fun enemies to lovers + cozy wedding saboteur mystery that had me hooked from the very beginning.

Bobbi, the female main, is SO easy to identify with. She has a big family legacy that she wants to uphold, works too hard, kind and charismatic, loves her family, and has big expectations for herself, in part because she can't help it and in part because her family has big expectations too. Bunty, the male main, is so likable. He has a big family legacy that he wants desperately to get out from underneath, works too hard, is kind and charismatic, loves his family and his friends, and has big expectations for himself.

Yea, they're like the same person - which for me keeps the tension through the hate-hate, love-hate, hate-love, love-love ebb and flow of the book. They're so dedicated to their work, and sometimes that's in conflict with one another and sometimes it's a perfect combo. They're so perfect, lovable, and you're just cheering for them the whole time.

The wedding saboteur twist is *chef's kiss* (haha, literally). I loved it - it was such a wonderful twist to the romance without getting dark or anything like that. Perfect cozy mystery romance vibes. This is such a fun read.

Full disclosure, I was so intimidated by the character list at the beginning - unlike many traditionally published romances that have a tight character list and perhaps introduce a few new characters to jump into the next romance in the series, this one has a big set of characters from the get go. There is family and friends and aunties and coworkers and inlaws and inlaws' inlaws. Don't let this intimidate you, like I did. I had no problem keeping up with who was who and what was going on. The wide character list adds to the value of this book - Bobbi and Bunty are the stars, but they're balanced on the foundation of a large cast of characters and it would definitely lack with out them. Love this read and highly recommend!

Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma
2nd book in the If Shakespeare was an Auntie series. Contemporary romance. Own voice, Indian. Can be read as a stand-alone but better in series order. This story is the wedding of the couple from the first book. A retelling and play off of Much Ado About Nothing.
Bobbi Kaur is an event planner. She is planning to give her best friend an epic event that she’ll be able to remember with fondness. Bobbi has two major problems to overcome. First, she’ll need to work with Benjamin “Bunty” Padda and the two of them have been like oil and water since their younger days. And second, and most problematic, there is someone trying to sabotage thee wedding. Bobbi calls in the aunties to search out the guilty person that is messing with the wedding plans.
Bobbi and Bunty, sitting in a ….restaurant, realize working together may actually be more fun that anticipated.

A sexy and fun book as the two clash and then play on their attraction to each other. Conflicts and family issues can make arguments interesting and making up all the sweeter.
Filled with lots of cultural references on clothing, food and life. I personally learned a lot and look forward to the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Dating Dr. Dil was one of my favorite books of 2022 so I was thrilled to be back in this universe. Tastes Like Shakkar was incredible and everything I've come to expect from Nisha Sharma yet with even spicier spice?!?!?! I was blushing and kicking my feet LOL

This book is enemies to lovers (my fav trope always) done right and I was EATING it up!!! Definitely in the running for top romance of the year for me so yall pick this up ASAP.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In Tastes Like Shakkar, Bobbi is busy planning her best friend Kareena’s wedding. Unfortunately, this means working alongside Benjamin, a restauranteur and best friend of the groom.

The book follows shortly after the events of Dating Dr. Dil. I enjoyed the main characters of this one, and I thought it had more a Bollywood movie vibe that I really liked. The book touches on some fatphobia in Indian culture, but it completely dropped off after the first few chapters. I think it could have been explored more deeply. It is quite steamy, but I did not particularly care for the kinks present. In true Bollywood dramatic fashion, the plot was a little over the top at times. The romance was sweet though, and I always enjoy seeing positive representation of long-distance relationships. Without having read the Shakespeare plays, I would say that the adaption is a bit loose. Overall, this is a sweet and steamy series, and I love the Indian rep, but there are other rom-coms I have enjoyed more.

An absolutely DELIGHTFUL Shakespearean retelling that is just as spicy as it is sweet.
I want to start off by saying how much I appreciated the plus size representation we got in this book and how it was a part of the book without it becoming a huge plot point. Kudos to Nisha Sharma.

Even though I wish we got to see the two characters interact in person a little more, even moment between them was adorable, especially with Bunty's obvious acts of service love language. I love that he took care of her, even when he was far away.

These two were just the perfect pair. They complement each other so well and their banter was also top-tier
I love this series!

This is one of my favorite romcoms that I've read this year! I really enjoyed Dating Dr. Dil (Book 1 in this series) and this one was also a fun read! While this book is a stand alone story, it was so fun to circle back to many of the characters from Dating Dr. Dil.

As Bobbi plans her best friend Kareena's wedding (MC from Dating Dr. Dil), she must work closely with Benjamin (the groom's best friend) to ensure the wedding comes together smoothly. The only problem is-there is someone actively trying to sabotage the wedding. Bobbi and Benjamin must work together in this enemies-to-lovers romance as they both navigate balancing a new romance alongside their impossibly busy schedules.

This book has humor, spice, banter, and romance! If you enjoyed Dating Dr. Dil and/or are a fan of forced proximity romance, you'll probably enjoy this one. I can't wait to purchase a physical copy of this book as well!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this sequel to Dating Dr. Dil. Bobbi and Bunty (Benjamin) have such amazing chemistry, if only they could get out of their own way to act on it. I loved how all the friendships and family played into this one and how the Aunties help to find the saboteur attempting to ruin Prem and Kareen's wedding. The food descriptions had me so hungry and getting takeout from local places. Nisha crafts such a well paced and thought out tale with laugh out loud moments and lots of heart.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read something cover to cover in a day but this boon was IT! First, it’s the perfect Shakespearean homage with a sizzling enemies to lovers romance (seriously I’m blushing…) and a mysterious nefarious enemy to boot! I loved how this juxtaposed the pressures of family with the support in the found family you make. Like just riveting and fun and A+!

Wedding planner Bobbi Kaur has one mission- to plan the most fabulous wedding possible for her best friend, while simultaneously showing her boss (and uncle) that she's ready to take the reins of the wedding planning business she's helped him to build. Unfortunately for her, there are major obstacles in her way: someone is trying their best to sabotage the wedding, and having to deal with the groom's best friend and celebrity chef (also Bobbi's personal nemesis) Benjamin Padda. Can Bobbi and Benjamin put aside their dislike and pull off their best friends wedding? And will they discover they have more similarities than differences before it's too late?
A steamy enemies to lovers romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

A fun read, the story of Bobbi and Benjamin. They clash from their first meeting, but will these enemies become lovers? I liked how it was told from both points of view.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Having read several of Nisha Sharma's works, including the first book in this series (Dating Dr. Dil), I was pretty excited to learn that I'd been approved for this ARC. I'm happy to say, I think it improves upon its predecessor! The relationship between the protagonists develops well, and I liked that they explored certain aspects that I haven't previously seen in South Asian literature. I also thought the comedy in this novel was a significant step up from the first book in the series. And of course, I just love reading about Desi communities and relationships in general :). Overall a fun read, and I'm excited for the next book in the series!

This was incredible. This was my first Nisha Sharma book- and will not be my last. I was so captivated by the culture- the language- everything. I was googling everything and just learning so much more. BENJAMIN AKA BUNTY?! I love him. I need him. He is hot, sexy, and has mouth on him. I loved Bobbi's confidence and how she was unapologetically herself. How she stands up for herself and doesn't take less than she deserves. THE SPICE IN THIS BOOK!? I did not see it coming but best believe I was LIVING for it. I need more of Nisha Sharma's writing. I will read anything she writes. This book hit it off for me- and I will never not recommend it.

Tastes Like Shakkar
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Nisha Sharma

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Avon and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way:

1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and

2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding.

With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi's future career are on the line.

Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other.

Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after?

My Thoughts: This is book no. two in If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series. Bobbi Kaur is a wedding planner and a workaholic. She is aiming for a promotion and the only way to do that is through the Mann/Verma wedding. Benjamin Panta, known as “Bunty” is doing his best friend a favor by being the chef for this wedding as he has his hands full with his family and trying to open a restaurant. When Bobbi and Bunty met initially, outside the professional world, it was not under the best of circumstances, which left a bad taste for Bobbi. Then they are thrown together in the professional world. At first archenemies, then when someone is trying to sabotage the wedding, they join forces, will those professional forces encroach into romantic territory? This follows the tropes of enemies to lovers and opposite attract, with a touch of mystery thrown in.

The author does such an amazing job with body positivity with this novel. Bobbi is loyal to her job, a bit of a workaholic, she is controlling with almost every aspect of her life, caring, and gives 100%. Bunty is charming, loyal, confident, and in the middle of family drama. The characters were written well with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was creative, humorous, swoony, steamy/spicy, and engaging. My holdback is the first together encounter was bondage, and almost demeaning bondage, I think the first scene should have been come together in quick passion, and then the next time we introduce bondage. I adored the auntie antics in this book just as much as the first book, their meddling is always a joy to watch.

At parts, the book moved slow. It was paced well in the beginning but over halfway through, it slowed down, and then at the end the pacing returned. Overall, this was a great read that I did enjoy. I recommend reading both books in the series as you will get a true inside to the Mann/Verma wedding party.

I loved the authors previous book, Dating Dr. Dil, so I was really looking forward to this one;however, it just didn't work for me. I read 50% of the book and ended up DNFing unfortunately. The main characters were pretty boring in my opinion and the only thing I found interesting was the mouthwatering food that the male MC, Bunty, a chef was always making. I also did love the body positivity exuded by Bobbi, the female MC, a workaholic wedding planner. I wish I had loved it more! I'll definitely read more by Nisha Sharma and do encourage you to give this one a try as there are tons of 4 and 5 star reviews for it---it could be a case of it's me and not the book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper/Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

A story about learning to ask for help, dealing with family expectations, and accepting the love that you actually deserve!

This book was very cute and I really enjoyed it.
It had some spice to it!

It’s an enemies to lovers trope

I didn’t find the drama at the end to be believable. Overall, a very cute book and I’d recommend it. .