Heat Factor: It’s pretty steamy

Character Chemistry: Enemies to lovers becomes friends to lovers becomes lovers and I’m into it

Plot: Bobbi is planning her best friend’s wedding and is forced to work with her enemy, Benjamin, an up-and-coming renowned chef and best friend of the groom to be. But someone is determined to sabotage the wedding, and Bobbi and Benjamin have to figure that out while determining their feelings for each other and whether a bi-coastal relationship would even work…

Overall: This book was so fantastic.

It’s time for a new series to completely absorb every minute of your day. In this delectable series we have a group of tight knit friends who pair off while hijinks ensue. This is the second book, and although I’m scrambling to get the first book on my e-reader as we speak, it’s not totally necessary—I wouldn’t have even guessed that it wasn’t a standalone except that the romance between the characters from the first book was too engaging for it to not have a plot of its own.

Bobbi and Benjamin (Bunty) have an absolutely horrible interaction that results in Bobbi taking a huge leap backwards in her career and Benjamin accidentally implying that Bobbi wasn’t his type because she’s not thin. It was brutal. I really couldn’t blame Bobbi for hating Benjamin, and frankly Benjamin felt the same. When they’re thrown together for Kareena’s wedding, it doesn’t take long for mutual respect to blossom, and from there some sparks flare to life.

But Benjamin is torn between his west coast family business and the life he’s building on the east coast with his friends and the successful restaurants he’s opening. Bobbi has a whole life established in New York and New Jersey—asking her to leave would destroy her career.

In addition to that very real and understandable hurdle, Bobbi’s wedding planning is going terribly. The cake is canceled, orders are getting mixed up—it’s the result of a saboteur. The only way to save the wedding is to involve the most loveable and diabolical group of Aunties you’ve ever seen. These Aunties get involved in everything—from Bobbi and Benjamin’s blossoming romance to some flabbergasting detective work. It’s funny, heartful, and full of witty one-liners.

There are definitely some steamy scenes—Benjamin is into some light BDSM but I love that he’s not a brooding, jealous, controlling millionaire. He’s probably a millionaire, but he’s mostly kind of goofy and thoughtful, and treats Bobbi with endless consideration and tenderness. He was a very sweet main character.

All in all, this was a fantastic read and I loved it. I got to read a preview of the third book and I’m hooked already—I’ll just have to settle for going back to the first one while I wait.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report

Desi Frenemies Find Love

Pure delight! All the brilliant colors and exotic flavors of Punjabi-American culture swirl through this delightful rom-com romp , a tale of two first-generation Americans of Punjabi families who begin their romance with a verbal hissing, spitting cat fight. They juggle the pressures of patriarchal edicts, familial duty (and interference), and the pressure to succeed common in immigrant families, with their own conflicting personal dreams and ambitions. And as for finding room for love and commitment in all of that? Neither believes it's doable, until it becomes imperative. Reading my ARC copy (from NET GALLEY) was pure enjoyment, and it's a pleasure to share this voluntary review.

One of my work colleagues had been raving about Dating Dr. Dil (I work in a library - we do a lot of raving about books) so I finally listened to it earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, when I had the chance to read an advanced copy of the second book in Nisha Sharma’s If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, I jumped at it. I don’t know much about Shakespeare but I do know Tastes Like Shakkar was another great read and one I’d highly recommend to romance lovers.

Here’s the book’s description:
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
With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss.
Those who love enemies to lovers will really enjoy this book. I’m hit and miss with that trope but this one still worked for me. Did I have trouble understanding why Bobbi and Bunty were constantly needling each other instead of working their shit out for the sake of their best friends? Yes, I most definitely did. Could I still tell that the pair would be really great for each other, romantically? Oh, yes. Bobbi and Bunty started to recognize that themselves once they actually started talking to each other (shocking, right?) and reading as the romance heated up was a delight *fans self* (Related: there’s light and explicit bondage sex scenes in this one. They’re done really well but I think it warrants preparation before reading.)

I love that Sharma doesn’t hold back on showcasing her culture and she doesn’t over explain for the reader who isn’t South Asian. I did a lot of Googling! I’d much rather search for a term than have the story reference something and then awkwardly explain it to the (White) reader. By looking things up, I actually learned more while reading and I appreciated that.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though. As much as I enjoyed this book, I hated the third act break up. It was so dumb and I was mad at Bobbi and Bunty for being so stupid (Bunty especially). You can’t have a relationship if you don’t talk to each other and if you’re not honest with yourself about what you want, either. Bunty had to decide how he wanted his family and professional lives to work out before he could get his romantic life sorted and he was being a typical boy about it all. Bobbi, for her part, needed to realize that it’s OK to ask for help, whether that’s from your best friends (of which she has two amazing ones) or your partner. And the reader knows that Bobbi and Bunty will make great partners so it was especially frustrating to see them act like boneheads before eventually getting their Happily Ever After.

As an introvert with a small family, the wedding hoopla was exhausting to me BUT it made for the absolute best storyline. I always say romances that have weddings at the centre of them are great because there’s so much built in drama so there doesn’t really need to be any additional nonsense added. And it’s kinda fun to read about a huge wedding celebration full of people who love each other (sort of - there was that whole wedding sabotage issue…) and feel like you’re a part of it.

Speaking of feeling like you’re a part of it, I really loved that there was some overlap in the Bobbi and Kareena’s storylines. We already knew from Dating Dr. Dil that Bobbi and Bunty had met but we hadn’t had their perspective. This book gives us that and we also get to hang out with Kareena and Prem again during the lead up to the wedding. I’m sometimes annoyed with the romance series that are so clearly laid out to feature different friends in each book but this one? I adore how Sharma has set it up. And I cannot wait for the next one!

Romance readers need to pick up Nisha Sharma’s books. Start with Dating Dr. Dil and then you can enjoy Tastes Like Shakkar to its full potential. Sharma has written a romance with a lot of sweetness (sugar is in the title, after all) but with a healthy dose of spice that makes for a well-balanced read. You’ll love the characters and love watching them fall in love. I’m ready for book three now!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC. Who knew I needed Bunty and Bobbi in my life. I quickly read Dating Dr. Dil before diving into this one. While it can be read as a stand alone it is more enjoyable if you read the first one. As a Mexican American I can totally understand the traditions and ALL of the Family responsibility that comes with it and with that being said I still found myself wanting to punch throat Bunty not gonna lie. It dealt with some heavy subjects with a lightness and I found myself laughing out loud so much. Cant wait for book 3

What a great sequel to Dating Dr. Dil! I really enjoyed seeing the friend groups again and I'm excited for the next book!!

For fans of family drama, will-they-wont-they, rivals to lovers, this is a good pick. Benjamin ("Bunty") and Bobbi clash in the best ways and I enjoyed seeing their arguments slowly turn into teamwork and, eventually, a relationship.

I personally wasn't a fan of the spice (whiskey should *never* be used in that way!!) but other than that, this was really enjoyable. The spice just seemed a little too over done/unrealistic so it read more awkward than hot or romantic to me.

The aunties, as usual, stole the show! Can't wait to see what they'll get into in book 3!

🍰Tastes Like Shakkar 🍰

“She’d never known how thrilling it was to be with a man with whom she could act as her whole self. There were no filters, no second guesses.”

The second in the “If Shakespeare was an Auntie” series follows up Dating Dr. Dil with the adventure of planning Prem and Kareena’s wedding. Bobbi is set to prove her worth as a best friend and an amazing wedding planner, even if it means working with Prem’s famous chef best friend, Benjamin “Bunty”, who constantly grinds her gears. As they work together, the sparks fly in more than just the kitchen and Bobbi, even as they are constantly thwarted by a shaadi saboteur who is meddling with the wedding.

My favorite part of these books is hands down the Aunties. Their antics in helping find the shaadi saboteur and in pushing Bobbi and Bunty together was hilarious.

Check this one out if you’re looking for:
🍰 Enemies to lovers
🍰 Forced proximity
🍰 Meddling Aunties and found family
🍰 Strong, successful FMC
🍰 Food descriptions to make you hungry the whole book

Tastes Like Shakkar is on shelves now! Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read this book, the follow up to Dating Dr. Dil. I loved the first book and this one met all my expectations.
It’s time for Kareena and Prem’s (Dr. Dil) wedding and Kareena’s best friend Bobbi is a wedding planner who is determined to give them their dream wedding.
She’s working on the food with Prem’s best friend, Bunty, a well respected chef with whom she shares a history going back to their childhood. They’ve been pranking each other for years.
As they spend time together working on the wedding, they get closer and closer, much to their surprise. Can they overcome years of borderline animosity? The line between love and hate is much thinner than they think.
I recommend this book! 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Nisha Sharma’s “If Shakespeare was an Auntie” series is so much fun for spicy rom-com lovers. If the follow up to “Dating Dr. Dil” Bobbi is tasked with planning her best friends dream wedding. But there are two problems:
🪷There is a mystery shaadi saboteur trying to ruin the wedding
🪷Bobbi has to work with the infuriatingly sexy professional chef Benjamin (and the groom’s best friend) to plan the multi day ceremony menus.

So many laughs with this amazing friend group (the gals are Swifites 🫶🏼) and the extended family Aunites are back playing amateur sleuths and matchmakers. But the playful witty banter and tension between frenemies Bobbi and Benjamin made this book 5 stars. These two are workaholics at the top of their industries without the time for a committed relationship. But boy does Benjamin fall first and so hard that he might be re-considering a bi-coastal move. There are swoon worthy meal deliveries and notes mixed with combustible bedroom scenes including bondage. I loved learning all the intricacies of the Indian wedding ceremonies and the special traditions between friends and families. @nishawrites writes romance with the ultimate trifecta: humor, heart and heat!

Thank you to @netgalley , @avonbooks , and @harpervoyagerus for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Overall: 5/5
Spice level: 3.5/5
Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity

This is the second installment of the series, and was absolutely fantastic! Enemies to lovers can sometimes be tricky, and Sharma nailed it.

We met Bobbi and Benjamin (Bunty) in Dating Dr. Dil as best friends to Kareena and Prem, respectively. We could already feel something between them. Something electric. That chemistry is extremely palpable from beginning to end in Tastes Like Shakkar.

Bobbi and Bunty are both self-proclaimed work-a-holocs with no real interest in relationships. But their collaboration is needed when problems pop up during the planning of Kareena and Prem's wedding.

I love reading about strong women. Bobbi is top tier ambitious and fierce. She eventually shows her softer side but only because shows our hero shows he's deserving of it.

Just like book 1, the book is definitely spicier than the cover might make it seem, and I loved it! But beyond that, Sharma continues to bring us more of her culture in a South Asian romance between a wedding planner and a restaurateur. The food, the language, the wedding culture, the family dynamics. How important these aspects are to the community. The story also shows how family obligations can sometimes overshadow personal goals and ambitions.

I truly have zero criticisms about this book. It is definitely a top read for 2023, and I can't wait for Veera and Deepak's story!

Nisha has outdone herself! I loved Dr. Dil but I love Tastes Like Shakkar even more!!! The dynamic between the love interests was fantastic and I loved the mystery element as well! I will read Nisha Sharma's grocery lists!!!

Strong female protagonist? Check. Swoon-worthy romantic interest? Check. Incredible supporting cast of characters who leap off the page? Check, check, and check - the aunties deserve their own feature! And sizzlingly hot chemistry with spicy scenes that you may not want to read in public? Most definitely, check.

Nisha Sharma does it again with Tastes Like Shakkar. We rejoin the characters first introduced in Dating Dr. Dil, almost a year later. Bobbi Kaur is committed to making Prem and Kareena's wedding her best yet - only to learn that they've moved up the timeline, she now only has four months to plan, and she also has to work with her sworn nemesis, Benjamin "Bunty" Padda, to cater the wedding. As if that weren't enough, a shaadi sabateur emerges to try to interfere with the wedding planning and ruin everything, including Bobbi's career.

The chemistry between Bunty and Bobbi is so well-written; even when they're at odds, it's obvious these two belong together. Sharma handles their fiery banter equally as well as their softer affection, and also throws in meltingly hot spice to complete the trifecta. Both characters are struggling to balance work and personal, while also navigating their familial commitments. These are complex and fully realized characters, and I enjoyed every minute of their story.

The book ends with a peek into what's to come - a third story, focusing on the last of the friend group, Veera and Deepak - and I will definitely be waiting eagerly for that release!

3.5 stars! This was a great follow-up to Dating Dr. Dill. Tastes like Shakkar gets up to speed much faster than in the first book, which is obviously to be expected of an already-established world. Benjamin & Bobbi had a well-thought-out relationship and storyline with believable dialogue and an exciting plot. The addition of the saboteur and the twist that the venue coordinator was in on the whole plan o set them up was unexpected but much appreciated. Similar to the first book, it's so beautiful to see the love Nisha has for her community and how passionately she wants to portray it on-page to share with the world. I wanted to jump through the screen to eat all the food and wear those vibrant colors. My only negative was that for me, I would have loved more tension between Bobbi & Benjamin; it just felt too quick that they went from not speaking/arguing to basically in love.

A lot of people think Shakespeare is boring. That’s because Shakespeare wasn’t meant to be read in a classroom and pulled apart word by word, line by line in a classroom. Shakespeare was meant to be performed. It’s a living, breathing entity the audience was meant to interact with. It was meant to be variable. Changeable. Adaptable.

Adaptable.

I don’t read a ton of het romance but when Nisha Sharma started her adapted Shakespeare series with Dating Dr. Dil (The Taming of the Shrew) she earned herself a fan for as long as she keeps adding to this roster and my commitment has only been strengthened by this new addition, Tastes Like Shakkar (Much Ado About Nothing). And that’s not only because Much Ado is one of my favorite plays; the snarkiest, funniest, raunchiest of the bunch, by the way, but because Sharma is so very good at taking the original text and doing what Shakespeare always intended: bringing it to the audience that wants it, needs it, and deserves it. Making it into the perfect performance for here, for now, for those who look to her for their snarky, sexy, funny, sometimes raunchy love stories told in a context that is familiar to them (I’m not South Asian; I did grow up in a Conservative Jewish household, however, and there are a lot of parallels vis a vis social, career, and family expectations).

So long live Shakespeare. And long live Sharma’s brilliant reimaginings.

The book that has made me the happiest this year … at the happiest place on earth 😂❤️ (this was one of my favourite reads let me be cheesy okay 🤓)

They “If Shakespeare was an Auntie”series reigns supreme and Taste like Shakkar only cements that 😍

My desi heart is always bursting with pride every time Nisha Sharma has a new release out in the world, and I’ll tell you what friends the woman knows how to write an epic romance 🙌🏽

There’s always such a sense of coming home when reading about a desi family / friend group and in a world where this kind of representation is few and far between, I’m so grateful to have these books ❤️

Taste like Shakkar has all of our favorite tropes, swoon worthy romance & a badass heroine, there’s literally nothing more you could ask for (did I mention all the brilliant descriptions of Indian food 🤤😂) I hope you all love this as much as I did !! 🤍

(A big Thank you to the lovely people at @avonbooks for the e-Arc ❤️📚)

It was lovely to revisit the characters from the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie world! If you enjoyed Dating Dr. Dil I definitely recommend reading this one. I loved Bobbi and how she was able to start letting the people in her life help her rather than continuing to overworking herself. I felt that was a really important theme explored in this book that both love interests were able to overcome. I could tell Bobbi and Benjamin had strong chemistry but I do wish more time was spent developing their emotional connection. The drama was entertaining and I loved the aunties. I definitely look forward to reading the next book about Veera!

CW: body shaming, toxic relationships

I enjoyed this next installment in this delightful friend group and can’t wait for Veera’s story! The story had cozy mystery vibes and fun hijinks that kept me engaged.

Thank you to Avon and Nisha Sharma for this ARC!

Honestly, Nisha Sharma is the queen of the rom-com. I loved Dating Dr. Dil, but there's just something about this one that made me absolutely fall in love with the characters and friend group.

I don't know how she does it, but the chemistry between the main characters was palpable from the first chapter and I wish I could bottle it up and carry it with me.

I'd like to request a recipe book....those dishes had me literally drooling.....almost as much as Bunty and Bobbi....

I really enjoyed this delightful and hilarious Much Ado About Nothing retelling. Tastes like Shakkar is the second book in the interconnected standalone series, If Shakespeare Was an Auntie. You really should read Dating Dr. Dil first though.

We first met Bobbi and Benjamin (Bunty) in Dating Dr. Dil. The two of them were constantly bickering as their two best friends, Kareena and Prem fell in love. Bobbi is a respected wedding/event planner and Bunty is a renowned chef, restaurateur, and his dad owns a famous naan business. In this book, the two of them are forced to collaborate while planning Kareena and Prem’s wedding. While they come to a truce relatively quickly, someone is trying to sabotage the wedding. Bobbi and Bunty have to figure it out before the big day is ruined.

In addition to the swoony romance, I loved the relationships that the characters had with their friend groups and with their extended families. All of the aunties were the true stars of the show. They were so funny, nosy, and well intentioned. Honestly, I think aunties could solve most of the world’s issues if given the chance.

Takes Like Shakkar was a tad spicier than Dating Dr Dil, and Bunty had a thing for bondage specifically ropes. Their bickering turned into some hot banter and their chemistry was undeniable.

I loved how the author incorporated South Asian culture into the story. I loved reading about all of the different foods and wedding traditions. I can’t wait for the next book in the series. It will focus on Veera and Deepak.

If you thought Dating Dr. Dil was good, you'll love the second book in the series. This book is so much better than the first, it's hard to even imagine it's in the same story world. First of all, this love story is 10 months in the making, and there is so much more going on than just their love story which I always love. There are their jobs, their culture and of course the aunties. I love the fat representation and how it is done throughout the book. I am obsessed with Bobbi and Benjamin; I literally spent all day yesterday in their world.

There were some serious topics too, you can't have 2 first generation Americans and not talk about the differences they faced growing up and continue to face now with their families. It made me think of the way I handle my own family being first generation myself. The steam omg the steam is so good. And then of course the aunties always are around for some comic relief. Go pick up this book now if you haven't already.

Thanks to NetGally for ARC copy in exchange for an honest review, as always, all words are my own.

A Shakespeare remix romantic comedy with a touch of spice count me in! This was a super enjoyable retelling of much do about nothing, I love enemies to lovers, that he falls first and he falls hard. This was beautiful and fun and I am definitely picking up the next one in the series.