Once of my favourite romances of this year, hitting an arcade style win on all your favourite and most loved tropes - sunshine x grumpy/opposites attract, fake relationship/fake engagement, forced proximity, only one bed, and yet there is so much mor to offer in this debut by Naina Kumar. Our protagonists Meghna, a teacher who dreams of writing plays for grand theatres one day, and Kartik, an engineer who has no intention of ending up in an arranged marriage, are formally introduced to each other by their families. After their initial meeting they decide they're not compatible but faking their engagement for three months could have its benefits - Meghna needs a plus one to her best friend's wedding and Kartik just need an excuse for his mum to stop introducing him to girls, period. As they start spending more time each other under their guise of their engagement, its only a matter of time before sparks fly....but with the three month countdown looming and their parent's expectations growing with each passing day, what happens once the wedding is over and the excuses finally run out?
This is a phenomenal debut. A perfect blend of Asian heritage and western culture, I have to laud the representation - as a British Asian of Indian descent, I found myself laughing out loud and nodding away at so many references (That's not to say this read isolates - definitely a book for all romance lovers!). Amongst the romance tropes, thoug , there is a depth to the writing which adds an emotive edge to the plot. The scenarios are relateable and conflicting emotions are expressed with such finesse that the story unfolds beautifully. The character development is brilliant and nuanced so that, although there are heavier topics (gender bias/adultery) which are brought up within the narrative, they are dealt with discreetly and with sensitivity. I found myself choking up as I was reading and it definitely wasn't something I was expecting. Meghna and Kartik and (some) supporting characters are very likeable which just made it a smooth sailing read - I couldn't put this one down! Congratulations Naina, I am *so* glad your friend encouraged you to write a romance novel for your first - I will eagerly await the next! Thank you @vikingbooksuk and @netgalley for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an unedited honest review.

My favourite thing about reading if that you go through the emotions along with the characters and boy I did go through it with this one!

I went into this feeling it would be a light hearted fake engagement romantic comedy but instead we went through the impacts of family trauma, unrequited love and pressures of family tradition.

I really liked both characters, I loved Meghna’s no nonsense attitude and Karthik’s grumpiness which was really a cover for his deepest fears.

I loved how the relationship wasn’t clear and easy to follow, I liked the complicated nature of it and how the author didn’t gloss over the impact family can have on how we perceive love.

Instead both characters built a relationship built on friendship and supported each other in overcoming their struggles themselves.

Although this wasn’t what I initially anticipated the book was so much more!

I’m not really a romcom reader, but I read this in two days; I was absolutely hooked! It was great to read an Indian romcom with fully developed, complex characters with their own narrative voices and agendas. I loved the references to Indian culture, words, food and family relationships…I felt there were a few loose ends that didn’t get fully tied up, however I still really enjoyed the overall plotline, particular the split narration. I would love to read Kumar’s next book!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I haven't even finished it yet but I love this book! I'm already thinking of people I'm going to recommend it to. The characters are lovable and the storyline balances the 'will they, won't they' storyline perfectly.

I can totally see this being turned into a film screenplay - sending that thought into the universe so that it happens.

Opposites attract right or do they! A beautiful story between Meghan and Karthnik. Looking forward to another story from this author.

Meghna is a modern girl. She has tried dating in every way - dating apps, blind dates, and dated boys from University but till now nothing has worked. She still dreams that her best friend and ex Seth will see the error of his ways and marry her but until then...

When Seth announces he is getting married and asks her to be his best man, Meghna gets desperate and tells her mother (who has been trying convince her how good arranged marriages could be) that they can find her a man. That is how she meets Karthik and his mother. Karthik, whilst very handsome is very abrupt and tells her he is only going along with the charade of meeting her to please his mother but that having seen his parents' marriage he is not interested in marriage - ever!

However, Meghna needs a date for Seth's engagement and wedding, and Karthik needs a date to get his parents off his back and to help his job prospects. So a plan is hatched to have a mutually beneficial fake engagement.

What neither side predicts (even though totally predictable to the reader) is that they will fall in love for real. A sweet Romcom which is very readable and well written with strong characters.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153673596-say-you-ll-be-my-jaan

I really enjoyed this romance novel with a twist. It was fun and light hearted but appropriately serious in places which was very moving.

I really enjoyed this book. You knew the ending as soon as you started but you didn't know how they would get there. Lots of twists and turns to this story and moments of frustration as you just want the story to get where it is going but I can't really say more without giving it away. The characters were all included for a reason and not just there for nothing.

Meghna & Karthnik are total opposites with very little in common - or are they?

This book is witty! It made me laugh a lot and maybe shed the odd tear too. It packs a punch but through little subtleties and cleverly exposes every emotion that everyone may experience in relationships. Every character is well thought out and oh so likeable - apart from one individual who goes by the name Seth! The story also gives us a tiny little glimpse into the subject of arranged marriages which was interesting.

What a great debut for this author!

A nice read.

This is a light hearted look at arranged marriages, supported by some Indian families. The parents of Meghna and Karthnik have arranged for them to meet and hopefully agree to an arranged marriage. Initially neither agree, but decide to become involved in a short fake engagement as it would be an advantage to both.

Meghna is warm and friendly, though Karthnik more reserved and distant. As expected, nothing goes according to plan. Meghna’s father and Karthnik’s mother are great characters, but Karthnik and his father don’t get along, resulting in his determination to stay single.

I enjoyed reading this steadily paced story, with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. Characters develop as the story unfolds, with Karthnik becoming a more rounded character as the banter between him and Meghna turns to sizzling romance. For various reasons, both characters are at a turning point in their lives and I enjoyed reading about their journey.

Say you’ll be my Jaan by Naina Kumar 📕

💫 ‘Meghna, I don’t need to see a doctor. It’s you. You literally take my breath away.’

Meghna’s parents set her up to meet Karthik as an arranged-marriage after she has had no luck herself finding ‘the one’. After finding out Seth, ‘the-one-who-got-away’, is engaged and wants her to be his best man, Meghna decides to meet Karthik. Karthik knows he doesn’t want to ever get married but he’s tired of being set up by his mother to meet potential brides and so he makes an agreement with Meghna. They will pretend to be engaged for three months. That way it gets his mum off his back and Meghna has a date to the dreaded wedding. However, those three months are creeping up really fast and do they really want it to end?


My Review: 📖

This is a really cute, rom-com story with lots of secondary characters, interlacing with the main characters.
I really liked how this book delved into a variety of different topics such as love (unrequited and childhood), friendships, family drama, secrets, work issues and life-long dreams.

The main characters, Meghna and Karthik, are likeable and they are very cute together. Karthik is very respectful towards her and any boundaries she sets which was refreshing to read.
However, Karthik does have problems simmering under the surface and it just highlights how important it is for a child to have a stable and healthy upbringing with supportive parents. I feel this is tackled well in the book though and I enjoyed the discussion about counselling.

Seth was written very well because I disliked him straight away and how he was treating Meghna. I couldn’t wait for someone to put him in his place!

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room - Chapter 20 - ‘the sex scene’. Having waited so long until then for them to get together (given it happens in the last chapter!) the writing was a little disappointing. I would have preferred it to have either been a closed-door book or expanded the description more because it just fell short for me.

However, the epilogue was really nice because it was sweet and romantic and such a great way to end the book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. A great debut novel and I anticipate it doing well. Well done Naina.

My Score: 4/5 ⭐️

Publication date 18th January 2024 - available on pre-order!

Thank you #netgalley and #penguin for the eARC 🙂

#sayyoullbemyjaan

I really like the title of this book, it wasn’t till I had read it that I fully appreciated it. A story of how our parents define us in more ways than we realise and how easy it is for that to affect our own development but written in a light style. An absolute belter of a first book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was hilarious from start to finish with so much culture included in the story which made it such a fantastic debut book. I love the main characters and really felt so invested in them as I felt the story went beyond your typical romcom book. It was nice to read a book where I felt it wasn't a power trip against each other in the relationship but they both empowered each other to be better people which is exactly the type of positive energy authors need to breathe into their books.

Absolutely loved this book!

The authors writing style is amazing!

I look forward to reading more from them!

That’s right- you’re not actually seeing things- I’m actually back with a review! And what better way to get back into the swing of things than by sharing my long overdue thoughts on this e-ARC?

I always find it hard to rate books like these, but as far as lighthearted romcoms go, SYBMJ is up there with the most accomplished.

Kumar’s novel has all the ingredients of a truly satisfying romantic read- likeable characters, strong pacing, and believable chemistry between our two MCs.

It also features all of the tropes that a seasoned romance reader will have come to expect- fake engagement, grumpy-sunshine, enemies to lovers- but they’re set against a backdrop of Indian culture & heritage in a way that keeps this novel feeling fresh and interesting .

I really appreciated how the themes of self-discovery and the strains of cultural/generational expectations were just as central to the plot as Meghna and Khartik’s romance, and ultimately this really served to elevate what could otherwise have been your typical fluffy love story.

If I’m going to be critical, I did find the extent of our lovebirds’ miscommunication to be a bit eye roll-worthy at times (JUST BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER, FFS!!), but in fairness I think that is symptomatic of my issues with the genre more generally. 🤷‍♀️

Say You’ll Be My Jaan is a charming debut from Kumar, and it’s sure to be a huge hit with romance readers when it’s published in January.

Thank you to @netgalley and @vikingbooksuk for issuing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Say you’ll be my Jaan is a lovely heart warming romance with humour and misunderstandings .
Meghna has had bed luck in the boyfriend stakes, blind date have been disastrous and now Seth who she’s always been hung up on now wants her at his wedding as ‘best man’
Meeting grumpy Karthik who is no fan of marriage and is resisting all attempts of his mother trying to make an arranged marriage, Meghna and he decide to fake date. Karthick so he can stop his mothers machinations, Meghna so she can attend Seth’s wedding not looking like a failure.
With lots of humour we can see these two are made for each other, but will they realise it ?
A lovely light entertaining read.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Fake dating meets contemporary South Asian fiction in this desi romantic comedy. An impressive debut - congratulations.

It's been a while since I have read a book where I pined for the characters so much, this is such a cute book! The chemistry and banter between the 2 main characters is amazing.

I love a fake couple/engagement storyline so this one was straight on my tbr list, however it was a bit of a slow start for me.

I did though really enjoy the connection that Meghna & Karthik had and the slow burn romance between the two.

As well as the romance, the family dynamics between Karthik and his father, and Megan’s and Seth - who I was not a fan of!

Once I got 40% of the way I was hooked and devoured the rest of the book in one sitting! Overall I enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the download

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin UK for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

This is debut novel by the author Naina Kumar and what a fantastic job she has done. The cultural representation is spot on and doesn't feel forced. It is integral to the story instead of just a tick box exercise. I love the family dynamics and how true they are to South Asian culture.

Synopsis:

After a series of failed relationships and dating horror stories Meghna is feeling doubtful that she will ever get her happily ever after. Her parents marriage makes her believe in true love but is it out there for her?

Disaster strikes when Meghna's best friend, Sam, is getting married and wants her to be the best man, the same Sam who she has been in love with since they broke up in college. Spurred on by the thought of being alone how bad could an arranged marriage actually be?

Enter the handsome Karthik, who has agreed to an arranged marriage set up just to keep his mother happy. He doesn't believe in love or marriage after witnessing his parents relationship. He is not what Meghna was expecting who knew an arranged match could be so good looking, then he opens his mouth and so grumpy!

After much deliberation a mutual relationship might be beneficial for them both even if it's not the one their parents are expecting.

A fake engagement for 3 months which gives Meghna the perfect date for her best friends wedding and Karthik a way to get out of awkward arranged setups. What could possibly go wrong?

I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves fake dating and grumpy/sunshine tropes.