Wow! What a debut novel! I couldn’t get enough of Karthik and Meghna, I truly didn’t want this book to end. It was the perfect mix of culture, moments of comedy and a lovely romance. I will forever purchase anything and everything Naina Kumar writes!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes/read if you like:
- Slow burn
- Indian rep
- Strangers to friends to lovers
- Fake engagement/dating

Plot/Review:

When her best friend and "ex" asks Meghna Raman to be his "best men" at her wedding, she decides to that it was time to let her parents introduce her to a potential match. Grumpy and anti-commitment engineer Karthik Murthy has seen enough of his parents’ marriage to know that it isn’t for him. Yet, he found himself agreeing to a year of meeting matches with his mother, in order to make her happy. Meghana and Karthik are total opposites, but when faking an engagement could save them both from their current situations, they team up to make others believe that they have finally found "the one."

That is the premise for this book. Say You'll be Mine is a cute fake dating/engagement story that provides some sweet moments and a beautiful insight into Indian culture. That last part, being the one I appreciated most about the book. It is a good debute book of this author, and I would love to see more from her in the future.

However, when it comes to this book in particular, although there were moments I enjoyed and liked, there were a lot of things I disliked. I enjoy slow burn romances, and books that have some spice, which is why I thought I would love this one. However, the pining and the chemistry that is necessary in books like that, was just not there. The book had wonderful potential, for once the fake engagement/relationship made sense. A lot of books have such horrible and annoying reasons for the main characters to enter into a fake relationship, this one had a great reason. I was fine with everything being in a slower pace and the romance building up little by little. However, this book suffers from leaning heavily on the miscommunication trope, which in my opinion hinders the story. The characters seemed to be unable to talk, and only assumed things about each other. It got tiring. I know some people enjoy and don't mind main characters miss-communicating but I just couldn't. I do feel sad about not enjoying it as much as I wanted too, yet I will look forward to any other book from this author.

Thanks again to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

*4.5

I really enjoyed this. Give me a man who thinks that he can't love and I'm going to eat it up every time. I loved how he kept showing up for her regardless and was always concerned with how he came off. He really did love her and it just warms me heart.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I loved Naina Kumar’s “Say You’ll Be Mine,” a smart, sexy romance with dynamic main characters who grow independently and in their relationships throughout the story. This was the first book I’ve read by Kumar, but the thoughtful characterization and interesting plot will bring me back for more. Thank you to Random House Ballantine and Net Galley for the advance copy.

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for the advanced copy of this!

I first heard about this book when I went to a Nisha Sharma event so when the widget came in, I knew I had to read it! And it such was an utter delight!!

This will be published on January 16th.

"Meghna?"
"Yes?"
"Call me anytime you want."

If you know me, you know I love a fake dating and I love the twist on this as it started with an arrange set up. Karthik was so stubborn and so just turned off at the idea of wanting to be married (don't worry we learn why) but enter Meghna a teacher who aspires to be more in the theater world. They both went through with the arrangement meeting (her first) not expecting much and she somehow won him over without even knowing she won him over. I love learning about the Indian culture and this really made me want to take a trip to a local Indian restaurant to try some of the food that was mentioned in the book!

The reasonings for their fake dating is also interesting more so for Meghna whose ex is such a sneaky villain. I thought that was a unique addition to the book (won't say more, you'll have to read).

I love that this was 3rd person dual POV! As much as I love when we get a single point of view, having the other love interest just adds so much to the story. Especially in Karthik's case, we learn more about his family life and what makes him have these feelings towards relationships specifically marriage. Of course from the reader's perspective you see these two people who clearly have feelings for each other but neither want to ruin anything or be afraid of not being reciprocated. I just thought they worked so well together and how their feelings build towards one another as the book goes on. This does not have much spice if you are expecting any (I was ready for it but its okay that it didn't happen).

This book did have a few storylines woven through but it didn't feel like it was too much. I was very intrigued by the storyline between Meghna's best friend Ankita and her brother Samir. I don't believe this will be a series but I could see a book from their POVs of how it all went down and beyond could be fun to see.

This was such a stellar debut and I'm looking forward to hearing more of Naina stories!

Read this book if you love fake dating (err engagement) with a cast of characters, wedding theme & just love a good time! If you aren't a fan of miscommunication, you may have a slight issue with it.

PS - Netflix. Prime, someone make this rom com a movie! We need more especially with Indian rep!

PSS - Is it ironic that I was reading two books at the same time that had a My Fair Lady storyline?! WILD!

4.7

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐫
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐢
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you #partners @randomhouse @PRHAudio for the #gifted copies of Say You’ll Be Mine! #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer

Say You’ll Be Minet, debut novel by Naina Kumar, was such a charming contemporary romance novel, full of humor, chemistry, and lovable characters! I love a good fake dating/fake engagement trope, and this one really exceeded my expectations!

Meghna is a theater teacher and aspiring playwright, much to the disappointment of her parents, who wanted her to be an engineer. With her best friend (shhh! and secret crush) Seth gets engaged, Meghna is asked to be the ‘Best Man’ at the wedding. In an effort to lighten some of the pressure she feels from her parents, Meghna agrees to let her parents introduce her to a potential match. Karthik is an engineer who has no desire to get married. He’s only agreed to his mother’s matchmaking efforts to appease her. When he meets Meghna, he’s smitten. However, since he has no desire in marriage, he agrees to a fake engagement instead. As the two get to know one another, they start to find more and more in common, and the chemistry between them starts to really show. Will their relationship progress into something more?

I found myself so invested in Meghna and Karthik and their relationship. There were so many laugh out loud funny moments and overall, this was just such a cute rom-com!

𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞
💖𝙶𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚢 𝚡 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎
💖𝙷𝚎 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝
💖𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚁𝚎𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙲𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎
💖𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝙱𝚎𝚍
💖𝙵𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝙴𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝
💖𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚗

I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, narrated by Soneela Nankani. I found the narration to be so fun and engaging and I feel like Nankani was perfectly cast for this role! I highly recommend either format, and I know you will not be disappointed if you give the audiobook a try!

A fun rom com about two people circling one another while pretending to be engaged. Meghna's parents have left her alone about not being married- they've been more concerned with the fact that she's a teacher and not an engineer. Karthik's mother, however, is on a quest to see him engaged. Meghna's first meet turns out to be Karthik, who has no desire or intention to be married for reasons that won't be immediately clear. They make good friends and Meghna agrees when he proposes the fake engagement that will get everyone off their backs. Ah the trope! Turns out that little spark they felt grows and these two will discover they can be more than pals. I liked this for the characters and all their foibles. Kumar has a light hand with the humor and she's got good storytelling skills. Thank to Netgalley for the ARC. A nice engaging debut - hope to see more from Kumar.

Meghna is just coasting through life waiting for the boy from college she's been in love with to realize he loves her back when an invitation to his wedding shows up at her door. Not only that but he has asked her to be his best person. It's a good thing she met Khartik on a date arranged by their parents, because they both are in need of a fake fiancé for just a little while. What could possibly go wrong?

Thank you Netgalley and Dell for an advanced copy of this book.

Tropes I love:
Fake dating
Arranged Marriage
He Fell First
He's a cinnamon roll but only for her

I mean there are more but these are the tropes that I go back to time and time again. Have you ever seen that show on netflix, Arranged? I love it. I am a glutton for arranged marriage shows like Arranged, and Married at First Sight. So when I heard that there was a book with a rishta (arranged date with the prospect of marriage) as the 'meet cute' for the main couple, I ran to Netgalley to request it.

This book had everything about my favorite tropes and the predictability I love when reading them. Khartik is a cinnamon roll who just hasn't realized it yet and Meghna lacks confidence in herself. I appreciate that this is one of those times where I didn't have to battle my irritation with the insta-love trope because M and K grow throughout the book because they have each other to rely on, without even realizing that the other person is bringing out all of the best in them.

Pros: Khartik is a consent man! We love a good hero who knows how to ask permission and not forgiveness.

Cons: Seth. I will leave it at that.

If you love a good arranged marriage trope with some fake dating/engagement I highly recommend Say You'll be Mine by Naina Kumar. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and if you want to pick up your own copy you can here. A little reminder that when you use our links to make your purchase we get a tiny bit back that we can put into buying more books to share with you!

*4.5 stars

I’m honestly so in awe of this book (especially because it’s a debut!). I was in a reading slump before this so when I started, I didn’t expect to read it so quickly. But Kumar made it so easy to immerse myself in this story with her beautiful writing and this quick momentum. It was so interesting to read a book with Indian main characters, Meghna and Karthik, navigating their expectations from their parents in both their romance life and career. Their relationships with their parents were explored so thoroughly in a way I could empathize with. This was really the first time I read a romance book that explored how family and culture could impact relationships, and it did it so well.

I was a bit worried this book would end with an unrealistic, too quick happy ending considering how much back and forth there was between the main characters, but it ended perfectly in a way that left me fulfilled. This book had everything I could want: a sweet romance, drama, realistic characters and development, and great writing. I finished this book sad to say goodbye to these characters, and wanting much more.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review!

A funny and bingeworthy debut novel about two strangers who decide to get fake engaged after being set up by their parents. Karthik wants to get his parents off his back while Meghna needs a plus one at her best friend’s wedding.

I loved the Indian representation and learning more about the culture, especially when it comes to matchmaking and wedding antics. Both main characters showed a lot of growth and I found their relationship to be believable. I will say there were a lot of side plots, and I am not sure if all of them were necessary to the story.

If you like audiobooks, Soneela Nankani was amazing and had me laughing out loud.

Read if you like:
-Grumpy/sunshine
-Wedding antics
-Fake engagement
-Indian rep and culture
-Meddling families

Thank you Random House and PRH Audio for the ARC/ALC. Pub Date 1/16

This surprisingly was a debut book! I have already added the author to my watch list. While I have read other fake engagement tropes this felt fun and fresh. Meghna and Karthik both have meddling Indian mothers trying to matchmake their children. Karthik who pledges never to marry due to his horrible father and the way he treats his mother "proposes" for a temporary engagement to bypass all the arranged dating. Meghna agrees since receiving a wedding invitation from her ex who wants her to be his "best man!" (Ugh! Seth is the worst!!)

I adored Karthik coming out of his grumpy shell and watching the two discover a real relationship through their "faking..." So many sweet, fun moments. Even though you know there will eventually be a happily ever after, I enjoyed the journey to getting there.

4.5 stars

This was a cute book but honestly seeing the blurb from Colleen Hoover really put me off it. It’s out of place and will probably make some people pass this cute rom com by in the store.

The characters were sweet and worked well together.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. DNF at 17%, This is too slow paced for me. I am incredibly bored and I don’t feel anything for the characters, so I stopped at 17%. If you like arranged marriages with Indian culture, this could be a great read for you. I’m rating this a 3 because it makes me, and I’m posting this so it doesn’t mess up my profile percentage.

4.5/5 I was lucky enough to get an arc of this book and omgg Im obsessed. The whole time I was kicking my feet and giggling. The romance was perfect and the character development was *chefs kiss*. It was a fun, fast paced, and easy read. I'll definitely be reading more books by this author <3 Ps. I still can’t believe this was a debut, I just want to keep reading more by this author!!!

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Naina Kumar really delivered on her debut novel. I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down and read it in a handful of hours!

Several tropes here but the main one being the fake engagement. I loved both main characters, Meghna & Karthik. Naina did a great job with character development and has a natural writing style that makes this a great, easy read.

This slow burn romance is a must read, especially for any fans of Sara Desai. Can’t wait to see what other books Naina blesses us with in the future!

Amazing debut!!! I highlighted so many precious moments throughout this. Okay let me tell you why I absolutely loved it:

-The FMC at the start per the premise is hung up on her newly engaged ex BUT unlike romances when the other man drama is too much or the FMC spends way too much time not with the MMC this does not happen. Meghna is very realistic about this and it is way more about her own self exploration journey as to why she has this reaction and how she treats her relationships. The ex in question is also a pretty one dimensional character (in a good way) and serves the plot in ways that make sense. I was absolutely rooting for the two love interested the whole time. She's also open with the MMC the whole time about holding a torch for the ex and yet he never really feels like a competing love interest. My fav!
-The two main characters have humor and personality. They also have so much character growth in ways I don't want to spoil. It is masterful how this author can balance an individual journey as well as develop their connection to each other.
-MMC Karthik gives major Darcy vibes!! I love when dual POV can serve a purpose. If we only had Meghna's POV he would seem so grumpy and cold the whole time, but because it flips we see his real thoughts and feelings in certain situations and it softs him and makes him so endearing. He's just a kind of awkward standoffish guy at first but there's so much more under the surface.
-Loved the side characters and side plot. They added drama, humor, and charm to this book.
-The cultural aspects of this were also great. I loved the side discussions on tradition and how their families balance what used to be done and how they do things now. They both agree to matchmaking attempts from their parents but they each still hold on to agency. There is absolutely nuance as well.

For readers curious there is open door spice, probably a 1.5-2 pepper rating, the scenes are only mildly descriptive and there are maybe 2-3.

I highly recommend this!! Thank you to Random House Ballantine/Dell for this eARC.

Fabulous debut from Naina Kumar! A cute romance with Indian culture representation with lots of tropes - friends to lovers, slow burn, close proximity, dual POV, and the biggest one of all, fake engagement. Meghna and Karthik use the fake engagement to survive an ex's wedding and the matchmaking pressures from their family members. Their relationship develops over time and I was excited to keep reading to see how the story would unfold. Both characters experience personal growth and I enjoyed learning more about Indian culture. Pick this one up when it publishes 1/16/24!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book, which is saying something since I've never truly liked romance books just have never been my favorite genre but there have been some books that almost swayed my opinion. This hadn't exactly made me suddenly appreciate romance books but it definitely was fun an refreshing to read.

Meghna and Karthik are in a fake engagement for each of their own reasons. Meghna needs a date for her ex's wedding, and Karthik needs to get his mother off his back from arranging more marriage meetings with potential brides. The friendship they develop is sweet to watch come together, and their relationship also develops nicely.

Be forewarned, this one is heavy on the miscommunication/lack of communication trope. The only reason it works, in my opinion, is because it's believable that two people who don't know each other very well despite jumping into a relationship would want to err on not communicating in order to not "rock the boat". If you absolutely despite this trope though, this may be a book you go into cautiously.

Overall, I was along for the ride on this one and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advance reader copy, in exchange for an honest review. Say You’ll Be Mine is a story that brings together Meghna and Karthik in a fake engagement, which for different reasons, serves a purpose for them both. However, what started out as fake becomes more than either could have guessed or bargained for.

This book was so cute and enjoyable! It is definitely a feel good romance so, you can likely predict how it ends but, that didn’t stop me from fully enjoying this comfort read. Meghna and Karthik both had their own issues that they had to confront as the book went on but, generally they were both very endearing and likable and I was rooting for them to get it together so they could have their happy ending. There were some elements of their backstories that felt a bit rushed but, I appreciated that it allowed us to dive right into the romance of focus instead. I also enjoyed the Indian cultural nuances, customs, and elements throughout the book and appreciated watching the characters embrace some aspects of this, while rejecting those that didn’t work for them.

This was most definitely a feel good romance and was a great page turner that left me with a smile and feeling refreshed. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to any romance or rom-com fiction lovers!