Short synopsis: When Meghan’s best friend (and ex) asks her to be his best man, she decides to be fake engaged to Karthik (who is trying to get his mom off his back about getting married).

My thoughts: This was such a fun debut novel, while it was a bit of a slow burn there were laugh out loud moments scattered throughout that kept me flipping pages.

I really loved the deeper look into Indian culture, and the conversation around arranged marriages. And the meddling families had me giggling! Their mothers were the best!

I also really love the growth each character went through as they came to realize their true feelings for each other, and how they wanted to live their lives!

Also, I have an aversion to the name of the ex boyfriend, and spoiler…. He was a slime ball! Could have guessed it from the start!

Read if you love:
- fake dating/fake engagement
- Only one bed
- Slimy exes
- Indian culture/arranged marriages
- Weddings and engagement

Thanks Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my opinion.
This was a cute and fun fake engagement story about where they're set up by their parents. You get to watch them start from strangers to love. I appreciated the discussion around people saying Meghna's name.
I'm excited to see what this author does next!

Not getting to know Karthik before the fake engagement was a miss. I wanted to know more about how he was in general and in relationships before he met Meghna.

Say You’ll Be Mine follows our main character, Meghna, a teacher by day and playwright on the side. One day, Meghna’s parents offer to set her up with a nice man, and Meghna agrees. During this setup, Meghna is introduced Karthik who had been on several arranged set ups to appease his prying mother. Except Karthik has no plans on getting married, and he lets Meghna know right away.

But just because a real marriage might not be in the cards for these two, a fake engagement may be just what they need.

Whenever I think of fake engagement as a trope, I think of the will they won’t they, the pining, the longing, the slow realization that they are falling for each other. Naina Kumar gives exactly what we want out of this trope and does so perfectly.

Our two characters have an immediate attraction to each other, but it isn’t until they get to know each other, meet each other’s friends and families, learn about their hopes and dreams, that all of a sudden they’re calling each other in a random Tuesday afternoon just to tell them about their day.
It’s a slow burn that just makes your heart all giddy and your insides fuzzy.

I also love a good side plot that enhances the romance and doesn’t necessarily detract from it. In this one, Meghna has an ex-boyfriend turned best friend who is s famous song writer, who might not actually be writing his own songs. And through this side plot, we really get to see how much Karthik cares for Meghna and wants her to succeed.

I think this romance was beautifully done, and I can’t wait to read more from Naina Kumar in the future.

4.5 stars!

Once I picked up and started "Say You'll Be Mine" by Naina Kumar, it was over for all the other books in my TBR. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! Fresh, adorable, and charming, I was entranced by this book until the very last page. Author Naina Kumar takes her time developing her main characters, Meghna and Karthik, both individually and as a potential couple. We learn about their friends, their family, their jobs, their wants, their desires, and who makes them tick as people. What a pair they are! Gosh, they were some of the best, most well-developed characters I have read in a long while. I appreciate that we learned about how Meghna got burned by her ex-boyfriend, Seth, and how she might still harbor feelings for him, even though he's getting married to someone else. I cried knowing how Karthik was berated and neglected over and over by his father, while his mother stood by and attempted to diffuse. I thought it was interesting how both Meghna and Karthik defy their parents' wishes more than once, but still let them rule other parts of their lives. I loved the banter and the dialogue between them. There is seriously some top-notch banter here. I loved the settings and the jet-setting, how Karthik must travel all over the country to please his mom in her attempt to get him married. I love their fake engagement and the moments of hilarity Meghna and Karthik experience along the way. I loved the methodical realization that Meghna and Karthik were in love with each other despite the odds. I love the conversations about traditionally arranged relationships versus modern dating for two Indian characters who face loads of pressure from their families to marry. I loved the bits of spice we get between Meghna and Karthik, and though there may not be many, they certainly feel earned. I seriously loved this book and hope you give it a chance!

Thank you to NetGalley, Naina Kumar, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

For a debut novel, this was a sweet and fun romance. The writing was done really well, and I loved the fun banter between Meghna and Karthik. I thought the characters were really relatable, and having the Indian culture a part of the story was so beautiful. Even though this was a small part, I loved the relationship between Meghna and her parents. What a sweet story!

I enjoyed this immensely! Meghna and Karthik seem like they would be completely incompatible considering he’s a stoic engineer who doesn’t ever want to get married, and Meghna is a middle school theater teacher who does dream of meeting her soulmate and getting married. When their parents arrange for them to meet, both agree that they wouldn’t work, but when a job opportunity arises for Karthik and Meghna’s ex from college (who’s she still kinda holding a torch for) announces his engagement, the pair end up making a plan to pretend to get engaged to not only get their parents off their backs, but to also make her ex jealous and convince his boss he can be committed.

Despite their no feelings attached arrangement, it is obvious from the very start there’s an attraction to each other from both sides. Of course it gets a bit messy when they slowly start becoming friends and the attraction rears its head, and despite Karthik adamantly not wanting to ever get married due to the issues he has with his emotionally unavailable father, he and Meghna, they can’t help falling for each other.

I am a huge fan of angst and a slow burn and waiting for these two to kiss was absolutely torture in the best way! It was a relief when they finally gave into their attraction and I just wanted them to ride off into the sunset together and be happy! Of course there had to be some drama and their fake engagement coming to an end but it was worth it in the end when they both admitted their feelings and decided to be together for real.

This felt like a romcom of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks proportions and I have to applaud the author for writing a great debut novel! I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine/Dell and Netgalley for the advanced e-book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book!

Naina Kumar's debut novel unfolds a charming tale where two characters dive into a fake engagement to escape the relentless pressures of parental matchmaking. As one dreams of love and marriage while the other opposes the notion completely, the story navigates whether they can bridge the gap between their conflicting beliefs.

The narrative, a delightful exploration of changing hearts, resonated deeply with me. The journey from skepticism to vulnerability is a familiar yet heartening trope that Kumar skillfully weaves into the plot, delivering a satisfying emotional punch. Meghna and Karthik, the main characters, were really captivating with their endearing flaws and relatable quirks.

Cultural representation is a standout feature, seamlessly woven into the narrative, enriching the story and characters. The authenticity adds layers to the characters' identities, creating a more immersive reading experience.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to friends and others who enjoy an easy and heartwarming read!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Congrats to Naina Kumar on her debut romance! Say You'll Be Mine had every trope I enjoy in a romantic comedy including fake dating, grumpy and sunshine and a slow burn romance that is completely worth the wait. I loved Meghna and Karthik as a couple. It was fun to watch them grow individually throughout the book as well as watch the chemistry build between the two. I loved this book, and I am excited to see what this author publishes in the future.

Say You'll Be Mine is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an adorable romance with a fun and new (to me) cultural flair, including what pressures those cultures can add to a relationship. The character development was perfect. This was a perfect light-hearted take on the fake engagement trope with excellent elements of forced proximity. Cannot wait to see more from this author!

This was a wonderful fake dating/fake engagement rom com. I loved the way the Indian cultures added some different elements to the story that I hadn’t experienced in a book before. This is a great debut! I can’t wait to read more from Naina Ku mar!

When Meghna learns her best friend/writing partner/secret crush is getting married, she is heartbroken. To complicate things even more, he wants her to be his best man. Soon after, she is set up with Karthik. Karthik does not believe in love, but his mom is determined to find him a match so he agrees to meet as many women as she wants for a year. When he meets Meghna, he’s tired of meeting so many women and continuing to disappoint his mom. A tense moment leads him to blurt out that he plans to propose to Meghna, so he asks her to pretend to be his fiance for three months - the perfect amount of time to get through all of Meghna’s wedding events. But through this fake engagement they get to know each other, and their relationship begins to build.

This book was a perfect example of bookstagram made me do it. After seeing so many amazing reviews from friends, plus that gorgeous pink cover, I knew I NEEDED to read this! I am happy to say it did not disappoint. I adored the progression of Meghna and Kathrik’s relationship. Despite going into the fake engagement expecting nothing to happen, they slowly went from acquaintances, to friends, to each other’s person (even if they were slow to admit how much they each cared for each other). The relationship was so sweet and full of amazing banter. I also enjoyed all of the pieces of Indian culture infused throughout the book. This was a fabulous debut and I look forward to more from Naina Kumar!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I enjoyed this debut romcom and thought the fake engagement trope was done really well in this book! Meghna is hung up on her ex who has just asked her to be his best man at his upcoming wedding, while Karthik has sworn off love and marriage. When their parents set them up, they decide to fake an engagement to appease them as well as to keep up appearances in their professional and personal lives. I liked Meghna and Karthik as the main characters in this book! They both clearly had a lot going on and had pretty complicated pasts. I liked watching them slowly fall for each other. There were some times I felt that their chemistry was forced, but otherwise I really believed in them as a couple and was rooting for them. Both characters started to be there for each other well before they each realized they feelings for one another.

My one big gripe in this book was the miscommunication! There were so many minor conflicts that could have been resolved with a simple conversation. Miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes in romcoms and this trope was used a lot in this book. Additionally, because of the complicated pasts of both Meghna and Karthik, there was definitely a lot side stories. Some of them distracted from the main plot, but I did feel like they added to the character development of Meghna and Karthik and overall helped them realize their feelings for each other. Overall, I really enjoyed this debut! I absolutely loved the desi representation and I'm looking forward to reading more from Kumar. I would definitely recommend this quick and fun romcom!

Thank you so much for the arc.

This book was fine. Had some cute parts and I liked the songwriting storyline with Seth. But the dialogue and writing felt very stilted and plain. At times I skimmed and flipped through. I think this will have readers who enjoy it but I just didn’t vibe with the writing style.

Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Ebook
Length: 352 pages

Rating: 4.5 stars but rounded to 5.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and Naina Kumar for an e-arc of this book.

Read this if you enjoy:
Only One Bed
Opposites attract
Fake engagement / arranged marriage
Open Door Romance

Summary:
Meghna just discovered that the love of her life is engaged and it’s not to her. So when her mother offers to set up a meeting for a potential marriage, she jumps at the chance. Karthik has been trying to please his mother by going on several meetings with potential brides, there’s only one problem. He has no intentions of getting married….ever. But when Meghna and Karthik meet they discover that they might be able to help each other. They will pretend to be engaged so Karthik can stop going on these pointless meetings and Meghna will have a date to the upcoming wedding. But there’s always a fine line between what is fake and what is reality.

I read this book in less than 24 hours! I fell in love with the characters (except for you Seth, you’re the absolute worst). I loved the slow burn and the chemistry between Meghna and Karthik. I just felt like these two really fit together and I loved the open communication (for the most part). These two were really good about discussing certain aspects of their lives. Their relationship and feelings towards each other? Not so much.

But this book is about so much more than romance, it’s about following your dreams, family pressure, and family dynamics in general. I cannot wait to see what Naina Kumar writes next.

Book Name: Say You’ll Be Mine
Author: Naina Kumar

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell ****for an ARC of Say You'll Be Mine!

Stars: 4
Spice: 2

Standalone
Fast-Paced
Dual POV

- Thoughts.
- Fake Engagement
- Grumpy Sunshine
- Abrupt Time Jumps
- Cheating (secondary character)
- One Bed
- He Falls First
- Slow Burn
- Indian Rep
- Banter
- Pinning
- Miscommunication

Overall Super Fun & Quick Read. The time jumps between scenes were a bit jarring but it is a debut novel so overall not bad. It had all the banter, tension, chemistry and longing you need for a fantastic modern rom-com. it reminded me a lot of the Wedding Season on Netflix. So check that out after reading this!

Fairly predictable rom com but it was still a good read that I enjoyed. On the recommend list. though it's not something I would normally read for myself.

Meghna defied her parents by becoming a theatre teacher. She didn’t fall in line with the traditional Indian career path. She is still not married and has no kids. She thinks she has time until the guy she has been pining for has announced that he is getting married to someone else and asked her to be his “best man”.

Meghna is humiliated and heart broken. She agrees to allow her mother to match her with Karthik just to keep face. Karthik is everything that Meghna is not. He is grumpy, an Engineer and appears to be a good Indian boy. He is not enthusiastic to go along with the matchmaking either but Meghna’s personality draws him in.

I love books that showcase other cultures. The vibrant, rich Indian culture is on full display here. I love the family vibe and the aunties always trying to set someone up. It speaks to the matchmaker in me.

Meghna and Karthik’s romance has a slow and steady pace. It is not a slow burn but a very steady pace. They first stand on their false routine with a complete understanding of what they expect. The friendship develops as they spend time with each other trying to fool their friends and family. There is no judgement with either one of them. Meghna and Karthik’s romance came very smoothly.

While it does tick most of my boxes, the story is predictable. There is no spectacular moments that stand out for me. It is funny, quirky and entertaining. Definitely a quick read on a cold afternoon.

~ Samantha

for a debut novel, i think naina kumar did an amazing job. it was charming and easy to follow and i thought the characters were really strong. a fake engagement is something i always enjoy and i really liked reading it through the lens of someone doing it in regards to culture.

meghna and karthik, like i said, were strong characters to me. both of them knew what they wanted and stood for it, even if they turned out to be a little wrong. (looking at you, karthik.) i will say that the second half of the book just had me wanting to shake both of them for not just communicating!!! but, i mean. it’s a common trope and it makes for drama so i’m overlooking my personal frustrations. oh and, seth. sethhhh. i knew he was gonna be the villain the minute i read the first thing about him. bad vibes galore!

i was happy with the end of this book and the epilogue, as it wrapped everything up nicely and it made me so proud of both main characters and excited to think about their future.

this book was an adorable read and i think you should check it out! i want to thank naina kumar and netgalley and random house publishing for this eARC in exchange for feedback!

3.5 Stars-
In this debut contemporary romance, we follow Meghna, a middle school theater teacher, and Karthik a mechanical engineer. They both agree to enter into a fake engagement for both familial and other outside reasons. This was a classic rom-com movie-esque set up, and it was quite enjoyable to watch the two character's catch feelings for each other.
I enjoyed Meghna, but Karthik is the character that I love the most. He was a really well-rounded character. I appreciate how Karthik has reservations about being in a committed relationship due to his personal family experiences. He has real and valid fears which cause him to avoid love at all costs, yet is one of the warmest cinnamon-roll heroes I've read in a while. I loved watching him grow and change as a character.
This story does have a pretty prominent miscommunication trope. This is not something that I typically enjoy in romance conflicts. Both Karthik and Meghna get in the way of each other over and over. However, I will forgive Karthik for his mistakes because he's such a gosh darn sweetie and Meghna because she is a character worth rooting for!
Another drawback was the fact that there were 4 conflict points outside the main character's relationship. At first, I thought it was too much drama, and then about 3/4 of the way through, I was pretty invested. That being said, I could see readers getting overwhelmed with all of the sources of drama and possibly wanting fewer conflict sources in the storyline.
Overall, I had a good time reading this book, and I look forward to reading more from Naina Kumar.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

Naina Kumar’s debut, Say You’ll Be Mine is a sweet romance about accidently falling in love. It pulls at your heartstrings as you see Meghna and Karthik fight their love for each other.
Kumar’s writing is lyrical and storytelling navigates the difficulty of not letting your family define who you are.