This is such a lovely story of romance, family, and found family living under one roof. It takes place in India and I enjoyed all the cultural references, learning more about traditions that are still practiced today, and the delicious descriptions of regional Indian cuisine. The main love story takes place between Samara and Sharav and their chemistry can be felt immediately. The sparks fly when they interact and it's easy not to notice that it's closed door. The secondary characters are well-developed and a few have romances of their own to sort out. I love the way the author brings it all together and it left me with all the warm fuzzy feelings and a smile.

Very cute, quick read. Not heavy on the spice for those looking for a one chili romance read but cute all the same.

The writers style was a little hard to follow as I would have preferred each chapter by from a singular characters perspective rather than not being sure if it’s the narrators thoughts or getting to see one character’s inner thoughts. The initial meet cute was great but then after they met again I was confused by their actions and potential inner thoughts. All in all a really cute read and would recommend to a friend.

I really enjoyed getting to read a book about characters from a different culture and different customs.

I liked it. I could have done without the third POV. I think that made it a little bit less enjoyable. But overall it was sweet.

This was a nice light rom com, which is not my typical read but it had some extra spice, the international flare of being set in India. Basically, the story line is finding one's true love in a culture where marriage for love is not necessarily the norm. I enjoyed the story and the "international" flavor; the book made me hungry, with its description of food throughout. I think what made the book for me was the injections of humor, especially strong at the end, when it even bordered on the absurd but it was well done and nonetheless believable. The main characters were well drawn and revealed as the story went on, as were the conflicts between them.
It was a solid four stars for me. I would say that I was a little confused at first about who was who because besides the main characters, there were a large cast of supporting characters that was a little hard to keep straight. I think I also would have liked to have seen a little more humor earlier on, especially since it was so well done later on and a little more of the setting of India which I find so fascinating. However, this was a good solid read and I liked it, which is strong praise from someone that does not generally lean towards romcoms and I would read other books from this author.

A light, airy fun read. I enjoyed being captured by the emotions and lives of the main characters and the ending left me wanting more of Samara and Sharav. Maybe a sequel is in the works?? Loved the Valkayrie shoutout which gave me Sarah J Maas vibes. Overall, a cute and easy read.

Never Meant to Stay is a Indian contemporary tale about wedding photographer, Samara, and her stay with close friends of the family. She never knew she needed a safety net and stability yet know she may find it. Even better, she's going to help Sharav's family find it as well.

Weaved inside Samaras story are a few other points of view from the family. I quickly listened to Never Meant to Stay on audio and enjoyed the story even more as our narrator, Ulka Mohanty, is Indian. The rich culture, including Indian food and traditions, made me hungry and wanting to try out some recipes! I was also entwined with each character's journey- rooting for each to find their peace.

This was honestly one of the cutest and most wholesome books I've read in a while. If you're looking for the "she falls first, he falls harder" trope infused with South Asian culture, then this book is for you. It does feature some cheating (e.g., kiss); however, I personally felt as though it was justified given the circumstances (e.g., arranged engagement with an unlikable person) and Sharav's morals and values. It was as cheesy as a family-focused movie with a romance subplot could be, which meant it was also super heartwarming.

A big-hearted romantic comedy about family and finding the perfect match set against the exuberant backdrop of contemporary Delhi.

Home has always been a temporary arrangement for Samara Mansingh, a wayfaring wedding photographer and the daughter of a diplomat. When her father is uprooted once again, Samara needs a place to stay in Delhi. Next stop: the Khanna family. Samara's memories of the Khannas are vague at best, but she doesn't remember their home feeling so much like a war zone.

Sharav has a melodramatic sister pushing back on an arranged marriage, a withdrawn lead-singer brother who won't sing, and a widowed mother hiding her grief in the garden. Sweeping into the household like a tornado, irrepressible Samara is a practically perfect distraction. She has a mind to help a girl find true love, push a young man to find his voice, and bring a lonely and loving widow out of mourning. Maybe Samara can even get on Sharav's ruggedly handsome good side.

The only sure thing is that the Khanna family will never be the same again. Neither will Samara, who may finally find what she's been missing her entire life: a home.

This was such a delightful fun read. I am not personally Indian but this book created a modern tale with a mixture of family exasperation and love with the best intentions. I enjoyed the pacing and the fact that the book didn’t cause me to feel stressed - instead I found myself laughing out loud to certain parts. I plan on checking out more novels from this author.

For me, the goal of reading is to expand my worldview and meet characters that I normally do not get exposure to in my small fishing town. I admittedly have not had a lot of exposure to Indian culture, and "Never Meant to Stay" has introduced me to a cast of characters that I want to revisit.

While I started reading for the light-hearted romance, I came to realize that Das was expertly creating a novel about familial relationships and how those relationships can wither if not tended carefully. It was nice to see different family members navigate conflicts, from Jyoti, who is searching for herself after her husband passes away, to Diya, the girl who seems confident but lost. These supporting characters were beautifully written, and the relationship that Samara forms with each of them is just as crucial as her love interest.

I am certainly looking forward to reading more from Trisha Das and exploring the Punjabi and Delhi culture.

“Never meant to stay” felt like a travel romance to me. Full of culture and food descriptions that kept me hungry from the moment I opened the book to the last page of the epilogue.

I loved the characters! Their chemistry was palpable. It was extremely funny as well. Just a lovely reading.

Samara is a woman who lives her life in a determined and passionate way. Growing up with a committed to his work parent, she had to relied on others to fulfilled the gap her father left. When she went to stay for a few months with the Khannas, Samara found the best to pay back their kindness by meddling in everyone’s lives.

Samara’s and the Khannas journey was endearing and entertaining!
This is a book worth reading at least once in your life.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

I requested this book because I loved the cover and the fact that it is set in Delhi. I enjoyed it so much! So sweet and heartwarming and such an easy read. This is a first for me by this author and it will not be my last. So many silly moments. Loved it!

I really thought this book was going to have an unhappy ending. I was screaming, I swear. I was screaming the whole time.

This book is so cute and lovely. It's about family mostly and I loved every second of it. I thought it was cute and funny.

I decided to read this book on a whim, cool cover and set in Delhi sure! I really liked it! Such a sweet story about found family and choosing yourself. This was my first time reading this author but I will be going to look for more of her books. It was a quick read but long enough to root for the main characters, laugh at the silly moments and cheer for the ending!

Growing up bouncing from place to place with her diplomat father, Samara mends her loneliness by solving the problems of the people around her. When her father suddenly gets reassigned to Nigeria, Samara stays with old family friends, the Khannas. Here, she finds the family and stability she has been yearning for, including Sharav, the distant and very much engaged man of the house. Although it started a bit slow and disjointed, the book seemed to hit its stride a few chapters in, and from there I looked forward to continuing to read it and seeing how the author would get us to the eventual happy ending. There is Indian culture and wedding insanity sprinkled throughout, and some... interesting analogies for those with a quirkier sense of humor. 4/5 stars, a solid read.

Samara is a wedding photographer and the daughter of a diplomat. Home has always been a temporary thing for her. When her dad gets a new assignment half way through the wedding season, and Samara has weddings booked, she ends up staying with old family friends for a while.

Being the strong woman she is, Samara has it in her head that, she will help the son find his voice, help a girl find true love, and leave the family forever different. One things for sure, she will never be forgotten by them, but can she find happiness for herself along the way as well?

This is such a fun and lighthearted read that focuses on Indian weddings and culture. I will say that miscommunication was the heart of this novel, and the characters could have saved so much time and heartache had they listened and stood up for what they wanted, but I do understand that much of this is deeply cultural and I felt that this aspect was well explained. I really enjoyed the characters in this book. They were all well developed and written, despite me wanting to smack them at times. The author wrote in a way that was so descriptive and mesmerizing that it felt like you were right there living with the characters, which is my favorite way to experience a story. I hope that someday I am able to experience events as grand as the ones that the characters got to experience, it would be amazing! I loved the way this story ended, and it had me guessing until the very end.

If you have the opportunity to read this one, I suggest that you check it out.

Thank you so much to the author and Get Red PR, @GetRedPR for this e-arc for a copy in exchange for an honest review.