I love everything Nisha Sharma writes. I mean that literally. The Letters We Keep is a sweet (not spicy)) Novella about how families and love shape who we are. This is the perfect sweet short read.

Thank you #Netgalley the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first Nisha Sharma book that I devoured! I would say a 1 for spice so if youre looking for something to kind of ease you in gently, this would be perfect!! This was a super fun read I have been telling everyone about!! Nisha, Im a huge fan!

I am a HUGE fan of Nisha Sharma and I loved the idea of these two college aged "kids" (I'm in my 40s, they're kids) being brought together over these old love letters they find in a library. Having it be enemies to lovers, opposites attract, and close proximity makes it right up my alley.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I kinda wish we had more from the letters since that was the main plotline. I was satisfied with how that turned out, but the book could have been longer (it's only around 250 pages) and explored that a bit more. It also leaves a couple things open ended that I was hoping would be resolved. I still love her writing and will continue to be a fan.

If you're looking for something sweet and with only a tiny bit of spice, since it's a NA, with a little bit of mystery, this is good for you.

Thank you to Skyscape and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

4 Stars

A beautiful story about a South Asian couple from different economic backgrounds, how their families and money or lack of have shaped the. They are also investigating a local legend, which was a fun look into the past and a different kind of forbidden love. Love Nisha Sharma's witty and romantic writing about Indian families

The letters we keep

“I love you more than I thought I’d ever love anyone in my life. But is love enough?”

I highly anticipated this novel since the beginning of the year. Give me epistolary or representation or a writer … and I’m sold. So if the book contains the whole… Auto-read!
This story was an easy and quick read. I loved how soft (in the best way) it felt to read it, like wrapping yourself in your favourite blanket. I’m no Indian or American and I know nothing about the community –not even the stereotypes– but I loved my wanders with Jessie and Ravi. In the end, the message is pretty universal. No matter from where we come from, no matter our social class, we all have to overcome some pressure coming from our origins and legacy (some are harder than others, though –we all agree). Can we become who we want to be, or do we have to follow a path traced for us by the ones who came before? In the middle of that, how can love find its place as we try to become ourselves? Is love enough to build a life?
The letters were a great addition to this coming of age story. They bring Ravi and Jessie together, add the mystery aspect (this investigation was so nice to follow!) and constitute an amazing counterweight to see a similar situation through different aspects in the timeline, the generation and the community, making –once again– the message universal.
Rate 4.5/5
Thank you NetGalley, Nisha Sharma and Skyscape for the ARC in exchange for my free and honest review.

So much potential! The synopsis promised a dark academia mystery following star-crossed lovers and a love match connection, yet it turned out that the synopsis was the most exciting part of the book. The author sets up many moments of connection that I expected to feel more important, but they are lost amidst unnecessary moments. The female main character spends so much time contemplating her financial limitations in dating the male main character and her reluctance to run her family's sandwich shop. While these themes could have been compelling, they are repeated to the point of annoyance.

The atmosphere was great, and I wish the author had leaned into it more because it helped add an air of mystery that the author failed to achieve on their own. I can envision myself enjoying this author's other books or future works, but this one felt like it was in a late draft phase that still needed to remove excess and repetitive information to become a stronger book.

A short sweet read! Reading this made me feel super nostalgic, took me back to my university days…the way he would walk her back to her dome..:oh the memories.

This was a fun, easy read! The Letters We Keep is a new adult romance set in college and following two South Asian protagonists. Ravi is a senior from a wealthy and influential family in the tech space, but he wants to write. Jessie is a freshman from a working class family, studying to be an engineer. They end up in a nonfiction writing class together and investigate the local legend of a couple that died in a fire in the library. They discover hidden letters from the 1970's and read them, all the while engaging in their own starcrossed romance.

premise of the book was good and the ending was good but some parts in the middle - the plot went. a little wonky.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters had a compelling relationship that was meaningfully informed by their culture in an interesting and unique way. The central mystery was a good hook for the love story but never felt particularly high stakes. Overall, this was a cozy book that read fast and was not challenging in the best way.

↬ review: 2.5 stars ☾ ❦
first of all, i was incredibly excited for this book because it should've been a cute and diverse love story with letters. unfortunately, i had some significant issues with the book.

❀ characters:
the characters were so shallow. despite the fact that jessie is poor and needs to work hard for every accomplishment, and ravi is from a wealthy engineering family, we know nearly nothing about these two individually. their characters felt unoriginal and stereotypical, and everything about them fell flat for me, which makes me sad because they both had so much potential because of their diversity and cultural heritage.

❀ love:
now, their romance was cute. though they fell in love instantly, and there was no real slow burn, ravi was the cutest gentleman. he always brought jessie home, stopped vaping for her and asked directly for a date. however, i didn't feel anything: no sparks, tension, or hope regarding their future together. they don't even know each other well, so how are they supposed to stay together?

❀ what i liked:
no matter how poorly executed the plot was, i still enjoyed it and flew through the pages. this book is extremely fast-paced, and i loved the mystery of the couple from 50 years ago and their letters. i just hoped to read more about the plot because it was promising. i'm not going to lie; ravi being so smitten was my highlight of the story.

❀ what i disliked:
this book was written in a rush; at least, it felt like it. everything started quickly and ended even faster, and no trope and plot was really deep and detailed. everything just happened, but we needed answers for many plotholes.

❀ conclusion:
all in all, this was a disappointment. it makes me so mad because of all the lost potential; it could've been the next "a good girl's guide to murder," but it didn't deliver. however, i still read it in one sitting because of the easy and fast-paced language, and ravi was really cute.

thank you, netgalley and nisha sharma, for the arc in exchange for my honest review. it means a lot to me, and i appreciate it.

I just finished the letters we keep in the wee hours of today morning… I was skeptical going in as a 38 year old reading a new adult book… but 🥺🥺🥺 Nisha is sp talented and such a great writer!!! The way she represents the south asian diaspora is one of the best IMO. I also LOVED the authors note at the end that - she tried to stay away from the stereotypes but sometimes you cant that is the reality and has to be apart of the story.. PLUS how she was inspired to write the books based on how she found her grandmas letters… OMG… again i don't think il ever forget this book… I had an e-arc but i need my own copy! will be buying my copy soon

4.5 stars!!

If a book is based around love letters, I'm in before I even open it. This didn't have to do much to sway me into loving it, and I was here for every page of it!!! Nisha Sharma, the writer that you are- you make me laugh, you make me cry, you bring joy and yearning and all the feelings!

Jessie, a new freshman on campus, inadvertently starts a rival with rich boy junior, Ravi, after she "takes" his hidden study room. This kicks off a race to book the room and enough tension to blow, but it also is the start of a great adventure. The two end up finding letters that lead to hints about a campus legend, and then in their journey to find the answers, they find something more with each other!!!!

This is just a sweet, beautiful story of two people trying to meet their own and their families' expectations, find answers for the mystery and their own lives, and two perfectly imperfect humans finding their way together. Ravi is down bad crying at the gym for Jessie, and she has to decide if she can jump and risk falling!!

Thank you so much to Nisha Sharma and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

nisha sharma does it again! really enjoyed this book and found it be very well written!

the romance plot was so well paced and I found it so enjoyable to watch the two characters develop!

thank you so much for this ARC! :)

In the captivating narrative of "Letter We Keep," the intertwining lives of Jessie and Ravi unfold against a backdrop of divergent social strata, illuminating the stark disparities that define their worlds. Hailing from contrasting spheres of society, Jessie and Ravi embark on a journey that transcends the boundaries of time and prejudice, as they delve into the poignant remnants of a love story buried within old letters.

As the fragile parchment reveals the tender exchanges of a bygone era, Jessie and Ravi find themselves inexorably drawn to each other, their hearts tethered by the enduring power of love's legacy. Despite the chasm that separates their social standing, they discover common ground in the shared pursuit of unraveling the mysteries of the past, forging a bond that defies the dictates of class and convention.

Their story unfolds not in isolation, but against the backdrop of parallel narratives, where echoes of societal constraints reverberate through the ages. Through the lens of history, we witness the struggles of two couples navigating the treacherous currents of societal expectations, their fates intertwined by the unyielding forces of prejudice and privilege.

Yet, amidst the labyrinth of societal norms and expectations, Jessie and Ravi's journey serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring human spirit, transcending the barriers of time and prejudice to embrace the transformative power of love and understanding. "Letter We Keep" is a testament to the resilience of the human heart, inviting us to confront the complexities of social class and the enduring legacy of prejudice that persists, even in the face of the inexorable march of time.

I definitely agree with the authors note the love of letters. It's so amazing finding letters from grandparents or older generations. It's such an amazing gift you found. So much history, viewpoint and timeline. I used to be a pen pal with my great aunts and their stories were bizarre to me in elementary school, but I cherish them now.
This is an adult book but college age. This is a freshman and junior in college romance. Such different paths in a way even though they are so close in age. They come from different socio-economic backgrounds and hid themselves from the public friends they had. The friends their status forced on them.
Loved how he started a rivalry just to stay close to her and get her to talk to him.
Loved all the discoveries of themselves and their relationship through the parallels of these letters.


Thank you Nisha Sharma for the gifted book! Love your books!

I love this book so much! Nisha Sharma has uickly become an autoread author for me. This is ther perfect blend of her sweet YA romances and her spicy adult romances. The stakes feel appropriately high and the romance is so well plotted out. I highly recommend this book.

Ravi, the son of a super rich guy, always uses the same library booth to study, until one day Jessie reserves it before him. He tries to show her that the cabin is his, but she doesn't lower her head. His friends, seeing what happened, prank her by locking her in the library. Ravi goes to rescue her and they find letters from a woman in love. Together they will try to find out what happened to the couple and, predictably, become interested in each other. I recommend reading!

Thank you for the ARC! I really enjoyed this book as it had me hooked from the beginning. It was very well written and the description of the two main characters was amazing. I cannot wait to read other books written by this author.

This is such an intriguing story that mixes a story of a past couple who were lost in a mystery in a college building and a newer pair who finds themselves falling for each other while reading these old, love letters, the promise itself of having them in this library of mystery and secrets is a fantastic way to push them together. The letters themselves show the love story that was intriguing and pulled on your heartstrings as well. Jesse and Robbie’s was also fascinating because seeing them have to deal with their differences, but understanding that they had an attraction to one another involved in the book from start to finish.