🏝💘💫 Book Review 💫💘🏝

The Design of US by @sajnipatelbooks

4.5🌟 /5

There is always something so unique, beautiful, and relatable in her books that it always strikes the correct chords for me.

Bhanu and Sunny being office rivals communicate only through snarky comments end up in the same resort in Hawaii. Nonetheless, a dramatic situation also ends them up in a fake relationship and sharing one suite. Bhanu is here to spend some quality time with her sister, and Sunny is here to attend a friends destination wedding. So, they agree to entertain the facade for the sake of getting some much needed peace from hilarious interfering friends and relatives.
Their journey from hating to tolerating each other to grow feelings and falling for one other is captured in a very raw and charming manner. Their banters and chemistry have you giggling at times.

I really enjoyed reading this one. It's a sweet and breezy read with a beautiful storyline and unique characters just perfect for summer.
I loved how it has a dash of Indianness with being introduced to Hawaiian culture. The subtle mention and dealing with the social anxiety issue in the story made it soulful for me.

Thank you, @netgalley and @sajnipatelbooks, for the arc review.

PS ~ Everyone wants Jay Shah in their lives from TTWHY. 🫠🩷 #IYKYK

Thank you for the early advice copy!

I’ve read 2 other books by this author and I enjoyed them very much, I was excited for her new book. This one missed the mark for me. It was cute, beach, vacation read, but it wasn’t memorable or different.

Read if you like:
🌏 South Asian Rep
🌺 Hawaiian Vacations
💻 Computers & IT
📊 Workplace Romances
🔀 Opposites Attract
🌤️ Grumpy x Sunshine
😘 Fake Dating

This book literally has it all and I am so excited about this new to me author and that I dove in head first to this romance!

When I say it has it all, I really mean it, it’s got the tension, the enemies, the summery vibes, workplace romance, forced proximity, he falls first… truly just all the romance yummy goodness you could ask for!

I really loved the accidental whoops I guess we are fake dating plot and how it was for a limited duration during a wedding celebration in Hawaii that these coworkers and enemies run into each other and end up stuck in a fake dating scheme.

All in all, this truly was a great romance, the only think I wish is that the wrap up wouldn’t have been so quick and that there had been an epilogue as the ending felt a bit abrupt.

Thank you so much to Berkley and PRHA for my gifted ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Thanks to Berkley for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for this book.
Fake dating and forced proximity are two of my favorite tropes, and the big island of Hawaii is a gorgeous setting for a romance! The main characters are work rivals which makes the idea of them dating even more intriguing.
Their love story felt real and I liked how they worked out their feelings and resolved their job situations after they got back to real life, 4 stars.

Synopsis:
One impulsive lie leads to a weeklong adventure of fake dating for two bickering coworkers in this swoony destination wedding rom-com.

…Bhanu brings big energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. When Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel where she’s staying while visiting her sister, she witnesses his ex criticizing him about being single. Bhanu does the first thing that comes to mind, she impetuously claims to be Sunny’s agirlfriend. Except Sunny is on island for a friend’s wedding…

Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together. They say what happens on island, stays on island. But as Sunny and Bhanu let their guards down, will either of them be able to resist this romantic getaway without crossing the line?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was summer romance goodness! I loved so many things about this book and at the end of reading, I was so sad that there wasn't an epilogue! I wanted MORE of these two characters and their happily ever after.

Sunny was so respectful of Banu and made sure she was comfortable with all their lovey interactions in front of his friends. But he was also really playful and I loved watching her react to his flirty comments (licking comments to be exact) 😜.

The paradise setting was perfect and I could clearly picture all the food that was described. I connected with these characters on so many different things and I think that’s what made me love the story more (fear of large bodies of water b/c sharks are real, respecting the native land, learning how to pronounce people's names correctly, love of family, etc.).

This was my first book from Patel but it will not be my last! I'll be recommending this cute summer read to every romance lover I know.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Bhanu brings big UX energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. She expected to get a reprieve while visiting family in Hawai’i, but when Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel, she claims to be Sunny’s girlfriend top save him from his ex. Sunny not wanting to cause drama during his friend's wedding, has no choice except to play along. Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together, even as stress mounts over the impending promotion.

Review:

This was a cute enemies to lovers romance set in Hawaii. I love that the characters were in STEM and that Bhanu was a badass leader in the industry. Their chemistry was palpable and I loved the crossover of American/Indian/Hawaiian culture. I also really enjoyed the resort/Hawaii setting because I feel like it's more realistic for those kinds of feelings to develop quickly in an environment like that - where the day-to-day mundane doesn't interfere with building a connection. I want to try some of the ube treats they described in the book ASAP.

Thank you to Berkley for my digital copy for review!

Going into The Design of Us, I was excited to see how the story would unfold. Enemies-to-lovers, a destination wedding in Hawaii, fake dating… what’s not to like? That it also features main characters in STEM, mental health representation, and desi culture should have sealed the deal. But while it was an easy and enjoyable read overall, it sometimes left me feeling a bit dissatisfied.

Firstly, Bhanu and Sunny are meant to be enemy co-workers, but there’s virtually no basis for their mutual animosity. Their first interaction a year prior was awkward, but in no way enough to make enemies out of each other. Why don’t they get along? It’s never very clear. They just seem to randomly rub each other the wrong way and are too immature to act any better, even in the workplace.

Another problem I had was with their characterization. Despite his name, Sunny is meant to be the grumpy one here, but he never actually comes across as grumpy. Serious and conscientious, sure, but not grumpy. Conversely, Bhanu is in theory the sunshine character… but to me she seemed grumpier than Sunny. And when they’re together, they both just seem annoyed with each other. This at least should have made their bickering fun to read, but it came across less like witty banter and more like childish disagreements and inexplicable misunderstandings.

Those issues aside, I enjoyed the overall plot, overly coincidental as it may have been. Though they both live and work in the Seattle area, Bhanu and Sunny are each on vacation in the same area of Hawaii at the same time. She’s there to visit her sister; he’s there to be a groomsman in his best friend’s wedding. They run into each other in a hotel lobby, but when Sunny’s ex-girlfriend shows up and starts loudly berating him, Bhanu shuts her up by announcing she’s Sunny’s new girlfriend. Thus fake dating ensues, only escalating as Sunny’s friends, then Bhanu’s family, find out about their apparent new relationship.

Bhanu and Sunny slowly get to know each other and realize their bad opinions of each other may not be so fair. They’re rather similar, which can make for a solid relationship, but it takes time to develop here. It’s a slow-burn romance, giving the couple plenty of time to feel like their feelings are truly progressing. I appreciate the space they have to develop a deeper relationship; it makes them more believable as a couple.

I enjoyed the side characters (especially Bhanu’s sister) and getting to experience Hawaiian culture, sights, and cuisine. There’s also great exploration of Bhanu’s social anxiety and Sunny’s concerns over his father’s health. The self-imposed, totally unnecessary miscommunication towards the end of the book felt pretty forced, but I like how Bhanu and Sunny eventually figure out where they stand with one another.

The Design of Us is a cute book that offers a lot of great themes and desi culture, though it sometimes feels unbelievable and immature. Not my favorite, but an enjoyable read overall.

This was a cute story with rival coworkers that had a knack for bickering. It’s always nice to have a FMC who is in STEM and knows her worth. The fake dating thing pretty good, even if sometimes I got annoyed at how meta it all was. I also didn’t like that Sunny kept calling Bhanu “Bane” throughout the whole book.
Sunny was grumpy and dealing with some serious emotional wounds from a toxic relationship. He sucked at communicating, but did make an honest effort. Bhanu was mostly sunshiny, though not to the degree that she never got pissed off or stood up for herself. It was a cute book overall.

Spice: 1/5 - very little detail, mostly closed door

Triggers: toxic relationship, hospitalization of family member, panic attacks, brief depiction/description of injured animal, mention of racism, mentions of sexism

🏝️Fake dating
🏝️Rival coworkers
🏝️Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
🏝️Dual POV
🏝️One bed in paradise
🏝️Slow burn, Scorching tension
🏝️Closed door romance
🏝️Third act breakup
🏝️Anxiety rep

Okay, for real though, this book has all the tropes and it’s so much fun!

I had an absolute blast with this story! Rival coworkers find themselves vacationing in Hawaii at the same time and at the same hotel, then in an annoying turn of events they end up fake dating to preserve the peace and also to prove a point.

The grump is Bhanu, a UX designer who struggles with anxiety and LOVES her work from home life. She knows what she likes and knows how to make most things flow down the path of least resistance. She’s lively, charismatic, a workaholic, and understands when she needs to draw her boundaries when situations get past her tolerance for anxiety.

Sunny is our sunshine lead dev coder and he’s tall, handsome, and has a voice like Denzel! (Which I absolutely cannot wait to hear portrayed on audiobook!) He is funny, considerate, and worried about taking care of his family and making sure his friends have a great time during their vacation.

(Their jobs are kind of techy, but you don’t have to be a tech expert and all the terminology is explained early on!)

Bhanu’s sister Diya stole the show - she had me howling! She was my favorite every time she appeared and I found myself wondering what antics she’d get up to next, whether it be cursing, scheming, or being the sweetest sister. I love how clearly we see the joy Diya gets from teasing and supporting Bhanu.

I loved how Hawaii is its own character in the story. We learn a bit about the island and its history, the people, and the animals. You better help protect the honu (green sea turtles)! The story reminded me I was recently gifted Kona coffee, which was just as amazing as described and fun to enjoy while writing this review! I also have discovered the joy of ube, so Bhanu was speaking my language.

The banter is top notch, and had me highlighting and taking notes so I wouldn’t forget a thing! The burn is slow and so worth it. The sexual tension between these characters is so delicious! While I enjoy spice in my books, this one doesn’t have explicit spice and it was just as thrilling - so don’t let that hold you back.

*Thank you to Berkley Romance, NetGalley, and the author for an eARC for my honest review!

If you're looking for great banter between two work nemesis this is it. Not only was I laughing with the one liners I found Bhanu and Sunny to be both fully developed characters. The moment they realized their fake vacation romance could be more was adorable. Sunny checking in and making sure Bhanu was ready because she didn't like being touched cue the water works. This is fade to black with hint if dirty talk. I loved it, even though the end lagged a bit before the 3rd act breakup. Sajel girl can catch these hands. I do hope this becomes a series.

Sajni Patel has become one of my favorite authors. The description above gives you all you need to know about this book. If you like relationships that start out fake for appearances sake but end up real and/or if you like enemies-to-lovers tropes then this is the book for you.

Bhanu has gone to Hawaii to visit her sister for a much-needed vacation. She works hard, and even on vacation, she finds it difficult to put work away. She's dedicated, and she's good at what she does. So good that she's up for a promotion. The only problem is, that Sunny, her work nemesis, is being criticized by his ex-girlfriend right in front of her. Not only is the hate ruining her vacation vibes, but she also doesn't think Sunny deserves to be treated like that. She has to take up for him. The only problem is that she puts them both in a situation that will only further embarrass him...and possibly her, too.

Sunny wishes that Bhanu had kept her nose in her own business. But it does take the pressure off a little to have her join in his friend's wedding activities. It keeps him from being the odd man out and everyone feeling sorry for him that his ex is with someone else but rubbing it in his face.

If I'm honest, I did it again. I read this book THREE MONTHS before writing my review of it. And I've read 24 books since this one. So, I don't remember all of the particulars. I do remember being annoyed with Bhanu's tourist hate. Bhanu's sister lives in Hawaii, and so she regularly visits. Despite technically being a tourist, she has such an aversion to tourists which I find odd. Her sister's entire job is dedicated to tourists. The islands themselves depend heavily on tourism for their economy. Of course, tourists won't know what the locals know. But how can you be so annoyed by their ignorance? How can you expect people to understand what they don't know? Some of the tourist issues that Bhanu and her sister noted were just people being rude and disrespectful, but I have a feeling that's just who those people are at their core and not because they're tourists specifically. Once people know better, they can do better. But until then, your harsh judgments of them aren't helping matters.

I didn't highlight anything except references to the tourist hate I mentioned above.

I read The Design of Us really quickly. It's the perfect summer or beach read. Hey, if you're going to Hawaii on vacation it'd be a great choice both for entertainment value and for some information on what locals find annoying about tourists. I loved Sunny and Bhanu's relationship journey. I'm a sucker for fake dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes anyway. The Design of Us gets 4 Stars. Have you read The Design of Us? What did you think? Let me know!

I really enjoyed reading this book!

I loved the chemistry between Bahnu and Sunny. Her sunshiny personality perfectly complemented his grumpiness. She really brought light into his life. I appreciated how the author addressed both of their individual issues with respect. Initially, I couldn't understand why Bhanu and Sunny didn't get along, but learning about her social anxiety made things clear. However, I do wish this was revealed earlier in the story, as it would have saved time. Sunny's responsibilities as the oldest son in his family were well depicted. I liked how the author explained things from an Indian cultural perspective. Speaking of which, the author did a fantastic job portraying Hawaii and its culture - the land, the food, and the portrayal of tourists were all amazingly done. It's evident that the author respects the island and its people.

The family dynamics were also well portrayed. I enjoyed exploring both Bhanu’s and Sunny’s families. I will say the slow progression of their relationship almost put me off, but then I realized that it actually fit well with the perspective issues they were dealing with. On a separate note, his ex deserved to have cake smashed in her face. I'm glad Bhanu stood up for Sunny because that lady was doing to much. Overall, I think "The Design of Us" is a great read and should definitely be added to your summer reading list.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Fake dating co worker rivalry treat!

I love when there is fake dating all around a wedding atmosphere. The stakes are high, the acting has to be as well, then put in nosy exes and family members and you have a perfect rom com!
I also love the setting in Hawaii and the grumpy sunshine dynamic!

At times its felt that the book was juggling almost too many elements, but I will say that when you have such a complicated back story and such intertwined family/friend group... juggling will happen.

Great story!

Two rival coworkers end up fake dating during a vacation at a destination wedding... only things are beginning to feel very real. Bhanu is sunshine incarnate, she's determined to get the promotion at work but her only serious competition is her work nemesis, Sunny, the grumpy guy with a fantastic voice. When Bhanu goes on vacation to Hawaii to see her family, she thinks she's finally escaped Sunny ...only to run into Sunny at the hotel and witness his ex criticizing him for being single... so Bhanu does the first thing that comes to mind: pretend to be Sunny's girlfriend and stop the scene from escalating any further. But the big issue is that Sunny is on the island for a friend's wedding and his ex has now told the entire wedding party about Sunny's "new girlfriend." While Bhanu and Sunny might not get along the best Bhanu decides to agree to the charade to help Sunny out of pity. Yet the more Sunny and Bhanu spend time together the more they are beginning to realize that all their bickering might just have been leading to romance all along... if only they can survive the wedding, Sunny's obsessive ex, and Bhanu's meddling family. This was a really cute summer read and I liked the dynamic between Bhanu and Sunny. While they might be opposites and bicker a lot, they genuinely have fun together and seem to even each other out. This would make such a cute rom com movie and it's an easy sweet read!

Release Date: July 16, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I wanted to enjoy this book but found the reason the characters were rivals was trivial. There was potential chemistry between the two main characters, but I did not feel that it was genuine enough to be acted upon outside of proximity. The side of the story had the makings of being really interesting, but the writing did not allow me enough to want to finish this book.

I was super excited to win a giveaway from Berkley . I loved the 2 books that I’ve read by Sajni Patel.

The beginning was a little rough when it was going through what user experience was all about. And it really didn’t add a lot to the story.

After all of the user experience description the story took a turn for the best. I liked the banter between Bhanu and Sunny. Although they could have used more sexual tension between them.

I also liked that they weren’t put it the position to have to fight each other to advance in their careers.

The story made me laugh and really want to go to Hawaii. And while there save some Honus.

This book is for anyone who likes fake dating and wants to escape to Hawaii.

Spice level: 🌶️

Thanks again to Berkley and Netgalley for a copy of The Design of Us in exchange of an honest review

This is the second Sajni Patel title that I've read and I particularly liked that she gave a nod throughout the story to (what I assume) was The Trouble With Hating You, which was also a enemies-to-lovers story (I do love an Easter egg and I liked that one :)).

This story is a fun, light-hearted romance with perfect summer vibes and I do love a good enemies-to-lovers/fake dating trope. Sunny and Bhanu's constant bickering makes for great banter which then leads (and adds) to the heat that slowly builds in the book. Their understanding of each other develops as they go on the fake-dating escapades and that understanding reaches a pinnacle at the point when clarity is received for the interaction that caused them to dislike each other originally. This coupled with the care and consideration they demonstrated toward each other (even while they still hadn't fully called a truce) added welcome texture to the narrative.

The story rounded out well with payoffs and callbacks to details mentioned at the beginning and throughout, which is something I particularly appreciate in a story.

Given the build-up I would've loved if the steamy scenes had been a bit more detailed; notwithstanding that didn't dampen by overall enjoyment of the story.

I highly recommend this one. It would absolutely make a great summer read!

My thanks and appreciation to Berkley for providing the eARC!

This book was fake dating, coworker rival, dual POV, vacation romance goodness that sees Bahnu and Sunny, two UX techies up for a project manager job find themselves staying at the same Hawaii resort on their vacation and end up sharing a room with only one bed and pretending to date to show off for Sunny's ex while they are both guests at the same wedding.

Convoluted plot? Maybe a little but I loved it anyways! I especially liked the women in STEM, mental health (social anxiety) rep and Bahnu's family members' part in the storyline and the way the two main characters learn to appreciate one another the more time they spend together.

What started off as a favor quickly has Bahnu developing real feelings for Sunny and wondering whether they can make an actual relationship work IRL when they get back from vacation. Great on audio, this slow burn, steamy romance is perfect for fans of Denise Williams's book, Technically yours.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! This was a perfect summer beach read with a fantastically GORGEOUS cover to boot!

I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope! I liked their banter and the over protectiveness of each other *heart eyes*

The Design of Us was a delightful romcom between two Indian American tech workers. I liked how they were both on the “grumpier” and how it’s both their similarities as well as their differences that have them butting heads at first. Despite their initial first impressions of each other not being the best, once they have a common goal (that is faking a relationship to Sunny’s friends) they are able to accommodate one another and learn more about each other.

Their similarities both facilitate but also get in the way of them growing closer, both of them being more introverted in some sort of way. They both try to put on some sort of mask when they’re around other people but it’s not their natural state. I especially like how Bhanu’s social anxiety is integrated into the story, how it figures into her relationships as well as the plot. I appreciate even more seeing how Sunny learns to accommodate her and her anxiety, and how once he learns the source of her standoffishness is more considerate of her.

I found the use of the setting really interesting as well, as you can see the author’s care for the locale and parts of the culture. It was also interesting to see how this figured into contrasting Sunny’s ex from Bhanu, in how they treat their surroundings with less or more care. I was a bit hesitant when I first saw the book took place mostly in Hawaii but I think the story overall handled it pretty well even if it wasn’t the main focus of the story.

The story does take place in a short time period, but the main characters’ past history helps make them falling for each other more believable, especially since early on there are hints dropped that a lot of Sunny’s “combativeness” and teasing were to get Bhanu’s attention. I feel like readers’ mileage may vary as some people don’t always like that trope, but I don’t mind it in the way it was executed here.

Overall this book was a great beach read that centered on a type of couple I don’t get to read about often.