This book was super fun to read. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the characters weren't very likeable but the overall plot and romance was enjoyable to read. Sunny and Bhanu's work rivalry felt like a rip-off of The Hating Game. But the tension the two was excellent. Their flirting and banter had me turning the pages.

This is a solid 3 stars. I have loved a lot of this author's books but this one didn't completely work for me. There were a few issues. The main one being the main characters were not very likable. The chemistry felt forced and so I wasn't on board with their relationship. There was also a lot of talk about UX. While I understand this was their jobs, it was just a lot of technical stuff that if you aren't in that world, it's over your head and kind of takes up unnecessary space in the story.

I think the best part of the book was the setting in Hawaii. It was so well described. You felt like you were there experiencing all of it. It also brought up a lot about the environment and I thought that part was very well done. Additionally, the conversation around mental health and anxiety was done quite well. While I didn't like the main characters, Bhanu's sister and boyfriend were a joy and I loved when they were on the page.

While it didn't completely work for me, there were a lot of positives about this book. I think it's something where you'd have to just read for yourself and decide.

This book was some solid fun.

Was it very predictable? Yes. But I ate it up.

I will admit I didn't really care much about either of their jobs. I was 100% just in it for the romance. Sunny and Bhanu's work rivalry is amusing more than anything. This is a bit of a slow burn, but the tension is excellent. Their flirting and banter had me smiling and kicking my feet.

A little cuteness:
“That’s considerate.”
“You’re welcome.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Thanks, Bane. You’re all right.”
I shoved the pillow between us into his face. “I thought I was pumpkin and edible.”
- - -
A little spice✨:
“To be perfectly clear,” he added, treading kisses over my breast, “I’ve been dying to taste you for days, Bane.”
I grabbed a fistful of his hair and nudged him lower. “Then taste me.”
“Fuck . . .” he muttered.
“Language . . .”

I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out, mostly Sunny because at least in Bhanu's case we got to see her social anxiety and how that affected her, but overall I had a fun time. I finished it in a day and have zero regrets.

Tropes: Fake-dating, rivals to lovers, one-bed/room 😉

Perfect romcom!

The Design of Us is the perfect summer read, especially since it takes place in Hawaii. There's witty banter, workplace rivals, fake dating and a slow burn romance. What's not to like about that?

I found the characters to be entertaining, especially Bhau. She was very lively. Definitely the sunshine to Sunny's grump. I thought their banter was hilarious too. The romance builds slowly (this is a slow burn after all) which helped make the romance feel it developed naturally.

I think my main gripe with the story was how the third act break-up went about. It seemed rushed.

I did like the Desi representation as well.

Overrall, a fun, summer romcom!

DNF at 51%

I was so looking forward to this book because I really enjoy the tropes mentioned along with its cultural representation. But this book did not deliver what I hoped it would. With its muddled stream of conscious narrative for majority of the first half, I felt so disinterested in the female main character especially after her love for pumpkin spice lattes is brought up at least 10 times. The two leads felt very one dimensional and the premise for their rivalry was so weakly constructed and based in very juvenile reasoning, which made their relationship very difficult to infuse with chemistry. When the fake dating element was introduced, it was so random and suggested so flippantly that I feel like this watered down what could have been a really strong story! So much promise but very weakly executed.

*On a more personal note, the author at one point equates juvenile behavior to Barbie within the pov of the female main character and in light of the positive messaging of strength within womanhood from the Barbie film, this read as extremely internally misogynistic making it unbearable to read the female main character’s points of view.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley/Penguin Random House for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've been trying to get into this book since March 26th and I just couldn't do it. The premise is so promising and I think it's just the timing on my end. So for now, this is a soft DNF. I plan on picking it back up again.

This was a perfect book to add to my Rom-Com Summer reads.
It was such a great book, we have kinda enemies to fake dating to friends to real feelings.
They have a past with their work relationship, and it wasn't what they thought and they both were definitely not what they thought each other thought they were as people.
Main characters are Sunny and Bhanu (aka Bane; Sunny's nickname for her).
These two didn't know that they both were gonna be in the same place on their trips. Bhanu went to Hawaii to visit her sister and Sunny went to be part of his friend's wedding. His ex was part of the wedding also and boy is she trying to cause him some problems. Bhanu hears her making a huge stink and treating Sunny horribly (and interrupting her calm) and she has to just step in and tell his ex that she is his girlfriend. This is where the fake dating relationship started and ohmygosh the rest of this book was fantastic. So many lol moments, the flirty bickering, the emotions, the looks and it all.
All the characters in this book are amazing and add so much to this book, the families, friends and ohmygosh Bhanu grandma is awesome!!!!
I fell in love with these characters and was so happy to see their journey through it all.
I loved this book so much and read it sooooo fast.
A must-read book this summer!!!
The only reason I say summertime is bc it gives all the summertime vibes that you want in a good summertime read :)

Bhanu and Sunny are work enemies in the Seattle area. When coincidence puts both of them in Kona, Hawaii, things get interesting. Sunny is there for a friend’s wedding, but also has to interface with his ex. Bhanu is there to relax, recharge, and spend time with her sister, who works at the resort.

When Bhanu hears Sunny in an uncomfortable exchange with his ex, she jumps in to try to “save” him, and says she’s his girlfriend. One little lie snowballs as the pair have to fake date throughout the wedding weekend, bringing them closer together.

In a word, this book is cute. I personally like a fake dating trope, so this appealed to me. I liked that both Bhanu and Sunny have depth as characters, and there’s more to them besides being drawn to each other. The fringe characters are fun and funny as well, especially Diya and Kimo.

Only thing that didn’t really work for me is that the reason they “hate” each other feels a little flimsy, and it really isn’t fully explained til much later in the book.

All in all, an enjoyable rom-com that is perfect casual summer reading. Thanks NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

I love a good Hawaii story! So much banter had me giggling and kicking my feet. And who doesn’t love a slow burn?

I absolutely loved this fake dating, rivals, coworkers romance! It’s set on a resort in Hawaii where Bhanu and Sunny both happen to be for different reasons. Sunny is there for a friends wedding and Bhanu is visiting her sister. Sunny’s ex is the worst and Bhanu blurts out that she’s Sunny’s girlfriend. Obviously real feelings get thrown in and they end up falling for each other. I loved how Sunny was so protective of Bhanu and vice versa. Bhanu was always standing up for Sunny and supporting him. They got to know each other better and listened. I flew through this book and would definitely recommend!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Romance, Romcom, Contemporary Romance
Spice Level: Very spicy after about 75%
Language: Sister calls her a B as an endearment, and F-bombs start at about the 75%
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, One Bed, Forced Proximity, Vacation Romance, Office Romance

Quarreling coworkers make for a fun romance. I loved how the setting was away from the office. There was a lot of forced proximity because of the destination wedding for Sunny's friends. His ex will leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Two workaholics trying to relax on a vacation is innately funny—it's just not in their mode of operation. This book is a lot of fun. More spice than to my taste, but that's just me.

If you love spicy romance, this book is for you.

Happy (vacation) reading!

Have you read a Sajni Patel adult romance before? No? Well, take this as your sign to do it.

I feel in love with Patel’s romances with First Love, Take Two and then had that love reinforced with The Trouble with Hating You and now The Design of Us! (The Trouble with Hating You even made an appearance in this story!)

This rival-coworkers-turned-lovers set in HAWAII (ugh I need to go) is the perfect summer read. So perfect that I didn’t want to put it down for two days 😅 Bhanu and Sunny are fantastic. All their bickering and caring for each other was wonderful. I also loved all of the side characters, especially Bhanu’s sister.

I highly recommend checking this one out. It’s going to be published on July 15.

This was my first Sajni Patel book and adored it right from the start! This was an easy and enjoyable read that I would highly recommend this summer.

I was super excited for Bhanu with her job in UX and her honest and real mental health struggles made this a big want to read for me. I love a good enemies to lovers and fake relationship plot and the slow burn between Sunny and Bhanu was fantastic. The support and love they end up giving each other is awesome and I love how Sanji highlights this.

Also, the Hawaiian setting was dreamy and there were many supporting characters (her sister and her sister's boyfriend especially) who really helped make this book stand out.

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of Elena Armas and Emily Henry will love Sajni Patel's newest romance!

Bhanu and Sunny are coworkers in UX/UI design and are often at each others throats during video calls; they always have been since they met a year ago. Bhanu takes time away from work to regularly visit her sister in Hawaii, only this time as she's sitting at the hotel bar enjoying a drink, she hears a familiar voice: Sunny's. Sunny came to Hawaii for his best friend's wedding, but didn't expect his toxic ex-girlfriend to berate him for being single on his first day there. Bhanu jumps in to save her colleague from being belittled (and protect her own peace), claiming to be his girlfriend, inadvertently committing to a weekend of wedding festivities with her work nemesis. As the events and meddling family members draw them closer together, it becomes harder to identify what's acting and what's real. What happens on the island stays on the island, but will they be able to resist crossing the line to protect their working relationship?

I LOVED the characters in this book. As a south asian woman in STEM, I felt really seen. I loved that this story wasn't just about the two main characters; it was also about family dynamics and relationships with friends too. Bhanu and Sunny also aren't your typical romance leads - their personalities can't be simply bucketed as one trope or another (even though this book is marketed as grumpy/sunshine, I would actually disagree!). I really appreciated getting to read a unique perspective through them. On top of lovable characters and a great plot, the pacing of the book was perfect and tension was SO GOOD.

The ending was quite abrupt and I wish there was more!! There were some unresolved plot points that left me feeling slightly unsatisfied. But overall, this was a fantastic read!

⭐️4/5
🌶️0.5/5 almost closed door

I unfortunately did not finish this book. There was a significant amount of stream of consciousness writing that was both boring and irrelevant. 67% of the way through this book and I am neither engaged or entertained. The only reason I made it this far is to try and give a fair review. There were moments here and there that kept me going however overall I did not find myself even marginally interested in finishing. I tried my best but I was starting to even avoid my kindle because I was so focused on finishing.

I hope it resonates with others! Not my cup of tea

I’m sure this book isn’t as bad as the opening makes it seem (I hope not!) but I just got the ick. Bhanu has a tangent about her coworker can’t pronounce her name and fights back, and then the male lead comes in and calls her “Bane” multiple times. For all I know it tire to “bane of my existence,” but following a passage about not being able to pronounce the name of a woman of color, it just felt gross.

The Design of Us is another fun desi romance from Sajni Patel!! This fake dating romance set against a destination wedding in Hawaii was super fun. I loved the grumpy sunshine dynamic between Bhanu and Sunny (and how both of their names have to do with the sun). The forced proximity between them as they shared a villa led to some great tension-filled moments! The writing felt a little unnatural in the first few chapters, but in the second half, things read more smoothly! This book definitely has a slowburn for the first 200+ pages so be aware of that if you are expecting a more fast-paced romance. I will say that this book felt steamier than Sajni's previous books, which I loved! I think fans of her previous works will definitely love this one as well!

This book is full of fake dating but real feelings. Bhanu and Sunny are both dedicated to their job—maybe even too much. The only thing that seems to distract them from work is bickering with each other. This book is a fun, quick summer read set in the beautiful Hawaii. Also Bhanu’s love of ube is so real.

Tropes:
-Only one bed
-Fake dating
-Enemies to lovers
-Closed door romance
-Workplace romance

🖤Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for a copy of the ARC.🖤

When Sunny vacations in Hawaii to visit her sister, the last thing she expects is to bump into her work nemesis. And when Bhanu pretends to be Sunny's girlfriend to get him away from his ex, they're forced to act as a couple on a bunch of different activities for the wedding Sunny's there for.

I really enjoyed this book. It's an easy and fun summer beach read with a gorgeous setting and a slow-burn love story. Bhanu and Sunny have a great enemies-to-lovers, fake dating romance! They work together, don't like each other, and are competing for the same promotion, so there's a lot of tension between the two. The banter, the humor, and the way they slowly grow closer in a super romantic location made my heart melt.

I also love how understanding and supportive both Bhanu and Sunny were with each other's boundaries and mental health. I totally related to Bhanu and her anxiety. And when Sunny ignores his own fears to help Bhanu? Whew, I kind of fell in love with him. I think, deep down, they really cared about each other for far longer than they realized. Plus, how can you resist a man with a Denzel voice? Impossible! lol

The dual perspectives are also great, as you get to understand both characters' thoughts and feelings. I also liked the secondary characters as well as the food, culture, and messages about tourism and respecting the places you travel. Overall, it's a cute and fun rom-com and one I'd recommend to romance readers. Special thanks to Berkley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Very cute romance with some STEM and Indian and a Hawaiian cultures thrown in. Bahnu and Sunny go from supposed enemy coworkers to fake dating when they find themselves vacationing at the same time and place. The ice melts between these two and the characters are lovable. Overall a feel-good romance. Coming July 16, 2024!
#berkeleypublishing #netgalley #thedesignofus