Dnf didn't get to finish it. Just became uninterested while reading it. Was not gripping to me personally..

Enjoyed this book more than I was expecting to! Hoping to read more from the author soon. Detailed review to come.

thank you so much Netgalley for this ARC.

I was really looking forward to read this book but unfortunately i dont have anytime, so therefore i couldn't give any review or thoughts about this book, but i hope this book is as good as i expecting.

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute is a delightful contemporary romance that stands out for its cultural charm and engaging storyline. Miya Malai’s ability to blend humor, romance, and a touch of Bollywood magic results in a novel that is both entertaining and heartwarming. It’s a testament to her skill as a storyteller and her knack for creating characters that readers will root for and remember long after the final page.

For fans of romance and Bollywood, this book is a must-read. It offers a fresh and delightful take on the meet-cute trope, making it a standout addition to the genre. Malai’s novel is a joyful celebration of love and serendipity, and it’s sure to leave readers with a smile on their faces.

This was such a cute and steamy romance! I enjoyed the incorporation of Bollywood and desi culture. Both Katrina and Evan had a lot of healing and growing to do and I loved their journey together. Their unconditional love and support of one another. Plus all the fun and shenanigans of a big Indian wedding. And that dreamy big gesture at the end could be straight out of a Bollywood movie.

I enjoyed this rom com that was Bollywood inspired. It was a nice change of pace from the traditonaly rom coms. And I want to read more by this author.

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute was a delightful read featuring strong mental health representation. I adored Katrina's family, they had so much support and togetherness, and it was precisely what Katrina needed to be able to move on from her first marriage. I also really liked Evan who is a famous actor that is trying to get out of acting and into more behind the scenes work. I really appreciated that they both wanted to shy away from the spotlight, and not run towards it.

At least it was short and easy to read, you know. It was just a lot of telling and very little showing, especially regarding past events and that was kind of annoying. Same for the discussions surrounding anxiety, it was so repetitive, like WE GET IT, can you stop repeating the same thing every chapter? The characters had the chemistry of table spoons and felt like a copy and paste of one another but not in a good way. 1 star

Not having read this author before, I didn't really have any expectations going into the book. I was excited to find a new author that wrote about Indian characters and culture. I was also glad to see a story with mental health representation. The storyline was interesting and flowed nicely. I would've liked to have seen a little more depth to Katrina and Evan's relationship. It was helpful to have scenes from the past to help with understanding why Katrina reacts to certain things as she does.
Overall, I think this was a good solid start for a debut author who looks to have a lot of potential and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Oh I was so excited to finally find something which will put Bollywood romance on paper but my God what a disappointment it was.Very shallow characters and the descriptions of female skin and body was so cringy.I did try to read it completely but after a few chapters it was unbearable.

I was really excited to read "A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute" by Miya Malai, but unfortunately, the book fell short of my expectations. The dialogues in the book were cringe and felt almost racist at some places. It was disappointing to see such insensitive language used in a book that could have been a fun and lighthearted read. The characters and plot were not well-developed, and the writing style was not engaging. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read.

This felt very racist to me, like some of the stuff the main character comes out with is shocking. Oh she speaks good english like you are in an english speaking country why is that a surprise. It didn't feel very bollywood and tbh I kept thinking does this person hate themselves or something cause how can this MFC like this MMC who seems to have the most stereotypical small minded thinking of Asian people?? Definitely not for me.

This book was so NOT for me. I didn't have high expectations for this one, having had it on my TBR for months and then randomly picking it up without reading the synopsis. Unfortunately, my struggle with this novel began from the second chapter as I found myself very uncomfortable with the MMC- Evan's depiction and interactions. He starts with just ogling at Katrina- the FMC- and judges her ability to speak English. I don't care about his backstory, the way he spoke to her was so wrong.

If anything, the book does a fantastic job in re-emphasizing stereotypes about Indians which are completely false. I absolutely hate how the author portrays Indian families as judgy and regressive. Katrina was married off too early, and her ex-husband in the story was abusive and cheated on her, which again shows Indians in a bad light. The bits could be just my perspective because I know Indians have these problems as do other cultures, but depicting most Indian characters in a largely negative manner creates a bad impression on western audiences.

With that put aside, there's really only one thing I liked- the quotes. Every chapter opens with a quote from Bollywood movies and songs which had a theme connected to that chapter. The writing in the book wasn't terrible as it was easy to understand, and I luckily got through this so quickly. The character and plot development needed a lot of work though. I felt like the MCs had just been given tropes and adjectives which then turned them into 2D characters. So much of Katrina's personality was just based off of her looks, mental health issues, and broken marriage.

And then there was the damsel in distress trope popping up over and over again. I can't be expected to believe that Katrina is an independent woman if she always needs men to save her. I understand the brothers being protective of their sisters, but they had zero traits apart from that. To make this even more frustrating for the reader, there is no real chemistry between the MCs apart from the fact that they have lust. I don't understand how two people can suddenly love each other after knowing each other for a few weeks, without having good conversations.

I'm sorry to say I don't recommend this book at all.

Not bad, just didn’t have me swooning. The characters were likeable and the premise was there but the execution fell short for me.

The premise of the book was good but the execution missed the mark in my opinion. I wanted to root for Evan and Katrina but found the plot points underdeveloped and far too much expository detail for simple interactions or character movement.

This one was something, not in a bad way. It was a cute book overall, I liked the romance and I liked the couple. I just didn't love it. Didn't passionately love this couple to the point that I never wanted it to end.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author, Miya Malai and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I loved that each chapter included a quote from different Bollywood films and there were definitely elements throughout the story that I could tell were inspired by a Bollywood romance.

Based on the title and premise, this book was not necessarily what I was expecting. While I do enjoy insta attraction in romance books, I thought that the actual relationship development was a bit rushed.

I think Katrina & Evan and their romance are the best part of the book. If you enjoy a secret relationship trope, this is a book to check out.

If you’re looking for a quick, easy romance read, this would be a book to consider. That being said, there are heavier topics included in the story such as domestic violence.

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute by Miya Malai is a delightful romance novel that follows the story of Katrina Shah and Evan Kristof. Katrina is desperate to escape the drama and attention that comes with her high-profile family, but fate has other plans when she collides with Evan, Hollywood's golden boy. Despite her efforts to avoid him, Katrina finds herself drawn to Evan, and their chemistry is undeniable.

Evan, on the other hand, is tired of the spotlight and looking for a break when he meets Katrina. As they both try to escape their pasts and find some peace, they discover that they have a lot in common. However, their families and the chaos of an over-the-top wedding threaten to get in the way of their growing relationship.

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute is a heartwarming and engaging romance novel that explores themes of family, love, and self-discovery. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are both humorous and touching. The story is fast-paced and full of surprises, making it an enjoyable read from start to finish.

Miya Malai has created a charming and memorable story that will leave readers feeling satisfied and uplifted. The book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good romance novel with a healthy dose of humor and drama. Overall, A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute is a fantastic book that is sure to delight readers of all ages.

2.5⭐️

Thank you, Miya Malai and Net Galley, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review


This book follows along Katrina Shah, a divorcee who comes from a wealthy and reputable family background and also Evan Kristoff, a fellow actor. They met during a fundraising event, which was held by Katrina. As the story progresses, this book could have been better. I liked Katrina's character. I love the mental health representation that is widely mentioned throughout the book and also the accurate representation of every Indian family, the gossip, the mindset nailed on! Plus, of the bollywood aspects of it are immaculate!

HOWEVER, I absolutely HATED Evan's pov. He was lusting over Katrina and saying all the things she did to him. Seriously, are you going through puberty right now? Aren't you like ageing towards 30? Unbelievable. There is not a single redeeming quality about him. All he talks about is lusting over Katrina's body. How's her body is perfectly for him. Blah, blah, blah.

Moreover, their relationship felt so flat. They started off as friends with benefits then all of the sudden in a few chapters, they're all like "I love this man to the core🥰" "he takes care of me" that was an immense progress with no development of their friendship. Katrina's pov was all tell and not show. We didn't see Evan doing all those actions but only through Katrina's pov. The book started off with Evan and Katrina's romance then it drifted off in the middle of the book where we see no development or hints of their progress in their relationship and drama was added in the middle of the book. Towards the end, I was wondering if Katrina came from a wealthy family. Why didn't they put her ex-husband behind bars? Like you're telling me you couldn't do that for your own sister who suffered from abuse?

The tropes in this book are insta lust and fwb, which are not my favs at all. It's my fault for not searching the tropes right away.

God I love Bollywood! This was so so so so cute and I really enjoyed it. It's well-written and different from the normal predictable two white people rom coms that are in abundance.