Sunshine and Spice
⭐️⭐️⭐️

“He wanted to prove himself to this beautiful woman, to show her she could let go with him.
She could be herself—demanding, imperfect, and wild—with him.”

Thanks so much to @berkleyromance for the free book! #BerkleyPartner #Berkley

This book was so sweet and was full of many wonderful qualities.
The grumpy/sunshine dynamic between the characters was so entertaining. Both of the main characters were very lovable, and they were a really delightful match.
I really loved the discussions about culture and identity. As a reader, you get to learn a lot about Desi culture, and you see how everyone has a different relationship with their cultural identity. I loved how the author wrote this aspect of the story. It was so well-structured and well-written.
The character's relationships with their family play a HUGE part in this story. You see the wonderful sides of their families, but you also see some conflict, and it feels very realistic.
I think my biggest issue was that this story felt slow to me, and I found some of the main characters' internal monologues to be incredibly redundant. I have a short attention span when it comes to this, so I did find myself a tad bit bored for some parts.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the banter between the characters and this is a very sweet story!

Read If You Like:
❤️fake dating
❤️grumpy + sunshine
❤️matchmaking
❤️complex family dynamics
❤️workplace romance

When Naomi walks into her meeting at Gia’s Bazaar, she hopes she may find a client for her new brand consulting firm. What she doesn’t expect to find is Dev, Gia’s curmudgeonly accountant son. Naomi hopes to breathe new life into Gia’s Bazaar and since Dev has recently moved back home, who better to help her? Throw in a little fake dating to help Dev dodge his matchmaker’s potential matches and the pair end up connecting on more than a professional level.

I really liked both of the main characters and what they brought out in eachother. Naomi’s lack of connection to her culture is something that sits with her everyday. With Dev, she gets to explore that culture and he never judges her for not knowing things that have always come naturally to him. At the same time, Naomi makes him realize that falling in love may not be the worst thing when you meet the right person. I loved learning more about South Asian culture, and I was definitely hungry by the end of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for a review copy.

I know I say this a lot about these long running police procedural series I read, but I really do love this series. The getting to know the characters and watching them grow ups the ante when the case becomes personal. When Wolfe’s daughter is on a plane that went down in the snowy mountains, the team jumped in to track the downed plane and save his daughter. Along the way, they find the calling card of a serial killer and they then have to split their focus on this new case while still hunting for Wolfe’s daughter. Of course there would be a serial killer in Black Rock Falls. I would really have to move if I lived there.

Another layer of personal in this case is Jenna is pregnant (finally) and they’re searching for their friend’s missing daughter. I like this full circle that is subtle but also in your face. The complex layered plot with multiple storylines doesn’t feel crowded and by the end, I was satisfied with how it ended.

After 23 books, I am always amazed when the series doesn’t feel old or tired. I’m not sure how the author keeps coming up with these great ideas for plotlines but I am impressed. While Alton and Kane are always at the center of the book, I love how each book also showcases another character and I get the chance to know a little more about them.

The book is fast paced and suspenseful and once I picked it up, I could not put it down. I was guessing right up until the end.

The books can be read out of order, but once you read one, you will want to read them all.

Naomi Kelly has never felt part of her community. Her mother has never shared information about their culture and so Naomi has felt a bit alienated. When she is offered a consulting job by Gia, a South Asian woman, to remake her Indian/Bengali themed bazaar, Naomi is desperate for the job. She meets Dev, Gia's son, and finds out that Gia and her friends are planning a matchmaking service for Dev to marry him to a nice Indian girl. Dev doesn't want this, so while Naomi needs someone to help her get a good feel for what Gia may want in the makeover, she suggests that she and Dev fake date to keep the potential brides at bay. Of course, they become close, but then there is a big fallout.
This is a sweet story of love, family and cultural demands, and building relationships.
I enjoyed it.

**Many thanks to Berkley and Aurora Palit for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**

Naomi Kelly knows how to bring out the best in any space...but this time, she might be in a bit over her head. As a brand consultant, she goes into different businesses and helps them rebrand, and she has landed her most important, career defining contract - to help rebrand a local bazaar run by the Mukherjee family. But the head of the bazaar, Gia Mukherjee, can't help but look down her nose at Naomi. You see, Naomi is Bengali, but growing up in Canada with a (somewhat absent) mom who does not honor the culture in any way, she is far removed from the traditions of South Asia, and doesn't know what she 'should' in Gia's eyes...but there might be a slightly grumpy cute Bengali guy who could change ALL of that.

Enter Dev, who just so happens to be Gia's SON...and who is under immense pressure to get married. The aunties et. al have arranged for matchmaking to begin...and let's just say Dev is less than thrilled. But when he happens to meet Naomi and some 'are we enemies or do I find you attractive' sparks begin to fly back and forth, Dev has an idea...if the pair can convince everyone they are dating, he can keep the matchmakers at bay AND help Naomi get up to speed on Bengali culture to please Gia...and help the rebrand become a smashing success. After every culture-fueled, couple-y activity from dance classes to cooking classes, the two begin to realize their initial snarky banter and pretend dating MIGHT be heading in a different direction. But can they keep up the ruse long enough to make it to the finish line? Or will Naomi's lack of cultural competence be her ultimate undoing?

When it comes to tropes, I have to admit grumpy/sunshine AND fake dating are both sort of hit or miss for me...and it really all comes down to the characters. This is Aurora Palit's debut, but I was genuinely intrigued by the premise and excited to learn more about the cultures explored in this one, and hopeful that Dev and Naomi would be the sort of sugar and spice mixture akin to cinnamon toast. (And if you've never had sugar and cinnamon with butter on toast...there's a reason I long for those simple days!)

But when it came to this debut, Palit's hyper-focus on a very specific message about heritage and the criticism surrounding it not only took me out of the romance, but left ME feeling as excluded as Naomi did...and wishing for just ONE ray of sunshine!

It's very obvious that this was a passion project of sorts for Palit, and I completely understand wanting to provide this sort of rep, even in the romance space. In this case, though, rather than feeling enmeshed in the culture and being able to treat most of the story as a learning experience, I just felt like Palit kept finding different ways for characters to persecute Naomi with their words and actions for not being 'true' Bengali or Bengali enough...while simultaneously acknowledging that she was not brought up with any opportunity to know and live her heritage fully. So much time was spent on the fact that Naomi didn't know how to dress correctly, dance correctly, cook correctly, that much of her ACTUAL character exploration got lost. I didn't get to see her as the 'sunshine' to Dev's grump, and the whole ruse of fake dating hinged solely on Gia and her disapproval of Naomi, rather than 'conflict' between Naomi and Dev.

And unfortunately, Dev's character didn't quite have the depth I was hoping to find either...and I'd hardly call him grumpy. Based on the premise of matchmaking alone, I couldn't blame him for not exactly being thrilled by the prospect of that, but at the same time, he didn't really give it a chance either. On at least one occasion, the aunties wanted to match him up with someone he didn't seem to find repulsive by any means, but he still balked at the thought...and it still wasn't clear to me WHY. Not to mention, once Naomi and Dev DO take the uh, romantic plunge, things go from zero to one hundred pretty quickly. One minute they are kissing...and the next minute, well, GOODBYE outer garments! The tone of their romance just sort of felt all over the place, and was constantly overshadowed by all of the family problems and conflict going on throughout the book. There is a bit of redemption towards the end, but without the proper investment in the romance, I ended up being more concerned with the family drama than the romance.

And frankly, perhaps this is the direction the book should have gone instead. While it may have been more 'fun' for Palit to write more of a rom-com, I think a coming of age story (with maybe some REAL dating thrown in) had plenty of conflict and potential for the sort of emotional impact Palit was going for all along. I do hope this story makes those who find themselves in Naomi's shoes (or Dev's, for that matter) feel seen, heard, and known. I also have every confidence that hopefully this book will serve as a conduit for inner work and healing to so many; I just wish rather than trying to shoehorn a romance into its pages, Sunshine and Spice was more of a bildungsroman story for our heroine Naomi.

While I won't spoil the lessons learned as she stumbles toward a greater understanding of herself, her culture, her family, and her heart, the sentiment perhaps can be best summed up by an African proverb: "When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind."

3 stars

What’s the solution to an unwanted matchmaker and disappointed parents? Fake dating of course! Dev’s mother wants him married asap and she’s willing to hire a matchmaker to get it done. Naomi has the chance for a big career success but unfortunately she doesn’t know as much of her culture as she should, and her job depends on it.
.
When they agree to fake date to get Dev’s mom off his back and in exchange he will make sure Naomi is prepared for her job neither one of them expect to actually find love, but of course they do!


Thank you #berkley and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This delightful romp of a romance features a determined woman starting her own business, a mother determined to marry her son off to an appropriate woman, and said curmudgeonly son who is between jobs and not interested in marriage at all. The cultural details of the book provides new and interesting details of life as an Indian American first generation person dealing with the combined values of their current lives and the expectations their parents brought with them when they immigrated. The relationship between the two primary characters evolves realistically and, while the book doesn't delve deeply into any of the characters' personalities, it's a lovely read for those looking for romance with a cultural twist.

"Sunshine and Spice" by Aurora Palit is a delightful tale of one woman's search for identity, love, and acceptance. Naomi, who grew up far away from her mother's original Bengali community, always felt something was missing in her life and yearned to know more about her roots. Her mother, who left the community as an unwed teenage mother, never wanted Naomi to know how sticky such a community could be. In fact, she never talked about that side of Naomi EVER.

Now, as an adult, Naomi helps people rebrand their businesses and she takes on a Bengali client. She didn't plan to fall for her client's son, who is doing his best to resist his mother's matchmaking plans for his future. Dev sees Naomi as an outsider, a safe choice to have a "pretend" relationship with. They have no idea that she is actually one of them.

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. My opinion is my own.

We all know fake dating is one of my favorite romance tropes. If you didn’t well now you know. 😍 When nervous Naomi’s interview is mistaken for our grumpy/sunshine Dev’s marriage match, I knew this one would be entertaining. That meet was not cute but very funny! Naomi’s plan was to try and please her potential boss who is Dev’s mother who desperately wants Dev to marry. Naomi and Dev come up with the fake dating scheme to help one another out.

I enjoyed how each one dealt with real but different issues of fitting in as well as cultural aspects. They leaned on one another initially strangers turned friends, but grew into something more, of course! But not only that, they were able to find their voices to speak on what they wanted and believed. Also, they were able to stand up and talk to the hardest people, their parents. Dev was a help to Naomi as she had never known her true background and often times pushed it to the back. This one was fun to read to see how their fake dating blossomed into something beautiful and life changing for them both!

This was a fun romcom with a deeper message. I loved learning about Bengali culture and appreciated the author’s efforts to define many unfamiliar terms. The rest were easy to Google. Naomi and Dev were such a sweet couple, and their romance blossomed in a believable way. I identified with a lot of Naomi’s outsider feelings, and I think a lot of other readers will too. There was some spice in this book but not a ton. I recommend it!

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

✨ Review ✨ Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit; Narrated by: Soneela Nankani, Imran Sheikh

Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This was such a fun fake dating romance! The book features two Bengali characters -- Naomi who's trying to secure a brand consulting gig at Gia's Bazaar, and Dev, Gia's son. When Gia hires a matchmaker to try to make a match for Dev and Naomi is trying to get the brand consulting just right, they agree to a bargain -- Naomi pretends to be Dev's girlfriend to fend off potential brides, and Dev helps Naomi to get the details perfect.

Beyond this simple plot layer though, I loved the tensions and reflection that threaded through the story about familial obligations and immigrant life. Dev grew up in a traditional Bengali family, complete with familial expectations and more traditional cultural norms. Naomi grew up in a family where her mom suppressed her Bengali culture and identity and was separated from her elders. Because of this Dev and Naomi grew up in very different circumstances, and also are looking for things beyond that (Dev - more freedom, Naomi - more cultural connection).

I thought this was both fun in its plot and deep in its reflections on immigrant life, and I really enjoyed it! My only critique is that it perhaps flagged a bit in the middle as things maybe felt a little predictable, but then she came back in and shook things up!

🎧 The two narrators both narrated brilliant, engaging me fully to where it felt like I was in the story. Great audio!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75)
Genre: f/m romance
Setting: somewhere in Canada but omg I forgot where! 😬
Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
Reminds me of: Nisha Sharma's books
Pub Date: Sep 10, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ Bengali and other South Asian food and sweets
⭕️ grumpy-sunshine
⭕️ fake dating
⭕️ immigrant narratives

When two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas, they find the only force more powerful than an immigrant mother's matchmaking schemes might just be true love.

What to expect:
☀️Desi romance set in Canada
☀️struggles with cultural identity
☀️grumpy x sunshine
☀️piggy back rides
☀️forbidden romance
☀️matchmaking and family expectations
☀️open door

Oh how I loved this book 😍 It's funny, messy, full of chemistry, and absolutely beautiful.
Naomi is second generation Indian Canadian but was cut off from her Indian heritage, leaving others in the community to calling her "white washed" and other terms I think constitute as racial slurs. She's determined to make her new design business a success, and gets hired on to convert Dev's mother's store into a cafe. Dev is grumpy and awkward, and I adored him! Watching him and Naomi work through their very different familial struggles and come together was the sweetest.

Naomi will do anything to make her brand consultating business take off
Dev will do anything to deflect his mother's attention from finding him a wife.

Opposites attract in this fun and sassy fake dating rom-com. It was a quick read, and I enjoyed the chemistry between Naomi and Dev. The inclusion of first/second generation immigrants and Bengali culture added a freshness to the grumpy-sunshine, fake dating trope. This was more than just a romance for me. It was educational, too. As Naomi learned and explored her heritage, I was able to learn a thing or two, as well. I was surprised to find out that this is a debut novel for Aurora Palit...I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future releases.

An arc provided by netgalley and the publisher was read and reviewed honestly. All opinions are my own.

Thank you @BerkleyRomance #Berkley #BerkleyPartner for the free book and to @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

In order to escape his mother's matchmaking endeavors, Dev agrees to fake date Naomi. She is hopeful their pretend match will give provide her inroads to working more on brand development with the local Indian community.

I found the ways in which this book explored culture, diaspora, and authenticity incredibly powerful. Though Dev and Naomi have similar ethnic backgrounds, she was raised completely separate from Bengali traditions. In contrast, his family expects him to follow those traditions.

I enjoyed their fun interactions. I especially appreciated the cooking class, complete with great good metaphors. I want to visit the cafe. And wow was the relationship between Naomi and Dev spicy! The only drawbacks for me were that at times I was annoyed with his lack of initiative and backbone. But I always delight in character growth and was glad to see some here.

Soneela Nankani and Imran Sheikh narrated the audiobook. While I always appreciate her performances, I was not not as fond of his voices for older female characters.

Romance • Generational Trauma • Indian Culture
Publication Date • 10 September 2024

Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free review copy and audiobook.

Here is a tried and true fake dating trope but make it under the guise of shirking the familial expectation of arranged marriage. It’s got a legit Indian matchmaker, Veera Aunty. It’s a story of second and third generation Bengali-Canadian immigrants living in a smallish province. It’s about a trinket shop that’s about to get rebranded into a place of gathering and community, serving up chai and mishti (Bengali for “sweet” aka dessert!).

This is the backdrop for Sunshine and Spice.

I right away was pulled into this book - it gripped me with main character moody Dev (who shares a name with my own dad.. who always told people to call him “Dave” to make it easier for them and him) and sunshiny Naomi Kelly. There is a scene where Dev mistakes Naomi as someone his mother is trying to set him up with which had me rolling laughing. There were also moments where I felt this sense being seen: the shame of not being fluent in languages and just wanting so much to fit in, to belong.

As it’s a romance, Naomi and Dev will get their HEA, loose ends tied up neatly and predictably, with some spicy open door scenes along the way. The romance was my least fave part of this book (granted I’m not normally a romance reader), as I think the book shines more in the sections around culture, belonging, assimilation, and expectations of being caught between cultures.

🎧 The audiobook was easy listening with dual narration by Soneela Nankani as Naomi and Imran Sheikh as Dev.

Such a fun story; loved the Toronto setting and sunshine/cinnamon roll vibes, as well as the interesting (and new-to-me) differences in the cultural experiences of the two protagonists.

A solid debut!

This was one of the new to me authors for 2025, and I’m happy I gave Sunshine and Spice a shot. It turned into a heartfelt, less rom-com romance. There is a solid grumpy/sunshine vibe between the characters that will appeal to those who love the trope.

Taking a step back, I won’t rehash the blurb. What’s familiar? This has the age-old opposites attract, grump/sunshine, forbidden romance vibe. The hero, Dev, comes from a South Asian family steeped in culture and tradition. Whereas Naomi, our heroine, was raised with a more Western approach. Naomi gets tangled up with Dev when she’s hired to oversee his mother’s store rebrand. Except Dev needs more help, he’s currently the target of his mother’s matchmaking schemes. What better way to get those potential brides off his back than faking a relationship with Naomi in return for helping her make the rebrand a success?

What makes this story unique? The main characters, the setting, the entire dynamic of the story. There is so much to unpack, from the cultural elements present to Naomi’s constant feeling of ‘other’ as she interacts with Dev and his family, longing for her own connection to a culture she lost out on growing up.

There are constant dynamics between what both Naomi and Dev want and the expectations that have been ingrained in them since childhood. For Dev, it’s his desire to be an obedient son, not to make waves when everyone else in his family is known for causing disruption. For Naomi, it’s being raised to be her own person without cultural ties or expectations yet craving what Dev has always taken for granted. This push and pull is what dragged me into the story after the book had a bit of a slow start. However, I won’t lie; series firsts tend to have a slow momentum sometimes as they set the tone and world.

For the overall story pacing, once the adhesion beat takes place, locking Dev and Naomi into a partnership of sorts filled with heat and attraction, I couldn’t stop reading. I enjoyed the ride of Dev and Naomi falling for each other and was equally eager for when it would all fall apart like a house of cards. Palit did a great job of keeping me guessing, and I couldn’t really predict how this would end.

Overall, if you are looking for something with a touch of the familiar, though with an immersive romance from a totally different perspective, Palit brings a breath of fresh air to the contemporary genre. For readers who enjoy Nisha Sharma.

~ Landra

Much like Naomi, I’ve always felt I’ve had my foot in two worlds, being the first generation of immigrant parents. However, unlike Naomi, I’ve been immersed in my parents’ culture through the home, which has made it easier for me to find my way with my parents’ world. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Naomi not knowing her culture but having a desire to learn. These were the best parts of the book, following along as she learned more about her heritage. The instant spark with Dave was perfect and I enjoyed following along as they realized they were well matched. Naomi was also a savvy businessperson, working to get her new business off the ground. This was the perfect mix of culture, romance, and finding your own way in the world.

I loved it! The characters, the drama, the spin on fake dating (fake dating, but behind your parents back, and also all the secrets). The spice!! I love how this book focuses on how the "grass is always greener" and how both MCs seem like their upbringing and family situations disappoint them, but grow so much throughout the book. I could viscerally feel Naomi's longing for her ancestral culture, a feeling of belonging that she has never had, always feeling alone in the middle. I loved seeing Dev's culture through her eyes and learning so much alongside her. (I had tears from some of her wide-eye revelations, happiness, and at a scene at the end where she was told she does belong and will learn!) Such a fun and spicy romance!

Unfortunately this adult romance was not for me.

I made it about 20% in before I decided to stop. I enjoyed the setting, as it was not one I see a lot of in this space. The main characters inner dialogue was not something I enjoyed. I think I'm just not a fan of books written with the tone of the main female character, it's a very valid thought space to be in as an immigrant, but it's tiring to me as a minority also. I think I would have enjoyed their fake dating but was not invested enough in either of them due to the reason stated earlier and the fact that the male character is going through his own version of "being in a box". Readers who want to go on a journey with characters coming into their own in their culture would enjoy this. The writing was good, just a bit too telling for my tastes also.