Dev is a cantankerous CPA firmly rooted in and firmly circumscribed by his South Indian culture. Naomi is what his culture calls a ‘whitewashed’ girl, a coconut, brown on the outside but white on the inside. She knows nothing about her South Indian culture but yearns for that connection. Her mother had broken away from it after Naomi was born and her stepfather is a plumber of Eastern European origin. But she’s been hired by Dev’s mother to rebrand her outdated Indian bazaar. To do so she has to hide her lack of cultural knowledge and identity. Even from Dev, the guy she’s secretly falling for.
This is rejection and inclusion; about being alienated from and within. But it is not preachy or pontifical. Through humorous situations like dancing at Diwali, couples cooking gulag jamun, or prospective Indian brides popping up here and there, they yearn for each other. And Dev, who was sure he’d never marry is now sure he wants Naomi. They grow closer, revealing themselves to one another and being vulnerable, all while set in humorous situations- it is fun and romantic to read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm DNFing this book bc it's bringing up some cultural trauma for me, but I can see how it can be a fun and delightful read for other readers.

Aurora Palit's debut novel, "Sunshine and Spice," delivers a delightful blend of sweetness and spice that makes it an effortlessly engaging read. Despite my initial concern about relating to the South Asian experience, Palit skillfully weaves themes of family, belonging, and culture in a way that resonates with readers from all backgrounds.

Naomi Kelly, eager to propel her brand consulting business to success, seizes a career-defining opportunity: rebranding the struggling Mukherjee family bazaar. However, Naomi's tenuous connection to her Bengali roots clashes with the traditional values upheld by Gia Mukherjee. Enter Dev Mukherjee, who is pressured by his mother's relentless matchmaking endeavors. Determined to avoid an arranged marriage, Dev reluctantly agrees to a fake relationship with Naomi to thwart his mother's plans and to learn about Bengali culture. As they navigate awkward Garba dances and couples cooking classes, Naomi and Dev find themselves drawn to each other beyond the facade.

Naomi's journey to reconnect with her roots struck a chord with me, having grown up with a similar disconnect from my own cultural heritage. Her character is endearing, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. However, I found myself wishing for more early development in her friendship with Cynthia, as their dynamic added depth to the story and I loved how they interacted with one another. I also really enjoyed the romance between Dev and Naomi but definitely wanted more depth to his character, and found myself hating the word "taciturn" by the end because of how often it was used to describe Dev.

Overall, Palit's writing is refreshingly readable and engaging, a rarity for debut authors. "Sunshine and Spice" is a heartwarming and thought-provoking exploration of identity, belonging, and love. Palit's debut promises an exciting future in the literary world, and I eagerly anticipate her next work.

Are you ready to spice up your life?

‘Sunshine and Spice’ is Aurora Palit’s debut romance novel and is a love letter to a matchmaking, scheming aunties, small businesses, and diaspora. Palit celebrates the hilarious and sometimes invasive family dynamics of matchmaking in South Asian households and the communal pressure of marriage. Most importantly, the novel explores how one can also feel estranged and ostracized by a community and feel out of place.

We follow Naomi Kelly an independent brand consulting professional given the responsibility to reinvent Gia’s Bazaar an Indian supermarket facing an incoming wave of gentrification in a British Columbia neighbourhood. Naomi comes in to breathe new life to the business while also learning to celebrate Bengali culture. Her backstory is moving and I don’t want to spoil anything, but I’m so glad an author finally decided to pursue this perspective. It opens a new window for South Asian representation. Naomi’s a special character. Aurora, thank you for creating her.

Devdas Mukherjee, with the perfect Bollywood name his life could fit right into a Karan Johar movie. While Dev has ongoing internal struggles his character is fresh and relatable. As usual, he has a matchmaking mom and aunt ready to set him up with a potential wife. But he also has a softer side wanting the renovation of the business to succeed. While grumpy, Aurora filters much needed constructive commentary through Dev’s character.

This book was vivid, had laugh out loud moments (the gulab jamun class scene), and doesn’t shy away from the commentary that is needed in South Asian romance novels. The romance was simmering and beautifully executed.

I truly feel like we’re about to enter a South Asian/Desi romance novel renaissance, and Aurora Palit is one of the shining writers that I know many readers will follow. Knowing that Aurora's also Canadian makes me extremely happy!

Cynthia and Rohit seem to have potential, and I hope that’s explored in a possible book two.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group, I’m happy to share this is my first 5 star read of 2024. Readers, get your copy on September 10th 2024, you don't want to miss this book!

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing for providing an advanced copy of Sunshine and Spice!

Aurora Palit's debut romance novel explores themes of belonging, identity, and the challenges of being an outsider looking in. In the story, Naomi, a brand consultant, teams up with Dev, a man caught in his mother's matchmaking schemes, to fake-date in order to solve their dilemmas. In exchange for trying to ward off his potential matches, Dev agrees to give lessons in Bengali culture to help her rebrand his family’s local bazaar. The author does a great job in weaving together the characters' personal journeys while also shedding light on sensitive topics and cultural expectations.

I deeply related to Dev's struggle to fit in with his family's expectations and his search for purpose in his own life. It is a difficult thing to handle when the parents believe we are not capable of finding a partner for ourselves unless they interfere. Naomi's disconnect with her Bengali culture also resonated with me, as I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find a place in a community where there are so many expectations about how one should behave.

While I enjoyed the relationship between Naomi and Dev, I felt that Dev's character could have been explored in more depth. It seemed like he often resorted to making snide commentary about his culture without taking real action. I would have liked to see more character growth where his viewpoints were challenged.

Overall, Sunshine and Spice is a heartwarming and thought-provoking debut novel that explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and love.

A friend of mine recommended me to request this arc and i’m really glad they did! it was really fun! fake dating is my favorite trope and i think it was executed perfectly!

The prose itself is overwritten, and it just wasn’t for me. I stopped after chapter 1. It will be a solid 3-4 stars for the target audience, though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

I was so excited to get this ARC on my Goodreads shelf. I am always looking to branch out and read Indian culture love stories with a little bit of "spice". If you love cute sassy love stories that have some spice and not just from the food you will love this book. I finished this in one sitting because it was that good. I love Nisha Sharma because she doesn't shy away from her culture just like this author Palit will for sure go on that same list! Loved every second of this book.

My heart!! Seeing their connection go deeper than just the physical is what really won me over. And, then seeing them learning each other and letting go of their past reservations and embrace what they have was so precious. I can already definitely trust in Palit to write such a beautifully portrayed romance.

This is a cute romance. Positive female, grumpy male romance. Should be an easy sell. Quick read. It will sell well for readers of Patel, Jimenez, and Armas.