I loved Veera and Deepak’s love story! The slow build of friends to lovers was oh-so messy BUT in a good way. The characters are complex and realistic. Vee has always been my favorite of the three FMCs of the series, and this book gave her the love story she deserved! I loved that although this book is a romance, it touches on so much more: friendship, parental expectations, and finding your own path. This is an excellent conclusion to the “If Shakespeare was an Auntie” series!

This book was truly a delight. The scene with the Imperial March will live rent free in my head for the rest of time. Nisha Sharma, that was literal gold.

The premise of this romance is silly goofy wacky, but in the best way. Like what do you mean you will go through every single step of your traditional Hindu wedding ceremony just to show a couple of strangers how it’s done?? Oh and now you’re accidentally married for real?! Even though you’ve always loved him?? Girl, how convenient! But I ate that stuff up.

Honestly, one of my favorite structures of a romance book is not one that *ends* in a wedding or engagement. I love when the wedding happens (or whatever signal of long-lasting commitment you want to insert here) and THEN the couple starts to fall in love. That’s what happens here, despite Veera being in love with Deepak for literally ever. She may have fallen first but he falls HARDER, which is my other favorite romance trope! If you are a simp for him calling her “wife” then this is the book for you.

Beyond the very steamy romantic love that blossoms between Veera and Deepak, there is so much commentary in this book on community and friendship love. Veera feeling out of touch with her best friends is so relatable, as is their eventual reconnection. Her observations on the in/out-group dynamics within her Desi community are so real!!

While I knew Veera was my girl from the earlier books, I didn’t expect to like Deepak so much. I’m still a Benjamin girl at heart, but on the whole I connected with Veera and Deepak’s love story a little more than Shakkar. This series is a masterpiece and a must read for every romance lover out there.

Thank you so much to Nisha Sharma, Chris from HarperCollins, and NetGalley for a digital ARC!

I absolutely loved this book!! It was my favorite in the series!! The marriage, the tension, the dynamics with the family of Veera and having an outside obstacle to overcome in their marriage as fantastic and I have zero notes! So good and I am so excited to have a physical copy in my hands to reread again!

Will come back and add social links when posted

I finished Marriage & Masti last night and I already know that I'll be immediately re-reading this book. Part of this has to do with it being the end of a series that I don't want to end, but also this book really leaned harder into all of the wonderfully beautiful cultural pieces that I am unfortunately quite unfamiliar with. I want to be able to slow down and take my time googling while reading the book to further learn and understand how much was included. The first time I just couldn't put it down and didn't want to continue to pause. I love that books like this exist and showcase lives and cultures that I otherwise do not see.

I thought this was the absolute perfect conclusion to this series! I LOVE a marriage of convenience and this was a unique take on it in a contemporary setting.

I loved Veera and Deepak together and also loved getting to revisit past characters through their friendships with the two. Veera and Deepak had so much care for each other. even through stressful times and their own insecurities, they really always acted with care towards each other. I thought the third act was so incredibly well done - I think it's really difficult for an author to create a compelling third act without relying on a breakup - it's actually one of the reasons I love marriage of convenience so much, as they tend to have fewer third act breakups and typically rely more on an external conflict.

I think Nisha brings culture into her books that make so much sense and really add to my experience as a reader, particularly one that does not belong to the culture I'm reading about. I thought her descriptions of the marriage ceremonies as well as the food were wonderful and made me really feel like I was there.

My one complaint is that there is a bit of kink that is introduced without any communication between the characters either before or after.

Read this for:
- Friends to Lovers
- "fake" marriage of convenience
- No third act breakup
- she falls first, he falls harder

Thank you to Avon for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A lovely end to the trilogy! It was a fun read. There is the perfect mix of friendship, family, culture, and love. You don’t want it to end.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

This was such a beautiful ending to a wonderful trilogy. I love a good “he’s always loved her” trope and this was that trope done beautifully. There’s so much Indian culture that is so beautifully spotlighted and I loved that we get to see the happy endings for our favorite heroes and heroines from the previous two books.

This was such a wonderful novel with a strong heroine who gains strength throughout the novel and stands on business when it comes to her man and her money.

I loved how these two “accidentally” get married and then just… stay married. I thought this was such a fun, sexy, and enjoyable read and a wonderful conclusion to the series.

Although I am hoping for a spin off of some kind in the same world. :)

Marriage and Masti by Nisha Sharma is the third book in her 'If Shakespeare Was an Aunty' series. In this series, Sharma ingeniously retells Shakespeare plays from the perspective of Indian immigrants who are making their way in America. Coming to the end of reading this series, I must say everything feels quite bittersweet, as I feel as if I have grown attached to these characters, and it pains me to know that this is the end of their stories.
As per usual, everything Nisha writes is excellent. She is an Indian American romance author, and what I believe sets her work apart is her ability to intertwine social commentary and romance. Life is not an easy road, and people are not two-dimensional. In her writing, Sharma manages to create complex characters, and she makes you fall in love with them (or hate them to death) as they traverse life, encountering many problems.
This novel tells the stories of Veera and Deepak, friends turned lovers, when Deepak’s engagement falls through and they stage a fake Indian wedding to save face. The only thing is that this marriage was anything but fake; it actually happened on a whim, and to Deepak, Veera is very much his wife; she just takes some time to actually realise it. This novel takes us on a ride as these newlyweds learn how to live together in the midst of trouble brewing at Deepak’s family’s company as competition challenges him for the CEO position, in the midst of Veera’s own personal battles with her misogynistic father, who is undermining her plans to have a successful career in the field of finance. This couple showed readers that true love can really brew in the midst of adversity, and by having the right partner, you can tackle any problem that life throws your way.
This novel ended the series perfectly, as it served as a goodbye message from the characters the readers fell in love with as the series progressed. It tied up all the loose ends and resolved all the conflicts, and it was evident how hard the characters worked to overcome their battles, so the ending was anything but convenient. This novel was enjoyable to read through and through; the language was engaging, the pace of the plot was perfect, and the characters were relatable. This book was not just a great experience for me as a reader, but as a writer, I couldn’t help but to stop and take notes. Nisha Sharma is a writer's writer; her work inspires me to write and reminds me why I write. Without a doubt, I would recommend this book and her work in general to anyone who is a lover of romance novels.

Marriage and Masti was an excellent conclusion to Nisha Sharma’s “If Shakespeare Was An Auntie” series. Veera and Deepak’s friendship had been previously established in the prior books, with the end of the second book setting up the circumstances that lead to their own story. This book dives more into their family lives as well as their careers, which are intertwined in many different ways. Past books briefly touch on it but in Marriage and Masti we get to see how intelligent and competent both Veera and Deepak are in their respective fields. We also get to see how they help each other to grow in said career fields, as well as in their personal lives.

Either because this is the final book or because of the particular source material of Twelfth Night, there are a few moments that felt more “out there” than the previous books (for example the literal shipwreck) but I enjoyed it as I feel like such things fit into a romantic comedy. I also enjoyed how Olivia was adapted to be queer, that’s a personal preference but her storyline with Sana of previously being rivals and becoming lovers really intrigued me even though they weren’t the main couple.

As for the main couple, I love the switch where Veera falls first but Deepak falls harder, and early on he is sure that his feelings are now more than platonic. Even then, the two still have to get to know each other as romantic partners, as well as reestablish their friendship, and I enjoyed seeing that happen on page. Their prior friendship or even their faux marriage doesn’t mean that their romantic relationship is a given, and they have to work through things like any other couple.

Also enjoyed seeing the return of the Aunties and how different cultural aspects were integrated into both main characters’ arcs. Not just an introspection of past traditions and mindsets but also showing a vision towards the future for the community. I also loved how Deepak’s family accepted and helped Veera when her own family let her down.

Finally as the conclusion to the series, a lot of loose ends get tied up, including the identity of Mrs. W.S. Gupta, the name of which I didn’t realize was supposed to reference William Shakespeare until the last book but that’s on me. We also get to see Kareen, Prem, Bobbi, and Benjamin further on in their journeys as well as how they help Veera and Deepak. Loved getting to know all three couples and this was a great sendoff for all of them.

Veera has spent the last year traveling the world with her twin sister, Sana, trying to rebuild her life. She has been trying to move past her father’s betrayal and her heartbreak over her best friend (and the source of her unrequited love) Deepak’s engagement to another woman.

When her sister breaks the unpleasant news that she doesn’t not want to start a business with her, just after they’ve been involved in a mostly minor shipwreck, Veera is forced to call the only person who she knows can help; Deepak.

Deepak has just been very publicly dumped by the fiance he has essentially ignored for the last year. There are no hurt feelings, but the engagement was meant to secure his place as a future CEO. Hoping to delay a PR nightmare, and thrilled to finally hear from his best friend, Deepak doesn’t hesitate to fly to Goa and rescue Veera.

After a series of fortunate events and a game of shots, Veera and Deepak end up “fake married.” Convinced by Sana to pretend their fake marriage is a real marriage in order to advance their career aspirations, Deepak and Vee are determined to put on their best act, but there’s nothing fake about their very real feelings.

I loved Deepak and Veera’s love story; the chemistry was amazing and the slow progression from friends to lovers was so satisfying. Deepak was down bad for Veera - even before he admitted to himself that what he was feeling was definitely love - and hated when she referred to their marriage as “fake.” I loved the top-tier banter; their friendship really came through and solidified the groundwork for their love story. I loved the communication, the found family, the South Asian representation. Can I also say that I loved that they were both smart, successful and rich. Because I did.

Marriage & Masti was the final book in the If Shakespeare Was An Auntie series and my new favorite in a series that I absolutely adored.

“Vee, whether you’re standing in the middle of the office, or you’re in my home wearing my clothes, leaving your cords and cables everywhere, I love you. I want to be with you. I want to show you how you are the most important person in my life, and I swear I will never take you for granted again.”

"They were sisters, and they brought out the ugliest in each other but also the strongest parts, too."

There hasn't been a book that has resonated this strongly with me in a long time, I couldn't resist messaging Nisha immediately.

Deepak is perfection and Veera is lovable and real. I loved how Nisha addressed difficult topics - friends drifting apart unintentionally due to relationship changes, parental bias and so on. But even as she tackled these difficult and often unaddressed issues, she had me laughing through the whole novel which I could not put down once I started and flew through in a single sitting. I highlighted so many passages, it would have been easier to highlight parts that I didn't need to go back to. I had thought that no MMC could top Prem but I was so wrong. Deepak as I said was absolutely perfect in every way. He was mature to realise what he had and that he wanted it and he endeavoured to make Veera comfortable enough to accept it, by doing what would make her happy. He is the ultimate green flag.

I hated Malkit with a passion. I can't fathom what would have him behaving in such a manner and I'm so glad that he got what was coming to him in the end.

Read this for the perfect feel-good South Asian inspired romance with family drama (what's a South Asian book without drama), a emotionally mature couple, and the perfect balace between romance and sexiness.

Nisha, you have outdone yourself.

P.S> the Sindoor scene.. pure Bollywood at its best!!

I absolutely devoured this and I knew I should've tried to savor it but this was just perfect!! I'm slowly becoming a fan of friends to lovers and add a (fake but not really fake) marriage of convenience and I'm sold!! The chemistry and friendship between Deepak and Veera was so effortless and one day I hope to have what they do because reading their story was so magical and beautiful.

This one is for the single women in their friend group who are all paired off and I FELT that. But there was something so powerful reading Veeras journey with not only herself, but with her friends, Deepaks family and in the work field. There is such a strong bond within the friend group and a found family feeling that had my chest aching. And while Veera fell first for Deepak over the years, he fell harder and I'm just obsessed so with them!

The way Nisha has written this series has felt like a comforting hug and warm cup of chai on a rainy day. This was a perfect way to end this series and I can't believe the series is over with but I'm excited for what's next for Nisha!

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the gifted arc for my honest review!

Nisha just had me REELING over the family drama of it all in the last 20% of this book! I was a LUNATIC screaming at my kindle.

This was such a satisfying conclusion for this series and these characters. I am a sucker for a friends to lovers romance but THEN add in the fake marriage schemes and I cannot be held accountable for the things that I say and do.

Veera may have fallen first but Deepak fell SO MUCH harder. I loved the flashback moments when got at the beginning of some chapters, especially as we get to see how their relationship developed offscreen during the first two books.

Anyways, I loved it. It was so sweet and silly and Bollywood level of dramatic at times. My only complaint is how frequently we time-skipped through the book. I know it can be tough to do that 6 month time frame in the span of one book and still give us day-to-day scenes but I would have loved to have spent more time with them during their weekend when they visited his parents. But overall, it was still such a fun time.

Nisha Sharma does it again! I adored Marriage & Masti. Veera and Deepak's relationship was a sweet and respectful. I was giggling out loud and kicking my feet at the banter and sweet moments. Veera and Deepak complimented each other so well. The way the books started had me hooked from page 1. I adored the found family and friendships. I am having a hard time realizing this is the last book in the "If Shakespeare Was an Auntie" series.

This was the perfect conclusion to such a wonderful trilogy. I’ve been waiting for Veera and Deepak’s story since book one. Perfect execution of the she feel first but be feel harder troupe. Deepak was in love with her from the first page and Veera had no idea. I appreciated the subplot of establishing boundaries with family and going no-contact with a toxic parent. Veera was so brilliant. I love seeing a woman who loves her career and a partner who loves that about her. Thank you Avon and Net Galley for this ARC.

AHHHH! I can't believe this series is over. I read this one so slow for three reasons:

1. Our book release was going on at the same time and it was WILD.
2. I had too many ARCs that released before this one and I had to finish those.
and 3... and probably most on the nose... I didn't want this series to end.

I love Nisha's writing SO much. And these characters are SO well-rounded and lovable. I rooted for them the entire time and I LOVED that there was no 3rd act breakup. Made things much easier for my anxiety, that's for sure.

Deepak's pining over Veera was just... SWOON!!! And the spice was SO on point.

To rank the series....

My favorite still has to be Tastes Like Shakkar, then Marriage and Masti, then Dating Dr. Dil. My favorite MMC is still Bunty, and my favorite FMC is now Veera.

Do yourself a favor and read this one ASAP. And if you haven't read the others.. start at the beginning! You have time before August 27!

CHEMISTRY 😍

Ugh I’ve been waiting for this one! I absolutely adore Deepak and Veera’s relationship. Friends to lovers has never been my forte (unless it’s done right) and Nisha wrote this impeccably!

I loved every second of this book- I loved that Deepak and Veera always supported each other, I loved the family and friends aspects- even the hard parts. The friend group that was created in this trilogy was so beautiful, I love how close everyone is. And I loved how it ended, even if I’m sad that this trilogy is over.

I also really enjoyed reading about Indian customs and the weddings, and all of the cultural traditions that went along with it. It was beautiful, and perfectly descriptive for someone who isn’t the most knowledgeable in that subject. Some of the traditions felt so emotional just to read about, they were written so well.

Thank you to the publisher, Nisha’s team and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

INCREDIBLE

Amazing final installment of this series (of standalones but like if you haven't definitely read Takes like Shakkar). Nisha did an amazing job really selling dislike/enemies to lovers in book 2 without either character ever going into too harsh or immature of a place and still making the love believable. Her skill is now shown on the opposite spectrum with this book, to write a friends to lovers without falling into a common trap with the trope- not having high enough stakes or chemistry. She delivered. FTL is a favorite trope of mine which actually makes me more critical of it and I approve of this book.

The angst of this FMC having fallen so hard and first and then the angst when the MMC falls for her and harder and is like omg. It's like the most delicious grovel the whole book but twisted in a way that doesn't feel so one sided or fruitless it's really a FMC who has had things taken from her (family billionaire daddy issues drama) who needs time and action to trust.

The marriage trope, this is like the drunken Vegas wedding trope but different location and more traditional/religious significance to their culture. I was eating it up. It doesn't feel like super forced fake dating because of their friendship and collaboration. The emotions of her being loved and accepted by his family ahhh you definitely need to read the scene when they go to his parents' house.

And again this at times is so serious with these business empires but then so humorous because Nisha's writing can be SO funny. I enjoyed every bit of this. Thank you so much to Avon for the free book.

These books just get better and better! Veera has been one of my favorite characters from the start so I was so excited to see her finally get her happy ending. Per usual, Nisha Sharma delivers with a combination of sweet romance and the spiciest spice!! This was the perfect conclusion to one of my favorite trilogies!

I love this series (if you haven't started it yet, please do so *immediately*) and Twelfth Night is my fave Shakespeare play, so I was really excited for this Twelfth Night inspired book.

We have the last pairing from the two groups of friends - Veera and Deepak. These two scions of major corporations are the only rich people in books I will allow. They've had a strong friendship over the series but Deepak got engaged to someone that would help his vote for CEO and didn't even tell Veera first. And then that engagement comes crashing down and with a host of other items they find themselves fake(???) married to help Deepak's bid for CEO and help Veera in her new venture. Marriage of convenience is so hard in contemporary and this one hit it out of the park.

Additional things I loved: 1) the very real feelings of a single friend who is left out after her friends all couple up - all of that was so real and I am *still* mad for Veera!, 2) the Punjabi realness, when they were trying to come up with a cute thing Veera could call Deepak and he asked if there was something in Punjabi she could call him, Veera said "You know Punjabis prefer to swear at each other as a sign of love." Y'all, I cackled so loud, on a silent airplane. And highlighted it (I have never highlighted anything in an ebook before). and lastly 3) the care and love of all the ceremonies/russums/customs done for the new bride. There is so much beauty in a South Asian custom and the love conveyed in it, especially from Deepak's mother had me cryyyying.

Oh also the aunties are back and I love them. So I guess they are honorary point number 4.

I'm so happy to have read this installment but also am simultaneously so sad because it means the series is over. I loved it. Seriously all three of these books are so good (Bunty is my favorite forever though, just saying).

Marriage & Masti comes out August 27, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Nisha Sharma for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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