A fun enough teen rom-com, though a little reliant on the genre to fill in some plot at times. Payal is a reasonably good protagonist, though she feels same-y when put next to a number of other 'academic rivals-to-lovers' teen romcom heroes which have been coming out recently. Overall not bad, and is probably more my genre fatigue more than anything wrong with the book.

MC teams up with her arch-nemesis to cure her long time crush's proclivity towards micro-aggressions.. and in said process, falls for the arch-nemesis :)))

💫 The narration!!! 10/10 for the absolutely humorous and relatable narration, and for the way all the emotions were conveyed so well

💫 I loved the budding friendship/more between the MC and her arch-nemesis so much, they were so cute 🥲 all the snarky banter and passionate, non-arguments about their shared interests and their differing opinions were so well-written! The Google doc conversations were >>>>>>

💫 Also, did you see the COVER? It's so good, it's a perfect rep of the book 😭

-- ty to the author, the publisher and @coloredpagesbt
for an advanced copy!

Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber is a delightful and clever take on the romantic comedy genre, weaving themes of love, revenge, and self-discovery. The protagonist, Payal, navigates the complexities of teenage life while plotting a revenge scheme that hilariously unfolds with unexpected twists. Chhibber’s sharp wit and engaging writing style make the story relatable and entertaining, exploring friendships and the challenges of first love. This fun, fast-paced read is perfect for fans of contemporary YA romance!

PAYAL MEHTA’S ROMANCE REVENGE PLOT book review

this book is perfect for lovers of teen romroms! just like in the movies, our quirky FMC, payal, gets a chance to hit it off with the hot and popular althete, jon slate. as you can imagine, things do NOT go as planned for payal on her journey to find love…

this book was SO fun. all of the characters were extremely lovable (well, except *ahem* you know) and gave teenage realness. the addition of footnotes thorughout the story made me feel even more connected to payal and often made me audibly laugh.

the banter and conflicts throughout the story felt real and true to the character’s ages.

from the outside you just wanted to shake payal and scream at her to realize she deserves so much better, but seeing the progression of her confidence flourish by the end of the book was just divine.

the google doc was 1000% my favorite part of this story and yes, you MUST read this so you can know what i’m talking about.

This was a cute YA read. The story is very good and captivating; so much so that I was able to read it all in just a few hours. I really liked the main character, Payal, and I found her to be very funny. I laughed a lot at her antics.

This story is about a 17-year-old Indian American high school girl who, for the past three years, has been in love with a fellow student Jonathan Slate. One day, he asks her to join him for lunch and just when she thinks he is about to ask her to be his girlfriend, he tells her that although she is "cute, funny, and totally, like normal," she is not for him because she is Indian and he is not. What?! Who thinks that this is acceptable to say to someone. So, instead of taking that comment and moving on, Payal decides that she is going to do whatever it takes to make Jonathan jealous and make him like her.

Though I felt a little irritated that Payal went through so much to get this guy to like her and she even tried to be more "American" and less "Indian" just to prove to him that she can be what he needs, I had to remind myself that these are kids in high school. At this age, we are barely able to see the forest from the trees. We have a one track mind. However, I was happy to see that at the end, Payal, with the help of her friends and (friend)mesis Phillip Kim, was able to see that you cannot make someone love you or want you. You have to love and accept every part of you first and find someone who will do the same.

The writing and characters were good. I really liked the way the author, through her writing, spoke about the diverse cultures. She used food and different cultural activities (like the dance recital) to bring the Indian and even the Korean culture to light. I also liked the conversation about how hard it can be to be dual-cultured. As a person with an immigrant background, I was able to relate to Payal and Phillip when they talked about how protective their parents are and how there is a struggle in trying to accept and represent both cultures at once.

There were some things that gave me pause. I feel like Jonathan got away from having any consequences for his comments and ideals. Also, I was a little confused at how Payal and her friends were so close in the beginning and then all of a sudden they are ignoring her...it was all weird (but again, these are kids so I guess that's understandable).

Overall, this was a good book. I think it would be a great fit for a young adult reader. There are a lot of gems and lessons in the book.

Thank you Netgalley Penguin Teen and coloured book tour for the ebook. My opinions are being left voluntarily. Rating 5/5☆

Gah. This was so darn cute and so very much reliable. The side characters and parents felt genuine and really real. One of my favorite YA reads of 2024!!!

I love emails, texts in books feels like you get a further look at the dynamics of the characters.

If I could give younger me advice it would be don't shrink yourself in order to fit in other people's boxes.

Enjoyable read that definitely had me interested and entertained with how Payal handles a boy like Jon insulting her with baby racism jokes. I also enjoyed how her friends had her back and let her know when she was wrong. This is a book that should be read no matter the age or race because it definitely has a message worth sharing.

Synopsis:

Payal Mehta has a crush on popular, athletic, all-around perfect Jonathan Slate. Payal finally works up the courage to ask Jon to hang out but her romantic plans are derailed when he vomits on her Keds. Twice. Over chalupas at Taco Bell, Payal’s best jokes are landing as planned. Jon is basically choking on his Coke—and then it happens. “Do you have a boyfriend?” And then he tries to set her up with his Indian friend. Payal’s best friends, Neil Patel and Divya Bhatt, are just as mad about the microaggression as Payal is, but they think she’s a little too hung up on him. Determined to teach Jon a lesson by making him fall for her, Payal ropes in her archnemesis, Philip Kim, to help by ceding creative control over their psych project. But as Payal lies to the people she loves, hides the too-Indian parts of herself in front of her crush, and learns that maybe Philip isn’t the worst, she starts to wonder if what she’s been looking for has been scowling at her all along...

Review:

This book gave me all the *Never Have I Ever* vibes. With a strong FMC, with a supportive family and a strong friend circle, the nerdy adversary, the hot jock who needs tutoring and all. If you enjoy the show (I mean who doesn’t) then you’d probably enjoy this book. It has a bit of added depth with discussion of “baby racisms” that the FMC faces.

This was the cutest YA rom-com! If you enjoy Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever, you'll love this one. It has a similar vibe with a crush/love triangle involving an academic rival and a jock, plus the main character, Payal, being an American-Indian whose parents immigrated to the U.S. I loved the TV show but this book was uniquely it's own. The humor was spot-on throughout. I do think the romance could have been developed a bit more—it was a slow build that felt a little rushed at the end—but overall, this book was so much fun!

\\\\\ 3.5 \\\\\

Right from the start I was pulled in by this very fun writing and absolutely loved that the book included footnotes as if the character was truly talking to us and also text bubbles. It really fitted Payal's personality and made the reading experience more immersive.

She is a relatable teenage character, who's head over heels for her crush, and lets him get away with lots of things, until it really hits her that she doesn't feel good about some of the things he says. Even though the theme of racism is a big part of that story, it was broached in a lighter way, because of our fun main character and how she is a bit clumsy and oh so entertaining. I did kind of hate Jon to be honest.. he was really self absorbed and I don't feel like he got any understanding of what he was doing wrong, which was a bit of a letdown after so much time spent with him on the pages... I was hoping for a bit of redemption, but it all ended so fast he just disappeared from the map.

The cast of characters was super diverse and so interesting! For sure Philip was my favourite character. HE WAS SO DAMN CUTE AND PERFECT. Which made me a bit mad at Payal at times about how she was kind of using him and then getting mad at him. From an outsider POV I'm sorry to inform you we were mad at you, my dear Payal... I would have wished for a bit more from her. She was saying: "sorry, it was not your fault, it was Neil's fault..." how about you acknowledge this was YOUR fault, honey? But hey, she was still funny, quirky and nice so I didn't get mad for a long time.

I did enjoy the friendship in this story, it was so precious. When they all got back together at the end it made me so happy but also made me feel a bit sad that their whole relationship was kind of put on the back burner for a big part of the story, but well, I still appreciated it.

The book makes its point in a beautiful way and I loved the message. Overall a super easy and fun read that will make you smile for sure!

Thanks to the author, PenguinTeen and ColoredPagesBookTours for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

This book had a lot of cute and funny moments, and while I liked it for the most part, there were some parts that felt lacking.

Payal is a funny, relatable main character, and I loved reading from her POV because it reminded me so much what it was like to be a high school girl. While I'm not Indian, I did still feel a connection to her character as a first-generation American trying to figure out my identity (and never quite feeling like I was enough of one or the other). I liked that we got to see what her daily life was like, including her family and friends and their relationships with each other.

I liked Phillip Kim at first as the love interest. It felt like they were going from rivals to friends to lovers, and it was going great up until about halfway through. We stopped seeing their progress and got more of Jon than we did of Phillip. The romance felt like it was just sprung on us to conclude the story. And I know they're teenagers, they aren't always the best at expressing their emotions, but it just felt flat and forced in the end.

I did still enjoy the book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a light high school romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This laugh-out-loud romance is perfect for anyone who enjoys a bit of humor mixed with heartfelt moments. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to see what this talented author has in store next!

This is a book with teenage drama, love triangles, and young girls struggling with their identity! And it was hilarious! The banter between Payal and Philip was great! And the different types of formats were interesting! This was a fun easy read but it also touches on some important topics: racism and being truthful about your feelings and yourself and more! But overall it was a good read!

First off, I want to thank Kokila, Penguin Teen and NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

The overall message of the book is great! Being the child of immigrants and trying to navigate being a part of two cultures and feeling like enough of each is tough, so I always appreciate the more books that get published that cover this topic. Payal struggled with this, and she especially felt like she had to prove Jon wrong on what he believed about her and Indian people. But Payal eventually realized that she shouldn’t have to prove anything or hide any parts of herself. He was wrong for the comments he made and should’ve apologized. It felt like a lot of time was spent on her and Jon, where we saw that they had a lot of common interests. I get why since it’s part of the plan, and she does have a crush on him, but it definitely feels like some of that time could’ve been spent on Payal and Philip’s relationship.

I love academic rivals to lovers, but I do think that while the romance was cute, I wanted more. It would’ve been nice to get to know more about Philip to get a better sense of how he is a great match for Payal. We did get to see they have some common interests as well, which is great, and it’s obvious that he already cared about her. However, I think more scenes between them would have made the confession scene hit a lot harder.

The footnotes were an interesting addition! I definitely think it would’ve been better if I had read the book in a physical format, but I do think it adds to the book. It reminds me of confessionals or when a character would break the fourth wall and speak to the audience in shows.

I liked the realizations that Payal made by the end, and I definitely think this book will resonate for younger readers who can relate. I also liked the dynamic that her friend group had (before and after the issue that happened between Payal and Neil). It’s evident that even though Payal messed up, she did care about her friends and wanted to make things right. She wasn't perfect, but you could tell she was trying her best. I also liked the Google Docs scene at the end! There were also some funny moments throughout the book that readers will enjoy as well!

Overall, this was a quick, fun read! 3.75 rounded up to 4 stars!

I loved how diverse the characters were and I enjoyed the friendships in this story.

Payal was pretty relatable and I liked her sense of humor a lot. I also really enjoyed that the author included footnotes. I thought they were a nice add and made me feel more connected to Payal.
The banter between her and Philip was fun, and I enjoyed that this included the Rivals to lovers trope.

I just felt it was missing something.
But overall I would recommend this one!

Thank you to Penguin teen & Netgally for the ARC!

Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber is a delightful and witty exploration of teenage crushes, cultural identity, and self-discovery. Payal Mehta's journey to win over her crush, Jonathan Slate, is hilariously derailed when a spring break mishap leads to a series of unexpected twists. What starts as a plan to make Jonathan fall for her quickly spirals into a complex entanglement with her archnemesis, Philip Kim. Their chemistry brings a refreshing dynamic to the story, as Payal navigates the ups and downs of teenage romance while also confronting her own insecurities about fitting in.

Chhibber captures the essence of high school life with a keen sense of humor and heart. Payal's struggles with her cultural identity resonate deeply, particularly in her efforts to balance her heritage with her desire for acceptance. The interplay between humor and serious themes makes this book not just an enjoyable read but also a thoughtful commentary on the challenges of growing up. The supporting cast, especially her friends Neil and Divya, adds depth and warmth to the narrative. Overall, Romance Revenge Plot is a charming and insightful tale that will leave readers rooting for Payal as she learns that love may be found in the most unexpected places.

What an absolutely delightful YA romance!

Rejected by her crush, Jon, for being Indian and not “normal,” Payal decides to convince him that it is completely “normal” for people to date outside their race. Roping in her archnemesis, Phillip, she concocts a plan to beat racism with love. Even though a part of her knows this isn’t the best idea, she plows forward anyway. Because she just cannot get his microaggression (or, as she calls it, baby racism) out her head.

And that is such a relatable plot point. Too often people think microaggressions are easy to brush off or let go or forget. What Chhibber beautifully shows, however, is how these baby racisms needle into your brain and just sit there, in large part because they are so unexpected. And because of how they sit there, we may not always make the best decisions in terms of how to deal with it.

In Payal’s case, the way she chooses to deal impacts more than just her relationship with Jon. As Payal learns, it’s in those moments of dealing (or not dealing) with microaggressions that miscommunications happen, you uncover who simply refuses to understand, and you find out who your friends truly are…and discover some unexpected friends along the way.

Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot is a fantastic mixture of teen anxiety, cultural anxiety, and coming of age. It is also laugh out loud funny! The text itself has hilarious moments, but the unique of use of endnotes to add Payal’s random asides gave me some of my biggest laughs.

And, finally, FINALLY, someone uses the Indian American love of Taco Bell as a plot point, and it is a travesty this has not happened before! This fact alone makes this book a must read.

A hilarious ya rom com that discusses very real racial biases, the necessity of diversifying your world, and being a teen of color in America today.

This book did a phenomenal job of balancing serious realities of inherent racial biases that so much of white America holds- whether it's conscious or not- while still allowing Payal (our wonderful, hilarious and stunning FMC) the chance have her main character, teenage girl in a rom com experience that so many white characters are allotted. Payal is refreshingly honest, perfectly teen girly, and so much fun to follow on her journey of love, friendship and revenge.

It did feel as though parts of this book were rushed, with plot points not being fully explored when there was seemingly a lot of build up- the psych project being the first and best example of this.

That said, I adored so much of this book: our love interest, Payal's friendships, the writing style and overall humor. Absolutely recommend, so much fun and so so real.

A huge thank you to Preeti Chhibber, Penguin Group and NetGalley for the ARC <3

I went into this book expecting a sweet teen romcom, but it gave me so much more!

What really stood out was the diversity of the characters, the friendships, the family moments—and oh my gosh, the footnotes were amazing!

I laughed, I “aww-ed,” and I had so many moments where my teenage self felt completely seen. Like, when she goes to Jonathan's house and tries to take off her shoes, only for him to say they wear shoes inside. That awkwardness? Same, girl, same!

If you love a good teen romcom that also touches on real-life issues, I totally recommend picking this one up.

4.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up)
0/5 🌶️ (it’s YA)

I absolutely LOVED the little footnotes from Payals perspectives. In my head it played like when in tv/movie the MC will turn to camera and give you a look into their inner thoughts or sass.

If you liked Devi in Never Have I Ever you will adore this. It was a wonderful depiction of the bicultural Indian American experience of coming of age.

This felt so good to younger me who wished she had books like this growing up that validated, normalized, and resonated with her.

So grateful to have received this ARC! I’d highly recommend this to anyone who wants to read a coming of age story of an Indian American and anyone who loved Never Have I Ever!