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!

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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!

Give me Never Have I Ever in book form and I will EAT IT UP. I loved this so much. I love delusional brown women who want white men so bad but then realize they ain't shit. Give me more of this trope - inject it into my veins even! 10/10 no notes!!!

Thank you to Colored Book Tours and Penguin Young Readers for my advanced electronic copy via NetGalley and my advance copy. My opinions are my own.

It's senior year, and the time has come for Payal Mehta to do something about her three-year-old crush on Jonathan Slate. So when she works up the courage to finally ask him out at a spring break party and he vomits all over her...twice, she decides she'd rather die than ever see him again. But when he asks her out to lunch to apologize and they hit it off big-time, she's stunned when he tries to set her up with his Indian friend. While her friends are furious about the microaggression, Payal decides her best plan is to teach Jon a lesson by making him see past her "Indianness" enough to fall for her. She makes a deal with her nemesis, Phillip Kim, to help her in exchange for control over their big psyc project, but as she keeps hiding more of her Indian parts from Jon to make him comfortable, she is discovering that maybe Phillip isn't so bad. She has to decide if what she's wanted all along is what she really wants, or if something unexpected may be the better way.

This book reminded me all over again how hard it is to be a teenager. And being the child of immigrant parents and straddling multiple cultures (and code switch, and face microaggressions, etc.) makes it all the more complicated. She does stuff that I remember doing as a teenager--we get small but vivid descriptions, like how one holds one's backpack and uses a hoodie to express feelings. This was a powerful and approachable way of exploring code-switching and racism (intentional and unintentional; systemic and individual) and its effects on adolescents. What makes someone "American" and why do both insiders and outsiders equate that with being White? It's sad when anyone is made to feel "less than" for something that they can't (and shouldn't want to) change. My only difficulty was trying to make sense of the cultural references and Hindi phrases, but the internet was my friend in helping me new things!

OMG I LOVED IT!

This book is perfectly desi, and as a desi girl, I want to know how the author got to know all my inner ramblings??
The story follows Payal Mehta, an Indian-American girl who has been crushing over Jon Slate for like... FOREVER! And just like in the movies, the nerdy girl does get a chance to talk to the hot guy, only for things to go from bad to worse. Alongside Philip Kim, her sworn nemesis, Payal hatches a hilarious plan of fighting 'baby' racism and making Jon Slate fall for her. And yet again, things don't go as planned!

This book is downright hilarious. The last few chapters are incredibly cute and I loved Payal and Philip's banter! The desi elements are so authentic- be it usage of Hindi words in dialogues, eating dal chawal with hands, or being scared to address an adult with his/her name; this book perfectly captures the essence of being a desi girl.

Payal's mother is an absolute Goddess! I immensely related with Payal's loneliness in school, judgemental comments, trying to balance between her multiple identities and nursing a crush on the hot guy from school *welp*.

The annotations at the end were a goldmine and in a physical copy, would work much better. An must read for all the fellow desis!

It took me a while to get invested in this, but the second half really stuck the landing. I think many people will find it relatable that when confronted with the fact that her first real crush is actually kind of awful, Payal's reaction was "I can fix him!" when it should probably have been to get the heck out of there. I liked how the story dealt with serious issues and with situations that could have easily devolved into melodrama with honest conversations, a good amount of humor, and even a little bit of slapstick. There were a couple of dropped threads I was confused by when they didn't go anywhere (what did the Psych teacher think the project was going to be about?!).

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Kokila, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot on September 24, 2024.

This YA romance was SUPER CUTE and very reminiscent of the Netflix show Never Have I Ever. If you enjoy teenage shenanigans, love triangles, and young girls grappling with identity, this is totally the book for you. I loved Preeti Chhibber's voice and how she wove humor in with important issues. I absolutely breezed through this book, and I can't wait for it to hit shelves!

"Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot started off as an absolute delight, instantly hooking me with its humor and vibrant energy. The early chapters had a lot of charm and wit and reminded me a lot of what I loved about Never Have I Ever (the tv show). It has everything a ya contemporary should have - quirky, relatable characters, and hilarious situations that kept me turning the pages.

However, about halfway through the book, I started to feel a disconnect, particularly with Philip. While Payal's motivations and personality were well developed, Philip remained a bit of a mystery. We got so little insight into who he really was as a person that it became difficult to root for him or understand why Payal was drawn to him in the first place. The relationship between them felt underdeveloped, making it hard to buy into their connection.

By the time I reached the ending, it just didn’t land for me. The resolution felt abrupt and unearned, almost as if it came out of nowhere. I wanted to believe in Payal and Philip's relationship, but the lack of depth and development made it difficult to feel invested. Overall, while the book had a strong start with plenty of promise, it ultimately left me wanting more substance and a more convincing conclusion to Payal’s story.

What a cute YA rom com! Payal is low-key obsessed with the All-American jock, Jon. When she comes up with a plan to win him over, she enlists the help of her archnemesis, Philip. Payal spends more time with Jon and it’s really great until he offers to set her up with his Indian friend. In an effort to get Jon to like her as more than just a friend, she ends up letting him get by with more racist comments than she’d normally be comfortable with. Since she knows her best friends would be too upset with Jon’s actions, she turns to Philip for help. As they work on executing the plan to win Jon over, Payal gets so caught up she can’t see what’s actually right in front of her the whole time. This book is about finding yourself and getting to know your own boundaries. Overall, this is a fun story that kept me wanting to read more. Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and penguin for the ARC.

I really appreciated that Payel’s culture was truly present in this book. I think that’s so important. However, overall this book just fell a little flat for me. It felt like the author had a lot they were trying to accomplish with this book but just fell short of truly reaching it’s potential.