This book was fun. Finding someone who works well with you is hard when you're young, especially when you try to force a crush that isn't good at all. Lots of love, lessons, and shenanigans.

I ADORED THIS BOOK!!!

This was so funny and just such a SMART read!
Payal has a crush on her popular classmate and during a food date at taco bell he asks her " do you have a boyfriend?' YES this is it but unfortunately he follows up with I have an Indian friend for you. Hello microaggression....

She decides to teach Jonathan how wrong this statement was and vows to "end racism with love" by making him fall for her with the help of her academic rival Phillip Kim ( his humor and banter with Payal had me smiling!)

What I anticipated to be a sweet teen romcom gave me so much more than I hoped for.

I laughed and I awwed. so much! I had moments where teenage me felt seen. So many times I thought wow, I experienced that ( when she goes to Jonathan's house and she goes to take off his shoes and he says THEY WEAR SHOES IN THE HOUSE! And she is uncomfortable- same girl same)

I loved the diverse representation of this book and I loved the friends, the family, THE FOOTNOTES!!!

I would recommend this to reader who enjoy a good teen romcom that doesn't shy away real world issues.

I already can't wait to read more from this author

This had all the ingredients to be such a funny and adorable romcom and it looked like it the first 100 pages, however I had some issues with it.

Let's start with the positive stuff. Payal is such a relatable and funny main character! She has a great sense of humor and made me laugh repeatedly throughout the book. The additions of comments as footnotes every now and then was also such an original idea, the first time I've seen it in a fiction book. They were usually pretty short and added so much to Payal's overall character. However because I read a Kindle copy, the footnotes didn't work out great in terms of practicality. Yes, they were hilarious, but because of the format of the book, it threw me off of the story a few times. I feel like this won't be an issue with physical copies if the author decides to put them like regular footnotes, though.

Another element I loved were the chats. I haven't seen many authors use this kind of visual elements so it was a great addition!

The fact that Payal's Desi culture was so present all the time made me so happy as well. I'm not Desi myself, but as a Mexican woman, it annoys me so much when authors use the culture or nationality they assigned to a character in name only but don't bother to incorporate it in the story. That's not the case in this story! Payal's family, heritage and best friends (who are also Desi) are always there, making her story so much more interesting and compelling.

I was so excited to read about Philip Kim, Payal's nemesis. I'm a sucker for the academic rivals to lovers trope so this seemed right up my alley. It pains me to say it, but it fell flat for me. At first it was great. Payal and Philip's chemistry was good since the beginning, their bickering and banter were exactly what I expected, something you can only find in this very specific trope. But then towards the end of the book, everything started to feel... off. Not just their friendship, that's just what I'm focusing on right now. There was this specific scene that felt so anticlimatic that I had to paused and made sure I hadn't skip any other chapter by accident. Philip's actions toward Payal and the way he decided to confess his feelings made me feel uncomfortable. Also the book hints from the synopsis that Philip is clearly the main love interest, but the author decided to spend too much time with Payal and Jon instead of improving Payal and Philip's relationship.

The conclusion of Payal's problem with Jon and his baby racisms left me dissatisfied as well. I expected so mucho more so I was disappointed at how everything played out in the end. In general it was like the plot wasn't really going anywhere and when the author remembered everything she had to check off her list of "Things to do in this book" she just put every single one of them all huddled at the end of the story.

Also what the fuck with Payal's friends? They were so shitty to her, especially Neil. I did understand where he was coming from because Payal also made mistakes, but the way they went about it was annoying.

In the end Payal and her great comedy timing were the things that kept me going while I read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!<3

I recently read a review that referred to this novel as “Mindy Kaling” -esque. A little reminder to book reviewers, not all Indian female characters are Devi from Never Have I Ever. Believe me I understand why Mindy’s projects and characters are loved. It’s meaningful representation for South Asian audiences. But please, learn a lesson from this book and expand your horizons a bit. In Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot, I see an author with her own voice creating her own path in a genre that’s slowly opening up to South Asian authors. Preeti should be given more credit for writing a book that hasn’t existed for fellow brown readers like myself.

Now, onto my review!

I wish I could’ve read this book when I was a teenager. I’m so happy for all the South Asian readers that will pick this book up and get to meet Payal, Neil, Divya (and a special shoutout to Phillip, what a glorious cinnamon roll). You get good laughs, a hilarious revenge plot, and a cute romance. For me, the diaspora commentary is something I will always appreciate while reading and cherish.

It. Never. Gets. Old.

Also to see bharatnatyam, a Devdas movie reference, Bollywood song references? *heart eyes*. Books like Payal Mehta’s Romance Revenge Plot make me happy and I know will make so many readers smile with joy.

Most importantly, I hope non-readers of colour get some real take-aways about micro-aggressions, prejudice, and racism. This really stayed with me and gave me flashbacks to my younger self. To my South Asian readers, it’s a fun book but also take some time. If you need to step away and come back I totally get it.

Thank you Penguin Teen Canada, for providing an ARC. This was a highly anticipated read for me and I can’t wait for audiences to grab it in September.

Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber falls short with its predictable storyline and underdeveloped characters. Despite its promising premise, the novel struggles to deliver a fresh or engaging narrative, leaving much to be desired for readers seeking depth and originality.

3.5⭐️ Thank you Penguin Teen for the e-ARC!🤍

This didn’t end up being my favorite ever, but I had a good time overall! I really enjoyed the representation and I think this is a great diverse YA. The way it addressed racial micro aggressions and other issues was informative but done in a great way for the tone of the book!

I didn’t feel very into the book in the first half, but it did pick up for me and I really liked the ending!
The romance and friendships in this book were also great!

Even though I didn’t love this, I’m glad I got a chance to read!

I loved this book!! I read it in one sitting and I laughed in parts! I would definitely recommend this book to all my family and friends.

Definitely can be read within a day, loved the diverse characters, and was entertaining throughout! I'd recommend it.

Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot by Preeti Chhibber is a delightful debut novel that follows the charmingly flawed Payal Mehta as she concocts a plan to capture the attention of her long-time crush. However, her scheme is complicated by her unexpected feelings for her rival. This novel offers a witty exploration of friendship, first crushes, and the struggles faced by diaspora teens as they discover their identities. A heartwarming coming-of-age story that will left me both entertained and moved.

This was a cute ya romance. It was enjoyable. There’s of course high school drama a little bit of this and that. Typical. 😂
Decent quick read.

Love seeing an Indian representation. There’s also LGBTQIA+/ diverse characters also.

Payal 🥰🥰 she funny and smart. Has great friendship with her friends.


It is also my first read by Preeti Chhibber.

3.75 stars, LOVE! As an Indian reviewer, seeing Payal's journey was really exciting to watch. I really liked the 'revenge' plotline and the writing style—but unfortunately didn't find myself too head-over-heels for the romance. It was cute, don't get me wrong! But my favourite parts of the romance were just seeing Payal being herself, rather than the swoon-worthy rom-com feeling. I would still recommend it to readers!

A YA romance with Indian rep and side character lgbtq+ rep. This had a lot of friendship miscommunication which really bugged me, but that's also pretty true of high school drama. There's kind of a love triangle but you know from the start one of the guys sucks and where it's going. The other, Philip, has a rivals to lovers relationship with the main character that I loved a lot

This was a fun quick read! I’m grateful for the author and netballs go one me this arc to read and review. While I enjoyed this book very much so, my one gripe would be the predictability for the ending. Nothing wrong with the ending, but I think maybe changing it u o just a smidge would have been cool.

Absolutely adorable. I highly recommend this. It is my first book by Preeti Chhibber but it will not be my last. I loved these characters so much.

This was decent? Definitely a really quick read though. I liked the general message but it just felt like something was missing, and it almost fell kind of flat to me. Honestly, it felt like nothing really happened throughout the entire book. Also Neil and Finn are so annoying and I think the whole plot line with them was stupid. It was fine, just exceptionally average and overall not that interesting.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I'm so grateful I received an ARC of this book. I feel bad for the poor, unfortunate souls who have to wait until September 24th for its public release. "Payal Mehta's Romance Revenge Plot" is a witty, YA rom-com you won't want to miss!

I went into this book with high expectations. It didn't disappoint! It has academic rivals-to-lovers, diverse characters, LGBTQIA+ representation, and a heartwarming message about staying true to yourself.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is its characters. The main character, Payal, is quirky, headstrong, and completely clueless when it comes to romance. She also says some of the funniest lines! I lost track of the number of times I laughed. Her two closest friends, Niel and Divya, also play a large role in this story. I love their friendship dynamic, and I like that they have personalities outside of being "the side-character friends". Niel and Divya have hobbies and subplots of their own, which is so refreshing to read about.

And then there's Philip. If anything ever happens to Payal (God forbid), I will happily take this man for myself. I love Philip's dry sense of humor. The way he teased, challenged, and supported Payal made him prime book-boyfriend material. Forget love ballads—I want a man who creates bullet-point lists in Google Docs and teases me when I call him out in the comments.

The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is because nothing unexpected ever happens. It's clear how the story will end, and nothing serious arises to challenge that. I wasn't anticipating bank robberies or thrilling murder investigations, but it still struck me how lackluster the actual plot is. I wish the stakes had been a little higher.

Despite this book's predictability, I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book shines with its characters and humor. 4/5 stars and a solid recommendation.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher; all opinions are my own.

Seriously LOVED THIS BOOK!! It was such a quick and entertaining read. I found myself cracking up one second and going “omg aww” the next. It was a perfect young adult lit book.

*spoilers*

Things I loved about this book:
It was genuinely so funny and whip smart. The banter between the teens was amazing and I loved all of the Desi culture throughout. I laughed out loud so many times, I lost count.
Payal was such a great character. She was witty and serious, kind and thoughtful, and she was a good friend. I loved how she created the phantom Neil in her mind for advice. It was so fantastic. I loved how she learned about herself and how she stood up for herself in the end.
I loved the friends. Neil and Divya. Even when they made mistakes, you could see why.
I adored Phillip and his incredibly dry, entertaining sense of humor. Effortlessly cool. That bomber jacket though. He was also genuinely so sweet and I loved the Google doc. When you start to see he has feelings for Payal… *sigh*
The footnotes sent me. They were fantastic.
That baseball game.
Payal’s steady gain in confidence.
Oh that magical epic first kiss!!
Phillip’s genuine anguish.
Seriously - the Google doc. I loved it especially at the end.
Payal telling off Jon!!!
The confession at the party!!
That kiss AND hug at the end.

It was soooo good. Keep it on your radar this fall!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was decent? Definitely a really quick read though. I liked the general message but it just felt like something was missing, and it almost fell kind of flat to me. Honestly, it felt like nothing really happened throughout the entire book. Also Neil and Finn are so annoying and I think the whole plot line with them was stupid. It was fine, just exceptionally average and overall not that interesting.