I really wanted to love The Arrangement but I had some issues with it.

What I loved: Arjun's family, even if they were over the top about the arranged marriage (which culturally is their thing), you could feel their familial love shine through. Nissa standing up for herself and being a strong women. The friendship that Arjun and Nissa developed first.

What I struggled with: Arjun and his inability to see what was right in front of him and turn it away bc there is a match. This part dragged on for a long time.

Thirty year old Arjun Chowdhury has a great job in San Francisco, a nice house, wonderful friends, just one thing is missing, a life partner. He always thought he and his future wife would have a great love story, but after having his heart broken, he's realized that it's not realistic. He decides to give in to his pestering mother and try the old-fashioned arranged marriage route. After several meetings with different women, he finally feels he's met his perfect future wife. The only bump in the road is his new office mate and nemesis turned friend, Nisha Nandan.
This was a cute story, although Arjun's character did annoy me at times. It was refreshing to see a love story from the male protagonist's perspective. I loved the additional characters in the book as well, and the ending was really sweet.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harbor Lane Books LLC for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

✨I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review ✨
I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I tried so hard to get through this, and it clearly took me forever, but I was just so bored the entire time. I feel really bad, but I did end up DNFing this book at about 50%. I just couldn’t seem to gain an interest in the characters. I would have liked it a lot more if it had been dual POV instead of everything through Arjun’s eyes.
I think one of the main things that was hardest for me specifically was how for the first 100 pages or so there wasn’t a clear love interest. I am more used to being introduced right away and the conflict developing from there. I didn’t really expect to be kept kind of in the dark for an incredibly long stretch of time.
The book itself did do a really good job of explaining and handling the intricacies of modern arranged marriages. I didn’t realize how much really went into it, and honestly it could all be made up, but the author did a really thorough job of explaining everything in a perfectly palatable way.
This book could really work in a lot of ways, it just simply wasn’t for me. And that’s fine! I fully understand not everything is for me. It just wasn’t my personal cup of tea, but I know that others may absolutely enjoy it.

Sonali Mishra’s The Arrangement is a charming rom-com that explores the tensions between tradition, modern love, and the complications of following one’s heart. With a relatable protagonist, plenty of humor, and an exploration of family expectations, the novel offers an engaging read for fans of Sandhya Menon’s When Dimple Met Rishi and the quirky romance of The Rosie Project.

Arjun Chowdhury, the novel’s protagonist, is the quintessential "good son." He’s successful, handsome, and approaching his 30th birthday—an age where his family, particularly his mother, is more than ready for him to settle down. Despite his initial reluctance, Arjun agrees to be set up through an arranged marriage. Mishra handles this traditional concept with nuance, showing how the arrangement offers stability and cultural respect, even if Arjun isn’t entirely sold on the idea.

Enter Nisha Nandan, a failed romance novelist whose chance encounter with Arjun sends his well-ordered life spiraling in a direction he never anticipated. Nisha is a refreshing counterpart to Arjun’s composed personality; she’s witty, relatable, and slightly chaotic in her pursuit of both her dreams and a stable romantic life. Mishra gives Nisha just the right amount of vulnerability to make her likable, especially as someone grappling with professional failure while trying to figure out where she belongs.

The chemistry between Arjun and Nisha is undeniable, and Mishra does a fine job of letting their relationship develop slowly, balancing humor and emotional depth. Their banter is witty, and their blossoming romance feels organic, despite the looming shadow of Arjun’s upcoming arranged marriage. This conflict creates the core tension of the book—Arjun is torn between fulfilling family expectations and following his heart. Mishra explores this dilemma thoughtfully, highlighting the pressure many people feel to honor their heritage while pursuing a life that feels authentic to them.

One of the novel’s strongest aspects is its portrayal of cultural dynamics, particularly the way Mishra navigates the arranged marriage tradition. Rather than treating it as a mere plot device, Mishra gives it depth, showing the nuances and advantages of such arrangements while also allowing Arjun’s personal conflict to shine through. His family’s involvement, particularly his mother’s well-meaning but sometimes overbearing influence, adds layers to the story, making it more than just a typical love triangle.

However, while the plot is engaging, it’s fairly predictable. Readers can see where the story is heading long before Arjun does, and some of the romantic tropes—while enjoyable—feel familiar. The tension between "head versus heart" in rom-coms is a well-worn path, and though Mishra adds cultural richness to it, the outcome feels inevitable.

The secondary characters are a fun addition, particularly Arjun’s family and friends, who provide comedic relief and emotional support in equal measure. Still, some of these characters could have been more developed, as their roles often serve the main plot without much individual growth.

Final Thoughts:
The Arrangement is an enjoyable, feel-good rom-com that balances humor, cultural expectations, and the complexities of modern love. While it follows a somewhat predictable path, Sonali Mishra’s relatable characters, witty dialogue, and thoughtful exploration of arranged marriage dynamics make it a satisfying read. Fans of heartwarming romance with a cultural twist will find much to enjoy here, particularly those who appreciate the balance between tradition and individual desire. If you’re in the mood for a light, breezy romance with emotional depth, this novel is a great pick.

Thank you for the ARC.
I liked the possibilities of this book- but the execution didn't lure me in.
It was slow-moving but once the plot finally got there I was enjoying myself.
Decent read

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book a lot. It was a fun book!

This book was not a true genre romance, pacing wise or story wise. We don’t even meet the FMC until a third of the way in and even that’s for a split second until shes back on the page. This is a story about Arjun and his life and journey which isn’t what I thought I was getting. It follows Arjun and strictly his POV and the romance is a tiny side plot.

DNF

I enjoyed this sweet and light romance and the insights into how marriages are arranged in the Indian diaspora in the U.S. Arjun has a great job and a large apartment but he is 30 and longs for romance. He wants to hear the patter of little feet, as well. He is tired of dating and recovering from a broken heart so when his mother suggests an arranged marriage, he finally accepts the idea. The problem is that he has to share an office in the basement with Nisha, and he finds himself very attracted to her.

Arjun and Nisha were engaging and likeable characters and I also liked reading about Arjun’s amusing experiences in India.

I received tbis free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Sonali Mishra is a new author for me. I enjoyed this book very much. My 2 complaints are that there were a few typos. Also, in the beginning of the story, Arjun says he's out of sparkling water and if his Mom would like tap water. On the next page, it says she sipped her sparkling water. I was a little worried, but I continue reading. I'm glad I did. Nisha and Arjun are likeable characters. I loved that the story takes place in San Francisco. I would read more books by this author.

A cute and light read. I like the premise of an Indian man overseas and his search for his partner. The storyline around him wanting to get married seeing his friends getting hitched, ticking clocks, family pressure and wanting to settle down is shown quite well.

Ready for your next romance novel? Pick up The Arrangement by Sonali Mishra. You won’t be disappointed.

Just as Arjun has agreed to an arranged marriage he meets Nisha. They become friends as she doesn't want to get married again, but will she change her mind? A great read.

While I appreciated the attempt this book made, it was not captivating. The plot of an arranged marriage sounds intriguing as someone who has not experienced that but I felt like it was an asynchronous episode where we just cut and pasted to different parts of Arjun’s life. I find myself forgetting parts of it mere days after reading.

This book was SO GOOD!!! It was sweet and racy and dreamy and dripping with story butter. Truly a must read!!

The Cover. The title. The story . The Arrangement was a rom com present wrapped between the pages..... swoon swoon swoon ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Arjun is turning 30 and his mom appears, asking him if it's okay for her to arrange his marriage. This book was an alright, kind of cute story about Arjun and his search for a partner. It took a while for the plot to pick up and at times was boring and quite put downable.

A cute and light read. I like the premise of an Indian man overseas and his search for his partner. The storyline around him wanting to get married seeing his friends getting hitched, ticking clocks, family pressure and wanting to settle down is shown quite well.

I also liked that his work and social life is given prominence too. The book is a bit of a slowburn but is a light and fun romantic read.

Harbor Lane Books and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

2.5 ⭐️

Firstly, I need to point out that the synopsis of the book is completely misleading.
It implies this is the love story of Arjun and Nisha. However, this was really like 20% of the entire plot. The actual storyline is following Arjun on his path to find a wife because he really wants to be married and start a family.

So when I put the written synopsis out of my mind and just followed Arjun's journey as he navigated his adult life, I was able to follow and enjoy the story more.

If the synopsis were to remain unchanged, I think the story needs a lot of editing down, and maybe adding more relationship building between the main characters.

With that being said, I feel really neutral about this book; I did not love it, but I did not hate it either. It was just a book that I read.

Give it a try if you're interested in an Indian MMC who wants a relationship, marriage and kids, but do keep in mind that the book focuses solely on Arjun's story and his journey to find a wife.

Arjun is 30, single and feeling the pressure to get married, buy a house and have 2.5 kids. He's resisted an arranged marriage so far, but with his best friends getting hitched soon he's feeling pretty lonely. Even a spark with a green-eyed local Indian girl isn't enough to get him engaged. Arjun finally agrees for his mother to arrange a marriage - but will any of them be the one?

This book could have done with some ruthless editing. It takes FOREVER for anything to happen, and there's a fair few things that don't add anything to the plot line. I don't find Arjun's business trip to be relevant, nor is his boss' somewhat insensitive behaviour. Did I honestly care about how many choc chip scones he bought? No.

Is being beautiful a criteria when finding a new partner? Sure, if it's an arranged marriage you hope they're attractive, but it's not a given! Arjun is also described in multiple places as being handsome. What about the rest of us? Considering that the theme of the book is that an arranged marriage can still work and possibly build a more solid love story than a spontaneous spark, the ending is quite disappointing.

Was going to a divorce party at a gay bar necessary? A secondary character can be useful, but honestly the poor guy seemed like just a way for Arjun to show some character growth. Don't judge people based on what they look like... 

Dude! What's with wanting to be married? Isn't a committed relationship sufficient? This isn't 20 years ago where you couldn't cohabitate and you couldn't have kids. Yes, I get that culturally it might be a bit of a problem, but it doesn't seem like Arjun has a problem with it personally (given we understand he's had sex before, and otherwise he's a hypocrite). Marriage isn't forever anymore.

So, after all those complaints, I did finish the book. I vaguely hoped that Arjun would realise that it was super rude of him either way he chose and maybe spend some more time thinking about what he wanted. He needed to use his words a bit more! ASK her, don't assume things. 3 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harbor Lane Books, and Sonali Mishra for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this one! Arjun is a fun character and watching him navigate the ins and outs of finding love as a 30 year old Indian male in San Francisco was joyful. After trying to find love the “American way”, Arjun finally agrees to an arranged marriage. But, as he’s meeting with potential women/families in the process, he begins building a friendship with Nisha.

This story was sweet - and fully of beautiful lessons about love, life, and our expectations of both. I loved watching and learning more about the process of arranged marriage. It was so interesting to read a book that was only from the MMC’s perspective focused on love, marriage, and the want for parenthood. I really enjoyed it! I hope others will too!!

“But, I wondered, is that anything upon which to base the Great Love Story of my life? Then, I had a realization. All great love stories begin that way: briefly, unremarkably. All great loves are, at first, strangers.”