I don't know what it is, but this book and I just didn't like. I gave it a few days and I still don't know what it is about that just didn't click for me and I didn't love it. Like I thought the story was cute and I understood the reasoning why it took them so long to be together or why both characters were scared of crossing the friendship and being together. I was just not obsessed with them or this book. I thought the pacing was slow.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✨ARC Review ✨

⭐⭐⭐/5

The Arrangement by Sonali Mishra is a unique rom com that is written from the POV of thirty something Indian man.

So the good parts... Loved the idea of writing a rom com from a male POV, it definitely is unique considering its a rom com. The story was okay, typical dilemma for NRIs. And the best friends were the bestest part... I loved Dan and Erica... Maybe Kevin too. The Happily ever after the story delivered was really cute.  Even Nosha's character seemed really interesting.

Now for the not so good, and this might be longer than the good parts! I haven't wrote this many notes on a book ever, mainly because it was frustrating as hell. I don't think I have never felt more disconnected to a main character ever than I felt with Arjun. And I have felt like DNFing this book so many times, even thought about rating it one star and move on. Some points which irked me are
♦️the FMC haven't had much occurence than those two times up until 25% of the book.
♦️story written from third person POV, which irks me, even when I try to brush it off. But not as bad as the other faults.
♦️up to this, the book has been very doozy... no, it's not the storyline. I think it's the writing!
♦️have thought about DNFing multiple times. but I hate that, so struggling to continue.
♦️the author tried to make the protagonist too likable that, he somewhat ended up being an ideal man... not even a fictional man... and that somewhat reduced the authenticity of the story ...
And there are many more... So it was really a struggle read for me.

2.5/5 stars were my initial thoughts after much deliberation, because I hate rating books low. But the author somehow managed to make it interesting towards the end and because of that, it's a 3/5 stars for me.

And if these tropes excite you,
✍🏻 Unexpected Love
✍🏻 Enemies to Lovers
✍🏻 Second Chance at Love
✍🏻 Indian Main characters
✍🏻 Arranged marriage
✍🏻 Workplace Romance
✍🏻 Indian matchmaking
Maybe try this one

Thank you Author Sonali Mishra, NetGalley, and Harbor Lane, LLC for sending me this ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Arjun isn’t having any luck finding love. Reluctantly he decides to allow his mother to set up an arranged marriage for him. Then he meets Nisha. He is attracted to her but she told him that she never wants to get married again. Their friendship grows and he falls for her. But because of a bad past relationship, he doesn’t think that this is what he needs. He is convinced that what he needs is the arranged marriage. Even after Nisha confesses that she loves him, he still feels like things aren’t right.

This book was good. I enjoyed it a lot. It was told from Arjun’s perspective which I wasn’t sure I would like but ended up enjoying a lot.

The only thing I didn’t like was the ending. It was kinda abrupt in my opinion. The epilogue helped.

The choice of an author to create a male protagonist who longs for a relationship, marriage, and commitment. In romance novels, the roles are frequently reversed, with the female lead taking up our time while a male love interest is slowly revealed. However, I had hoped it would have lasted longer to give their relationship more complexity and angst. It was incredibly enjoyable and beautifully written. I actually really liked this book! I only wish there had been more of Nisha's point of view.

Thank you so much to Sonali Mishra & Harbor Lane Books, LLC for the eARC of this book.

At the beginning, I liked this book. It was a cute contemporary romance that was an easy read. Arjun was adorable even when he was being incredibly frustrating.

Towards the end though, it got very rom-com cliche. The girl that Arjun hits it off with in his arranged marriage set up starts out nice and cool but then becomes the controlling overbearing girlfriend immediately. Making him promise to not hang out with Nisha anymore, even going to the point of making him promise he wouldn't pursue his dream of opening a restaurant because it wouldn't be successful. The exact opposite of Nisha.

Overall, the biggest gripe for me was the pacing and timing. The beginning was so slow and then when Nisha and Arjun started hitting it off, they became best friends immediately with seemingly no time in-between. The timing was weird , with everything big that happened seeming to take place in a 2–3-month period. And how did Arjun get a cookbook together and published in a month or less when normally it takes years to get one together? Everything felt incredibly rushed.

If you are a fan of rom-coms, this is 100% for you. While I enjoy rom-coms, this was a bit too cliche and cookie-cutter for me.

I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was a bit off but the main couple were so sweet to each other and patient with one another. I wish it was longer and the conclusion was a little off for me but I still liked this book.

Thank you so much to Sonali Mishra and Harbor Lane Books, LLC for the eARC of this book. This was a great read. It was well- written but I personally thought the pace was a bit slow in the beginning. It did pick up the pace towards the middle.

I didn’t enjoy the book like I thought I would, because I do actually love desi novels, but this felt more like a netflix bollywood film (mostly because of how they try to cut costs and try to add everything to the mix).
It was in the POV of Arjun, our MMC, who is trying to navigate adulthood and all the responsibilities that come along with it, alongside dealing with the pressures of settling down with a partner.
This read like a wattpad book trying to take itself too seriously. I didn’t particularly enjoy it as much as I thought I would.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6752389305

"Which idea is more beautiful: that one is destined to find enduring love with only one person? Or that he can build a lasting love with anyone?"

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and the author, Sonali Mishra for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I actually really liked this book! It was a third person POV from the male perspective only! I loved Arjun, and I loved getting to know him during the course of this book, learning about his character and his journey through finding love.

This book was a fast-paced, desi focused read, navigating the challenges of an ABCD (American Born Confused Desi) and love. I found it relatable - as an overseas born confused desi myself, who wants to experience one thing but my family history and culture believe in another! This author really knows how to write, as although it may be clear who Arjun ends up with from the start, it is a long emotional process for him to do so, and I loved each and every page of it.

Personally, for me I found the book predictable and somewhat unoriginal (the plot was kinda giving a low budget Bollywood movie at times I can't lie), which lowered my rating! Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this read and I think the way it was written was just so beautiful.

Tropes:
- Unexpected Love
- Second chance
- Indian Representation
- Workplace Romance
- Arranged Marriage
- Dislike to love

I really enjoyed this book! I only wish it was longer. The romance was so sweet and I loved the main couple in this book!

This book is well-written but the pace is a little slow for me. I didn’t really connect with the main character. I liked the light-hearted tone.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

A unique romance written from the POV of a thirty-something Indian male looking to settle down. Loved it!

I really liked this book. But I wished it would have been longer to add some depth and angst to their relationship. It was well written, and was really enjoyable. The only thing is I wish we had more of Nisha’s pov. Thanks NetGalley, Harbor Lane books and Sonali Mishra for the ARC

This book just hit different! it’s written from the males pov which you just don’t see in romance novels. Arjun is looking for marriage. he’s ready to settle down and start a family. It was interesting to really get into the thoughts that this male character has and watch him grow. This book is a quick, refreshing summer read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harbor Lane Books, LLC for the book in exchange for an honest review!

"a biodata is like a resume"
.
Are your tired of reading the female perspective of trying to find love and settle down. Well this author brings you an Indian MMC in his 30s for whom American dating has failed and the only perfect option is to settle for an arrange marriage. Because why not, so many arranged marriages have proven to be successful.
.
Review:
The book started with Arjun being stood up by his blind date and the night ending with a surprise birthday party at his house. The same night his mother arrived and started to pressurize him to get married, using the typical Indian dialogue:
"oh, when you have children, I promise I'll move into your apartment and raise them for you".
Arjun somehow knew that she was right about him finally settling down. So he finally gave in to see girls for an arrangement marriage through Dhanya aunty's list of biodata's. Due to some changes at his work, he was temporarily shifted to another spot with a girl named Nisha, a failed novelist (she worked for another company). They had an enemy to friends situation which was super cute. Arjun started to like her but Nisha had made it clear that she is divorced and not looking forward to marry again in life. Arjun continue to find his match through the biodata's and finally found Sophia who is quite his type. Will Sophia be the one to end Arjun's search party?

I will recommend this book for the rest of my life. It was super cute and refreshing. I can't remember the last time that I read a book like from begin to end from a male POV.

Thank you so much netgalley and Harbor Lane Booms, LCC for this amazing e-Arc.

This was a really cute lighthearted romance.

I really enjoyed reading a MMC whose primary focus is getting settled down, and starting a family. I rarely read books that are solely from the male POV, but I found this one refreshing and very palatable.

This book also had a lot of insight into Indian culture, and took on the topic of arranged marriages, with a lot of insight into why people choose that, and the benefits. I found it really interesting to read.

The characters are all very lovable, there’s a lot of side plot (work/restaurant/friends), and the book itself flies by.

I would definitely recommend picking this up!

25% into this book and the main female character hasn't been introduced... like I do not want to read about a boring playboy for 25% and not even be introduced to the MFC, it was just ridiculous and honestly not worth continuing. I had high hopes but they were let down.

You know what’s refreshing? An author deciding to write a male lead character that yearns for a relationship, marriage, and commitment. Often in the romance genre the roles are reversed and we’re slowly introduced to a male love interest and spend our time with a female lead. In “The Arranged Marriage” we’re only with Arjun’s pov and it’s refreshing. We get into thought process and understand the pressures placed upon a man for a change. In ‘The Arrangement’, Sonali flips the narrative and we get to follow Arjun as he figures out ‘Indian matchmaking’, insistent familial pressure, and juggling what he wants for his future. For that alone, this book is a BIG WIN for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harbor Lane Books, LLC for providing an ARC!