This book was so cute, it's every rom com lovers dream. The obvious pining from rohan, kamila not knowing she's in love. It was everything I've ever needed. Also the act three breakup and reunion was everything I wanted. It lined up with Rohan's fantasy and I loved that so much.

I received an arc from netgalley.

Farah knocks it out of the park again! I loved Accidentally Engaged and I loved Kamila Knows Best just as much, if not more! What's not to love?

- Bollywood goodness!
- Friends to lovers! (my favorite!)
- Slow burn! (YESS)
- really fun dialogue!
- Complex characters with heavier issues that Farah still manages to make feel light.

It was wonderful! Can't wait to grab the paperback.

Heron is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Kamila Knows Best is inspired by Jane Austen's Emma. The plot and character development are fantastic. There is a great blend of humor and romantic tension.

A new retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma with a splash of Bollywood? SIGN ME UP!! Kamila Hussain lives a nearly perfect life, from her weekly elaborate Bollywood movie parties, a dog that is instagram famous, a super fun job as a party planner that she loves, amazing friends, and a childhood friend who is always there for her. Kamila does have a favorite activity besides planning events... and that is matching her friends... despite not looking for a perfect match for herself. Lucky for her she has Rohan Nasser, longtime friend of the family who is not only kind, handsome, and perfection but someone who knows her. Rohan has always treated Kamila like she was just a friend but when Kamila starts feeling more... things start getting complicated. Especially when her longtime nemesis Jana, who is annoyingly perfect comes back into town and Rohan starts spending more time with Jana. Kamila’s life slowly starts to unravel and she finds herself having to question what she really wants in life and what she will do next. Complicated feelings, misunderstandings, and romance all in one. This was a wonderful retelling of Emma but with it’s own unique flavor. I loved getting to know Kamila and her struggles and seeing her grow. A sweet and fun story and perfect for fans of Jane Austen’s Emma!

*Thanks Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

It's been a long time since a book had me literally screaming - it was like watching a horror movie and yelling "Don't go in there!" at the screen, but romance edition. Except of course, in the best way possible. Kamila is so vibrant and beautifully herself and juxtaposed so nicely by the seemingly uptight Rohan. Add in that Farah Heron writes about food and love in the same steamy way, and you'll have a book that leaves you hungry and... y'know. I didn't realize that this was an "Emma" retelling at first, but the parallels work so well here. We have amazing friendships, a friends to lovers story, and a metric ton of biryani. What else do you need? (Puppies, obviously)

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This novel was so much fun. Romantic, contemporary Emma reimaginjng that is brilliantly executed. Kamila is an endearing heroine. Overall a solid read that will appeal to a broad audience

Kamila knows how to throw the best Biryani and Bollywood parties, how to coordinate her fashion for herself and her adorable dog, how to write articles of incorporation and crunch numbers, and most importantly, she knows how to care for her aging father. But does Kamila know best for her dear friends like Maricel, an aspiring dog trainer, or Rohan, her long-time friend? Does Kamila know best for her self-declared nemesis Jana?

Utilizing the framework of Jane Austen's Emma, Farah Heron has written a book I thoroughly enjoyed, and read in one sitting! Kamila does start out like Austen's Emma - a bit self-focused and a bit clueless that she might be meddling in others' lives instead of giving friendly advice. But just as Emma learns about herself, so does Kamila.

I truly enjoyed the twists that Heron added to the story, and I absolutely ADORED all the puppies in the book - I wanted my own Potato puppy by the end! Though I knew the general direction the story would go in, I loved that Kamila learned how to know herself better, and by doing so, was able to give others even more respect. I thought the emotional abuse that she endured was handled very well, and I loved that Kamila had already been to therapy and was able to realize when she needed to go again.

All in all a lovely read that left a smile on my face! My thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Though following in the footsteps of Jane Austen’s Emma, Heron (Accidentally Engaged, 2021) presents a matchmaking heroine who is uniquely Indian Muslim Canadian. Heron’s sensitive insights infuse this romance with both immense charm and emotional depth.

This is one of the best Emma retellings I've ever read. Every character was modernized so well, while retaining their essence. I think Kamila and her father especially nailed the relationship between Emma and Mr. Woodhouse, and Rohan was the perfect Mr. Knightley. It was a super fun read.

Kamila is concerned for her father’s health and decides to step up her work commitments to prove that she can handle the accounting firm if he transitions to part-time. Her long-time nemesis Jana is back in town and already making snide comments. She’s so concerned with making sure everyone loves her that she doesn’t realize she isn’t doing what’s best for her. On the verge of losing everything she truly wants, she decides to chase her dreams even if it means disappointing those she loves.

I really enjoyed this story. Some parts reminded me of Clueless in a good way.

This is one of those special romances that gives you the coveted happily ever after feeling while also staying true to the challenges of life with humor and poise. It's aspirational in that it shows a relationship built on communication, maturity, and a fair bit of teasing, and also in that it shows a woman coming to terms with her career goals, rethinking her judgments of other people (good and bad), and confronting her socialization and trauma that lead her towards people-pleasing. It peels back the veneer of girl power to look at how feminine presentation is mocked and belittled in a professional setting, how skills like event planning are both treated as necessary and even assumed for women while their importance and impactfulness are simultaneously minimized.

Kamila's story is an Emma retelling, an Austen work I have yet to read, but my experience with film adaptations gives me the (limited) authority to say that Kamila's meddling and social managing ring true to the original. She loves matchmaking, planning parties, running her dog's very stylish TikTok, and volunteering with the animal shelter. She's also the first to step up to support her friends and her Dad, and she's passionate about supporting women-led small businesses as an accountant. Kamila contains multitudes, and this is an example of single POV romance done well. Being so familiar with her mind helped me have compassion when she made a bad decision and made me all the more impressed by her fits and starts of ultimately profound personal growth. I found her not only admirable but likable, and the entire cast of supporting characters gave me warm, fuzzy feelings from her family to her friends to her secret nemesis.

In terms of the romance, Rohan is a dreamy love interest because he is supportive with no strings attached, learns from his mistakes, and is neither pushy nor a pushover. He challenges Kamila but respectfully and with love. While the romance wasn't always front and center with other moving pieces of the story, it always shone through. First, "accidentally falling asleep on someone's chest" is a god tier trope for me so 10/10. Purely because of this book, I have also decided to add to the list of best tropes "two people who always dress to impress becoming comfortable being a mess in front of each other." And it's not a trope, but intense attraction to forearms is something I can get behind. It's friends-to-lovers done right with layers upon layers.

This romance has it all. It covers issues with an intersectional view, covering disparate topics from mental health to race to family expectations. It's nuanced without derailing the story with a thesis, thoughtful while retaining a signature sense of humor I found irresistible. All the relationships show progress, and the enviable strength of Kamila's bonds with others don't smack of unrealistic perfection. Honestly, I can't recommend it more. Thanks to Forever for my copy to read and review. I'll 100% be seeking out more from this author in the future.