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mels_reading_log's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I’m kind of confused with this book. If we take out the romance storyline it’s a great book about family and doing what is to keep them happy and healthy. I loved this part of the book. Now looking at the romance storyline, it doesn’t make sense. I normally love a good enemies to lovers but there was no indication that there were any feelings on one side of this relationship, and all of a sudden they were together. The way the two of them spoke to each other I don’t know why they acted that way if they liked each other.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Pedophilia and Rape
brookey8888's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was so drama filled!
At first it took me a little while to get into it, but once all these plots started happening I was intrigued. The main characters were honestly kind of whatever and I didn’t love their personalities and I feel like it wasn’t explained well. Also one of the conflicts just resolved so easily in my opinion. I also didn’t feel any chemistry between the main characters. I didn’t really love most of the family dynamics and this made me laugh a little. There are some more serious themes so check trigger warnings.
At first it took me a little while to get into it, but once all these plots started happening I was intrigued. The main characters were honestly kind of whatever and I didn’t love their personalities and I feel like it wasn’t explained well. Also one of the conflicts just resolved so easily in my opinion. I also didn’t feel any chemistry between the main characters. I didn’t really love most of the family dynamics and this made me laugh a little. There are some more serious themes so check trigger warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism
baearles's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
spicycronereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a really cute read. It inverts some of the plot of Austen‘s pride and prejudice. For example, the FMC Trisha is a neurosurgeon from a family with generational wealth and privilege, while the MMC DJ is a talented but struggling chef. Dev takes necessary liberties with Austen’s plot line to update it and make it work for these characters and the 21st century racial and class contexts of Silicon Valley. Even so, the book has all of the personality clashes, the pining, and the villainous characters of the source text. And it all works really well together. I think as long as you go into it expecting a remix rather than a faithful adaptation, you’ll enjoy it just fine.
Be sure to check your trigger warnings though. The scandals have been updated for the 21st century and some may find the material difficult. There are multiple instances of SA (all off page) as well as a scary encounter with the police, among other things.
The secondary characters are well developed and a lot of fun. Not surprising given that this is the first book in a series about Trisha’s family. All of the books are based on Austen’s works.
There isn’t really any spice. And similar to Austen‘s narrative, this is a slow burn that really takes a while to heat up. Once it gets there, there are lots of great quotes and sweet moments. I give it two swoony hearts.💖💖
The novel has lots of racial and class diversity. Trisha is a first generation Indian American. Her mother was a Bollywood movie star and her father was royalty in the province that they come from in India. DJ and his sister Emma are part Indian, part English, and part Rwandan. There are very few white characters in the novel. So far there don’t seem to be any queer characters. But there are characters dealing with long-term illness and disability. Trisha is written in such a way that there are hints that she may be neurodivergent or maybe she just has some of those necessary characteristics of being a neurosurgeon. The ambiguity works.
Overall, I found this to be a fun and engaging read, and I really liked it. I will definitely read others in the series and look forward to how Sonali Dev adapts more of Austen‘s work. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 💖💖
Be sure to check your trigger warnings though. The scandals have been updated for the 21st century and some may find the material difficult. There are multiple instances of SA (all off page) as well as a scary encounter with the police, among other things.
The secondary characters are well developed and a lot of fun. Not surprising given that this is the first book in a series about Trisha’s family. All of the books are based on Austen’s works.
There isn’t really any spice. And similar to Austen‘s narrative, this is a slow burn that really takes a while to heat up. Once it gets there, there are lots of great quotes and sweet moments. I give it two swoony hearts.💖💖
The novel has lots of racial and class diversity. Trisha is a first generation Indian American. Her mother was a Bollywood movie star and her father was royalty in the province that they come from in India. DJ and his sister Emma are part Indian, part English, and part Rwandan. There are very few white characters in the novel. So far there don’t seem to be any queer characters. But there are characters dealing with long-term illness and disability. Trisha is written in such a way that there are hints that she may be neurodivergent or maybe she just has some of those necessary characteristics of being a neurosurgeon. The ambiguity works.
Overall, I found this to be a fun and engaging read, and I really liked it. I will definitely read others in the series and look forward to how Sonali Dev adapts more of Austen‘s work. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 💖💖
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Ableism, Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Dementia, and Fire/Fire injury
Cancer,sakeriver's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I have to admit, I was surprised by how strongly and quickly I turned to liking this book, after spending the first two-thirds or so really disliking both MCs. But in the end the slow burn paid off, with both characters growing in very satisfying ways. And where it really shined, IMO, was in the MCs’ respective family relationships. In both the relationship and family dynamics, the revelations and subsequent reconciliation were fairly quick, but the story was built well enough that it still came across as authentic.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent
alexgo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read this entire book in a day, for the first time since I was a kid. I was absolutely enthralled. Ms. Dev took me for a hell of a ride, and every other book she has ever written has been bumped up to the top of my TBR list. Realistic and intense - full of commentary about the world we live in that felt precise and intentional . Putting this book down, I feel braver and more hopeful than I did yesterday.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
jillaay_h's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This really tickled me, and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Dev. This had the caramel-thick tension of will-they-won't-they, and I really liked it. I also thought it did a really good job of portraying some beautiful sister moments, which always tug at my heart. Just a fun time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Chronic illness, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Grief, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
meleigh's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a struggle to get through. I get that she was supposed to be some level of insufferable but honestly it was a bit much. There was no depth to the supporting characters (other than Emma). Just wasn't for me I guess.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
qgg's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
I really want to give this book a higher rating. It’s a gender bent retelling of P&P with Indian-American culture. Trish Raje is a brilliant brain surgeon and she knows where her talents lie. She plays an excellent Darcy. DJ, in the Lizzie Bennet role, is a gifted chef giving the whole story a Indian foodie flavor. There is a truly wicked Wickham in the mix. What’s not to love?
Unfortunately, the Raje family dynamics are toxicblaming Trish for things out of her control The HIPAA violations between Trish and her family are unforgivable. The resolution between DJ and Trish at the end seemed rushed and lacking in true chemistry AND it was another medical ethical violation unless Trish turned Emma’s care over to another surgeon.
Other reviews mention the length of the book and the side plots. I really liked the author’s writing and I think they helped develop Trish’s character.
I have two more issues.
1. Trish seemed to be written as autistic-coded. The book already was ableist AF. (Full star deduction for that.) Limited special interests, difficulty making friends, intense loyalty, strong *personal* ethical code (not necessarily aligned with laws like HIPAA), hyperfocus to the point of excluding sleeping and eating…. The only marker not explicitly stated was stimming. So, DJ’s dislike of her is even more ableism in this book.
2.Maybe this is because I am a physical therapist who has worked in hospitals, but there is no way a surgeon would be researching a program, facility or artist like in this book for a patient. A social worker would call a meeting and SW, OT or PT would probably suggest changing artistic mediums to an artist. Resources would be suggested for the patient and family to look up on their own. Patients get autonomy at all times including the choice to stay sick and die with the dignity of their own choice.
Unfortunately, the Raje family dynamics are toxic
Other reviews mention the length of the book and the side plots. I really liked the author’s writing and I think they helped develop Trish’s character.
I have two more issues.
1. Trish seemed to be written as autistic-coded. The book already was ableist AF. (Full star deduction for that.) Limited special interests, difficulty making friends, intense loyalty, strong *personal* ethical code (not necessarily aligned with laws like HIPAA), hyperfocus to the point of excluding sleeping and eating…. The only marker not explicitly stated was stimming. So, DJ’s dislike of her is even more ableism in this book.
2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Cancer
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Classism