(You can also find this review at my blog.)

This was really good! I had so much fun reading this. When Dimple Met Rishi had the right amount of romance, comedy, culture, and breaking societal norms among women and family. It was definitely balanced all throughout the story!

The characters were good. I loved the characterization of Dimple and Rishi in this story. We have Dimple, a coder, who’s desperate to break free from her parents’ hold and live her life free from dictations and judgments. I love how she was so fierce and brave about what she wants and what she is. She’s different and she knows that, and she wants people to realize her worth doesn’t revolve around beauty.

“Seriously? That’s what you think I should be relegating my brain space to? Looking nice? Like, if I don’t make the effort to look beautiful, my entire existence is nullified? Nothing else matters-not my intellect, not my personality or my accomplishments; my hopes and dreams mean nothing if I’m not wearing eyeliner?”

And then we have Rishi, a soon-to-be engineering student but is an artist by heart (no matter how many times he denies his talent). He was so sweet and thoughtful, and he always thinks of his parents first before anything else. I’m glad I got to see him evolve at the end of the story, that for once he finally thought about himself and what he really wanted to do.

“It was his damn fool heart. Ever optimistic, always looking for a sliver of sunshine in a sky clotted with thunderclouds.”

I love how I really got to know these characters as I read the book. I witnessed their individual inner battles, and their conflict as a couple and as members of their families (Dimple being urged by her mother to look for a husband, and Rishi being the dutiful son of his parents). At the end of the story, it’s safe to say that I came to love these two.

The plot was also very interesting. I was really curious on how the story would end. I was excited to see how the author would resolve the various conflicts in the story—the Insomnia Con, Dimple’s doubts about their relationship and Rishi’s inner struggle with what he wants and what he needs to do to be a good son. I also liked how Rishi and his brother’s relationship improved at the end of the story. It was a minuscule part of the story but I liked that it was acknowledged. I also loved how Dimple and her mother finally communicated with each other, and Dimple finally told her what she really felt.

I must admit though, I was a bit confused at first about Dimple’s actions towards the end of the book (I won’t get into it so much because I don’t want it to be a spoiler haha!). But as I read on, I understood her point and her reason.

I liked the writing style of the author in this book. It was light and it flows easily. Even though there were light, comedic moments and angsty, serious ones, the author still managed to make the storytelling so easy. I also applaud the author for bringing light to different issues in this book and tackling it through Dimple and Rishi’s journey.

All in all, this was a good book and I loved it! It was what I needed after a stressful month haha!