10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon (Dimple and Rishi book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! This is a companion story that takes place after There’s Something About Sweetie. While it’s not necessary to read the previous book first, I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the details for you. 

“Pinky Kumar wears the social justice warrior badge with pride. From raccoon hospitals to persecuted rock stars, no cause is too esoteric for her to champion. But a teeny-tiny part of her also really enjoys making her conservative, buttoned-up corporate lawyer parents cringe.

Samir Jha might have a few . . . quirks remaining from the time he had to take care of his sick mother, like the endless lists he makes in his planner and the way he schedules every minute of every day, but those are good things. They make life predictable and steady.

Pinky loves lazy summers at her parents’ Cape Cod lake house, but after listening to them harangue her about the poor decisions (aka boyfriends) she’s made, she hatches a plan. Get her sorta-friend-sorta-enemy, Samir—who is a total Harvard-bound Mama’s boy—to pose as her perfect boyfriend for the summer. As they bicker their way through lighthouses and butterfly habitats, sparks fly, and they both realize this will be a summer they'll never forget.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I enjoyed Pinky and Samir’s story who we first meet in There’s Something About Sweetie. This book is your typical fake boyfriend troupe but it really works well in this story. Both of our characters grew over the course of the summer. Unfortunately for fans of the previous books, only Ashish has the briefest of mentions at the beginning and end of the story. I hope that the author writes an epilogue of all six of these characters in the future to see how everyone turns out.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

“Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil's twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man N begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it's Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she's fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she's got is not the one she's scripted. But will it be enough?

Told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I didn't like Twinkle as a person as much as I did Dimple and Sweetie. Twinkle is an aspiring film director and the book is written as letters/diary entries to her favorite female directors. The one character flaw I found with Twinkle was her need to move up the social ladder at her high school. Fortunately, she realizes how her life was changing before she did anything really stupid or unforgettable to her new friends.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon (Dimple and Rishi book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This is a companion story that takes place after When Dimple Met Rishi. While it’s not necessary to read the previous book first, I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the details for you. 

“Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.

The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl—under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?

Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.

Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.

Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This companion book centers around Rishi's younger brother Ashish after his breakup with Celia that began in the first book. Not only does the author continue to focus on Indian American culture but body image and self-esteem as well. Down in the dumps over his break up, Ash decides that if his parents’ arranged relationship for his older brother has worked out, then he is willing to try it as well. When Sweetie’s mother turns down Ash’s parents’ request to date, Sweetie decided to take matters into her own hands and goes against her parents’ wishes. Once again, another sweet romance that also centers on the main characters coming into their own.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (Dimple and Rishi book 1)

“Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I got to meet Sandhya Menon at a conference this fall but hadn’t read any of her books. With break coming up, I dove right in. The author does an incredible job of relating Indian culture to the reader. Told in dual POVs between Dimple, who wants to be a computer coder, and Rishi, who follows his parents’ wishes above his own dreams.

This cute romance starts with Dimple heading off to her dream coding camp only to meet Rishi, who excitedly informs her of their arranged marriage by their parents. Of course, it is a complete shock to Dimple. As the story progresses, these two learn to support one another’s dreams and of course, to find a happily ever after.

Visit Sandhya Menon’s website.