Nisha Sharma

A Novel

Tastes Like Shakkar

In the hilarious follow-up to the breakout rom-com Dating Dr. Dil, Nisha Sharma adds shakkar and mirch to Shakespeare’s iconic comedy Much Ado About Nothing for one sweet and spicy love story.

Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way:

1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and

2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding.

With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi's future career are on the line.

Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other.

Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after

With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss.

Jazelle H

From their ambition to their humor, to the people they loved and the things that irritated them.

"As a wedding planner, I have learned to appreciate blunt honesty. I mean, what's sexier than that? Being completely transparent and straight with another person takes a kind of fearlessness, doesn't it?"

He still pushed her buttons in a way that no one else had been able to do, but now she was beginning to like it. From thousands of miles away, he was trying to show her that he was an attentive and caring lover. He put a lot of effort into letting her know he was thinking about her while he was in a different time zone.

For the past few days, he would send a "good night, rani" message after he finished work and got in his car to drive home. She knew that she was being ridiculous and sacrificing her comfort in the hopes that she'd be awake to see it come in, but if he put the effort into messaging her before bed, it was the least she could do to respond.

This man can disassemble your armor with one look. Be careful or he might bruise you.

It was as if they were planets circling that had gotten too close, and now they were sucked into each other's atmosphere, ready to crash.

They'd been fine together, but when he started making comments about how his mother wouldn't like the way she looked, Bobbi ended that quickly. She'd been around enough Desi men at Rutgers to understand that some of them often blamed their mothers for things they believed themselves.

"Forced proximity increases sexual tension."

"My body says 'let's go on an expedition!' while my brain is shouting 'evacuate mission!'"

Watching Bobbi in her element was becoming one of his favorite new pastimes.

"All you have to know is that you inspire them."

"Your body does matter to me. It was one of the first things I noticed about you in that room at Kareena's house. But in the months that I've known you, and that you've irritated me, I also noticed your stubbornness. Your intelligence. Your loyalty to your friends. That's just as important if not more. It hits my list of things that I find attractive."

"You look good laced up in my knots," Benjamin said, his voice deepening as his fingers lingered. Then he tugged hard on the strings. She gasped as she bumped against his chest.

"You know how people treat fatness in our society, Auntie. God forbid a healthy Desi woman--because we still can't use the word 'fat' apparently--wear anything backless. I love the outfit and I just want to wear it, but I hate having to defend my choices when I don't owe anyone an explanation."

Let me be that I am and seek not to alter me. -- Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare

I absolutely love a Desi love story. The culture is so present in the language, the food, the relationships. I love the aunties and everything they bring. From humor and comedic relief, to straight up chaos. Aunties are everything. 

Bobbi and Benjamin are a couple you’ve met and relate to. The realism of the long distance hurdles and trying to make it work. Plus the character growth for them both?! Yes please! 

And all of this with the added suspense with the wedding sabotage?! Mhm. This is exactly what I’m looking for in a rom com with spice. And spice there was. 

I absolutely love a Desi love story. The culture is so present in the language, the food, the relationships. I love the aunties and everything they bring. From humor and comedic relief, to straight up chaos. Aunties are everything. 

Bobbi and Benjamin are a couple you’ve met and relate to. The realism of the long distance hurdles and trying to make it work. Plus the character growth for them both?! Yes please! 

And all of this with the added suspense with the wedding sabotage?! Mhm. This is exactly what I’m looking for in a rom com with spice. And spice there was. 

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 

BDSM 😉

It was cute. There’s something about Sharma’s spicy scenes that feel forced to me but otherwise a fun story. 

Megan BV

This was so so so good. I can’t wait for book 3, Nisha Sharma is such a talented writer perfectly balancing romance, plot, and humor (and spice tbh). 

Abigail

I really did enjoy this book, but I didn’t realize it was the second in a series! 🤦🏻‍♀️ Totally on me. I bet I would’ve rated it even more highly had I read the first book first!

Claire

🦇 Tastes Like Shakkar Book Review 🦇

❝ "As a wedding planner, I have learned to appreciate blunt honesty. I mean, what's sexier than that? Being completely transparent and straight with another person takes a kind of fearlessness, doesn't it?" ❞

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite Shakespeare play (or retelling)? ❓

🦇 Bobbi Kaur is eager to plan a blow-out, unforgettable wedding for her best friend. Unfortunately, she's paired with Benjamin “Bunty” Padda to complete the task; the groom's best friend and man who derailed her career as a wedding planner. After Bunty refuses to cater a previous wedding for her, Bobbi's boss and uncle loses his faith in her ability to one day manage the business. The Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) wedding could be her chance to prove herself and win an account with one of the biggest venues around. To make matters worse, someone is trying to sabotage the wedding. Despite their constant bickering and the shaadi saboteur's best efforts, can Bobbi and Bunty call a truce and (with the help of a few sleuthing, meddling aunties) turn the Vermann wedding into a happily ever after?

💜 How do I bottle up all my love for Nisha Sharma, Bobbi, and Bunty in a concise review? Oh, let me count the ways... (whoops, wrong play). "There's a skirmish of wit between them" is far more accurate. Tastes Like Shakkar picks up from the scene we missed in Dating Dr. Dil, when Bobbi and Bunty speak alone at Kareena's birthday party. A moment of misunderstanding flares into hostility, even though Bobbi and Bunty have more in common than they realize. Sharma does a stunning job of pulling from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing while staying true to her Punjabi-American characters. So many books are categorized as romcom more for the situational comedy than actual laugh-aloud moments, which Sharma brings in spades. Bobbi and Bunty have all the wit and sass of their Shakespearian counterparts, but they bring the heat, too. This sweet, sassy story has a flare of spice that's bound to get your blood pumping. Whether Bunty is cooking up a storm in the kitchen or not, there are plenty of mouthwatering moments to spare. 

💜 Bobbi's independence and ferocity are inspiring, while Bunty's foodie notes, text, and willingness to SHOW he's falling first are heartwarming. The layers of similarity between them—taking on familial obligations while trying to prove themselves—bring Bobbi and Bunty together when internal and external forces try to drag them apart. The aunties are, as always, a hoot, and Bobbi's curvy representation (and better yet, PRIDE) warmed my heart.

🦇 As much as I loved the story's mystery element, I pegged the shaadi saboteur the moment Bobbi chooses her first suspect. Sharma leaves plenty of little breadcrumbs for readers to follow. Though there's a TON of sizzle and spice (I'm fanning myself at the thought of that throne scene), I do think it was rushed, almost entirely resolving the animosity between them with smut. 

🦇 Recommended for fans of Shakespeare retellings, @

 / Sonali Dev's The Rajes series, or @saradesaiwrites / Sara Desai's The Marriage Game series! Any romcom lover is bound to fall in love with Bobbi and Bunty!

❝ "My body says 'let's go on an expedition!' while my brain is shouting 'evacuate mission!'" ❞

🦇 Major thanks to the author @nishawrites and publisher @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #TastesLikeShakkar #NetGalley

🦇 Tastes Like Shakkar Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ "As a wedding planner, I have learned to appreciate blunt honesty. I mean, what's sexier than that? Being completely transparent and straight with another person takes a kind of fearlessness, doesn't it?" ❞

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite Shakespeare play (or retelling)? ❓
 
🦇 Bobbi Kaur is eager to plan a blow-out, unforgettable wedding for her best friend. Unfortunately, she's paired with Benjamin “Bunty” Padda to complete the task; the groom's best friend and man who derailed her career as a wedding planner. After Bunty refuses to cater a previous wedding for her, Bobbi's boss and uncle loses his faith in her ability to one day manage the business. The Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) wedding could be her chance to prove herself and win an account with one of the biggest venues around. To make matters worse, someone is trying to sabotage the wedding. Despite their constant bickering and the shaadi saboteur's best efforts, can Bobbi and Bunty call a truce and (with the help of a few sleuthing, meddling aunties) turn the Vermann wedding into a happily ever after?

💜 How do I bottle up all my love for Nisha Sharma, Bobbi, and Bunty in a concise review? Oh, let me count the ways... (whoops, wrong play). "There's a skirmish of wit between them" is far more accurate. Tastes Like Shakkar picks up from the scene we missed in Dating Dr. Dil, when Bobbi and Bunty speak alone at Kareena's birthday party. A moment of misunderstanding flares into hostility, even though Bobbi and Bunty have more in common than they realize. Sharma does a stunning job of pulling from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing while staying true to her Punjabi-American characters. So many books are categorized as romcom more for the situational comedy than actual laugh-aloud moments, which Sharma brings in spades. Bobbi and Bunty have all the wit and sass of their Shakespearian counterparts, but they bring the heat, too. This sweet, sassy story has a flare of spice that's bound to get your blood pumping. Whether Bunty is cooking up a storm in the kitchen or not, there are plenty of mouthwatering moments to spare. 

💜 Bobbi's independence and ferocity are inspiring, while Bunty's foodie notes, text, and willingness to SHOW he's falling first are heartwarming. The layers of similarity between them—taking on familial obligations while trying to prove themselves—bring Bobbi and Bunty together when internal and external forces try to drag them apart. The aunties are, as always, a hoot, and Bobbi's curvy representation (and better yet, PRIDE) warmed my heart.

🦇 As much as I loved the story's mystery element, I pegged the shaadi saboteur the moment Bobbi chooses her first suspect. Sharma leaves plenty of little breadcrumbs for readers to follow. Though there's a TON of sizzle and spice (I'm fanning myself at the thought of that throne scene), I do think it was rushed, almost entirely resolving the animosity between them with smut. 

🦇 Recommended for fans of Shakespeare retellings, @sonali.dev / Sonali Dev's The Rajes series, or @saradesaiwrites / Sara Desai's The Marriage Game series! Any romcom lover is bound to fall in love with Bobbi and Bunty!

✨ The Vibes ✨
💞 Enemies to Lovers
🤏🏽 Forced Proximity
📜 Shakespeare Inspired 
🔍 A Dash of Mystery
🪷 Desi/Punjabi RomCom
💐 Chef x Wedding Planner
👗 Plus-Sized Female Lead
📚 Second in a Series
💜 Contemporary Romance
😂 Banter & Humor

❝ "My body says 'let's go on an expedition!' while my brain is shouting 'evacuate mission!'" ❞

🦇 Major thanks to the author @nishawrites and publisher @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #TastesLikeShakkar #NetGalley

Tastes Like Shakkar A Novel

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