Nalini Singh

Hard Play Series

Rebel Hard

Sahi K

Nalini Singh is such a familiar name in Romancelandia but I’ve never actually read her books, nor have I really wanted to (mostly because it’s her paranormal romances that are popular). But since I got to know about this contemporary romance featuring desi characters almost an year ago, I’ve wanted to read it but just kept forgetting. So, when I suddenly saw it on my library shelf today, I thought why not and immediately picked it up. And it turned out to be quite a lovely read.

As I’m new to the author, the writing style took a little while to get used to. But I can’t exactly point out what I found different in the style. I thought the pacing initially was too fast, especially the meet cute (or meet hot n sexy would be more appropriate), but then it slowed down to a more reasonable pace and then I enjoyed it more. The characters in this book aren’t direct immigrants from India but a couple generations removed, and from Fiji finally settled in New Zealand, so it was actually lovely to see their own version of desi traditions and food and culture. The food itself was probably the most different with a lot of Fijian influence, but all the wedding rituals were familiar and beautifully described, the focus on family and the usual aunty brigade who wants everyone to get married was so relatable and I could totally see myself and my own extended family among them all. And it’s definitely this cultural aspect that endeared me a lot more to this story. And it was also quite refreshing to read a romance set outside my usual Western settings. 

Nayna is such a desi character and so relatable, it almost hurt me to see her go through her struggles. She is loving and extremely caring about her family and doesn’t want to do anything to hurt them, but is also feeling caged because she has never had the freedom to follow her dreams. I could totally sympathize with her wanting to find herself before committing to a marriage, and I was really glad when she finally decided to take some steps in that direction. The name Raj is synonymous with loving and charming heroes in Bollywood, and while the namesake here may be a little more on the broody side, he is one of the best swoony book boyfriends I’ve read in recent times. He may have his own ideas about family and marriage but once he falls in love, he is such a sweetheart and does everything he can to ensure that Nayna doesn’t feel trapped in a relationship, giving her time and support to make her own decisions, and even standing up to her parents. He could be a typical alpha male sometimes but I just adored him so much that I could overlook such slight misgivings. Theirs is a great relationship built on trust and communication, there was so much honesty between them and I’m so glad that they always talked it out whenever there was a problem. Definite goals. 

All the parents and siblings in the story were as intrusive and lovely and dramatic as desi families can be and it was fun to read. I particularly loved Nayna’s grandmother a lot who was a delight with her own young and hip “good friend”. I can’t say I really liked either Nayna’s sister or Raj’s SIL but they did get some sort of redemptive arcs which were satisfying enough. 

In the end, this was a very enjoyable, sweet and sexy romance with not too much angst. If you love a swoony desi hero who makes for a great book boyfriend, a very relatable heroine and their absolutely wonderful love story, you should totally check out this book. It’s part of a series but it works very well as a stand-alone. And if you are a blogger participating in the South Asian Reading Challenge, I would definitely recommend this book.

b.andherbooks

Raj was abandoned as a small child but adopted by an amazing and loving family. Focused on tradition, Raj is allowing his family to arrange the perfect marriage for him until he encounters a beautiful siren.

Little does he know his siren is Nayna Sharma! Nayna is also from a traditional Indian family, which Raj discovers the next day when their parents set them up! 

Beautiful, hot, and full of heart.

What a fascinating glimpse into modern, 21st century arranged marriage. The Hard Play series, which so far appears to just be two books spun off of a different series, features super hot, hunky, strapping heroes who tumble hard and tumble first for the women they love (see Cherish Hard for Sailor Bishop, swoon).

The New Zealand setting is phenomenal, but I was a bit irritated that the audiobook narrator dropped all of the Kiwi accents for this book (she also narrated Cherish Hard and I listened to them back to back). 

I also enjoyed that Singh includes a full cast of characters who are all important to the plot, even if their overall page time is small. While there is one 'villainous' character, she isn't portrayed as a stereotype.

SPOILERS

Raj is a virgin! I kind of figured, but you were slowly led up to the big reveal. It was nice to see two lovers exploring each other and enjoying learning each other without it being exploitative or yucky. I also loved that Nayna wasn't willing to compromise on her desires for a mate, for a future, and for a life. I loved that Raj was able to adapt his expectations of what marriage should be, for what it could be.

Lorena

Laura

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh continues her Hard Play series with a sweet, sexy romance featuring big, fat, OTT weddings, a meddling grandma, and a too-serious hero who needs to be unbuttoned... Nayna Sharma agreed to an arranged marriage in the hope it would heal the fractures in her beloved family... only to realize too late that a traditional marriage is her personal nightmare. Panicked, she throws caution to the winds, puts on the tiniest dress she can find, and ends up in the arms of a tall, rough-edged hunk of a man who has abs of steel-and who she manages to mortally insult between one kiss and the next. Abandoned as a child, then adopted into a loving family, Raj Sen believes in tradition, in continuity. Some might call him stiff and old-fashioned, but he knows what he wants-and it's a life defined by rules... yet he can't stop thinking about the infuriating and sexy woman who kissed him in the moonlight then disappeared. When his parents spring an introduction on him, the last woman he expects is her. Beautiful. Maddening. A rule breaker in the making. He's all wrong for her. She's all wrong for him. And love is about to make rebels of them both.

Rebel Hard Hard Play Series

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