
Sari, Not Sari
Reviews

It started bad. Like bad. But I was like I’ll keep going let’s see what happens. After about a month I pick it up again and got into it, but realized there was NO ROMANCE. Then in the last chapter the author also seemed to realize crap this is a romance novel WHERES the romance? And ultimately rushed it and wrote some random confusing trash. And I feel bad for saying cause I liked it. But there was just nothing. Though I did enjoy this book it was predictable and had a terrible ending.

** spoiler alert ** The FMC isn't likeable and is very naive, and this book seems like it's for white people. Like to make Indian people more appealing to white people. This whole book feels like being around white people for the first time and trying to figure out what's the "right thing" to say or the "right way" to act. And as someone who has fallen in instalove several times, this ain't believable.

Ok so I like the concept and it is an overall cutesy story.
There were lots of (intentionally?) problematic moments (Mr. “I don’t see color” for starters but that was the whole point of his character so I’ll let it slide).
Something I’ve noticed with a lot of Indian-American books is that 1. They’re written for non-Indians and 2. The main character is always more “American” than “Indian” as they describe themselves. Both of these trends are fine but it all comes down to how the author narrates this.
In this book, it’s stereotype after stereotype and Manny is just so extremely on one side of the spectrum that it’s actually incredibly aggravating. For one, the whole “Indian Standard Time”/ POC time, saying “namaste”, etc. I think are widely known concepts so how is it possible she doesn’t know any of these things? Also, work is her family so through at least Anjali she should have previously known that there can be issues in more traditional families when they try to marry outside of their culture. Now I’m not entirely familiar with the demographic in the area where she grew up but I think Sammy did mention assuming she dated Indians because of where she lived so I’m also a little alarmed that she knew absolutely nothing about what they did? Not dating any of them/not having them as friends is fine but the way she was so incredibly separated from it it feels more like an active decision to avoid so I was a bit pissed that she kept blaming her parents for her lack of “Indianness” but like girl did you even ask them anything or look at the other people surrounding you?
I’ll admit I need to be reminded of when Diwali and other festivals are so I completely understand that and the not listening to or knowing any Bollywood movies or songs are completely up to an individuals taste so I actually have no issue with that part at all. But that’s where I would like a bit of middle ground in how extreme authors tend to go to prove how much the MC is struggling with their sense of self.
Spoilerish:
By the end of it I’m so perplexed how Manny is somehow in love with Sammy when from what was written, she spent majority of the wedding with Manisha and the cousins. And the fight at the end just seems so stupid but don’t worry he does propose (after a week of knowing each other and two of those “in love”

This book is so cute!! I loved seeing Manny discovering a part of herself and falling in love in the process. I do wish there were less priankya chopra references but other than that I loved it. I received a copy through netgalley.
