ARC Review: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
10:00
Series: None
Author: Sandhya Menon
Published July 13th 2017 by Hodder
Goodreads Synopsis
Meet Dimple.
Her main aim in life is to escape her traditional parents, get to university and begin her plan for tech world domination.
Meet Rishi.
He's rich, good-looking and a hopeless romantic. His parents think Dimple is the perfect match for him, but she's got other plans...
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.
Told from the dual perspectives of two Indian American protagonists, Dimple is fighting her family traditions while Rishi couldn't be happier to follow in the footsteps of his parents. Could sparks fly between this odd couple, or is this matchmaking attempt doomed to fail?
Goodreads
Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
This book has been one of my most anticipated debuts for this year, and I couldn't wait to have free time to read it. When I was deciding what to include in my holiday TBR, this was top of the list!
When Dimple Met Rishi tell the story of both Dimple and Rishi, from alternate POVs. They are both from Indian families, where arranged marriages are normal, and though Rishi is looking forward to marrying the women his parents chose, Dimple is decidedly not. She has no intention of even considering the possibility until she finishes university, and has a job. When she finds out there is a computing camp on in San Francisco over the summer, and the winner will get to meet one of her heroes, she immediately begs her parents to let her go, and, surprisingly, they do. What she doesn't know, though, is that Rishi, her prospective husband, will also be there, and it's the perfect opportunity for them to meet. Rishi, though a bit of a nerd, doesn't really care for computing, but knows that by going to San Francisco, he can meet Dimple, who he's heard all about. It's safe to say, however, that their first meeting does not go to plan.
Firstly, I loved learning about the different customs that both Dimple's and Rishi's family followed, and how both of them dealt with being a modern teenager in America, and still honouring their beliefs. Dimple's character was wonderful, and I don't understand how anyone can find anything wrong with actions. I mean, if someone walked up to me, and said he was my future husband, I would probably act in the same way - that is not a normal thing to do, no matter if you think Dimple knows about the arranged marriage. Rishi deserved being covered in coffee, and I don't have time for anyone who says otherwise. Also, Dimple was just normal - she didn't always have the best relationship with her parents, she enjoyed certain things more than others, and she had a plan for the future - a plan which was very commendable, and she should be applauded for it all.
Rishi was also really sweet. He knew from the moment he met Dimple that she wasn't on board for the marriage - I think the coffee was a bit of a giveaway - but he still wanted to be friends with her, and tried to help her win, anyway he could. He also found things that interested him, and a way to be able to do what he enjoyed, even though he never thought it was in the plan for him.
One thing I didn't really enjoy about the book were the secondary characters. Most of them were seriously annoying, and I wanted to punch them in the face, tbh. Rishi's brother, Ashish, was also a bit annoying, and I didn't really understand why he was in the book. Since reading it, I've discovered he'll be getting his own story, so I think he must've been there just to introduce him, but it didn't seem smooth, or right. Maybe I'll like him more in his own book?
Other than that, this book was a perfect summer read, and I loved the main characters. For a debut, I felt the book was amazing, and I can't wait to see more from the author.
Dates Read:
Rating
5 Stars
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