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It Happened One Night
In the heart of Rajasthan, tradition meets romance as Tarun Mehra has come to attend his best friend's sister's wedding. A chance encounter during local Navratri celebrations pushes him to save a young, mysterious woman, Meena. A forbidden kiss sparks a connection between them but before he can know more about her, she runs away. Now, he is determined to find her and complete what they started. Meena is just looking for a good time, dancing the night away with her best friend. But when fate throws Tarun in her path she is forced to hide a few secrets. Her plans for the night had been simple - eat, be merry, dance and repeat. Kissing a stranger was definitely not on the cards. Now she is running away from the most mind-numbing kiss she has ever gotten. What will happen when Tarun finds her, or worse when he finds out she is isn't who she said she was. Dive into 'It Happened One Night', a story that weaves loads of drama, spicy romance and a happily-ever-after kind of love into a colourful tapestry.
298 pages, Paperback
Published January 25, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 6, 2026
3.75
Imagine attending the last day of Garba and somehow ending up with the best kiss of your life but then you find out you know nothing about that girl. Her identity. Her address. Her NAME (the real one, anyways).
Fast forward, she turns out to be so close that avoiding her is impossible, or maybe...you don't WANT to avoid her.
That's what this book is.
It's a spicy rom com bollywood vibe and very light hearted. However, it deals with heavier topics like off page rape attempt (not of the FMC).
If you like:
○Forbidden romance
○Forced proximity
○Indian romance
○Brother's best friend romance
You'll love this.
The FMC did annoy me a little at times but the MMC had my heart.
Imagine attending the last day of Garba and somehow ending up with the best kiss of your life but then you find out you know nothing about that girl. Her identity. Her address. Her NAME (the real one, anyways).
Fast forward, she turns out to be so close that avoiding her is impossible, or maybe...you don't WANT to avoid her.
That's what this book is.
It's a spicy rom com bollywood vibe and very light hearted. However, it deals with heavier topics like off page rape attempt (not of the FMC).
If you like:
○Forbidden romance
○Forced proximity
○Indian romance
○Brother's best friend romance
You'll love this.
The FMC did annoy me a little at times but the MMC had my heart.
March 24, 2024
Will it be wrong to say that I have never read SMUTs or spicy romances? But as the popular saying goes—there is always a first time. This genre or trend whatever you may call is a popular trend and culture in the reading and bookstagram community. Meisheri's 'It Happened One Night' balances between traditional romance and spicy romance in that sense. The blurb of the book almost gives away most of its content, and my job here is not to reveal the spoilers.
The first chapter of the book justifies the cover and builds the premise of this book—Rajasthani culture and tradition. In the following chapters, the romance sequence follows like a YA book, often a bit cliched but maintaining the intriguing backdrop. A distorted family dynamics and the raging eyes of patriarchy are quite evident as one of the major themes in the book. Where daughters get little value in this cultural and family dynamics, one of the protagonists plays the role of a rebel. The model code of conduct and the medieval rules still rule the hearts and souls of the patriarchs who see women just as mere objects and pawns for their bloody games.
Another theme intersects with the major themes in the book—prejudice and social evil, related to the girl child. One may call this an instilled cultural heritage but social evils need to be broken. Multiple trigger warnings can be expected where the female body, soul and mind are subjected to abuse. Casual hookups and intimate scenes in some chapters not only balance the inner turmoil of the character, it balance the story's trajectory as well.
What connects the fictional story with reality is the custom of marriage—the stakes and stakeholders associated with it. The inner dilemmas are clearly visible in the portrayal of the characters in this fat Indian wedding romance. The toughest job—to initiate, maintain and conclude all the character dynamics and developmental portrayal in a mere six days. That's where I feel Meisheri lacked a bit, as if all the traits were already ready to serve on the plate, without giving them much time to develop.
The motif and the major themes have been portrayed quite well, but the world-building certainly takes over the climax or the character development at many places rapidly. Typical Indian cliched segments are no doubt a turn-off—in some scenes, as a reader, one can visualize what will happen and how! The ending has been rushed, and it felt there was still some development left.
Under which category we can put the book is confusing, but a reader can say 'It Happened One Night' is a heart-warming romance of some rebellious souls. A happily ever after story which started with a kiss and ended with a kiss—the life comes full circle. So, if you are looking for a book where tradition meets steamy romance, you can pick this fast-paced book as your weekend read.
The first chapter of the book justifies the cover and builds the premise of this book—Rajasthani culture and tradition. In the following chapters, the romance sequence follows like a YA book, often a bit cliched but maintaining the intriguing backdrop. A distorted family dynamics and the raging eyes of patriarchy are quite evident as one of the major themes in the book. Where daughters get little value in this cultural and family dynamics, one of the protagonists plays the role of a rebel. The model code of conduct and the medieval rules still rule the hearts and souls of the patriarchs who see women just as mere objects and pawns for their bloody games.
Another theme intersects with the major themes in the book—prejudice and social evil, related to the girl child. One may call this an instilled cultural heritage but social evils need to be broken. Multiple trigger warnings can be expected where the female body, soul and mind are subjected to abuse. Casual hookups and intimate scenes in some chapters not only balance the inner turmoil of the character, it balance the story's trajectory as well.
What connects the fictional story with reality is the custom of marriage—the stakes and stakeholders associated with it. The inner dilemmas are clearly visible in the portrayal of the characters in this fat Indian wedding romance. The toughest job—to initiate, maintain and conclude all the character dynamics and developmental portrayal in a mere six days. That's where I feel Meisheri lacked a bit, as if all the traits were already ready to serve on the plate, without giving them much time to develop.
The motif and the major themes have been portrayed quite well, but the world-building certainly takes over the climax or the character development at many places rapidly. Typical Indian cliched segments are no doubt a turn-off—in some scenes, as a reader, one can visualize what will happen and how! The ending has been rushed, and it felt there was still some development left.
Under which category we can put the book is confusing, but a reader can say 'It Happened One Night' is a heart-warming romance of some rebellious souls. A happily ever after story which started with a kiss and ended with a kiss—the life comes full circle. So, if you are looking for a book where tradition meets steamy romance, you can pick this fast-paced book as your weekend read.
April 22, 2024
A sweet Bollywood style romance, with an insta-love trope 💓
💓INSIGHT: Set in the Pink City, Jaipur, the book narrates the story of Dr. Tarun Mehra & Meenakshi "Meena" Singh. A fated encounter between two strangers at a Navratri celebration sets into motion a series of events that will leave the lives of both Tarun & Meenakshi, altered forever.
💓REVIEW: It was an enjoyable, breezy read. The language used was lucid; the book flowed smoothly & was fast-paced. The emotions have been described well, & even though the narration is done in the 3rd person omniscient POV, we get the perspectives of both the lead characters, which help you connect with their thoughts. The ensemble of side characters makes the story well-rounded, while there are also some stock characters such as of the villain. Though you'll not find many ground-breaking elements in this familiar plot, it can be a good one-time read.
💓STRENGTH: 1. The writing style of the author hit the mark.
2. The story read like an entertaining & light-hearted Bollywood-esque drama, blending a dash of humour with romance, very mild angst, & lots of spice. You'll definitely find yourself smiling a lot while reading it.
3. The twists & turns, though a tad predictable, kept it engaging.
4. The book glosses over the age-old prejudice against the girl child in the family, but nothing too heavy.
💓WEAKNESS: 1. The insta-love, obsessive infatuation Tarun had in the beginning was not very believable. His actions in the first few chapters, as he himself admitted, were creepy & stalkerish. I can understand being enamoured with someone in the first glance, but execution of that could have been done better.
2. I was not feeling the chemistry between Tarun & Meena initially, though it had improved by the end. Their relationship seemed to be based on lust & infatuation. I would have preferred a bit more of a slow-burn.
3. There were several typing & printing errors throughout.
💓TARGET READERS : Suitable for 18+ readers, preferring light, spicy romance
💓GENRE: Contemporary Romance
💓RATING: 3.4/5
💓INSIGHT: Set in the Pink City, Jaipur, the book narrates the story of Dr. Tarun Mehra & Meenakshi "Meena" Singh. A fated encounter between two strangers at a Navratri celebration sets into motion a series of events that will leave the lives of both Tarun & Meenakshi, altered forever.
💓REVIEW: It was an enjoyable, breezy read. The language used was lucid; the book flowed smoothly & was fast-paced. The emotions have been described well, & even though the narration is done in the 3rd person omniscient POV, we get the perspectives of both the lead characters, which help you connect with their thoughts. The ensemble of side characters makes the story well-rounded, while there are also some stock characters such as of the villain. Though you'll not find many ground-breaking elements in this familiar plot, it can be a good one-time read.
💓STRENGTH: 1. The writing style of the author hit the mark.
2. The story read like an entertaining & light-hearted Bollywood-esque drama, blending a dash of humour with romance, very mild angst, & lots of spice. You'll definitely find yourself smiling a lot while reading it.
3. The twists & turns, though a tad predictable, kept it engaging.
4. The book glosses over the age-old prejudice against the girl child in the family, but nothing too heavy.
💓WEAKNESS: 1. The insta-love, obsessive infatuation Tarun had in the beginning was not very believable. His actions in the first few chapters, as he himself admitted, were creepy & stalkerish. I can understand being enamoured with someone in the first glance, but execution of that could have been done better.
2. I was not feeling the chemistry between Tarun & Meena initially, though it had improved by the end. Their relationship seemed to be based on lust & infatuation. I would have preferred a bit more of a slow-burn.
3. There were several typing & printing errors throughout.
💓TARGET READERS : Suitable for 18+ readers, preferring light, spicy romance
💓GENRE: Contemporary Romance
💓RATING: 3.4/5
May 9, 2024
Considering how the book started and how it ended, I was always at the edge of my seat. If we talk about the plot, it was extremely strong and had great potential. Both the main characters as well as the supporting characters wete defined really well, to the point that you would end up even feeling for the supporting characters. I had received the first chapter in advance from Mishty even before the book was officially launched, and it had excited me so much that I was constantly bugging her to send me a copy. And the sweetheart that she is, she was always looking forward to my texts. The depiction of patriarchy and gender bias is very strong in the book, which is also culturally appropriate. And the romance between Meenakshi and Tarun is very cinematic. The epilogue has my heart as the entire setup was so appealing.
Sadly that's where the good parts ended. As the genre suggests, it's a spicy romance. If balanced well, the spice content could have uplifted the storyline. But because for the overall sheer volume of it for few chapters in between, it seemed like the only factor taking the book forward, which eventually overshadowed the amazing plot.
In all, I would still recommend people to read this book because it has great romance elements, strong female MC, and representation of fight against patriarchy.
Sadly that's where the good parts ended. As the genre suggests, it's a spicy romance. If balanced well, the spice content could have uplifted the storyline. But because for the overall sheer volume of it for few chapters in between, it seemed like the only factor taking the book forward, which eventually overshadowed the amazing plot.
In all, I would still recommend people to read this book because it has great romance elements, strong female MC, and representation of fight against patriarchy.
June 4, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
As soon as I saw the cover, I was enamored because she's holding a knife against his neck, he's holding a gun?? AMAZING!.
And this scene was very quickly justified , so we got to know about it in detail. I really like when the book cover and the title is justified somewhere in the book.
Now moving to the story, we have Tarun , who is visiting his best friend Raj. He was attending a garba night where he met a beautiful girl under very shady circumstances, and she was pretending to be someone she was not(hiding her true self) why? We don't find out, until later. And what a revelation that was.
Our FMC, Meena, is bound by a lot of things, society, family, heritage and what not. She is betrothed to someone she absolutely hates but she cannot do anything about it. But some stuff happened, very truly unexpected and everything changes 360.
I was not at all expecting so many plot twists, so much drama and oh we have a "who did this? " scene. You best believe I SCREAMED at that.
There were scenes like the one mentioned above, when she went to see him in a saree out of nowhere, the confessions, all of these made me giggle SO BAD! ahh.
This book is filled with drama, chaos, secrets, hidden identities, angst, yearning, he fell first and harder, and also some spice. It's a package deal and I devoured it!!
As soon as I saw the cover, I was enamored because she's holding a knife against his neck, he's holding a gun?? AMAZING!.
And this scene was very quickly justified , so we got to know about it in detail. I really like when the book cover and the title is justified somewhere in the book.
Now moving to the story, we have Tarun , who is visiting his best friend Raj. He was attending a garba night where he met a beautiful girl under very shady circumstances, and she was pretending to be someone she was not(hiding her true self) why? We don't find out, until later. And what a revelation that was.
Our FMC, Meena, is bound by a lot of things, society, family, heritage and what not. She is betrothed to someone she absolutely hates but she cannot do anything about it. But some stuff happened, very truly unexpected and everything changes 360.
I was not at all expecting so many plot twists, so much drama and oh we have a "who did this? " scene. You best believe I SCREAMED at that.
There were scenes like the one mentioned above, when she went to see him in a saree out of nowhere, the confessions, all of these made me giggle SO BAD! ahh.
This book is filled with drama, chaos, secrets, hidden identities, angst, yearning, he fell first and harder, and also some spice. It's a package deal and I devoured it!!
June 16, 2026
I have been wanting to read this book for so long and trust me it absolutely did not disappoint! Loved every second of it💌
From the vibrant navratri celebrations to the grandeur of a rajasthani wedding this book pulled me into a world filled with colour, chaos, family drama and unexpected romance. It felt like watching a feel good Bollywood film unfold page by page.
Tarun completely won me over with how unapologetically smitten he was. He was dramatic, protective, funny and flawed in a way that made him feel human rather than perfect. Meena brought an intriguing mystery to the story. Her hidden truths and reluctance to let anyone in made me root for her happiness and healing throughout the book.
The chemistry between them was impossible to ignore. The romance was sweet, spicy and intense balancing playful banter with moments that genuinely made my heart flutter.
The book felt comforting, entertaining and joyfully dramatic. I laughed, swooned, rolled my eyes at the lovable chaos that was Tarun and Meena.
Finally by the time I reached the ending, I had this huge smile on my face. It delivered the happily ever after I hoped for without losing the emotional journey that led there.
From the vibrant navratri celebrations to the grandeur of a rajasthani wedding this book pulled me into a world filled with colour, chaos, family drama and unexpected romance. It felt like watching a feel good Bollywood film unfold page by page.
Tarun completely won me over with how unapologetically smitten he was. He was dramatic, protective, funny and flawed in a way that made him feel human rather than perfect. Meena brought an intriguing mystery to the story. Her hidden truths and reluctance to let anyone in made me root for her happiness and healing throughout the book.
The chemistry between them was impossible to ignore. The romance was sweet, spicy and intense balancing playful banter with moments that genuinely made my heart flutter.
The book felt comforting, entertaining and joyfully dramatic. I laughed, swooned, rolled my eyes at the lovable chaos that was Tarun and Meena.
Finally by the time I reached the ending, I had this huge smile on my face. It delivered the happily ever after I hoped for without losing the emotional journey that led there.
June 14, 2026
This was such a fun read! 🥹❤️ From the very first chapter, I was hooked. A stolen kiss, a mystery girl, wedding celebrations, family drama, and Navratri vibes? This book had so many things that kept me turning the pages.
I really liked both Tarun and Meena. Tarun was sweet, charming, and absolutely determined to find the girl he couldn't stop thinking about 😭. Meena was strong, relatable, and had so much more going on beneath the surface. I loved watching their story unfold and seeing them slowly get closer despite all the secrets standing between them.
One thing I especially enjoyed reading was how the book touched on patriarchy and gender expectations while still keeping the story entertaining and romantic. The wedding setting and festive atmosphere made everything feel so lively, and the supporting characters added a lot to the story.
Overall, this was a cute, emotional, and entertaining romance that had me smiling throughout. Tarun and Meena were adorable together, and I genuinely had such a great time reading their story ❤️✨
I really liked both Tarun and Meena. Tarun was sweet, charming, and absolutely determined to find the girl he couldn't stop thinking about 😭. Meena was strong, relatable, and had so much more going on beneath the surface. I loved watching their story unfold and seeing them slowly get closer despite all the secrets standing between them.
One thing I especially enjoyed reading was how the book touched on patriarchy and gender expectations while still keeping the story entertaining and romantic. The wedding setting and festive atmosphere made everything feel so lively, and the supporting characters added a lot to the story.
Overall, this was a cute, emotional, and entertaining romance that had me smiling throughout. Tarun and Meena were adorable together, and I genuinely had such a great time reading their story ❤️✨
October 7, 2024
I love reading fast paced novels regardless of the genre. I started reading murder mysteries and then stumbled upon this book at a bookchor book fair in Mumbai. Met the author. I was bedazzled by her personality. So decided to read this book. I usually don't read romance novels. But this book has changed my mind.
Now about the book. This is a very smooth read. I finished the book in one sitting. The book caught my interest from the first chapter itself, and from then onwards it just kept getting better. It was like a masala Bollywood romance running in my head as I kept reading the book. The writing is simple and professional. The characters of Tarun and Meena are very relatable and I could easily connect with them. The drama, the royal setting of the novel are top notch. The ending is perfect with loads of drama and a proper Bollywood movie ending.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Somebody should really make a movie out of this.
Now about the book. This is a very smooth read. I finished the book in one sitting. The book caught my interest from the first chapter itself, and from then onwards it just kept getting better. It was like a masala Bollywood romance running in my head as I kept reading the book. The writing is simple and professional. The characters of Tarun and Meena are very relatable and I could easily connect with them. The drama, the royal setting of the novel are top notch. The ending is perfect with loads of drama and a proper Bollywood movie ending.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Somebody should really make a movie out of this.
April 14, 2025
I bought this book from the world book fair in Delhi and solely based on THAT cover!!
Like literally WHO MADE THAT COVER?! The author should give credit on the cover too (she mentioned the artist in the acknowledgements).
The book is like literally fire. I never liked insta-love stories (slow burn 4eva) but this is the best insta love I can think of out there. Like literally the characters are questioning why they are falling in love with each other. Actually relatable inner monologues.
And this chick Meena, doesn't actually think "what are we gonna do" unlike the fmc written by that one influencer (you know the one i am talking about). Although she takes some really debatable steps to escape her situation, but props to her for not bending down to the patriarchy.
My one concern, the author needs to edit the book cause it has some minor typos. literally the only problem.
GET THIS BOOK IF YOU WANT A S*XY INDIAN ROMANCE.
Like literally WHO MADE THAT COVER?! The author should give credit on the cover too (she mentioned the artist in the acknowledgements).
The book is like literally fire. I never liked insta-love stories (slow burn 4eva) but this is the best insta love I can think of out there. Like literally the characters are questioning why they are falling in love with each other. Actually relatable inner monologues.
And this chick Meena, doesn't actually think "what are we gonna do" unlike the fmc written by that one influencer (you know the one i am talking about). Although she takes some really debatable steps to escape her situation, but props to her for not bending down to the patriarchy.
My one concern, the author needs to edit the book cause it has some minor typos. literally the only problem.
GET THIS BOOK IF YOU WANT A S*XY INDIAN ROMANCE.
September 20, 2024
I follow this author on Instagram and she is literally the sweetest person ever. I picked up this book from bookchor lock the box and I even got to meet her. I read some reviews stating that the book was not edited but the author herself has explained that few misprinted copies were sent out in the first few months.
The book is fun, cute, and has some amazing s*x scenes. As an Indian girl, there are not many romances that have a fmc wearing a sari. I was just loving the indian touches that the author has given.
If you like bollywood movies like Chennai Express and KKKG or old movies like Vivaah and Hum Aapke Hain Koun, you will definitely like this book.
The book is fun, cute, and has some amazing s*x scenes. As an Indian girl, there are not many romances that have a fmc wearing a sari. I was just loving the indian touches that the author has given.
If you like bollywood movies like Chennai Express and KKKG or old movies like Vivaah and Hum Aapke Hain Koun, you will definitely like this book.
March 30, 2024
I enjoyed this beautiful romance read. I adored the fierce, strong FMC Meenakshi and MMC Tarun, and his obsession with Meenakshi. The Aesthetic of the book, dandiya, Rajasthani culture, banters between the characters everything has my heart. The Author portrays the prejudice of society towards the girl child. Yes, It was still happening somewhere and needed to be broken.
It was a fast-paced story, Mishty's writing is so flawless which makes everything vivid and I couldn't put the book down. Overall, I loved this book and would strongly recommend it to romance readers.
It was a fast-paced story, Mishty's writing is so flawless which makes everything vivid and I couldn't put the book down. Overall, I loved this book and would strongly recommend it to romance readers.
September 7, 2025
Decent book! Out of all the indie writers I have read, this is the only book I actually liked. Apart from the typos in the book (which were seriously so damn irritating) the characters and the dramatic storyline made up for it. All in all, a decent debut work. Looking forward for what she comes up with next.
June 17, 2026
This book was such a fun time because wdym I flew through it in no time and found myself constantly smiling at the banter, the chemistry and all the delicious drama. The romance was really sweet and entertaining. So if you're looking for a romance that's easy to binge and impossible not to enjoy, this one is definitely worth picking up!
September 9, 2024
Very predictable, bollywoody and bad editing. Read only if you are under 20 else you won't enjoy. The character of meenakshi isn't relatable at all. They meet, they kiss, they sleep, they fall in love, girl doesn't know,there's a fiancee the villan and then they get married.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2024
For the lovers of bollywood romances, this one's for you.
April 22, 2024
A must read. Fast paced, spicy romance. Absolute page turner. Loved every moment of reading this book. Will surely go back to it, especially for the spice.
September 20, 2024
It was fast paced read. Totally Bollywood drama. I could see the scenes playing out before my eyes! Pretty good.
July 3, 2024
The starting was good !! great chemistry and even though it was fast paced, it felt fine but eventually as the book ended it becomes too dramatic ! Otherwise it would've been a good read.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews