Maya in Multicolor

by Swati Teerdhala

Fans of When Dimple Met Rishi will love this charming, slow-burn YA romance about all the ways you can honor tradition while still giving it a modern flair.

When it comes to romance, Maya still believes in meet-cutes, but she’s done with boys wasting her time. After her freshman romance refuses to put a label on their relationship, Maya decides to reclaim her life and completely turnaround her college experience. She’s got big plans to throw the most spectacular Holi—a colorful Hindu festival symbolizing rebirth, which Maya feels she desperately needs.

Enter college heartthrob Nishant Rai, an upperclassman, notorious playboy, and well-connected DJ. After the student council makes him Maya’s co-planner, she finds herself working closely with the one guy on campus she can’t have and definitely doesn’t want. He plans to turn the event into #HoliFest, a flashy EDM festival blending old traditions with the fresh new twist of a music festival. As the two grow closer, Maya realizes Nishant is so much more than a pretty face. Is he just wasting her time, or has she finally found her meet-cute?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, College, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

304 pages, Paperback

First published March 11, 2025

About the author

Swati Teerdhala is a storyteller and writer.

After graduating from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Finance and History, she tumbled into the marketing side of the technology industry. She’s passionate about many things, including how to make a proper cup of chai, the right ratio of curd-to-crust in a lemon tart, and diverse representation in the stories we tell.

She currently lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A cozy and charming college romance that forces two students to work together despite their differences. Maya dreams of the perfect romance. Nishant Rai is a notorious playboy. What could they possibly have in common?

I thought this was cute, Maya and Nishant were two protagonists that I could cheer on as they slow burned their way to romance. Sure, the ending is predictable, but I was still invested to follow through to the end.

I have to say that I am getting tired of the trope of the playboy helping a socially awkward girl find romance. I have been to college, and yes, playboys have hearts of gold. But they still want to get laid. I realize that makes me sound cynical, but I know YA readers will lap up the plot. In the end, that is all that matters.





#MayainMulticolor #NetGalley.
Expected Publication 11/03/25
Goodreads Review 02/03/25

[Ayushi (bookwormbullet) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! 4.5 stars

[carthi ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

incoherent review: [4.5/5 stars] AHH THIS BOOK WAS THE PERFECT READ FOR THIS SEASON!! i adored maya and nishant and their old married couple bickering over planning the holi mela 🥹🎀✨️ the detailed explanations of the baked goods had me craving some and even trying to bake them myself (spoiler alert: that did not go well, maya send me your magic!!) but omg, i absolutely adore and admire the character arcs maya and nishant had, and the development of their relationship. it was realistic and took a lot of time to develop (even when it was painfully obvious boy was whipped for her, but alas, he was in denial 😔). anyways you all should pick this up as holi season is right around the corner!! full rtc

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute YA freshman college slow burn romance between two South Asian teens forced to work together to plan and organize their school's best ever Holi festival. I loved the Spring vibes, the food and music content and the great banter between the two MCs. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of books like Salaam, with love or Four Eids and a funeral. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Amy's Book Cafe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maya in Multicolor is a love letter to Holi. It's a sweet romance which is about food and friendships, familial expectations, the starry eyed ambitions of college students, new experiences, a lot of The Great British Bake-off references, marrying traditions with modernity and about event planning. When Maya and Nishant are given the responsibility of planning the college Holi fest, it's clear from the beginning that they have very different visions for the event. While Maya wants to bring back the traditional charm of festival of colors, Nishant wants to turn it into an EDM festival. As the two come together, they realise that together their ideas can spin magic and create a spectacular event. I loved how the focus never went away from Holi and the traditions and messages associated with it. The relationship progressed at a believable pace and there were a lot of cute moments. I really enjoyed this one and if you like books about festivals, you should definitely try this one.

[neha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up. that was so cute! i honestly don’t have much to say besides the fact that this is the first book i’ve read in a while and i’m just proud of myself for getting through it.

[Rayo Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her freshman romance with Thomas fizzles—thanks to his refusal to define the relationship—Maya decides to reinvent herself and turn her college experience around.

Maya, Maya, Maya… I don’t want to start off chastising you, but girl, you really did this to yourself. You spent six months with a guy who clearly didn’t deserve you, and deep down you knew it. Why go along with it? Is a label from a boy really worth your peace of mind?

Enter Nishant. From the moment Maya meets him, it’s obvious she’s going to fall hard. But Nishant has a reputation: the “two-date wonder” who keeps things casual and avoids commitment.

I'm usually not one for grand romantic gestures—especially when they come from a character already portrayed as desperate—and in this case, Maya’s big moment just didn’t land for me.

Overall, it was an okay read—relatable in some ways, but not entirely satisfying.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute multicultural YA!

[Nic Ojo (bujos_n_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true YA that allowed me to step into the culture of another community. Would definitely read more works by this author.

[Meg Kal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm cozy delight of a book!! Highly recommend!!

[Poppy · Rating 1 out of 5]

felt like this was a book bought and paid for for the sake of sales idk it felt fake and not something the author came up with 100% yk?

[Demetria Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this book was infuriatingly adorable. No, seriously, Maya as a character was oblivious
as hell and it made me groan so many times but I still loved her. “Maya in Multicolorr” was a lovely story about achieving your goals, building amazing friendships, becoming master manipulator thanks to British Bake Off and realising that maybe getting into a relationship that’s not based on love and understanding is not the greatest idea.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book and the developing relationship between two main characters. As I said, I did find Maya oblivious and infuriating but to be fair to her, she had every reason not to trust Nishant. However, it took her BLOODY AGES to realise her feelings for him and that almost made me put the book down but the ending made up for it by being genuinely so sweet and cute and just… ughhhhh just perfect! Also, I loved the description of the Holi celebration. I felt it was just such a perfect conclusion to Maya’s and Nishant’s cooperation to put this event together, especially after watching them work so hard on it.

Right, Nishant. Baby, you could do no wrong. You’re a cinnamon roll and I love you. You did behave like a POS once or twice but you did apologise so that’s fine.

Gods, watching Maya and Nishant getting together at the end made me giggle and kick my feet! I’d love a book two about these two, their banter and just normal conversations were so incredibly enjoyable to read/listen to I DEMAND to get more of these two cutie patooties!

The only BUT I have about this book is that the romance is a SLOW burn. VERY, VERY SLOW BURN. To the point where I was starting to lose interest. Then again, maybe I just read too many insta-love romances and I’m just not used to relationships that take more time to develop. Yeah, I think that’s it. I’m gonna blame myself.

Anyway, I loved this book so much and I highly recommend it if you like slow YA romances with a great, fun plot and interesting characters.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maya is trying to get back on track after a non-starter relationship at the beginning of her freshman year of college. His name is Thomas and he seemed more interested in hanging out in her cushy apartment playing video games than in dating her. And it kind of messed up Maya’s view of relationships.

Since Maya spent the first four months of college hanging out in her apartment with Thomas, she never got to do the activities she was interested in. Maya’s dream career involves activity planning and baking and she wants to join the activities committee.
She gets picked right away and has her choice of activities to plan so she chooses her dream: holi.

But ladies man Nash gets added to her Holi planning committee and his dreams are drastically different than hers. But they choose to work together after Nash offers to set Maya up with potential love interests.

There’s more to Nash than Maya realized and she comes to enjoy his company. He also makes her question what she has actually been looking for in a relationship.

This was sweet but there were some storylines that didn’t feel super significant. There’s a dating app story that kind of lead to a bigger part of the story. But there’s a sly comment about Thomas’ brother that I expected to be significant.

A sweet, short story with likable characters.

[Wafah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good croissant needs the perfect balance of butter to make it just right. A musical production -"the right mix of beats, bass, and melody." Maya in Multicolor finds that same sweet spot, blending the clash between tradition and modernity into a vibrant, romantic story about self-worth, cultural pride, and the magic of second chances.

If Maya is romantic and rooted in tradition, Nishant is cynical and unapologetically modern. Neither of them is wrong in their vision is wrong, but both have to find harmony between the two, and watching them do just that is a joy. Their dynamic crackles with witty banter, heartfelt moments, and real chemistry. You can practically see the sparks flying off the page. (Though at times, Maya’s attachment to tradition felt a little repetitive)

I do wish we’d gotten more of Nishant’s backstory—his motivations and emotional reactions would’ve hit harder with a bit more context. Still, this is a lovely romance that's written like a Bollywood rom-com you can devour in one sitting, full of moments that make your heart race.

Thanks, Disney Hyperion and NetGalley, for the ARC and the opportunity to review this book.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say enough about this book! We’ve had a meet-cute, a break-up, and ANOTHER meet-cute within 25 pages—say less.

This story brought out the romantic in me in the best way. I loved learning about Holi and watching the dynamic between Maya and Nishant shift. Honestly, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m ranking this one right up there with Lynn Painter!

From the first page, I felt like I was right there with Maya. I’m so glad Jana was around to give her advice (because let’s be real, we all need a friend to talk some sense into us). The college setting made it even more fun, and the mix of humor, romance, and culture made this such a unique read.

I still can’t believe how underrated this book is, like how has no one heard of this? To all the Booktok girlies who love a clean romance, this one is for you! The number of gasps that I gasped while reading this book is insane. I was so immersed in this that I read it in less than 4 hours.

I recommend this book to literally anyone with an ounce of romantic in them 5/5 stars!!!

[Charanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars but feeling generous because of the adorable romance factor.

I enjoyed the author's The Boyfriend Wish and hence was looking forward for this one, the book did not disappoint.
Having no idea about how cultural fests are organized in an American university this one gave a great insight about how diversity is celebrated. How a festival like Holi is organized and enjoyed by the Indian community abroad.
There are no real dark themes, just a couple of teenagers or more like young adults exploring their newfound independence managing parents' expectations and opting a different career path that brings them joy.
Nishant and Maya are perfect leading characters, the author could even have written then as proper adults given.their banter, chemistry and their conversations with proper amounts of swoon. Enjoyable storyline with a slow burn romance. Will look forward to the author's future books.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the Holi emphasis and cultural rep! The storyline and characterization is nothing new, but the cultural ties add to this work. I also really appreciated how Nishant wasn’t overly handsy and how Maya wasn’t overly dramatic. They both had some decent backstory to them and a slow burn romance. Wasn’t super deep in any way, but I liked how they became friends, knew each other so well, and supported each other. They didn’t like each other to begin with but they weren’t flat-out enemies. There were no surprises for me with the plot but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t get weirdly toxic or hurtful. Even when Maya and Nishant rejected each other or pushed each other away, they didn’t say anything too awful and everything is quickly repaired. Pretty cleanly YA but falls into new adult because they’re in college.

A few curse words. Frat party. Two kisses.

[Donna Metler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review it.

Maya's first semester of college.....it's been OK, but not great. All of her plans, her goals, her dreams have been sidelined because of a meet up with a guy who, despite demanding all her time and attention, insists that she's not his girlfriend.

So, time for Maya 2.0. Time to join the campus Hindu Students Association and put on the best Holi celebration the campus has ever seen. Time to go to campus events. Time to meet new people...maybe even a boyfriend.

This plan hits a snag when Zane, the president of the HSA, asks Maya to co-chair along with Nishant, a dashing, handsome DJ known on campus as a 2 date wonder.

The story progresses as anticipated. There's no doubt that there will be a Happlily ever after. But, having said that, this is an enjoyable YA romance. There is no physicality beyond kisses, the relationships develop organically over time, and the set-backs faced are both logical and reasonable. There is also a lot of detail about Holi and it's role in Hindu culture and what it means to Maya, and the struggles faced by kids who, despite being absolutely successful, aren't necessarily successful in the way their more traditional families expect. This is a wonderful own voices book and one that I believe will be well accepted by it's target audience. It's also a YA book which would be perfectly acceptable for advanced MG readers, which is unusual. Well done.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her first semester of college was somewhat disastrous in the dating realm, Maya wants to give up completely and focus on one thing–throwing the most spectacular Holi festival the college town has ever seen. The only issue standing in her way is Nishant, the boy who is every bit Maya’s nemesis and who wants to turn this traditional festival into a raging music concert. While they work together on the festival, of course their interest in each other grows. Despite this being a very predictable plotline, it is a light and easy read, the characters are loveable, and this offers people a look at what the Holi Festival is. Recommended for 8th grade and up. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maya is looking for two things. A real, true love, and to be an event planner, beginning with planning the annual Holi event for her college. Maya is allowed to try to save the Holi event, with the condition she works with the hottest guy in school, Nashant. She's not happy, doesn't like his ideas, thinks he's trying to ruin Holi and wants to keep Holi traditional. Maya joins a friend's dating app, but is kicked off and reluctantly agrees to Nashant's help in finding someone to date. She is trying to reinvent herself, if she can get herself out of the way.

If she can pull it off, not only will she save Holi, but she may find a real relationship.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

So if I were a mature enough tween or high schooler / college aged person, I would have enjoyed this and ate it up. Young love, the guy everyone wants with a heart of gold who doesn’t want to follow what his parents want him to do. Who wouldn’t have eaten this up ? As an adult in her thirties, there were parts that I was like “this isn’t fully believable” to me (mostly centered around the app situation) but minus that this was a cute romance that didn’t have a lot of stakes stacked against Maya and her DJ love interest. I do appreciate that she mentions that she needed to find someone compatible to her and not to fall for someone who doesn’t want to see you blossom into your true self.

P

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so many things, and all of them beautiful. It was heartwarming, firstly - Maya's story was a delightful read, how she decides to shake her fears to become the person she wants to be. And the romance? SWOON. The chemistry between Maya and Nishant was sparkling, their banter was amazing, and the slow burn development of their relationship was done so well and definitely gave me heart flutters. ♥

[Sonia Ballada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let your heart lead, even if it has made mistakes before.

Maya’s internal dilemmas mirrored my own uncertainty as a university student, and the books really brings to life what one type of Desi American story on campus might look like. Personally, I was on a dance team, but I have many friends who most definitely spent long nights on cultural event committees.

[Beauty and the Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute! Why have I not heard of this one before? I randomly picked it up and I'm in love ❤️ This is one of the cutest reads and I adored Maya and Nish. all of the characters were really well done and I loved all of the cultural representation.

If you're looking for an adorable clean romance you should definitely pick this one up!

[Janki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is sooo swoonworthy, comforting and feels like a warm hug.
A classic grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup if I can call it, the amount of banter, slow burn, comfort, giddy vibes this has given is just unreal.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although technically New Adult (characters are freshmen in college), this is a supersweet, PG romance. Full of Hindi culture surrounding the festival of Holi, mixed with a safer style dating app element. Great representation!

[Nicole Kincaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this as part of a project with the author! I loved Maya and Nishant’s story! This was such a cute read!

[Brianna Ty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm. Endearing. Culturally important. I really enjoyed this book, and cannot wait for it to be officially published so that others can fall in love with Maya and Nishant!

[shayainink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this book up soo fast!! Maya and Nishant had such adorable banter and I love the way they supported each other. This book is perfect for the season and so Indian movie core, I adore it♥️♥️

[M.J · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a cute read! Cute and simple, very nice