Red Flags and Rishtas: A Desi Rom Com

by Radhika Agrawal

She's the queen of dating apps. He believes in arranged marriages.

With an impressive score of 153 dates, Ananya Kapoor is a bit of an expert on online dating. She has seen them
all - the nice guys, the fuckbois and everything in between. In her vigorous quest for her S.O., she has pretty much exhausted the pool of eligible singles in Delhi. That is, until a series of ridiculously hilarious events brings her under the same roof as Aadar Chauhan.

At the opposite end of the Indian dating spectrum, Aadar is not who she expects him to be. He is progressive,
confident and annoyingly attractive. Faced with a belief system starkly different from her own, she feels the need to prove herself more desirable than a man like him.

And so, one night, she makes a bet with him to see who can find a partner first. Can she beat him to the finish line? A delightfully told story of romance, friendship and unending banter, with one question looming who is destined for a happily ever after-the serial dater or the serial suitor?

Genres: Romance, Rom Com, Indian Literature, India, Love, Fiction, Enemies To Lovers

248 pages, Paperback

Published September 18, 2024

About the author

Radhika Agrawal is a romance novelist, lifestyle journalist and a storyteller at her core. Her love for romance as a genre comes from the innumerable Meg Cabots and Sophie Kinsellas she devoured as a teenager, and it’s heavily influenced by the epic love story of her own parents. She lives, dreams, and writes love stories with a vengeance, and believes that she can help romance get the respect and attention it deserves as a genre.

Reviews

[Arna Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

ɪ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ—ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴡᴏᴏɴ, ꜱᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ɪɴᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘɪʟʟᴏᴡ, ᴏʀ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ɪɴꜱᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀɴ ɪɴ-ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴍᴄ’ꜱ ᴊᴏʙ, ᴀ ᴠᴀɢᴜᴇ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴄꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ—ᴘᴏᴏꜰ!—ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ.

ᴇxᴄᴜꜱᴇ ᴍᴇ? ᴅɪᴅ ɪ ꜱᴋɪᴘ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ? ᴅɪᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴ ᴏꜰꜰ-ᴘᴀɢᴇ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴛᴜᴄᴋ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴍᴀɪʟꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴅʟɪɴᴇꜱ? ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ, ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴘʀᴀᴄᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ, ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ. ɪ’ᴠᴇ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʙᴜɪʟᴅ-ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴍɪᴄʀᴏᴡᴀᴠᴇ ᴅɪɴɴᴇʀ.

ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴍᴄ—ᴏʜ, ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴍᴀɴ. ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ, ʜᴇ ʀᴇᴊᴇᴄᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴍᴄ ᴏɴ ʜɪꜱ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴅᴀʏ, ɢᴏᴇꜱ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇᴛꜱ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴅᴀʏꜱ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇʀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱʜᴏᴡ ᴜᴘ ʟɪᴋᴇ, “ɪ ᴍᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ.” ɴᴏ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢʏ, ɴᴏ ɢʀᴏᴠᴇʟɪɴɢ—ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀɴ “ᴏᴏᴘꜱ” ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʜᴏᴘᴇꜰᴜʟ ʟᴏᴏᴋ.

ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴍᴄ? ꜱʜᴇ ꜰᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇꜱ ʜɪᴍ ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ. ɴᴏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴛᴜʀᴍᴏɪʟ, ɴᴏ Qᴜᴇꜱᴛɪᴏɴɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇʀɪᴛʏ—ᴊᴜꜱᴛ, “ᴏᴋᴀʏ!” ᴍᴀ’ᴀᴍ, ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʜɪᴍ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛ. ʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴀ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢɪɴɢ ʜᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ!

ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜱᴇQᴜᴇɴᴄᴇꜱ, ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀɪɴ’ᴛ ɪᴛ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀᴋᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ʜᴀʟꜰ-ʙᴀᴋᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ,
ᴄᴏɴɢʀᴀᴛᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ—ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ꜰᴏᴜɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴᴇxᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ.

♥️ ➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶♥️

ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ɢᴜɪʟᴛʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ᴀᴍ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴅᴇʙᴜᴛ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ( ɪɴ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴀᴛᴇɢᴏʀʏ), ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪᴛ. ᴜɴꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ꜰᴜʟʟʏ ʟᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴄ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀʏᴏꜰꜰ ᴡᴀꜱɴ’ᴛ ᴀꜱ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴀꜱ ɪ’ᴅ ʜᴏᴘᴇᴅ.

ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱᴀɪᴅ, ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪꜱ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟᴇ ᴀᴄʜɪᴇᴠᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴀᴅᴍɪʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴘᴜᴛꜱ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ. ꜱᴏ, ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴀꜱɴ’ᴛ ᴍʏ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴᴀʟ ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ, ɪ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ’ꜱ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ. ᴀ ꜱᴏʟɪᴅ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪꜱʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɴᴇxᴛ ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ!

♥️ ➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶♥️

[anushka ♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

first of all, where was the romance?
if only this book was the amount of times there was an interaction or conversation between our couple, it would've been less than 50 pages. the whole book was more about the fmcs work and some more work and pages & pages of her experience going on multiple dates and how and why it didn't workout with the guys.

the entire book is from the fmcs pov and we don't know anything about our mmc except for where he works, what he does and few facts here and there. nothing of what he thinks, how he is. he was mentioned that he was good looking i think once or twice.

Im still not getting the plot of the book, nothing happened between the main characters 90% of the book. and by nothing i mean, hardly any connection, veryyy vague if you wanna name it. all professional and hardly any conversation that would lead up to any warm feeling. there were hardly any but whatever conversations they had were soooo bland and it felt forced as if to get the plot to progress (it didnt...) even when they were supposed to be 'enemies' it hardly felt like an acquaintance.

(SPOILERS from here)
on 200/230 page of the book the fmc realizes she is in love with him. (after they had a one night stand) and he on the other hand is engaged to another woman. miss girl goes to talk to him at his engagement party even after being ghosted by him for days. this guy doesn't entertain her. she's depressed and then when she's trying to do better, 3 weeks later this guy RANDOMLY SHOWS UP ON THE DATING APP HOPING SHE'D SWIPE RIGHT ON HIM. and our fmc does do that actually...and then he texts her, says that he was a fool and she's the one for him and that he has called the wedding off.... he then asks her to come outside her house, they meet and talk (i would hope) smile and kiss....this is how the book ends.
fmc fumbled a good guy (yes who was actually courting her) by sleeping with mmc and as i mentioned earlier mmc called the wedding off of a supposed sweet girl.
this was mainly about the couple.....
but oh our fmc pissed me off many times but im tired to write anymore but what bugged me the most was that she has sooo much jealousy against her bestfriend which she mentions multiple times. that is soooo off putting.
idk if im missing anything else but im so done. ok bye.

[Ankita · Rating 1 out of 5]

NO.

[n.g. ;⋆˚✿˖° (in a slump💔) · Rating 1 out of 5]

A big fat NO. I really wanted to enjoy it but sadly I hated it. The mmc was weird. Author tried to present the thing that the mmc did as the STANDARD but they were just BASIC MANNERS!! (It is like the bar is in hell). Though I liked the FMC, but even that couldn’t save the book.

[Anjana Priya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let’s just pretend that I never read this.

[Sakshi Agarwal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished the book thinking, what the heck did I just read?

Ananya, the FMC, goes on a date every week to get over her ex—only to reject men for the smallest inconveniences. She’s also jealous of her best friend and says questionable things about her.

Meanwhile, Aadar, the MMC, remains a mystery since the entire book is from Ananya’s POV. His emotions, motives, and expectations are barely explored. The story focuses more on Ananya’s workplace than their romance, and even after 70% of the book, there’s no real spark between them. Then, out of nowhere, they kiss—despite her leading on another guy and Aadar being engaged (or close to it). Suddenly, she realizes she loves him, but there’s no real romantic buildup. He rejects her on his engagement day, which she’s oddly offended by, and later, he just decides she’s "the one." No groveling, no real emotional depth—she simply accepts it. 2 stars just because of the banter.

This could have been a great story if it had explored their shared pain—Ananya’s heartbreak and Aadar’s grief over his late girlfriend. But instead, it’s a complete mess.

[Kritika · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt this book is very fake. It felt like author is trying to personify some American lifestyle for the characters . I mean family allows their daughter to be all night out and morning she has arranged marriage suitor coming for her( meaning the two situations dont go together). The story felt very forced for me.
Felt icky the whole time reading it

I dnfed it

[Isha · Rating 2 out of 5]

It could've been a lot better. The pacing was not good. Too little dialogues.
I felt as if the FMCs job was the primary focus, and the romance was secondary. Also when did the MCs fall in love??? It was very rushed. This book wasn't for me.

[Swathi✨️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Flags & Rishtas 💙💗💙💗

This one was messy, awkward, chaotic—and kinda cute in its own frustrating way 😅💙💗

Aadar and Ananya’s story starts on such a what even is happening note because she first goes on a date with his brother Karan 😬💙💗 And then she meets Aadar awkwardly after that???
Secondhand embarrassment was REAL.

Cut to them meeting again… for an arranged marriage setup 😭💙
And guess what?
👉 They reject each other
👉 End up working together
👉 Are forced into proximity
👉 Slowly develop this strange, comforting bond

The tension builds nicely here 💙💗 I genuinely enjoyed how their friendship grew before feelings crept in. The bet on who’d find a partner first was fun too — Ananya fully into dating apps 📱💗 while Aadar stayed loyal to the arranged marriage route 💙
Somewhere between banter, late nights, and emotional honesty… they fall for each other 💔💗

Then comes the drunk mistake moment... they both just jump over each other and get all steamy😉😉, followed by the BIG blow:
👉 Aadar getting engaged to another girl
That part hurt 😭💙
Ananya spiraling, feeling replaceable, pulling back — very real, very sad.

But credit where it’s due:
Aadar breaking off the wedding and choosing honesty over convenience redeemed him 💙✨ And them finding their way back to each other felt satisfying, even if a bit rushed.

Overall thoughts:
💙 cute premise
💗 good chemistry
💙 emotional moments worked
💗 some decisions were frustrating
💙 pacing could’ve been tighter

⭐ 3-star read for me
Enjoyable, imperfect, slightly messy — but still a decent one-time read... and also extremely fast paced💙🩷💙🩷💙🩷

[Megha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked it up at the airport, and finished reading by the time I landed. Just like airplane snacks: you take it because it’s there, and it does the job, but you’re not exactly craving it again.

#3 in my reading series for 2025: life is hard and I want my reading to be easy

[Avani ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Flags & Rishtas by Radhika Agrawal is a desi rom-com about a girl who is a serial dater, and a male protagonist who has been on the hunt to find the right match via the arranged marriage setup.

I was looking to read something fluffy and light last weekend, and I knew I had to pick up my comfort genre: a desi rom-com novel with quirky characters and an even weirder plot. This one was right down my alley, and it promised everything I was looking for during my reading time.

While one protagonist is eagerly waiting to find the right match for marriage, the other keeps right-swiping on dating apps just to run away from the whole arranged marriage setup. The banter between the two was incredibly fun to read, alongside the backdrop of their business at an events company.

Where it fell a bit short for me was that I wanted more romance and chemistry to build between the two. It felt like they went from hating each other to sleeping together one night, and boom—everything changes. It would have been better if we had a few more scenes that explored and narrated the thoughts of both main characters about each other.

[Swati · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story follows ananya kapoor and aadar chauhan. Ananya, a self-proclaimed dating app expert with a whopping 153 dates under her belt, and Aadar, a charming believer in arranged marriages, find themselves at odds over their approaches to love. In a playful bid to prove whose method is superior, they make a bet: who can find a partner first?

I really enjoyed reading it. Once I picked the book, I was totally invested in the story. Ananya was so hilarious and her tinder dates made me laugh out loud so many times. also the circumstances when ananya and aadar first met was so funny. The pace of the book was perfect and the writing was so good that I could see the story happening irl in my head. It was like watching a rom-com with complicated characters and funny banter. I was rooting for aadar and Ananya right from the start. I loved seeing ananya's character develop and her friendship with vrinda was so precious.

the only thing I didn't like was that it felt a bit rushed at the end and we could have gotten more moments of them together but it's nothing major and overall I really enjoyed it.

Pick this book up if you like romcoms with witty banter and cultural insights into Indian dating traditions or just looking for a light-hearted, fun and quick read.

[Shreeya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan of this book like even after completing 70% of the book I am not at all seeing any spark between and suddenly without any sexual tension ever, they kissed out of nowhere and after that girl realised that she loves him there was no romance novel feeling and she suddenly realised it and the guy rejected him on his engagement day and then suddenly he one fine day realised that she is not the one and there was no groveling the girl just was ok to date him

[Sleepy Kid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope, nope, nope. Radhika you had an amazing chance of making this "enemies to lovers" an amazing book but you went ahead and ruined it with a cheating trope. Not once but twice. Not to mention the FMC was just so selfish and please stick to the part if you want to give HEA or character arc. You can't give both and expect me to like it. 2 stars only for the banter. The ending ruined it

[Aastha Anand · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ananya is a serial dater who has no clue that life is going to drop Aadar Chauhan in her life in a hilarious turn of events and I'll never be the same. The book is an enjoyable experience with good writing that made it a visual treat for the reader in me. The book starts as a light read but touches on many themes like family, relationships, self discovery, accepting oneself, fears, life etc. The book had me interested throughout and by the end I wanted to give a hug to both the characters.

[Nivsreview · Rating 3 out of 5]

As my first indie romance novel i absolutely like it.

Things I like:-
- The ending specially.
- The plotting, gosh it was so cute.
- The bantering between both MCs ( it was so accurate specially the betting part was a great add on. )

Things which i wanted :-
- Male pov ( i think if it was written from both MCs narrative it would have a fair chance of getting a 4 star possibly)
- More emotional conversation and connection between MCs. ( It was nice but I still feel lack of connection between them.)


Ananya & Aadar both fell for eachother except that one took more time than the other one to accept it, but before that all the betting situation, their meet cutes and everything was good.

Don't get me started on that tinder profile bio at the ending, Aabar literally won my heart at that moment. I'm in owe with that particular moment.

[Roshni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a person who reads romcom, i don't even remember when was the last time I read one. Started this because a friend vouched for this book to be thoroughly entertaining and i COMPLETELY agree. Started this book and completed it in one go...
what I liked about this book is, it's not over the top romantic where authors nowadays add a lot of spice. The book was a fun read among all the heavy plot ridden books that we read.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

honestly , i don't like to give less then 3 stars
but this book was all over my instagram feed , so i thought maybe it'll be good , but it was so superficial , honestly i felt disappointed.
couldn't connect to the characters.
did I laugh - no
any mushy feelings - no
did i cry - no
was i shocked - absolutely not

the whole book that I read in a single sitting , i was waiting for something to happen but the book ended leaving me in nothingness, i could have slept in that time .

[Avipsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

[Rashmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was so good. Short, sweet and mildly funny. But the ending was so disappointing 😞

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk where was the rom in the book, but there was definitely com
I aspire to be as chaotic as her in 10 years
I however don’t want to relate to this so called ‘love story’

[a_geminireader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Laugh-Out-Loud Journey Through Love, Tradition, and Self-Worth

This delightful rom-com by Radhika Agarwal brings to life the chaos of modern dating versus traditional matchmaking with charm and wit. Ananya Kapoor, a bold and quirky serial dater, is the queen of dating apps, boasting an impressive 153 dates. On the other hand, Aadar Chauhan, a thoughtful advocate of arranged marriages, believes in the old-school way of finding love. Their contrasting worlds collide after a series of hilariously awkward events forces them to live under one roof—and leads to a playful bet: who can find love first?

What Makes It Shine

1. Humor with Substance: The author skillfully uses satire to tackle sensitive issues like nosy relatives, societal pressures, and the search for “the one.” Every laugh carries a deeper message, making the story as reflective as it is entertaining.


2. Dynamic Characters: Ananya’s relatable personality—bold, flawed, and wonderfully real—stands out, while Aadar’s progressive yet traditional charm offers a refreshing take on arranged marriages. Their chemistry and banter are electric, keeping readers hooked throughout.


3. Thoughtful Themes: Beyond the laughs, the book dives into self-worth, societal expectations, and the red flags we often ignore in relationships. It reminds readers that whether it’s love or arranged rishtas, the key to happiness is finding someone who truly values you.


4. A Twist Ending: The story wraps up with an unexpected conclusion that is both surprising and satisfying, perfectly tying together the book’s themes of love and growth.


With its simple and engaging writing style, memorable characters, and hilarious yet thought-provoking moments, it’s a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read.

Ultimately, this book is more than a bet between a serial dater and a serial suitor—it’s a heartfelt exploration of love, personal growth, and embracing who you truly are. A must-read for anyone navigating the chaos of modern relationships!

[Naynesh Desai · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light romantic romcom.

When two individual meet for a rishta’s they hit it off and reject each other.

But what happens later is the fun.

It’s about dating scene and wedding proposals.

A light cute romantic comedy read. Pick it up if you need break from other genre!!!

[Rahul Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Electrifyingly delicious-
✒️📖
Review of 'Red Flags and Rishtas'

'Red Flags and Rishtas' is a romcom we all have been waiting for a long time. It's sweet, fast and saucy. Electrifyingly delicious. Ananya Kapoor, with 153 Tinder dates under her belt, is someone I might call a datezilla. She has her knives sharp, her mind sharper. She has seen and lived through them all- the good ones, the vile ones and all else on the dating spectrum.

When on a boring date, she is daydreaming about a random guy to come save her. Read this to understand her crazy bandwidth- 'But, of course, my life wasn't a romcom, and the man I was shamelessly fantasising about in front of my date was not even looking at me.'

The shit hits the fan when she spends some time with a guy and (mild spoiler ahead. Jump to next paragraph if you don't want to spoil it for yourself) his big brother (warning again) is slated to meet Miss Kapoor in an arranged marriage setup.
When Aadar gets to know the pickle, sparks and snide remarks fly and the air becomes thick with passion.
I loved the parts where Ananya, the MC, is detailing her struggle with the dating. It's difficult to find out the real height of a person when on a dating site but she has a master key for every problem. The people who put up their pics at careful angles, Ananya shares, are the ones who ate trying to hide their height/weight.
A particular para that stands out as funny as well as with a lemon dash of philosophy is- 'I'm not afraid of awkward silences. In fact, I quite enjoy them. You can tell a lot about a man from the way he deals with a lull in conversation. For example,if he's too eager to fill the gaps, he interprets silence as rejection. If he acknowledges it, he's trying to salvage asituation he thinks isn't going in his favour. '

Agarwal has written Ananya as a strong, fiery woman teetering on the edge of a crucial decision. The situations she finds herself in are hilarious and push the story forward. Somewhere I felt that the story was going too dialogue-centric and author's decision to showcase her writing as zany in every other sentence comes as grating in places. I have this issue with the dialogue-heavy storytelling format. Agarwal's skill with humour offsets this shortcoming a bit and comes as a breath of fresh air.

All in all a good book to spend on a beach while looking for a hot date.

[Navneet · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5ish…

I had been wanting to read this book for the longest time because of how much I saw Indian bookstagramers recommend it and I’ve been wanting to pick up more desi romcoms by Indian authors in India. This had potential honestly but I feel very let down.

The writing is okay, but I will always HATE when abbreviations are used in books and when authors use cut down words like “coz”. Like miss girl you’re a WRITER please write…


The ending was so rushed it felt like it just hits you outta no where, we had a third break up act which patched up in like less than 10 pages?? I wish we got to see more of the MMC’s past and how if / how he knew he moved on from that (if ykyk).


Hoping for better from the other ones I pick up by the author because this one wasn’t it sadly :(

[Jazzandbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

annoying fmc.

[Ishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in one sitting couldn’t put it down!
Didn’t expect to love it this much, but wow… so real, so relatable, so me!!!!
Funny, emotional, and full of heart 🫶

[Alisha Karamchandani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast read, wasnt a very intresting book

[♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

karan should've been endgame.

[The Book Critiques · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is set in bustling Delhi and introduces us to Ananya Kapoor, a confident, career-driven woman. Ananya is no stranger to the highs and lows of dating apps, swiping her way through love and heartbreaks while navigating her independence. On the other hand, we meet Aadar Chauhan, a charming advocate for arranged marriages who believes in family values and the “old-fashioned” way of finding a partner.

Their worlds collide when an unexpected twist forces them to meet. What starts as awkward meeting soon turns into a competitive bet: who can find a suitable partner first—Ananya through her endless swiping, or Aadar via his family’s carefully curated rishtas? As the bet unfolds, the story dives deep into the complexities of modern relationships, addressing themes like societal expectations, personal desires, and the struggle to stay true to oneself.

What I loved most about this book is how the author uses humor to touch upon sensitive issues without losing the light-hearted tone of the story. From nosy relatives to the pressure of finding “the one,” every situation is written with a touch of satire that keeps you laughing while reflecting on the realities of Indian matchmaking.

The characters are the heart of the story. Ananya is bold, flawed, and wonderfully real—a woman many readers will see themselves in. Aadar, on the other hand, brings a refreshing perspective to the idea of arranged marriages, showing that it’s not as outdated as it might seem. Together, their chemistry, banter, and growth make for an entertaining and heartwarming journey.

Beyond the laughs, the book offers a thoughtful commentary on the red flags we often ignore in relationships—whether it’s compromising too much for the sake of societal approval or letting outdated beliefs dictate our choices. It reminds us that whether we choose love or rishtas, the most important thing is to recognize our own worth and find someone who values us for who we truly are.

✨ Why You Should Read It
If you’re someone who loves romantic comedies with depth, this book is a must-read. It’s perfect for fans of books like The Zoya Factor or movies like Band Baaja Baaraat. The engaging writing style, relatable characters, and hilarious yet thought-provoking moments make this book an enjoyable and meaningful experience.