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The Design of Us
One impulsive lie leads to a weeklong adventure of fake dating for two bickering coworkers in this swoony destination wedding rom-com by Sajni Patel, author of The Trouble with Hating You.
Sunshine incarnate Bhanu brings big UX energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. She expected to get a reprieve from him while visiting her family in Hawai’i, but the universe has other plans. When Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel and witnesses his ex criticizing him about being single, Bhanu does the first thing that comes to she impetuously claims to be Sunny’s girlfriend just to get some peace and quiet. Except Sunny is on island for a friend’s wedding and his ex has already texted the entire wedding party about this mysterious girlfriend.
Bhanu truly is the bane of Sunny’s existence. But the last thing he wants to do is cause tension during his friend’s wedding festivities, much less be the object of their pity. He has no choice except to play along, if only he and Bhanu can put aside their quarreling and act like a real couple.
Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together, even as stress mounts over the impending promotion.
They say what happens on island, stays on island. But as Sunny and Bhanu let their guards down, will either of them be able to resist this romantic getaway without crossing the line?
Sunshine incarnate Bhanu brings big UX energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. She expected to get a reprieve from him while visiting her family in Hawai’i, but the universe has other plans. When Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel and witnesses his ex criticizing him about being single, Bhanu does the first thing that comes to she impetuously claims to be Sunny’s girlfriend just to get some peace and quiet. Except Sunny is on island for a friend’s wedding and his ex has already texted the entire wedding party about this mysterious girlfriend.
Bhanu truly is the bane of Sunny’s existence. But the last thing he wants to do is cause tension during his friend’s wedding festivities, much less be the object of their pity. He has no choice except to play along, if only he and Bhanu can put aside their quarreling and act like a real couple.
Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together, even as stress mounts over the impending promotion.
They say what happens on island, stays on island. But as Sunny and Bhanu let their guards down, will either of them be able to resist this romantic getaway without crossing the line?
Audible Audio
Published July 16, 2024
42 people are currently reading
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About the author
Sajni Patel
10 books1,641 followersSajni Patel is an award-winning author of women’s fiction and young adult books. Her works have appeared on numerous Best of the Year and Must Read lists from Cosmo, Teen Vogue, Apple Books, Audiofile, Tribeza, Austin Woman, NBC, The Insider, and many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
June 19, 2024
What To Expect-
🌞Fake Dating
🌞Dual POV
🌞One Bed
🌞Witty Banter
🌞Slow Burn
🌞Grumpy/Sunshine
🌞Third Act Breakup
The Design Of Us is a good little summer read. You follow the main Bhanu and Sunny to Hawaii. I loved that this story takes place in Hawaii. This book was filled banter and the romance was a slow burn. Which made it fun. I really liked how the characters talked about love for their culture and traditions. It was beautiful to learn.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨
🌞Fake Dating
🌞Dual POV
🌞One Bed
🌞Witty Banter
🌞Slow Burn
🌞Grumpy/Sunshine
🌞Third Act Breakup
The Design Of Us is a good little summer read. You follow the main Bhanu and Sunny to Hawaii. I loved that this story takes place in Hawaii. This book was filled banter and the romance was a slow burn. Which made it fun. I really liked how the characters talked about love for their culture and traditions. It was beautiful to learn.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨
February 4, 2024
Can you imagine getting stuck on the Big Island in Hawaii, one of the most spectacular places on Earth, in a gorgeous resort with your arch-nemesis from work? He's characteristically a grump, and not only are you suffering from forced proximity, but you also find yourself fake dating him in front of an army of his friends, his vindictive ex, and your parents who are over the moon because they think your relationship is real!
Enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, fake dating, a little grump-meets-sunshine tropes couldn't be blended so well, feeding your romance cravings. The best part is this is a STEM romance with a smart, badass, impulsive heroine and a calm, controlled, deeply caring, intelligent, hardworking hero with a charismatic Denzel voice, as emphasized strongly in the descriptions.
Bhau is a powerful boss queen with creative ideas for designing, going head-to-head for a promotion with her arch-nemesis Sunny: the grump named after sunshine, the same man she always has long arguments and snarky banters within Zoom meetings. Unfortunately, her planned vacation in Hawaii to spend quality time with her sister and secretly work more gets ruined when she bumps into her nemesis at the poolside.
Sunny is at the same resort to attend his longtime friends' wedding ceremony, still looking for a place to stay because somebody (probably his vindictive ex) changed the reservation dates. This isn't her only move to humiliate poor Sunny; she also appears with her new boyfriend. When she finds Sunny alone at the poolside, she starts bickering about how incompetent her ex-boyfriend was during their relationships, which bugs Bhau more than she expected. To shut her ex up, she intervenes and blurts out that she's Sunny's girlfriend, not realizing the trouble she's getting them into.
Sunny's prying friends are insistent on getting to know her, and accidentally, her sister also thinks they're dating, informing their family about this latest update. Now, the pretending couple not only has to attend wedding festivities but also family dinners together until one of them bursts out and says enough to this game. Unfortunately, when they get to know the real versions of themselves, they start to like each other more than they expected. When the line gets blurry between faking and real intimacy, the alarm bells start to ring louder! Will they come clean about their feelings and find a way to be together against their competitive ways and work rivalry?
Well, this is an entertaining, engaging, enjoyable romance that I truly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions."
Enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, fake dating, a little grump-meets-sunshine tropes couldn't be blended so well, feeding your romance cravings. The best part is this is a STEM romance with a smart, badass, impulsive heroine and a calm, controlled, deeply caring, intelligent, hardworking hero with a charismatic Denzel voice, as emphasized strongly in the descriptions.
Bhau is a powerful boss queen with creative ideas for designing, going head-to-head for a promotion with her arch-nemesis Sunny: the grump named after sunshine, the same man she always has long arguments and snarky banters within Zoom meetings. Unfortunately, her planned vacation in Hawaii to spend quality time with her sister and secretly work more gets ruined when she bumps into her nemesis at the poolside.
Sunny is at the same resort to attend his longtime friends' wedding ceremony, still looking for a place to stay because somebody (probably his vindictive ex) changed the reservation dates. This isn't her only move to humiliate poor Sunny; she also appears with her new boyfriend. When she finds Sunny alone at the poolside, she starts bickering about how incompetent her ex-boyfriend was during their relationships, which bugs Bhau more than she expected. To shut her ex up, she intervenes and blurts out that she's Sunny's girlfriend, not realizing the trouble she's getting them into.
Sunny's prying friends are insistent on getting to know her, and accidentally, her sister also thinks they're dating, informing their family about this latest update. Now, the pretending couple not only has to attend wedding festivities but also family dinners together until one of them bursts out and says enough to this game. Unfortunately, when they get to know the real versions of themselves, they start to like each other more than they expected. When the line gets blurry between faking and real intimacy, the alarm bells start to ring louder! Will they come clean about their feelings and find a way to be together against their competitive ways and work rivalry?
Well, this is an entertaining, engaging, enjoyable romance that I truly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions."
July 23, 2024
I really enjoyed the heart of this book—accidental fake dating on vacation in Hawaii—but it was pretty slow paced, VERY slow burn (with closed-door payoff), and seemed to take me ages to read.
It’s a hard one because literally I enjoyed almost all of the individual parts, but as a whole it was just a bit blah when all was said and done. Like the ending was very satisfying, but it took me so long to get there lol. Also I can’t lie, it felt like I waited so long for them to kiss the tension was literally boiling over…and then the door was closed on me twice…which was rough.
As for the audiobook, Soneela Nankani is one of my favorite contemporary romance narrators, so literally NO notes. Vikas Adam on the other hand left a bit to be desired—I really did not like his voice for the heroine. She sounded so young, especially compared so Nankani’s flawless performance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️/5
I received a free audiobook from PRHaudio. All opinions are honest and my own.
It’s a hard one because literally I enjoyed almost all of the individual parts, but as a whole it was just a bit blah when all was said and done. Like the ending was very satisfying, but it took me so long to get there lol. Also I can’t lie, it felt like I waited so long for them to kiss the tension was literally boiling over…and then the door was closed on me twice…which was rough.
As for the audiobook, Soneela Nankani is one of my favorite contemporary romance narrators, so literally NO notes. Vikas Adam on the other hand left a bit to be desired—I really did not like his voice for the heroine. She sounded so young, especially compared so Nankani’s flawless performance.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶️/5
I received a free audiobook from PRHaudio. All opinions are honest and my own.
June 16, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up **
The Design of Us is an Adult Contemporary story following Bhanu and Sunny, coworkers in the tech field, who frankly, drive each other batty in the workplace.
Bhanu, needing a break from work, where she is currently up for a big promotion, travels to Hawaii to visit her sister for a bit. Sunny, not needing a break from work, but needing to attend the wedding of two of his best friends, ends up traveling to Hawaii as well at the very same time.
As luck would have it, they end up at the very same resort, one which happens to be overbooked due to an Iron Man competition happening that weekend and a malfunctioning booking system. Whoopsie.
After Bhanu rescues Sunny from a highly-uncomfortable confrontation with his ex-girlfriend, another wedding attendee, the two begin to relate to each other like never before. It's actually an enjoyable conversation.
When Bhanu hears that Sunny is currently without a place to stay, a victim of the overbooking fiasco, she offers him lodging in her suite. We have forced proximity, y'all!!! One of my favorite tropes.
During the rescue mentioned-above, Bhanu told the hyper-ex that she was Sunny's girlfriend. Potentially a regrettable proclamation, involving a whole host of complications, but it was the only thing Bhanu could think of at the time to make the other woman go away.
Now she and Sunny must continue the ruse in order for him to save face and not cause unnecessary drama for the bride and groom. He doesn't wanna be that guy. We have fake dating! Another of my favorite tropes!!
With this in mind, it may surprise you to hear that I almost DNFed this one at the start. Bhanu and I did not get off on the right foot. At 14% into the audiobook, I made the following status update:
1st impressions: Female MC, Bhanu, is insufferable.
I'll keep reading for the Hawaiian setting and the Male MC, Sunny, but secretly I am already hoping he doesn't end up with Bhanu.
Looking back on that now, that seems very harsh. I'm not even sure what it was about her that rubbed me the wrong the way, but yeah, I didn't think I was going to enjoy this as much as I did.
But I did definitely come around on Bhanu when she helped Sunny out of the jam with his ex. She was so helpful and kind to him, even when she could have just walked away, or given him an even more difficult time about it all.
The synopsis does describe her as being Sunshine to his Grump, but I never felt that. IMO, this wasn't really a Grumpy-Sunshine pairing at all. They both had their moments where they could have been either/or.
Regardless, by the mid-way point, I was fully hooked into the story. I loved the incorporation of both of the MCs families, and also all of the wedding-related activities. I definitely ended up rooting for these two to end up together, and they did face some real challenges getting there.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying this. I thought it was a great fake dating set-up and I loved the wedding aspect, as well as the tropical Hawaiian setting.
Thank you, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm anxious to read more from Sajni Patel!!
The Design of Us is an Adult Contemporary story following Bhanu and Sunny, coworkers in the tech field, who frankly, drive each other batty in the workplace.
Bhanu, needing a break from work, where she is currently up for a big promotion, travels to Hawaii to visit her sister for a bit. Sunny, not needing a break from work, but needing to attend the wedding of two of his best friends, ends up traveling to Hawaii as well at the very same time.
As luck would have it, they end up at the very same resort, one which happens to be overbooked due to an Iron Man competition happening that weekend and a malfunctioning booking system. Whoopsie.
After Bhanu rescues Sunny from a highly-uncomfortable confrontation with his ex-girlfriend, another wedding attendee, the two begin to relate to each other like never before. It's actually an enjoyable conversation.
When Bhanu hears that Sunny is currently without a place to stay, a victim of the overbooking fiasco, she offers him lodging in her suite. We have forced proximity, y'all!!! One of my favorite tropes.
During the rescue mentioned-above, Bhanu told the hyper-ex that she was Sunny's girlfriend. Potentially a regrettable proclamation, involving a whole host of complications, but it was the only thing Bhanu could think of at the time to make the other woman go away.
Now she and Sunny must continue the ruse in order for him to save face and not cause unnecessary drama for the bride and groom. He doesn't wanna be that guy. We have fake dating! Another of my favorite tropes!!
With this in mind, it may surprise you to hear that I almost DNFed this one at the start. Bhanu and I did not get off on the right foot. At 14% into the audiobook, I made the following status update:
1st impressions: Female MC, Bhanu, is insufferable.
I'll keep reading for the Hawaiian setting and the Male MC, Sunny, but secretly I am already hoping he doesn't end up with Bhanu.
Looking back on that now, that seems very harsh. I'm not even sure what it was about her that rubbed me the wrong the way, but yeah, I didn't think I was going to enjoy this as much as I did.
But I did definitely come around on Bhanu when she helped Sunny out of the jam with his ex. She was so helpful and kind to him, even when she could have just walked away, or given him an even more difficult time about it all.
The synopsis does describe her as being Sunshine to his Grump, but I never felt that. IMO, this wasn't really a Grumpy-Sunshine pairing at all. They both had their moments where they could have been either/or.
Regardless, by the mid-way point, I was fully hooked into the story. I loved the incorporation of both of the MCs families, and also all of the wedding-related activities. I definitely ended up rooting for these two to end up together, and they did face some real challenges getting there.
Overall, I ended up really enjoying this. I thought it was a great fake dating set-up and I loved the wedding aspect, as well as the tropical Hawaiian setting.
Thank you, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm anxious to read more from Sajni Patel!!
November 27, 2024
DNF
Nope. Not for me. Trying to going through it but I give up.
2 stars
Nope. Not for me. Trying to going through it but I give up.
2 stars
February 24, 2025
(⭐4.5)
"Everything and everyone around us melted into oblivion."
AGHHH!! OMG!!! I'm pretty sure I just fell in love with Sunny... 😳😳😳
Tropes
⤷ 💌 fake dating
⤷ 💼 work rivals
⤷ 💒 fake wedding plus-one
⤷ 🌴 summery/set on a tropical island
𓆉°❀⋆. 1. Characters
Bhanu
Ohhhh my goshh I loved Bhanu so much! She was so passionate about keeping all of the marine life and the environment of Hawaii safe, it honestly warmed my heart soooo much. I adored how she had such a strong and healthy relationship with her parents and her sister. I also loved how she put Sejal in her place!!! That was so satisfying to read, seeing her finally kick Sejal down a notch. Girl was PMO baaaaad.
Bhanu had such a strong love for her work and passions it became impossible not to love her. <3
Sunny
He was absolutely adorable!!! I love a grumpy but secretly soft man whose girl brings out the best in him! I felt so bad for what Sejal was telling him, it made me actually irrationally angry! Poor Sunny, he doesn't deserve all that hate. All he does is care about his family and friends and somehow that was a bad thing to Sejal. Smh.
We love a king who brings his queen her ube!! 🍠💞
Side Characters
I did like Kimo and Diya a lot, but it was sooo valid of Bhanu to get mad at Diya for instantly going off and telling their parents absolutely everything about what her and Sunny were up to. If my little sibling was gossiping about me to my parents right there in front of me, I'd be mad too!
Sunny's friends (while slightly indistinct and a little flat) were a lovely little group, I adored reading about Sam and April's wedding, it was so sweet and cute!!!
"I'd never thought my grumpy, nerdy coworker could be so damn fine."
˚⋆𓇼˚⊹ 2. Plot
The plot was fairly generic - boy and girl fake date to avoid embarrassment and somewhere along the way fall in love - but it was done in such an adorable and sweet way that I ended up loving it!!
And ohhhh my gosh the Desi representation made me so happy!! My childhood friend is Indian and I loved how realistic and nostalgic it felt reading about the relationships between Sunny and Bhanu's families. It reminded me so much of being at her house and around her family and honestly it made me miss her so much (she moved away in January 😞) which placed Bhanu and Sunny's story in an even deeper place of my heart.
"[Bhanu] was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I'd ever had the honor of breathing the same air as."
𓂃 ོ☼𓂃 3. Final Thoughts
Loved the summery vibes, and the cover is just gorgeous!! So sad it's an e-book, I'd have loved to have this cover all to myself in my bookshelf hahah.
I adore Desi love stories so much, idk what these writers are putting in them but it's addictive!!!
Might have to steer a little clear of fake-dating tropes for a while, as I've accidentally been reading them on repeat. Oh well, it got me The Kiss Countdown and The Design of Us so I'm not too mad.
"I want you." "You have me."
"Everything and everyone around us melted into oblivion."
AGHHH!! OMG!!! I'm pretty sure I just fell in love with Sunny... 😳😳😳
Tropes
⤷ 💌 fake dating
⤷ 💼 work rivals
⤷ 💒 fake wedding plus-one
⤷ 🌴 summery/set on a tropical island
𓆉°❀⋆. 1. Characters
Bhanu
Ohhhh my goshh I loved Bhanu so much! She was so passionate about keeping all of the marine life and the environment of Hawaii safe, it honestly warmed my heart soooo much. I adored how she had such a strong and healthy relationship with her parents and her sister. I also loved how she put Sejal in her place!!! That was so satisfying to read, seeing her finally kick Sejal down a notch. Girl was PMO baaaaad.
Bhanu had such a strong love for her work and passions it became impossible not to love her. <3
Sunny
He was absolutely adorable!!! I love a grumpy but secretly soft man whose girl brings out the best in him! I felt so bad for what Sejal was telling him, it made me actually irrationally angry! Poor Sunny, he doesn't deserve all that hate. All he does is care about his family and friends and somehow that was a bad thing to Sejal. Smh.
We love a king who brings his queen her ube!! 🍠💞
Side Characters
I did like Kimo and Diya a lot, but it was sooo valid of Bhanu to get mad at Diya for instantly going off and telling their parents absolutely everything about what her and Sunny were up to. If my little sibling was gossiping about me to my parents right there in front of me, I'd be mad too!
Sunny's friends (while slightly indistinct and a little flat) were a lovely little group, I adored reading about Sam and April's wedding, it was so sweet and cute!!!
"I'd never thought my grumpy, nerdy coworker could be so damn fine."
˚⋆𓇼˚⊹ 2. Plot
The plot was fairly generic - boy and girl fake date to avoid embarrassment and somewhere along the way fall in love - but it was done in such an adorable and sweet way that I ended up loving it!!
And ohhhh my gosh the Desi representation made me so happy!! My childhood friend is Indian and I loved how realistic and nostalgic it felt reading about the relationships between Sunny and Bhanu's families. It reminded me so much of being at her house and around her family and honestly it made me miss her so much (she moved away in January 😞) which placed Bhanu and Sunny's story in an even deeper place of my heart.
"[Bhanu] was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I'd ever had the honor of breathing the same air as."
𓂃 ོ☼𓂃 3. Final Thoughts
Loved the summery vibes, and the cover is just gorgeous!! So sad it's an e-book, I'd have loved to have this cover all to myself in my bookshelf hahah.
I adore Desi love stories so much, idk what these writers are putting in them but it's addictive!!!
Might have to steer a little clear of fake-dating tropes for a while, as I've accidentally been reading them on repeat. Oh well, it got me The Kiss Countdown and The Design of Us so I'm not too mad.
"I want you." "You have me."
October 12, 2025
A little more UX than I needed, but I'm sure this speaks to someone. Not really enemies to lovers, but more of workplace romance goes on vacation to fake date at a wedding. The author tried to overexplain visiting Hawaii while being conscious of American colonization and overuse of resources, but I'm not sure it hit the mark.
I loved Bhanu. Sunny grew on me. I'm ngl, it's hot af when he calls her Bane. Hits much more than babe, which I honestly kind of hate.
Fake dating is one of my favorite romance tropes. It almost made up for Sunny's terrible ex. You know the one. She's toxic. She throws her new boyfriend in your face. She still calls your parents more regularly than her own. Get a life.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
I loved Bhanu. Sunny grew on me. I'm ngl, it's hot af when he calls her Bane. Hits much more than babe, which I honestly kind of hate.
Fake dating is one of my favorite romance tropes. It almost made up for Sunny's terrible ex. You know the one. She's toxic. She throws her new boyfriend in your face. She still calls your parents more regularly than her own. Get a life.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
July 13, 2024
This book was fake dating, coworker rival, dual POV, vacation romance goodness that sees Bahnu and Sunny, two UX techies up for a project manager job find themselves staying at the same Hawaii resort on their vacation and end up sharing a room with only one bed and pretending to date to show off for Sunny's ex while they are both guests at the same wedding.
Convoluted plot? Maybe a little but I loved it anyways! I especially liked the women in STEM, mental health (social anxiety) rep and Bahnu's family members' part in the storyline and the way the two main characters learn to appreciate one another the more time they spend together.
What started off as a favor quickly has Bahnu developing real feelings for Sunny and wondering whether they can make an actual relationship work IRL when they get back from vacation. Great on audio, this slow burn, steamy romance is perfect for fans of Denise Williams's book, Technically yours.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! This was a perfect summer beach read with a fantastically GORGEOUS cover to boot!
Convoluted plot? Maybe a little but I loved it anyways! I especially liked the women in STEM, mental health (social anxiety) rep and Bahnu's family members' part in the storyline and the way the two main characters learn to appreciate one another the more time they spend together.
What started off as a favor quickly has Bahnu developing real feelings for Sunny and wondering whether they can make an actual relationship work IRL when they get back from vacation. Great on audio, this slow burn, steamy romance is perfect for fans of Denise Williams's book, Technically yours.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review! This was a perfect summer beach read with a fantastically GORGEOUS cover to boot!
July 16, 2024
This was a cute story with rival coworkers that had a knack for bickering. It’s always nice to have a FMC who is in STEM and knows her worth. The fake dating thing pretty good, even if sometimes I got annoyed at how meta it all was. I also didn’t like that Sunny kept calling Bhanu “Bane” throughout the whole book.
Sunny was grumpy and dealing with some serious emotional wounds from a toxic relationship. He sucked at communicating, but did make an honest effort. Bhanu was mostly sunshiny, though not to the degree that she never got pissed off or stood up for herself. It was a cute book overall.
Spice: 1/5 - very little detail, mostly closed door
Triggers: toxic relationship, hospitalization of family member, panic attacks, brief depiction/description of injured animal, mention of racism, mentions of sexism
Sunny was grumpy and dealing with some serious emotional wounds from a toxic relationship. He sucked at communicating, but did make an honest effort. Bhanu was mostly sunshiny, though not to the degree that she never got pissed off or stood up for herself. It was a cute book overall.
Spice: 1/5 - very little detail, mostly closed door
Triggers: toxic relationship, hospitalization of family member, panic attacks, brief depiction/description of injured animal, mention of racism, mentions of sexism
August 21, 2024
3.5 rounded up.
I really liked Sunny, and it was a fun time, but Bhanu and Diya annoyed me.
I really liked Sunny, and it was a fun time, but Bhanu and Diya annoyed me.
August 23, 2024
Love love love that this enemies to lovers isn’t one of those where one or both secretly loved each other the entire time (not that that’s bad) or even desired their coworker. Bhanu and Sunny fall into some classic tropes and from there they really get to know each other and fall in lust and love. It was a fantastic arc with emotional complexity and competence. Yay for smartly written characters!
It’s a slow-burn with some steamy talk and foreplay late in the book but also a fade to black. It’s a great middle ground for those that want the heat but maybe not alllll the fire. And the Hawaiian resort backdrop is a dream. Great luxury vacation vibes with sun and sand and a bit of sultry atmosphere to surround the fun, sweet, and romantic storyline.
I also loved the secondary characters throughout. Friends and family getting mixed up in the fake dating and forced proximity created many entertaining scenes.
There were a few stumbles though… some descriptors were too repetitive and I thought their initial dislike of each other wasn’t weighty enough and the author took a long time to really reveal it. Felt odd.
Overall though, highly entertaining and a great ending. Loved it.
*I received a free early copy from the publisher
It’s a slow-burn with some steamy talk and foreplay late in the book but also a fade to black. It’s a great middle ground for those that want the heat but maybe not alllll the fire. And the Hawaiian resort backdrop is a dream. Great luxury vacation vibes with sun and sand and a bit of sultry atmosphere to surround the fun, sweet, and romantic storyline.
I also loved the secondary characters throughout. Friends and family getting mixed up in the fake dating and forced proximity created many entertaining scenes.
There were a few stumbles though… some descriptors were too repetitive and I thought their initial dislike of each other wasn’t weighty enough and the author took a long time to really reveal it. Felt odd.
Overall though, highly entertaining and a great ending. Loved it.
*I received a free early copy from the publisher
August 13, 2024
Rivals to lovers Desi romcom between bickering, workaholic STEM coworkers set in the beautiful backdrop of Hawaii with fake dating, a wedding, a toxic ex, and the most stunning stunning stunning generalized anxiety disorder rep. I seriously had SO MUCH FUN reading this book. There was top notch banter, wild family antics, and so much sexual tension. Also loved the fact that Bhanu’s obsessed with all things UBE. Seeing a little piece of my culture was a lovely surprise. My favorite part was the care and love in which Patel wrote about Hawaii. Enjoyed every single moment reading this book.
dnf
June 26, 2024DNF. Writing style is not for me.
November 13, 2024
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group and Penguin Random House.
Sunshine incarnate Bhanu brings big UX energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. She expected to get a reprieve from him while visiting her family in Hawai’i, but the universe has other plans. When Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel and witnesses his ex criticizing him about being single, Bhanu does the first thing that comes to she impetuously claims to be Sunny’s girlfriend just to get some peace and quiet. Except Sunny is on island for a friend’s wedding and his ex has already texted the entire wedding party about this mysterious girlfriend.
Bhanu truly is the bane of Sunny’s existence. But the last thing he wants to do is cause tension during his friend’s wedding festivities, much less be the object of their pity. He has no choice except to play along, if only he and Bhanu can put aside their quarreling and act like a real couple. Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together, even as stress mounts over the impending promotion.
They say what happens on island, stays on island. But as Sunny and Bhanu let their guards down, will either of them be able to resist this romantic getaway without crossing the line?
If you like a book about fake dating between two coworkers with a destination wedding setting you will probably like this one. However, the book was so slow and very slow burn. It was also a very long book in my opinion and it could of definitely been shorten. There was also not much relationship building and once the conflict hit between them, I just really did not care about their relationship. I did appreciate that the ending was not dragged out as much and that everything in the end did work out well. I really liked how the book was set in Hawaii and got to see the culture, sights, and cuisine. Now I wish I can go back and visit. But other than that I am not sure if I will even remember what this book is about after a year or two. It just was not memorable enough for me. This would probably be a perfect summer beach read. I will probably pick up another one of her books since others liked it more than this one.
Sunshine incarnate Bhanu brings big UX energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. She expected to get a reprieve from him while visiting her family in Hawai’i, but the universe has other plans. When Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel and witnesses his ex criticizing him about being single, Bhanu does the first thing that comes to she impetuously claims to be Sunny’s girlfriend just to get some peace and quiet. Except Sunny is on island for a friend’s wedding and his ex has already texted the entire wedding party about this mysterious girlfriend.
Bhanu truly is the bane of Sunny’s existence. But the last thing he wants to do is cause tension during his friend’s wedding festivities, much less be the object of their pity. He has no choice except to play along, if only he and Bhanu can put aside their quarreling and act like a real couple. Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together, even as stress mounts over the impending promotion.
They say what happens on island, stays on island. But as Sunny and Bhanu let their guards down, will either of them be able to resist this romantic getaway without crossing the line?
If you like a book about fake dating between two coworkers with a destination wedding setting you will probably like this one. However, the book was so slow and very slow burn. It was also a very long book in my opinion and it could of definitely been shorten. There was also not much relationship building and once the conflict hit between them, I just really did not care about their relationship. I did appreciate that the ending was not dragged out as much and that everything in the end did work out well. I really liked how the book was set in Hawaii and got to see the culture, sights, and cuisine. Now I wish I can go back and visit. But other than that I am not sure if I will even remember what this book is about after a year or two. It just was not memorable enough for me. This would probably be a perfect summer beach read. I will probably pick up another one of her books since others liked it more than this one.
Want to read
July 25, 2024DNF @ 40%. I tried to keep reading this book and it just misses the mark for me, which is really unfortunate because I was so so excited to get to this one for this month as a perfect summer romance. I really enjoyed the introduction to different cultures that Patel brought into the book, as it is a Desi romance set mainly in Hawaii, I appreciated how she mentioned local food, customs, and traditions while also providing us with great background on our main characters and their culture. Where it fell flat for me is mainly in the execution, the dialogue specifically does not flow naturally, feeling at times stilted and not realistic, so much so that I would say portions out loud to see if the words rolled off my tongue in a way that made sense, and they just didn’t. I loved the setting and some of Patel’s lush descriptions capture Hawaii so well but are interrupted by thoughts from her characters that we get over and over about their work, how they strongly dislike one another, and these thoughts bring back that stilted language. This is all to say I really wanted to love this book and sing its praises, I loved the premise, I love some of what I read but the further I got the harder it was to look past the flaws. Thank you, Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2024
3.5 stars.
I did enjoy this story but I'm going to start off with some struggles I had with the book.
First, I just really need more adjectives used to describe the characters, particularly Sunny. The amount of times I've read about his "Denzel voice" and how he's a "grumpy Sunny" with his "frustrated wrinkle between his brow", it was quite exasperating because they were written over and over and over again. It seemed like there was nothing else about Sunny.
The characters were cute together but we really don't see any development in Sunny and Bhanu's relationship until much later in the story. They're also very similar characters so there was nothing really unique about them. I would have liked if there was more character development in this book as a whole. Even at the end, I'm not sure I was convinced of their feelings for each other. Sunny had some cute and swoony moments but Bhanu just seemed to settle. Her actions confused me quite a bit at the end, especially because she had much different priorities.
I liked the Desi representation in this book and the author did a great job incorporating part of their culture into the story. Though the way they (particularly Bhanu) handled the conflict at the end wasn't all that great, I was still rooting for them to become a couple. The conflict was frustrating because it was a typical self-imposed miscommunication sort of thing and I definitely felt like Sunny was way more into Bhanu. There were many things that could have been developed more but overall, this was a quick and light romance book!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I did enjoy this story but I'm going to start off with some struggles I had with the book.
First, I just really need more adjectives used to describe the characters, particularly Sunny. The amount of times I've read about his "Denzel voice" and how he's a "grumpy Sunny" with his "frustrated wrinkle between his brow", it was quite exasperating because they were written over and over and over again. It seemed like there was nothing else about Sunny.
The characters were cute together but we really don't see any development in Sunny and Bhanu's relationship until much later in the story. They're also very similar characters so there was nothing really unique about them. I would have liked if there was more character development in this book as a whole. Even at the end, I'm not sure I was convinced of their feelings for each other. Sunny had some cute and swoony moments but Bhanu just seemed to settle. Her actions confused me quite a bit at the end, especially because she had much different priorities.
I liked the Desi representation in this book and the author did a great job incorporating part of their culture into the story. Though the way they (particularly Bhanu) handled the conflict at the end wasn't all that great, I was still rooting for them to become a couple. The conflict was frustrating because it was a typical self-imposed miscommunication sort of thing and I definitely felt like Sunny was way more into Bhanu. There were many things that could have been developed more but overall, this was a quick and light romance book!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 30, 2024
I really enjoyed this romance and it had all the tropes I love.
The chemistry was there and even though I'm not a fan of slow-burn romance, the writing style kept me engaged and did not leave me feeling disappointed. Even though I don't prefer closed door spicy scenes, the chemistry was clearly there and the lead up was written so well!
I also enjoyed the inclusion of the cultural representation and accuracy of it. The accurate way social anxiety was portrayed.
I loved Sunny's friends and how they were welcoming of Bhanu. I absolutely loved the relationship between Diya and Komo. Diya was hilarious and I loved her personality. And the way she helped Bhanu be prepared for the wedding was incredible. Best sister award!
I really enjoyed the ending and it felt more realistic and not overly dramatic or fake.
Thank you Netgalley and the author for an arc copy, all opinions are my own.
The chemistry was there and even though I'm not a fan of slow-burn romance, the writing style kept me engaged and did not leave me feeling disappointed. Even though I don't prefer closed door spicy scenes, the chemistry was clearly there and the lead up was written so well!
I also enjoyed the inclusion of the cultural representation and accuracy of it. The accurate way social anxiety was portrayed.
I loved Sunny's friends and how they were welcoming of Bhanu. I absolutely loved the relationship between Diya and Komo. Diya was hilarious and I loved her personality. And the way she helped Bhanu be prepared for the wedding was incredible. Best sister award!
I really enjoyed the ending and it felt more realistic and not overly dramatic or fake.
Thank you Netgalley and the author for an arc copy, all opinions are my own.
July 16, 2024
If you're looking for great banter between two work nemesis this is it. Not only was I laughing with the one liners I found Bhanu and Sunny to be both fully developed characters. The moment they realized their fake vacation romance could be more was adorable. Sunny checking in and making sure Bhanu was ready because she didn't like being touched cue the water works. This is fade to black with hint if dirty talk. I loved it, even though the end lagged a bit before the 3rd act breakup. Which prevented it from being a 4.5/star read.
Sajel girl can catch these hands. I do hope this becomes a series.
CN: anxiety attacks, workplace sexism, microagressions, manipulative ex, sick parent (stroke on page), income insecurity, Hawaii tourist exploitation (water redistribution to resorts and pollution)
Sajel girl can catch these hands. I do hope this becomes a series.
CN: anxiety attacks, workplace sexism, microagressions, manipulative ex, sick parent (stroke on page), income insecurity, Hawaii tourist exploitation (water redistribution to resorts and pollution)
December 25, 2024
omg I found this book adorable and it so reminded me of summertime. I loved the grumpy x sunshine, kinda enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes. def a cute quick read and recommend to anyone who is interested.
February 13, 2024
Thank you to Sajni, Netgalley and Berkley for an arc of The Design of Us in exchange for an honest review!
Special thanks to Sajni for personally getting me the ARC!
The Design of Us is a fake dating romance sparked between two co-workers who dislike each other but must put their differences aside to commit to the scheme initated by a white little lie.
As many of the romance genre loving girlies, I was super thrilled to hear that Sajni was writing another contemporary romance given how much I LOVED "Trouble with Hating you" and when I saw that this book would have the "dislike to like" trope I was more than thrilled to go into it.
But The Design of Us is much different than the Trouble with Hating you," The nemesis aspect falls short in this novel along with a couple of other things which I will go into further detail about.
The dislike to like trope is one that I personally enjoy if written correctly, in most cases, I am guaranteed enjoyment of the trope if there is a valid reason. In this case... There wasn't one.
We have one entire interaction that fueled this "dislikeness" over these characters but it isn't even a proper one. It's based off a couple of exchanged words that led towards these MC's disliking each other. So basically, they disliked each other for a misunderstanding over a tone of voice... which just seems so unnecessary.
I want to start off with the overall feeling of the book, unfortunately the whole book felt childish (for lack of a better word).
The interactions between both MC's felt forced nor did I feel or see any chemistry between them. Despite their lack of chemistry, their personalities are very similar. Which normally would be a good thing but in this case, it made their relationship to what I consider "unfitting."
We barely had any relationship building and once the conflict hit, I just couldn't bring myself to care for their relationship.
Apart from the relationship and the characters, the writing felt very YA. It was also simply very descriptive; I was consistently being told what the main characters were doing rather than shown.
Overall, The Design of Us had its cute moments but it wasn't a book in which I can see myself rereading or remembering much about.
Special thanks to Sajni for personally getting me the ARC!
The Design of Us is a fake dating romance sparked between two co-workers who dislike each other but must put their differences aside to commit to the scheme initated by a white little lie.
As many of the romance genre loving girlies, I was super thrilled to hear that Sajni was writing another contemporary romance given how much I LOVED "Trouble with Hating you" and when I saw that this book would have the "dislike to like" trope I was more than thrilled to go into it.
But The Design of Us is much different than the Trouble with Hating you," The nemesis aspect falls short in this novel along with a couple of other things which I will go into further detail about.
The dislike to like trope is one that I personally enjoy if written correctly, in most cases, I am guaranteed enjoyment of the trope if there is a valid reason. In this case... There wasn't one.
We have one entire interaction that fueled this "dislikeness" over these characters but it isn't even a proper one. It's based off a couple of exchanged words that led towards these MC's disliking each other. So basically, they disliked each other for a misunderstanding over a tone of voice... which just seems so unnecessary.
I want to start off with the overall feeling of the book, unfortunately the whole book felt childish (for lack of a better word).
The interactions between both MC's felt forced nor did I feel or see any chemistry between them. Despite their lack of chemistry, their personalities are very similar. Which normally would be a good thing but in this case, it made their relationship to what I consider "unfitting."
We barely had any relationship building and once the conflict hit, I just couldn't bring myself to care for their relationship.
Apart from the relationship and the characters, the writing felt very YA. It was also simply very descriptive; I was consistently being told what the main characters were doing rather than shown.
Overall, The Design of Us had its cute moments but it wasn't a book in which I can see myself rereading or remembering much about.
December 30, 2024
3.5⭐️
This was a fun audiobook, but in the beginning, I found both MCs to be insufferable. I think enemies to lovers doesn’t work for me in just a romcom, without any fantasy.
However, once both characters began to open up they became less insufferable.
This was a fun audiobook, but in the beginning, I found both MCs to be insufferable. I think enemies to lovers doesn’t work for me in just a romcom, without any fantasy.
However, once both characters began to open up they became less insufferable.
July 25, 2024
review - https://booksteacupreviews.com/2024/0...
The Design of Us is an entertaining fake dating romance between coworkers- Sunny and Bhanu. Sunny as the lead developer and Bhanu as the lead researcher. Both are vying for the position of project manager at their company, and while they excel at their jobs, they struggle to get along with each other, constantly bickering. Their rivalry intensifies when they discover they are staying at the same resort during a vacation.
Sunny is in Hawaii to attend his best friend’s wedding, while Bhanu is there to spend time with her sister, who is a local. The situation takes an unexpected turn when Bhanu announces she is Sunny’s girlfriend to save him from his ex’s demeaning drama.
This leads to a series of events involving fake dating, exploring the island together, and sharing a villa and even a room. The story becomes even more intriguing as they navigate their complicated relationship and see what happens when their pretense ends at the end of the vacation.
I loved the concept of a romance between main characters working in the STEM field. The writing is engaging and fast-paced, offering refreshing alternative perspectives from both Bhanu and Sunny. The Design of Us is set in Hawaii that adds its own charm to the story, with a focus on tourist exploitation that pollutes the land and endangers sea life, which I appreciated. It made me want to be a responsible tourist.
Both main characters are Indian, and to my delight, they are both Gujarati. As a Gujarati myself, I was excited to see my culture represented in the story. However, this excitement didn’t last long as there isn’t much focus on Gujarati culture. We get a picture of how Desi parents are, but nothing specifically related to Gujarati culture or food. In fact, the story focuses more on Hawaiian culture. Despite this minor issue, I liked both main characters.
Bhanu (we don’t pronounce the name as it was mentioned in the book in Gujarat, and it’s usually a boy’s name, so maybe it might be an Indian-American thing or a short form of a bigger name like Bhanumati or something) is independent, caring, and a workaholic. However, she suffers from social anxiety that she doesn’t talk about with anyone except her family.
I admired how she helped Sunny despite not liking him or the idea of him staying with her during the vacation. Her love for her family and her passion for sea life and preserving nature made me respect her even more. I loved how, as she spent more time with Sunny, she could see past his grumpy exterior and admitted that he was a lovely person who deserved good things in life.
Sunny is grumpy, stoic, and observant who struggling with expressing emotions. I would rather say he is blunt and hates arguments and drama. I immediately disliked his ex for making him feel like a robot without feelings. It hurt to see how much his past toxic relationship impacted his self-esteem.
I loved how he cared for Bhanu, how he was himself, and how he eventually opened up to her. One memorable scene is when he jumped into the sea to remove trash for Bhanu, even though he hated swimming in the sea. That act spoke volumes about his character. My favorite moments were when Sunny stayed vigilant about Bhanu’s anxiety during the wedding and when he brought her favorite food near the end of the story.
I noticed some reviews mentioning that they didn’t like Sunny calling Bhanu “Bane” throughout the book, but I was fine with it. As I said before, her name’s pronunciation felt odd to me, and after some point, that nickname felt endearing.
The romance is perfect, featuring the work nemesis-to-lovers and fake dating tropes. The witty banter, slow burn, and sizzling chemistry made the story fun and charming. It was heartwarming to read how they realized their bickering was like that of a married couple and how their fake relationship turned into something more than they anticipated.
The climax was dramatic with typical self-imposed miscommunication, but I loved how they finally got together and how things worked out with their job as well.
Overall, The Design of Us is an entertaining, engaging, and delightful work nemesis-to-lovers, fake dating Desi romance.
The Design of Us is an entertaining fake dating romance between coworkers- Sunny and Bhanu. Sunny as the lead developer and Bhanu as the lead researcher. Both are vying for the position of project manager at their company, and while they excel at their jobs, they struggle to get along with each other, constantly bickering. Their rivalry intensifies when they discover they are staying at the same resort during a vacation.
Sunny is in Hawaii to attend his best friend’s wedding, while Bhanu is there to spend time with her sister, who is a local. The situation takes an unexpected turn when Bhanu announces she is Sunny’s girlfriend to save him from his ex’s demeaning drama.
This leads to a series of events involving fake dating, exploring the island together, and sharing a villa and even a room. The story becomes even more intriguing as they navigate their complicated relationship and see what happens when their pretense ends at the end of the vacation.
I loved the concept of a romance between main characters working in the STEM field. The writing is engaging and fast-paced, offering refreshing alternative perspectives from both Bhanu and Sunny. The Design of Us is set in Hawaii that adds its own charm to the story, with a focus on tourist exploitation that pollutes the land and endangers sea life, which I appreciated. It made me want to be a responsible tourist.
Both main characters are Indian, and to my delight, they are both Gujarati. As a Gujarati myself, I was excited to see my culture represented in the story. However, this excitement didn’t last long as there isn’t much focus on Gujarati culture. We get a picture of how Desi parents are, but nothing specifically related to Gujarati culture or food. In fact, the story focuses more on Hawaiian culture. Despite this minor issue, I liked both main characters.
Bhanu (we don’t pronounce the name as it was mentioned in the book in Gujarat, and it’s usually a boy’s name, so maybe it might be an Indian-American thing or a short form of a bigger name like Bhanumati or something) is independent, caring, and a workaholic. However, she suffers from social anxiety that she doesn’t talk about with anyone except her family.
I admired how she helped Sunny despite not liking him or the idea of him staying with her during the vacation. Her love for her family and her passion for sea life and preserving nature made me respect her even more. I loved how, as she spent more time with Sunny, she could see past his grumpy exterior and admitted that he was a lovely person who deserved good things in life.
Sunny is grumpy, stoic, and observant who struggling with expressing emotions. I would rather say he is blunt and hates arguments and drama. I immediately disliked his ex for making him feel like a robot without feelings. It hurt to see how much his past toxic relationship impacted his self-esteem.
I loved how he cared for Bhanu, how he was himself, and how he eventually opened up to her. One memorable scene is when he jumped into the sea to remove trash for Bhanu, even though he hated swimming in the sea. That act spoke volumes about his character. My favorite moments were when Sunny stayed vigilant about Bhanu’s anxiety during the wedding and when he brought her favorite food near the end of the story.
I noticed some reviews mentioning that they didn’t like Sunny calling Bhanu “Bane” throughout the book, but I was fine with it. As I said before, her name’s pronunciation felt odd to me, and after some point, that nickname felt endearing.
The romance is perfect, featuring the work nemesis-to-lovers and fake dating tropes. The witty banter, slow burn, and sizzling chemistry made the story fun and charming. It was heartwarming to read how they realized their bickering was like that of a married couple and how their fake relationship turned into something more than they anticipated.
The climax was dramatic with typical self-imposed miscommunication, but I loved how they finally got together and how things worked out with their job as well.
Overall, The Design of Us is an entertaining, engaging, and delightful work nemesis-to-lovers, fake dating Desi romance.
August 8, 2024
what an utter disappointment 😭😭😭 sajni wrote two of my favourite romcoms ever and as much as I wasn’t anticipating this particular story I was anticipating for her to release a new adult romcom. and it was nothing like I wanted it to be
let me be straight, I feel like this was not a sajni patel romcom. it felt like berkeley forced her to write through their standards forcing her to write a story that was based on seggsual tension and trivial things when it’s not sajni bread and butter
the design of us tried to be too many things only to ending up not being enough. the rivalry reasoning was didnt enticed me or convincing me and bc of that I didn’t feel like the romance was genuine. the fake dating element was not drove correctly enough for it to be great. I liked both characters but I didn’t care for them. sunny had interesting traumas and we explored them well. bhanu was fun and interesting but not well sharpened
I had fun especially with the setting of hawaii being well done and I really liked bhanu’s family. the book was easy to read and fast to navigate. but it wasn’t rounded correctly
also this book has spicy scenes, they are full of details but enough to be counted as spicy. I personally didn’t vibed with that part, bc it felt like it was too foreign to sajni’s usual work. she is one of these authors who do their story so well that spicy is absolutely not needed
this book was such a letdown and felt nothing like the excellency that was TTWHY or FLTT, sadly
ratings:
overall: 2.75⭐️
spice: 2.75🌶️
tension: 2.75⚡️
let me be straight, I feel like this was not a sajni patel romcom. it felt like berkeley forced her to write through their standards forcing her to write a story that was based on seggsual tension and trivial things when it’s not sajni bread and butter
the design of us tried to be too many things only to ending up not being enough. the rivalry reasoning was didnt enticed me or convincing me and bc of that I didn’t feel like the romance was genuine. the fake dating element was not drove correctly enough for it to be great. I liked both characters but I didn’t care for them. sunny had interesting traumas and we explored them well. bhanu was fun and interesting but not well sharpened
I had fun especially with the setting of hawaii being well done and I really liked bhanu’s family. the book was easy to read and fast to navigate. but it wasn’t rounded correctly
also this book has spicy scenes, they are full of details but enough to be counted as spicy. I personally didn’t vibed with that part, bc it felt like it was too foreign to sajni’s usual work. she is one of these authors who do their story so well that spicy is absolutely not needed
this book was such a letdown and felt nothing like the excellency that was TTWHY or FLTT, sadly
ratings:
overall: 2.75⭐️
spice: 2.75🌶️
tension: 2.75⚡️
April 3, 2024
4.5 Stars
Imagine this: stuck in Hawaii with your work nemesis, fake dating at a destination wedding. Sounds like the beginning of a rom-com, right? Well, that's exactly what happens to Bhanu and Sunny in this delightful read.
So, what did I love about it? This book is like a rom-com dream come true, blending enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and opposites attract tropes flawlessly. Bhanu and Sunny are not your average characters; she's a boss queen with sass, and he's got that cool, calm demeanor "with a voice like Denzel Washington". Plus, the Desi representation adds depth and richness to the story, which I totally vibed with. And let's not forget the serious stuff – it tackles workplace dynamics, toxic relationships, and microaggressions in a relatable way.
But hey, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. For me, the constant reminders of Sunny's "Denzel voice" got a bit repetitive. And while the romance is cute, I wished for a bit more development, especially early on. Plus, the resolution of conflicts towards the end felt a tad rushed to me. Like, communicate more, people!
Overall, "The Design of Us" is like a breath of fresh Hawaiian air – fun, romantic, and just what I needed to escape reality for a while.
Thank you to Sajni, Netgalley and Berkley for an arc of The Design of Us in exchange for an honest review!
Imagine this: stuck in Hawaii with your work nemesis, fake dating at a destination wedding. Sounds like the beginning of a rom-com, right? Well, that's exactly what happens to Bhanu and Sunny in this delightful read.
So, what did I love about it? This book is like a rom-com dream come true, blending enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and opposites attract tropes flawlessly. Bhanu and Sunny are not your average characters; she's a boss queen with sass, and he's got that cool, calm demeanor "with a voice like Denzel Washington". Plus, the Desi representation adds depth and richness to the story, which I totally vibed with. And let's not forget the serious stuff – it tackles workplace dynamics, toxic relationships, and microaggressions in a relatable way.
But hey, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. For me, the constant reminders of Sunny's "Denzel voice" got a bit repetitive. And while the romance is cute, I wished for a bit more development, especially early on. Plus, the resolution of conflicts towards the end felt a tad rushed to me. Like, communicate more, people!
Overall, "The Design of Us" is like a breath of fresh Hawaiian air – fun, romantic, and just what I needed to escape reality for a while.
Thank you to Sajni, Netgalley and Berkley for an arc of The Design of Us in exchange for an honest review!
July 11, 2024
This book was some solid fun.
Was it very predictable? Yes. But I ate it up.
I will admit I didn't really care much about either of their jobs. I was 100% just in it for the romance. Sunny and Bhanu's work rivalry is amusing more than anything. This is a bit of a slow burn, but the tension is excellent. Their flirting and banter had me smiling and kicking my feet.
A little cuteness:
“That’s considerate.”
“You’re welcome.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Thanks, Bane. You’re all right.”
I shoved the pillow between us into his face. “I thought I was pumpkin and edible.”
- - -
A little spice✨:
“To be perfectly clear,” he added, treading kisses over my breast, “I’ve been dying to taste you for days, Bane.”
I grabbed a fistful of his hair and nudged him lower. “Then taste me.”
“Fuck . . .” he muttered.
“Language . . .”
I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out, mostly Sunny because at least in Bhanu's case we got to see her social anxiety and how that affected her, but overall I had a fun time. I finished it in a day and have zero regrets.
Tropes: Fake-dating, rivals to lovers, one-bed/room 😉
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Was it very predictable? Yes. But I ate it up.
I will admit I didn't really care much about either of their jobs. I was 100% just in it for the romance. Sunny and Bhanu's work rivalry is amusing more than anything. This is a bit of a slow burn, but the tension is excellent. Their flirting and banter had me smiling and kicking my feet.
A little cuteness:
“That’s considerate.”
“You’re welcome.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Thanks, Bane. You’re all right.”
I shoved the pillow between us into his face. “I thought I was pumpkin and edible.”
- - -
A little spice✨:
“To be perfectly clear,” he added, treading kisses over my breast, “I’ve been dying to taste you for days, Bane.”
I grabbed a fistful of his hair and nudged him lower. “Then taste me.”
“Fuck . . .” he muttered.
“Language . . .”
I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out, mostly Sunny because at least in Bhanu's case we got to see her social anxiety and how that affected her, but overall I had a fun time. I finished it in a day and have zero regrets.
Tropes: Fake-dating, rivals to lovers, one-bed/room 😉
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 19, 2024
The Design of Us is a charming, easygoing romance that blends tech, creativity, and personal growth. The book tackles relatable themes and has moments of lighthearted fun, but it often left me wanting more depth from its characters.
Bhanu and Sunny are supposed to be workplace enemies, but their animosity feels underdeveloped. Their first awkward interaction a year earlier doesn’t seem like enough to justify their ongoing tension. It’s unclear why they don’t get along—they just seem to irritate each other for no real reason, behaving a bit too immaturely for professionals. This lack of a strong foundation for their conflict made their dynamic feel forced.
Additionally, the characterization felt mismatched. Sunny, despite being the "grumpy" one, came across more as serious and conscientious, not truly grumpy. Meanwhile, Bhanu, supposedly the "sunshine" character, often seemed grumpier than him. Their bickering, rather than fun or witty, felt more like childish disagreements, which made their interactions less engaging.
Overall, while The Design of Us is an enjoyable and easy read, but its underdeveloped characters and sometimes unsatisfying dynamics left me wanting more.
Bhanu and Sunny are supposed to be workplace enemies, but their animosity feels underdeveloped. Their first awkward interaction a year earlier doesn’t seem like enough to justify their ongoing tension. It’s unclear why they don’t get along—they just seem to irritate each other for no real reason, behaving a bit too immaturely for professionals. This lack of a strong foundation for their conflict made their dynamic feel forced.
Additionally, the characterization felt mismatched. Sunny, despite being the "grumpy" one, came across more as serious and conscientious, not truly grumpy. Meanwhile, Bhanu, supposedly the "sunshine" character, often seemed grumpier than him. Their bickering, rather than fun or witty, felt more like childish disagreements, which made their interactions less engaging.
Overall, while The Design of Us is an enjoyable and easy read, but its underdeveloped characters and sometimes unsatisfying dynamics left me wanting more.
September 5, 2024
This book took me on a ride: I was initially annoyed, then really glad I stuck with it, aaaaand ultimately the third act left me not exactly rooting for this couple. Felt like a real HFN (not a HEA).
I didn't quite feel that Bhanu and Sunny had a sunshine and the grump thing, or that they were really enemies (to lovers), and because most of the action took place on vacation it wasn't exactly a workplace romance either. Mostly what you've got is a fake dating situation.
The Hawaiian backdrop (Big Island) was a draw for me, as were both characters caring a lot about their careers and families.
Note a few comments about food that could be triggering (e.g., "This meal couldn't be healthy for either of us" regarding French toast and waffles; "Carbs were needed after last night and this morning; forget the fact that I'd had way too much cake"). And an awkward moment in which tourists' carbon footprint traveling to Hawaii is pointed out, but not the heroine's (who visits her sister several times a year).
I didn't quite feel that Bhanu and Sunny had a sunshine and the grump thing, or that they were really enemies (to lovers), and because most of the action took place on vacation it wasn't exactly a workplace romance either. Mostly what you've got is a fake dating situation.
The Hawaiian backdrop (Big Island) was a draw for me, as were both characters caring a lot about their careers and families.
Note a few comments about food that could be triggering (e.g., "This meal couldn't be healthy for either of us" regarding French toast and waffles; "Carbs were needed after last night and this morning; forget the fact that I'd had way too much cake"). And an awkward moment in which tourists' carbon footprint traveling to Hawaii is pointed out, but not the heroine's (who visits her sister several times a year).
April 19, 2025
"Days without you are meaningless episodes until the next time I see you"
3.5 🌟. This was such a good enemies to lovers execution with A+ banter and bickering. I loved that FMC was a confident, successful woman in STEM who took no shit from anybody but still dealt with social anxiety. And I especially loved MMC making sure she's OK and that nobody crossed her boundaries.
On another note, this book was TOO descriptive for my taste. Like I know we're in Hawaii, but I felt like I was reading a travel brochure sometimes. I don't care about reading about the food, ube, and the damn turtles every other page. However, if this is your thing, you'll love this book.
Even though this doesn't hold a candle to The trouble with hating you & First love, take two, Sajni Patel can do no wrong!! Forget about YA, and please keep the contemporary romances coming.
3.5 🌟. This was such a good enemies to lovers execution with A+ banter and bickering. I loved that FMC was a confident, successful woman in STEM who took no shit from anybody but still dealt with social anxiety. And I especially loved MMC making sure she's OK and that nobody crossed her boundaries.
On another note, this book was TOO descriptive for my taste. Like I know we're in Hawaii, but I felt like I was reading a travel brochure sometimes. I don't care about reading about the food, ube, and the damn turtles every other page. However, if this is your thing, you'll love this book.
Even though this doesn't hold a candle to The trouble with hating you & First love, take two, Sajni Patel can do no wrong!! Forget about YA, and please keep the contemporary romances coming.
July 23, 2024
So glad I went to an author signing with Sajni and got to hear firsthand about this book! She also lives in Hawai'i so the Hawai'i representation felt very authentic! From ube to warning tourists about caring for the land to honu (turtles) and hospitality/tourism careers to family parties, I felt so seen! I could really picture the setting because I've BEEN THERE (Big Island) and I loved that Bhanu noticed Diya mature just by living on the island and among locals. The main characters weren't my favorite, but their banter was fun and the fake dating scenes were cute. A great beach read!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: a few-fade to black scenes with some past-kissing descriptions
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
CW: a few-fade to black scenes with some past-kissing descriptions
April 13, 2024
Of course when Sajni Patel writes I have to read!
I love Sajni Patel and her writing it’s always so easy to just immerse yourself in the story and feel so connected to the characters. I loved Bannu and Sunny’s story and their characters.
This story takes place on vacation so it’s like that little “damn I wanna go on vacation and fall in love with someone” vibes or fantasy that some people may have.
Thank you Sajni for this eARC always looking forward to your work🥰
Tropes or things you may like:
-Opposites attract
-South Asian characters
-Takes place in Hawaii
-Fake dating
I love Sajni Patel and her writing it’s always so easy to just immerse yourself in the story and feel so connected to the characters. I loved Bannu and Sunny’s story and their characters.
This story takes place on vacation so it’s like that little “damn I wanna go on vacation and fall in love with someone” vibes or fantasy that some people may have.
Thank you Sajni for this eARC always looking forward to your work🥰
Tropes or things you may like:
-Opposites attract
-South Asian characters
-Takes place in Hawaii
-Fake dating
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