Rearranged: A Short Romantic Comedy with an Indian Twist

by R.P. Cowdrey

Two weddings. Two flight risks. One serendipitous encounter.

When Archie escapes her big fat Indian wedding and Prasad ditches his own bridezilla, the last thing they expect is to find another wedding runaway hiding in the same restaurant. She’s a planner. He’s a dreamer. But as the aunties close in, the past catches up, and the chemistry gets harder to ignore, they’re left with one burning what if running away leads you exactly where you’re meant to be?

Genres: Romance

50 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2025

Reviews

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in a morning. I really enjoyed it. Loved the main characters and the pushy Aunties. Made me believe in love! ❤️

[Ashley Kanazawich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The arranged marriage premise caught my attention because it’s something I have absolutely no personal experience with, and I was curious to see how that dynamic would be explored. What I didn’t realize at the time was just how short this story would be, which ended up shaping my entire reading experience.

Despite its length, I ended up enjoying this book far more than I expected. It was quirky, charming, and a little too-good-to-be-true at times, but in a way that felt intentional and fun rather than frustrating. While the plot was fairly predictable, that didn’t bother me much. With a novella this short, there simply isn’t room to build a lot of mystery, and instead the focus was clearly on character connection and tone.

What surprised me most was how emotionally invested I became in such a short amount of time. The author did an impressive job of making the characters relatable and endearing very quickly. I genuinely liked both main characters, and the banter between them was entertaining and warm. They were easy to root for, and I found myself wishing I had more time to live inside their world.

The arranged marriage concept itself was the most compelling part for me. I was surprised by how willingly the characters stepped into this obligation, and I found myself wanting far more insight into what they were thinking and feeling. I wanted to know the fears, expectations, and internal conflicts that come with such a decision. By the end of the story, I was left with lingering questions about what happened next. Did they fall in love? Did the marriage work? What did their life together look like after the final page?

Ultimately, my biggest takeaway is that I wish this had been a full-length novel. With the same characters and the same premise, expanded into a deeper story, I would have happily read every page. Even as a short read, Rearranged left a strong impression and made me eager to see what this author does next.

[Felina Pittman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This exotic romantic comedy is a quick study into the common tradition of the Indian culture, which involves arranged marriages, where parents or close relatives find matches for their offspring. The compelling novella captures the essence of the practice that aims to strengthen family ties and ensure a compatible spouse or partner in life.

The author did a commendable job in highlighting the intricate details of a typical Hindu ceremony. The surprising climax was a big game-changer that will keep readers glued to the pages. Aside from the contemporary setting and relatable main characters, namely Archana Kadam and Prasad Reddy, the right pacing of the storyline was transfixing enough to command one's interest and attention.

[Lizzie Marsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a short, wholesome little story. A short story about the struggles of arranged marriages and being truly happy, when so,times, you find the right person when you least expect it

Thank you to Voracious Readers for sending me this copy ☺️❤️

[Samuel Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful short story and romance! Cowdrey's prose is smart and accessible, and his characterization is masterful in such a relatively short space. Great, quick read for anyone who likes romcoms and/or Indian culture.

[Lindsey Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of the book, “Rearranged” from the author via Voracious Readers Only. Rom-coms are my current favorite genre. I was initially skeptical of the short length thinking that the story may not have time to develop and resolve well but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a very cute story and even had a little surprise at the end. It had a great hook right from the start with great characters. I really enjoyed it and definitely recommend for a quick easy read  

[KGillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great short story. It was a fun rom com story. I was not expecting how the story ended but I loved it! I would recommend this book to someone who wants to have a quick read.


I received a copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only.

[Debbie Pyette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super fast, funny and entertaining rom com. I enjoyed this short story. It was a look into some of the indian culture.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story about Archie, a young woman who has been relentlessly nagged by her extended family to get married. And not just any husband will do, he has to speak the right languages and come from the right the people. Trying to find this husband on her own terms, Archie experimented with dating apps and the like finding only a large number of grade A losers. Then something that made no sense happened—but let’s face it, people often do stupid things to keep their families happy. Archie permitted herself to be bullied into agreeing to marry a man she had only met through a ten-minute telephone conversation. On the day of the wedding as her jitters grew ever more serious, she discovered that her intended was drunk and making out with a woman other than her.

And that’s where the story really began as in her quest to escape, Archie hid in a restaurant where a man in exactly the same circumstance as she was lying low. What followed was a very clever speed date in which the two escapees got to know each other and came to the rather bizarre idea that the only way to get their families off their backs was to find a spouse and the two of them looked pretty good together.

Fast moving and delightful, this is quite the little tale, but it’s the last couple of pages that really make the read worthwhile.

[Alexis Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rearranged by R.P. Cowdrey has an interesting premise and a steady narrative flow, but it didn’t fully pull me in the way I usually like. The story has moments of charm and some emotional beats that land well, but overall it didn’t have that darker tension or character intensity I typically look for in my reads.

That said, the writing is clear, the pacing moves smoothly, and the plot has a quiet, grounded feel that could definitely appeal to readers who enjoy gentler, more reflective storytelling. It just wasn’t completely aligned with my usual tastes.

A decent read — just not one that fully grabbed me.

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐s

Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

A great love story! I love how the story flowed. "Rearranged" is a quick read that will make the reader smile.

This is absolutely true: “Never underestimate the aunties!”

VoraciousReadersOnly has given me the opportunity to read this e-book. Thank you R.P. Cowdrey for a lovely story.

[Mc Chanster · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute read. I really liked how Archie and Prasad negotiated their marriage, but wasn't the hugest fan of the "twist" (probably the unpopular opinion here). Still, it was charming and a nice, quick read.

Thank you Voracious Readers and RP Cowdrey fro my copy! I received an ARC of this novella and am voluntarily leaving a review. All above thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arranged marriage is such a foreign concept for me, so that does make it hard to completely get into such a short story. On the other hand, it lends itself to such a short story. The characters were good and the banter was witty, and it’s a fun, sweet story in its own way, so certainly worth the quick read.

I received a free copy through Voracious Readers Only. The review is purely my own.

[Pam Graber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun little short story. I read it in about an hour, but the humor and the fun twist at the end left me smiling. Pick this one up! I loved it!

[Melanie Esterman · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of the book, “Rearranged” from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

Such a cute short story. It's about second thoughts on an arranged marriage on the wedding day! A really fun read. Read it in an afternoon.

[Debbie Bridgford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. This was a very good story easy to read

[Reader]

Cute fast short story. A good read thank you.
I received a free copy from voracious readers