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You Can’t Be Serious!: A North-Meets-South Royal Romance
FOR FANS OF KHOOBSURAT AND GOSSIP GIRL, COMES A HILARIOUS AND SEXY ROYAL ROM-COM
AADITHA PRATHAP is the brilliant mastermind behind India's trendiest café chain, 'COFFEE Before Books & Bras' - because priorities, right? Sure, her family's fortune sparkles like new money does, but Aaditha is fiercely her own woman. She has absolutely no interest in being known as anyone's daughter, wife, or - cue the horror music - a royal daughter-in-law. With her business booming, you'd think life would be all smooth lattes and soft book nooks, but nope. Trolls of the internet variety love to take a swipe at her, dredging up chapters she had long buried. Now, owing her dad a favour, Aaditha is forced to consider... options. Even if it is in the form of a frustratingly charming, annoyingly exacting Indian prince.
Speaking of royals, VEDVEER RATHORE SINGH is an eco-warrior prince with a mission. He may have grown up playing polo and cricket under the royal sun, but after Harvard, he's back home and facing a harsh his family's finances are, well, not so princely. When a tempting offer to turn the majestic Ranibagh Palace into a luxury hotel comes knocking, Vedveer is willing to weigh it. But can this royal heartthrob find a way to save his legacy without losing his heart in the process?
In Prajwal Hegde's delightfully chaotic North-meets-South rom-com, culture and worlds collide in the most charming and unpredictable ways. Buckle up for a wild ride full of laughter, heart and a little bit of royal scandal!
AADITHA PRATHAP is the brilliant mastermind behind India's trendiest café chain, 'COFFEE Before Books & Bras' - because priorities, right? Sure, her family's fortune sparkles like new money does, but Aaditha is fiercely her own woman. She has absolutely no interest in being known as anyone's daughter, wife, or - cue the horror music - a royal daughter-in-law. With her business booming, you'd think life would be all smooth lattes and soft book nooks, but nope. Trolls of the internet variety love to take a swipe at her, dredging up chapters she had long buried. Now, owing her dad a favour, Aaditha is forced to consider... options. Even if it is in the form of a frustratingly charming, annoyingly exacting Indian prince.
Speaking of royals, VEDVEER RATHORE SINGH is an eco-warrior prince with a mission. He may have grown up playing polo and cricket under the royal sun, but after Harvard, he's back home and facing a harsh his family's finances are, well, not so princely. When a tempting offer to turn the majestic Ranibagh Palace into a luxury hotel comes knocking, Vedveer is willing to weigh it. But can this royal heartthrob find a way to save his legacy without losing his heart in the process?
In Prajwal Hegde's delightfully chaotic North-meets-South rom-com, culture and worlds collide in the most charming and unpredictable ways. Buckle up for a wild ride full of laughter, heart and a little bit of royal scandal!
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 23, 2025
2 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Prajwal Hegde
5 books3 followersPrajwal Hegde has been working with The Times of India since 2005, covering a number of sports. Prajwal lives in Bengaluru with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 12, 2026
Loved this book such a fun romance that kept me glued throughout. What made me pickup this book was the setup as I cannot resist royal romances and some of my favourite guilty pleasures are movies like Khoobsurat. When I read the setup, I was expecting something more similar to the netflix show The Royals however I was pleasantly surprised. The romance flows nicely and the lack of histrionics is a welcome change. I especially liked how everything felt so natural even the integration of the paparazzi gossip pages. Additionally, Aaditha and Vedveer felt very mature even while dealing with a lot.
If there was something I disliked is that the lead's professions are mentioned so little. This is a very minor flaw however the characters are often mentioned to be so passionate about their work but as a reader I didn't feel like I got actual examples of them doing the work they care so much about.
But overall, a great romance book and eager to read the next one!
If there was something I disliked is that the lead's professions are mentioned so little. This is a very minor flaw however the characters are often mentioned to be so passionate about their work but as a reader I didn't feel like I got actual examples of them doing the work they care so much about.
But overall, a great romance book and eager to read the next one!
January 14, 2026
You Can’t Be Serious is a light, easygoing royal rom-com that mixes arranged marriage with modern love in a way that feels familiar and comforting. The story revolves around Aaditha Prathap, the brains behind India’s trendy café chain, Coffee Before Books & Bras, and Vedveer Rathore Singh, an eco-conscious prince bound by tradition, duty, and the expectations that come with royalty.
This is the kind of book you read when you want something calm and cozy. There is no over-the-top drama, no emotional exhaustion, just a steady, pleasant story that unfolds at its own pace. The chemistry did not always give me butterflies, but the warmth between the characters made up for it. What I genuinely loved was how the male lead stands up for the female lead when she is constantly being corrected on how to sit, eat, speak, and even love like a royal, all under public scrutiny. Those moments felt reassuring and quietly powerful.
What surprised me was how close to home some parts hit. The way parents behave when their daughter reaches a certain age, is unmarried, and does not have a boyfriend was portrayed in a way that felt a little too real. The pressure, the fear, and the lack of space to choose freely were unsettling because this is something so many girls experience, especially those who do not date or do not feel strong enough to fight back. That layer of realism added an emotional depth I was not expecting from such a light read.
One scene I cannot stop thinking about is the kiss. She was drunk, he was completely aware, and she forgot about it entirely. That moment was soft, funny, and strangely intimate. The fact that she only remembers it at the end made it even better and oddly satisfying.
And can we talk about the cover for a second? It is beautiful. The royal romance vibe, one holding a teacup and the other a coffee mug, with love sitting right between them, sums up the story perfectly.
Overall, You Can’t Be Serious is a sweet, comforting read that leaves you feeling warm and thoughtful. It is not meant to sweep you off your feet, but it stays with you in a quiet way, and honestly, sometimes that is exactly what you need.
This is the kind of book you read when you want something calm and cozy. There is no over-the-top drama, no emotional exhaustion, just a steady, pleasant story that unfolds at its own pace. The chemistry did not always give me butterflies, but the warmth between the characters made up for it. What I genuinely loved was how the male lead stands up for the female lead when she is constantly being corrected on how to sit, eat, speak, and even love like a royal, all under public scrutiny. Those moments felt reassuring and quietly powerful.
What surprised me was how close to home some parts hit. The way parents behave when their daughter reaches a certain age, is unmarried, and does not have a boyfriend was portrayed in a way that felt a little too real. The pressure, the fear, and the lack of space to choose freely were unsettling because this is something so many girls experience, especially those who do not date or do not feel strong enough to fight back. That layer of realism added an emotional depth I was not expecting from such a light read.
One scene I cannot stop thinking about is the kiss. She was drunk, he was completely aware, and she forgot about it entirely. That moment was soft, funny, and strangely intimate. The fact that she only remembers it at the end made it even better and oddly satisfying.
And can we talk about the cover for a second? It is beautiful. The royal romance vibe, one holding a teacup and the other a coffee mug, with love sitting right between them, sums up the story perfectly.
Overall, You Can’t Be Serious is a sweet, comforting read that leaves you feeling warm and thoughtful. It is not meant to sweep you off your feet, but it stays with you in a quiet way, and honestly, sometimes that is exactly what you need.
January 20, 2026
This is a fast paced rom-com, where the well organised life of Aaditha Prathap is suddenly intertwined with the Prince of Jaipur, Vedveer Rathore Singh in a marriage arranged by their parents. Imagine getting out from working out and suddenly your Parents call you saying, "There's a boy".
Aaditha Asha Prathap is the CEO of Coffee Before Books & Bras - chain cafe business brand , but people think she's just the face of a business her politician father is handling. And here's the deal, when she meets Vedveer he starts noticing little details of her personality which was rather unseen.
Vedveer being the Crown Prince is an Environmental engineer is on a mission to utilise and develop the palace organically. Here too his father drops a bombshell, suddenly he has to go to meet the perfect bride for him!
I feel Aaditha when she says she can't just let down her father who trusts her when her give up her study and starts a business .
Both the families are in a rush of marrying them, but will they let it happen?
On their first undecided dinner suddenly Aaditha kisses him drunk and he's probably drowned in her ;) Oops that was fast. Btw she forgot the kiss!
She tries to plan to break the marriage! But can she really accomplish? They get close with the announcement of their marriage publicly, they attend events together. She spends time with him in holi. This is the cutest phase. Sudden fleeting moments, sometimes he's flirting over chat. ( I giggled so much)
And boom a really breaking plot twists arrives, he misunderstands blames:( her.
But our coffee queen isn't the one to accept such behaviour! We all know he definitely needs grovelling not even a Prince get out of things like this! I think he needed more.
At last we get his heartfelt apology and confession!
All I think after reading this is why the story is so short I need more - more detailing and some bonus please!
Aaditha Asha Prathap is the CEO of Coffee Before Books & Bras - chain cafe business brand , but people think she's just the face of a business her politician father is handling. And here's the deal, when she meets Vedveer he starts noticing little details of her personality which was rather unseen.
Vedveer being the Crown Prince is an Environmental engineer is on a mission to utilise and develop the palace organically. Here too his father drops a bombshell, suddenly he has to go to meet the perfect bride for him!
I feel Aaditha when she says she can't just let down her father who trusts her when her give up her study and starts a business .
Both the families are in a rush of marrying them, but will they let it happen?
On their first undecided dinner suddenly Aaditha kisses him drunk and he's probably drowned in her ;) Oops that was fast. Btw she forgot the kiss!
She tries to plan to break the marriage! But can she really accomplish? They get close with the announcement of their marriage publicly, they attend events together. She spends time with him in holi. This is the cutest phase. Sudden fleeting moments, sometimes he's flirting over chat. ( I giggled so much)
And boom a really breaking plot twists arrives, he misunderstands blames:( her.
But our coffee queen isn't the one to accept such behaviour! We all know he definitely needs grovelling not even a Prince get out of things like this! I think he needed more.
At last we get his heartfelt apology and confession!
All I think after reading this is why the story is so short I need more - more detailing and some bonus please!
January 21, 2026
Loved this book. A light hearted romance, easy to read and keeps you engaged and root for the characters till the end . Another great romantic novel by the author and the story can be easily adapted to a movie or tv series.
January 24, 2026
3.5 stars
2 states sort of but make it royal
2 states sort of but make it royal
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews