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My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding
A fresh, witty rom-com romp set against the backdrop of a high-profile music competition and a riotous Indian wedding
Zurika Damani is a naturally gifted violinist with a particular love for hip hop beats. But when you’re part of a big Indian family, everyone has expectations, and those certainly don’t include hip hop violin. After being rejected by Juilliard, Zuri's last hope is a contest judged by a panel of top tier college scouts. The only problem? This coveted competition happens to take place during Zuri’s sister’s extravagant wedding week. And Zuri has already been warned, repeatedly, that she is not to miss a single moment.
In the midst of the chaos, Zuri’s mom is in matchmaking mode with the groom’s South African cousin Naveen—who just happens to be a cocky vocalist set on stealing Zuri’s spotlight at the scouting competition. Luckily Zuri has a crew of loud and loyal female cousins cheering her on. Now, all she has to do is to wow the judges for a top spot, evade getting caught by her parents, resist Naveen’s charms, and, oh yeah . . . not mess up her sister’s big fat Indian wedding. What could possibly go wrong?
Zurika Damani is a naturally gifted violinist with a particular love for hip hop beats. But when you’re part of a big Indian family, everyone has expectations, and those certainly don’t include hip hop violin. After being rejected by Juilliard, Zuri's last hope is a contest judged by a panel of top tier college scouts. The only problem? This coveted competition happens to take place during Zuri’s sister’s extravagant wedding week. And Zuri has already been warned, repeatedly, that she is not to miss a single moment.
In the midst of the chaos, Zuri’s mom is in matchmaking mode with the groom’s South African cousin Naveen—who just happens to be a cocky vocalist set on stealing Zuri’s spotlight at the scouting competition. Luckily Zuri has a crew of loud and loyal female cousins cheering her on. Now, all she has to do is to wow the judges for a top spot, evade getting caught by her parents, resist Naveen’s charms, and, oh yeah . . . not mess up her sister’s big fat Indian wedding. What could possibly go wrong?
Unknown Binding
First published April 19, 2022
146 people are currently reading
9256 people want to read
About the author
Sajni Patel
10 books1,642 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 442 reviews
June 15, 2022
3.5 rounded up to 4 for exceptionally high sweetness and cuteness levels of this book ( and let’s not forget this ultra adorable cover! )
I have to admit: I enjoyed the previous works of the author a little bit more! But I can never say no to have dreamy experience of a desi wedding! Each step of celebration is perfectly told and made me feel like I was actually there and participating that fun!
Culture, traditions, rituals, family’s expectations are realistically written.
Let’s take a quick look to the plot:
Zurika is likable character who has a big dilemma: chasing her dreams at music or finding a reputable career to please her family! Even though she’s talented violinist with a bright future opportunities ahead of her, her parents want her follow her older sisters’ path to become a lawyer. Now she has a last chance to get accepted by a very prestigious music school but the auditions intercepted with the wedding ceremony of her sister that she’s required to participate at each step of traditional ceremonies and let’s not forget: the groom’s charming cousin is also one of her biggest rivals at the competition. Can she achieve to beat the major laws of physics by being two places at the same time?
So far, it was entertaining, extra sweet read with lovely characters. The romance parts between Naveen and Zuri were also adorable! The ending was well wrapped up!
I love the author’s feel good novels and I’m looking forward to read more of her works in near future!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Kids/ Amulet Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
I have to admit: I enjoyed the previous works of the author a little bit more! But I can never say no to have dreamy experience of a desi wedding! Each step of celebration is perfectly told and made me feel like I was actually there and participating that fun!
Culture, traditions, rituals, family’s expectations are realistically written.
Let’s take a quick look to the plot:
Zurika is likable character who has a big dilemma: chasing her dreams at music or finding a reputable career to please her family! Even though she’s talented violinist with a bright future opportunities ahead of her, her parents want her follow her older sisters’ path to become a lawyer. Now she has a last chance to get accepted by a very prestigious music school but the auditions intercepted with the wedding ceremony of her sister that she’s required to participate at each step of traditional ceremonies and let’s not forget: the groom’s charming cousin is also one of her biggest rivals at the competition. Can she achieve to beat the major laws of physics by being two places at the same time?
So far, it was entertaining, extra sweet read with lovely characters. The romance parts between Naveen and Zuri were also adorable! The ending was well wrapped up!
I love the author’s feel good novels and I’m looking forward to read more of her works in near future!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Kids/ Amulet Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
April 5, 2022
Love this Indian Wedding! So much beauty, tradition, and a spectacle worthy of Bollywood. I could just see them in their finery, chosen specifically for each piece of the ceremony. I thought I had a ton of details to keep track of when my sons got married. That was nothing! The musical ambitions of Zurika and Naveen are another fascinating part of the book -- and their meet cute plus sweet, budding romance. Inspired by the wedding of the author's brother, the book is full of rich detail. Want to go to a wedding?
Thank you to Amulet Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Amulet Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2025
six. freaking. stars.
i’m addicted, obsessed, and sobbing that it’s over (literally)
rtc in the morning, i promise(it’s almost 2am oops)
random update: i finished this book yesterday and this morning, the first thing i did was go on amazon and order this bc i need to reread it and annotate it and keep it with me forever and ever 🥰
OKAYYY SO RAMBLING TIMEEE
for starters, why was this book so freaking funny? i was just sitting her dying of laughter, cackling like a villain, wheezing for air bro like i couldn’t contain myself! it was just too funnyyyy.
"Whatever." | clamped down my smile and ignored the tumbling in my belly. He was so stupid, with stupid words coming out of his stupid face.
……..
"How serious are you?" I asked her.
"You're too young to think about marriage right now, but maybe start thinking of a boy for down the road. If you like each other now, who knows for later? It's important to know him for a while, huh? See how he truly is."
"Like ... staking claim now for later?"
"Ha! Exactly." She touched my cheek before sashaying out of the room, leaving me in total bewilderment.
There were no other words to be said.
and don’t even get me started on the banter. it was perfection. “perfection” can’t even properly describe how incredible it was, i was giggling and kicking my feel and squeeling and omg i can’t even think straight.
Once I even stepped on his foot, but instead of him hopping around in pain, I nearly tripped. He caught me around the waist before I fell. "OK.
Now I know that you're literally trying to trip me up," I grumbled, fighting off the rumble in my belly from his touch. He smirked. "Am I?" I
practically growled under my breath. So he was messing with me!
…….
"Yes," Naveen said out of nowhere, answering a question no one had asked. "Huh?"
"You're thinking what a silly girl you've been all day, fretting over nothing because you forgot to check the spam folder." My blood boiled as I hissed, "Silly girl? Listen.
Just because you have an adorable accent doesn't mean you can say whatever you want." The corner of his mouth quirked up. "So I'm adorable, huh?"
…….
I chuckled
"You have whipped cream on your nose."
"Do I?" He crossed his eyes and stared down his nose at the little dollop of cream, looking stupidly adorable. I swiped the whipped cream off his nose. "No," he crowed.
"You did that all wrong."
"Was I supposed to kiss that off?"
"Yep."
"Kiss your nose? Who does that?"
"Isn't that what they do in the movies?"
the love, the romance, the way they so perfectly fit each other. can i even describe it?? it’s not humanly possible to write something like this istg it’s not okay.
Naveen popped up beside me and whispered, "Hello, beautiful."
"Hey, handsome," I replied, my chest fluttering with butterflies.
……
"You look stunningly perfect, Zurika Damani." I grinned. "I know. But you do, too, Naveen Patel."
………
"That's my favorite," he said. "Nice shot." Amazing was more like it. I'd never seen myself as pretty as Maitri or as free as Neha or as secure as Urvi, but I saw all those things in myself in these pictures. "Nice isn't the right word." I frowned. "Pretty?" Dude, at least. "Drop-dead beautiful," he corrected, his voice low and close to my ear. I tried not to grin, but darn it, a stupid smile hiked up the corners of my mouth anyway.
……..
“…Dude, you going to Yale... Stop frowning, forget Juilliard ... Your mom is going to try to arrange your marriage to the next, I dunno... first female Indian president of the U.S."
"I didn't know you were into politics." He winked.
"Not me," I muttered. "Your parents will think I'm way below your level!" He nudged my shoulder with his.
"No, they won't, and I definitely will never think that."
naveen freaking patel. this guy. he is the dream. the definition of mr right. if i don’t find a man like him, i’m gonna dig myself a grave and put myself inside it. his support for zuri, his compassion, his kindness, his funniness, his playfulness, his everythingness ahhhhh i can’t with himmmmmm! he’s super tall, playful yet serious about things that are important to him, respectful, kind, loving, goes to therapy, i don’t even know what else to say about him, he’s perfect! he literally is perfect.
my girl. the boss, the queen, the one and only, zurika damani. badass, hilarious, adorable, yet down to earth and calm. she knows what’s important and set her priorities. i love her sm i can’t even describe bro like she’s the sweetest, amazing-est person everrrrr.
Naveen + Zurika = absolute perfection
the way family is prioritized, the beauty of their relationship, the sisterhood between zuri and her three sisters was just amazing. extended family too, and i totally relate to her! i have three sisters and one brother, all younger than me, + my four closet cousins that feel like my siblings + my grandparents and i just love them to death and i love how a family so similar to mine was portrayed and it was just beautiful, inshallah me and my family will be as close as them when we all get older too 🥹
My fam? They really made me. They bombarded me with strength, optimism, and confidence, pushing away all the nagging doubts.
i. wanna. be. desi. everyone knows this. don’t get me wrong, i love being somali and my culture, language, everything is just great buttttt i always deep down have loved the desi culture and this book just brought back all my sadness of not being from their incredible culture (i literally have a pinterest board dedicated to desi aesthetics and i’m just addicted to it, i’m not playing)
overall thoughts rambles
i loved it sm. that’s all i can say
I leaned into him and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for tonight, though."
"Anytime," he whispered.
minor spoiler (how the book ends)
SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP I'M FINISHED I'M GONNA GO DIE GOODBYE
i’m addicted, obsessed, and sobbing that it’s over (literally)
rtc in the morning, i promise
random update: i finished this book yesterday and this morning, the first thing i did was go on amazon and order this bc i need to reread it and annotate it and keep it with me forever and ever 🥰
OKAYYY SO RAMBLING TIMEEE
for starters, why was this book so freaking funny? i was just sitting her dying of laughter, cackling like a villain, wheezing for air bro like i couldn’t contain myself! it was just too funnyyyy.
"Whatever." | clamped down my smile and ignored the tumbling in my belly. He was so stupid, with stupid words coming out of his stupid face.
……..
"How serious are you?" I asked her.
"You're too young to think about marriage right now, but maybe start thinking of a boy for down the road. If you like each other now, who knows for later? It's important to know him for a while, huh? See how he truly is."
"Like ... staking claim now for later?"
"Ha! Exactly." She touched my cheek before sashaying out of the room, leaving me in total bewilderment.
There were no other words to be said.
and don’t even get me started on the banter. it was perfection. “perfection” can’t even properly describe how incredible it was, i was giggling and kicking my feel and squeeling and omg i can’t even think straight.
Once I even stepped on his foot, but instead of him hopping around in pain, I nearly tripped. He caught me around the waist before I fell. "OK.
Now I know that you're literally trying to trip me up," I grumbled, fighting off the rumble in my belly from his touch. He smirked. "Am I?" I
practically growled under my breath. So he was messing with me!
…….
"Yes," Naveen said out of nowhere, answering a question no one had asked. "Huh?"
"You're thinking what a silly girl you've been all day, fretting over nothing because you forgot to check the spam folder." My blood boiled as I hissed, "Silly girl? Listen.
Just because you have an adorable accent doesn't mean you can say whatever you want." The corner of his mouth quirked up. "So I'm adorable, huh?"
…….
I chuckled
"You have whipped cream on your nose."
"Do I?" He crossed his eyes and stared down his nose at the little dollop of cream, looking stupidly adorable. I swiped the whipped cream off his nose. "No," he crowed.
"You did that all wrong."
"Was I supposed to kiss that off?"
"Yep."
"Kiss your nose? Who does that?"
"Isn't that what they do in the movies?"
the love, the romance, the way they so perfectly fit each other. can i even describe it?? it’s not humanly possible to write something like this istg it’s not okay.
Naveen popped up beside me and whispered, "Hello, beautiful."
"Hey, handsome," I replied, my chest fluttering with butterflies.
……
"You look stunningly perfect, Zurika Damani." I grinned. "I know. But you do, too, Naveen Patel."
………
"That's my favorite," he said. "Nice shot." Amazing was more like it. I'd never seen myself as pretty as Maitri or as free as Neha or as secure as Urvi, but I saw all those things in myself in these pictures. "Nice isn't the right word." I frowned. "Pretty?" Dude, at least. "Drop-dead beautiful," he corrected, his voice low and close to my ear. I tried not to grin, but darn it, a stupid smile hiked up the corners of my mouth anyway.
……..
“…Dude, you going to Yale... Stop frowning, forget Juilliard ... Your mom is going to try to arrange your marriage to the next, I dunno... first female Indian president of the U.S."
"I didn't know you were into politics." He winked.
"Not me," I muttered. "Your parents will think I'm way below your level!" He nudged my shoulder with his.
"No, they won't, and I definitely will never think that."
naveen freaking patel. this guy. he is the dream. the definition of mr right. if i don’t find a man like him, i’m gonna dig myself a grave and put myself inside it. his support for zuri, his compassion, his kindness, his funniness, his playfulness, his everythingness ahhhhh i can’t with himmmmmm! he’s super tall, playful yet serious about things that are important to him, respectful, kind, loving, goes to therapy, i don’t even know what else to say about him, he’s perfect! he literally is perfect.
my girl. the boss, the queen, the one and only, zurika damani. badass, hilarious, adorable, yet down to earth and calm. she knows what’s important and set her priorities. i love her sm i can’t even describe bro like she’s the sweetest, amazing-est person everrrrr.
Naveen + Zurika = absolute perfection
the way family is prioritized, the beauty of their relationship, the sisterhood between zuri and her three sisters was just amazing. extended family too, and i totally relate to her! i have three sisters and one brother, all younger than me, + my four closet cousins that feel like my siblings + my grandparents and i just love them to death and i love how a family so similar to mine was portrayed and it was just beautiful, inshallah me and my family will be as close as them when we all get older too 🥹
My fam? They really made me. They bombarded me with strength, optimism, and confidence, pushing away all the nagging doubts.
i. wanna. be. desi. everyone knows this. don’t get me wrong, i love being somali and my culture, language, everything is just great buttttt i always deep down have loved the desi culture and this book just brought back all my sadness of not being from their incredible culture (i literally have a pinterest board dedicated to desi aesthetics and i’m just addicted to it, i’m not playing)
overall thoughts rambles
i loved it sm. that’s all i can say
I leaned into him and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for tonight, though."
"Anytime," he whispered.
minor spoiler (how the book ends)
He drew his arm around me as a soft breeze pushed around the warm air.
"Yeah. I did it, didn't I?"
"Did what?"
"Made you like me in one week."
"No," I muttered against his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist and just holding him for a long time.
We both knew that was a lie. I did indeed like Naveen. A lot. Which was stupid, because he was leaving tomorrow for at least a few months.
"I'm not gonna lie and say I don't like you," he said. I pulled back and looked up at him, finding his gaze intense. "When it's someone like you, how can I not?" He pulled back and tucked my hair behind my ear.
Then he gave me a soft kiss while the last of the cherry blossoms scattered over us. "See you in five months," he whispered against my lips.
SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP I'M FINISHED I'M GONNA GO DIE GOODBYE
May 5, 2024
this is THE book that got me back into reading!
Want to read
March 12, 2021March 11, 2021: I'm anyway already sold at the mention of an Indian wedding but when you say the main character is an aspiring violinist and needs to keep dodging "her boisterous family's matchmaking schemes", TAKE EVERYTHING and let me read this NOW.
February 7, 2022
A fun, energetic and vibrant romcom full of music, passion. family and mouthwatering descriptions of food.
March 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this!! The wedding aspect was so fun and lushly described. I need both a look book and a Spotify playlist to accompany it because I want to immerse myself in all of the beautiful outfits and songs! My Big Fat Greek Wedding is arguably in my top ten of favorite movies, so really this book was pure delight.
The only thing this book didn’t fully deliver on though was the romance. It was super slow paced, I think they kissed once right at the very end, and Naveen was a little one dimensional. I absolutely needed an epilogue!! The end was nice, but left so much open so an epilogue would’ve really firmed things up.
Overall, My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding was a really fun YA book. I loved Patel’s writing and absolutely adored the violin content! I can’t wait to read Sleepless in Dubai ✨
The only thing this book didn’t fully deliver on though was the romance. It was super slow paced, I think they kissed once right at the very end, and Naveen was a little one dimensional. I absolutely needed an epilogue!! The end was nice, but left so much open so an epilogue would’ve really firmed things up.
Overall, My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding was a really fun YA book. I loved Patel’s writing and absolutely adored the violin content! I can’t wait to read Sleepless in Dubai ✨
May 17, 2022
maybe I should avoid YA!
I love Sajni Patel's writing but I couldn't connect with this one...
I love Sajni Patel's writing but I couldn't connect with this one...
Read
March 27, 2025PNY, this is for youuu. Br with Yusra, don't worry people she's definitely reading this with me of her own free will 😇💞
December 4, 2022
We Indians love weddings. No one would want to miss a wedding event, its like a festival 🤩 My wedding in 2016 was a three day event filled with ceremonies and parties. Yes the aunties are annoying but who cares when we can have fun with cousins and siblings. So excited to read what this big fat Indian wedding is about!!
January 13, 2025
started jan 11 will finish jan 12 because sleep is for the weak 👹👹 ☼
pre-review
HAUHBEH THIS WAS SOOO GOOD and cutee i'm I'm weak 😭 omg
rtc
pre-review
HAUHBEH THIS WAS SOOO GOOD and cutee i'm I'm weak 😭 omg
rtc
November 12, 2024
A Fun and Heart-warming story, I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and there is a lot.
It's a story about following your dreams, finding love, family, traditions and making music.
My only wish was that we got to hear the music that sounded so amazing and Vibrant.
The narrator was great and bought the characters to life especially as there was so many.
I do hope there is a follow on as I would love to find out if they both made it to music university.
I listened to this book via Audible.
It's a story about following your dreams, finding love, family, traditions and making music.
My only wish was that we got to hear the music that sounded so amazing and Vibrant.
The narrator was great and bought the characters to life especially as there was so many.
I do hope there is a follow on as I would love to find out if they both made it to music university.
I listened to this book via Audible.
March 25, 2022
I feel like the author tried too hard to sound like a teenager and it came off feeling forced, which made the book and the story not flow right.
I attended a wedding in India a few years ago, so I thankfully had some background, but if I hadn't already been familiar with some of it, a lot of the Indian references would have gone over my head.
Still a cute story, but I was hoping for a lot more.
I attended a wedding in India a few years ago, so I thankfully had some background, but if I hadn't already been familiar with some of it, a lot of the Indian references would have gone over my head.
Still a cute story, but I was hoping for a lot more.
April 25, 2022
Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel is a delightful, well-written story about the younger sister of an Indian woman about to get married.
Zurika Damani is in her last year of High School and is deciding on her next step by choosing colleges. Her parents want her to go to law school as her two older sisters did. But, Zurika has other ideas. She’s a talented violinist and wants to attend music school instead.
This week starts the preparations for her sister, Madri’s, big, over-the-top, Indian wedding. Her sister and her parents need her close by for all the celebrations, and preparations. She wants to attend a musical contest the same week as her sister’s wedding, and once she learns she did not get into Julliard, she knows the contest is the best way to get into a prestigious music school. But, can she disobey her parents and sneak out to the contest without getting caught?
I have never been to a large Indian wedding, and now I feel like I’ve been to one. I loved hearing all about the details of the wedding preparation and all the celebrations leading up to the main event.
Zurika is so conflicted during most of the book. She wants to please her family, but she thinks she can’t please her family and go on her own path. She knows that the only thing she wants to do, is to play the violin, but her family wants her to become a lawyer, a doctor, or an engineer. They believe there isn’t a future for Zurika in music and wants to be sure she has a good solid financial future.
I loved the journey that Zurika went on as she learned more about herself and her talent, and how to stand up for herself. There is some light romance in the book, that was fun and heartwarming.
I highly recommend My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding to anyone who enjoys YA books with a bit of romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel is a delightful, well-written story about the younger sister of an Indian woman about to get married.
Zurika Damani is in her last year of High School and is deciding on her next step by choosing colleges. Her parents want her to go to law school as her two older sisters did. But, Zurika has other ideas. She’s a talented violinist and wants to attend music school instead.
This week starts the preparations for her sister, Madri’s, big, over-the-top, Indian wedding. Her sister and her parents need her close by for all the celebrations, and preparations. She wants to attend a musical contest the same week as her sister’s wedding, and once she learns she did not get into Julliard, she knows the contest is the best way to get into a prestigious music school. But, can she disobey her parents and sneak out to the contest without getting caught?
I have never been to a large Indian wedding, and now I feel like I’ve been to one. I loved hearing all about the details of the wedding preparation and all the celebrations leading up to the main event.
Zurika is so conflicted during most of the book. She wants to please her family, but she thinks she can’t please her family and go on her own path. She knows that the only thing she wants to do, is to play the violin, but her family wants her to become a lawyer, a doctor, or an engineer. They believe there isn’t a future for Zurika in music and wants to be sure she has a good solid financial future.
I loved the journey that Zurika went on as she learned more about herself and her talent, and how to stand up for herself. There is some light romance in the book, that was fun and heartwarming.
I highly recommend My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding to anyone who enjoys YA books with a bit of romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 10, 2022
Picked this up for some comfort reading and it certainly did the job. I especially really enjoyed the narrator's voice, which felt fresh and witty.
June 16, 2025
two whole stars are dedicated to Naveen thank you very much 😍 the romance had me screaming and got butterflies in my stomach like a silly teenage girl (I am a silly teenage girl)
March 8, 2022
I’ve probably read two YA contemporary novels in the past two years, which includes this current one. I just feel disconnected with the age group and have decided not to read them rather than not like them. But I couldn’t resist this book because that’s a lovely cover and who can say no to a full on desi wedding extravaganza. And I was not disappointed.
I can’t say I enjoyed my wedding because I was hardly involved in any aspect of it and it was such a tiring day that I don’t even like remembering it much. But reading or watching desi weddings play out like huge parties is always super fun and the author commits to it fully. Spanning only about 8-9 days, this book is fast paced and reads like a breeze but captures the chaotic and colorful atmosphere of our weddings perfectly. The pujas, the rituals, the decorations, the cooking and the food, the sweets, haldi, Mehendi, sangeet, the baaraat and ofcourse the crying - the author leaves out nothing and it all makes for an amazing and thoroughly entertaining but also emotional read. The premise of the main characters’ brother and sister’s wedding also reminded me of the classic Bollywood wedding film Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, and I felt the author was definitely giving a nod to the movie in the very elaborately executed shoe stealing sequence during the wedding. Just evoked so much nostalgia.
Zuri is sister of the bride and while she wants to major in music, her family wants her to go to law school like her sisters. She has to choose between attending a music competition on the same day as her sister’s garba night and while it was a difficult dilemma for her and I could really sympathize with her struggles, it randomly reminded me of an old Hindi TV serial called Sasural Simar Ka in which the bride is the one who wants to attend an audition on the day of her wedding and has to choose. I promise you, this book is way way better than that show but the random memory just felt hilarious. Coming back to the book, Zuri is a sweet girl who is very excited to ensure her sister’s wedding goes perfectly but is also worried about chasing her dreams. I’m glad with how she made her choices but sometimes I also wished she could speak up. But I also know it’s not easy to counter the arguments made me desi parents and elders, especially when you are a teenager.
Naveen is a cousin of the groom and an aspiring singer as well and an absolute cocky charmer. Their banter right from the first “accidental” meeting was super fun and I liked how the author developed their friendship and more. Thankfully, it’s not aiming for eternal love but feels very realistic for how two young teenagers might feel about each other. I was also absolutely glad that there is no miscommunication trope or a third act breakup.
The supporting characters are also all amazing. The aunts and uncles might only care about the kids being engineers, doctors and lawyers and always going on about matchmaking, it’s the cousins and friends who are the stars here. They bring all the fun to the wedding celebrations and are also there to support Zuri when she desperately needs it. I especially loved Krish for being an awesome cousin.
In the end, this was a romp and I was smiling throughout. The main character might have some small troubles about making the right choices but other than that, the book is all about love and family and everything that encompasses a desi wedding. It’s big and bold and bright and every description took me back to some memory. If you are a fan of lavish weddings and characters whose music touches the soul, then this book is perfect for you. This one promises every bit of fun that the gorgeous indicates.
I can’t say I enjoyed my wedding because I was hardly involved in any aspect of it and it was such a tiring day that I don’t even like remembering it much. But reading or watching desi weddings play out like huge parties is always super fun and the author commits to it fully. Spanning only about 8-9 days, this book is fast paced and reads like a breeze but captures the chaotic and colorful atmosphere of our weddings perfectly. The pujas, the rituals, the decorations, the cooking and the food, the sweets, haldi, Mehendi, sangeet, the baaraat and ofcourse the crying - the author leaves out nothing and it all makes for an amazing and thoroughly entertaining but also emotional read. The premise of the main characters’ brother and sister’s wedding also reminded me of the classic Bollywood wedding film Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, and I felt the author was definitely giving a nod to the movie in the very elaborately executed shoe stealing sequence during the wedding. Just evoked so much nostalgia.
Zuri is sister of the bride and while she wants to major in music, her family wants her to go to law school like her sisters. She has to choose between attending a music competition on the same day as her sister’s garba night and while it was a difficult dilemma for her and I could really sympathize with her struggles, it randomly reminded me of an old Hindi TV serial called Sasural Simar Ka in which the bride is the one who wants to attend an audition on the day of her wedding and has to choose. I promise you, this book is way way better than that show but the random memory just felt hilarious. Coming back to the book, Zuri is a sweet girl who is very excited to ensure her sister’s wedding goes perfectly but is also worried about chasing her dreams. I’m glad with how she made her choices but sometimes I also wished she could speak up. But I also know it’s not easy to counter the arguments made me desi parents and elders, especially when you are a teenager.
Naveen is a cousin of the groom and an aspiring singer as well and an absolute cocky charmer. Their banter right from the first “accidental” meeting was super fun and I liked how the author developed their friendship and more. Thankfully, it’s not aiming for eternal love but feels very realistic for how two young teenagers might feel about each other. I was also absolutely glad that there is no miscommunication trope or a third act breakup.
The supporting characters are also all amazing. The aunts and uncles might only care about the kids being engineers, doctors and lawyers and always going on about matchmaking, it’s the cousins and friends who are the stars here. They bring all the fun to the wedding celebrations and are also there to support Zuri when she desperately needs it. I especially loved Krish for being an awesome cousin.
In the end, this was a romp and I was smiling throughout. The main character might have some small troubles about making the right choices but other than that, the book is all about love and family and everything that encompasses a desi wedding. It’s big and bold and bright and every description took me back to some memory. If you are a fan of lavish weddings and characters whose music touches the soul, then this book is perfect for you. This one promises every bit of fun that the gorgeous indicates.
March 2, 2025
3.5 ☆
I really enjoyed reading this one! I love how perfectly the chaos during an Indian wedding is depicted, it was entertaining 😄 I liked the fmc Zurika and her family, especially her sisters and the whole group of cousins. Kinda felt it was a little too focused on detailing the events (but that could be because I'm familiar with it), and I'm not the hugest fan of the dialogue, it was a little awkward, but other than that it was hilarious and FUN to read. Naveen and Zurika's banter was... not among the best i've read but cute nonetheless (and so was them performing music together ✨) It was funny how they acted out the story of her sister's engagement, I expected to witness the performance through zurika's pov but noo 😭
And ofc I love that they both chose to pursue their dreams rather than submit to expectations because well you only live once🤷🏻♀️
pre-review ✧⋆♡₊˚
well that was a lot of wholesome awkwardness
rtc <3
I really enjoyed reading this one! I love how perfectly the chaos during an Indian wedding is depicted, it was entertaining 😄 I liked the fmc Zurika and her family, especially her sisters and the whole group of cousins. Kinda felt it was a little too focused on detailing the events (but that could be because I'm familiar with it), and I'm not the hugest fan of the dialogue, it was a little awkward, but other than that it was hilarious and FUN to read. Naveen and Zurika's banter was... not among the best i've read but cute nonetheless (and so was them performing music together ✨) It was funny how they acted out the story of her sister's engagement, I expected to witness the performance through zurika's pov but noo 😭
And ofc I love that they both chose to pursue their dreams rather than submit to expectations because well you only live once🤷🏻♀️
pre-review ✧⋆♡₊˚
well that was a lot of wholesome awkwardness
rtc <3
February 15, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
its so hard to place exactly what i loved so much about this but it made me so happy 😭
oh the characters and their dynamics and relationships with each other!! i especially adore zurika's relationship with her sisters
also the chaotic-ness of a large family and how nosy they are 💀 i mean ofc nosiness is expected in a huge family (i would certainly know 😭 like i love my family but seriously they don't know what privacy or personal boundaries are!!)
i love the cultural expectations too and i related so much to that part- pursuing your real passions that may not get you a stable and well paying job vs. making your parents proud by going into medicine or law
im so glad zurika got to chase her dreams in the end!!
omg the ROMANCE
screaming and sobbing because i didn't expect to love zurika and naveen together considering that they only met like a week before they fell in love (at least it wasn't instalove because i HATE that) and also because i didn't really like naveen at first but he grew on me
they were so cute and i love their banter! it was so funnyyy
"Yes," Naveen said out of nowhere, answering a question no one had asked. "Huh?"
"You're thinking what a silly girl you've been all day, fretting over nothing because you forgot to check the spam folder." My blood boiled as I hissed, "Silly girl? Listen. Just because you have an adorable accent doesn't mean you can say whatever you want." The corner of his mouth quirked up. "So I'm adorable, huh?"
overall, this is THE perfect rom-com and im quite picky with romances but this one was great!!
and also now im in love with sajni patel's writing <3
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ೀ⋆｡🌷 pre-review ೀ⋆｡🌷
LOVE THIS SMMMMM
gotta say i had my doubts abt this one but happy i was proved wrong 🤭
rtc.
its so hard to place exactly what i loved so much about this but it made me so happy 😭
oh the characters and their dynamics and relationships with each other!! i especially adore zurika's relationship with her sisters
also the chaotic-ness of a large family and how nosy they are 💀 i mean ofc nosiness is expected in a huge family (i would certainly know 😭 like i love my family but seriously they don't know what privacy or personal boundaries are!!)
i love the cultural expectations too and i related so much to that part- pursuing your real passions that may not get you a stable and well paying job vs. making your parents proud by going into medicine or law
im so glad zurika got to chase her dreams in the end!!
omg the ROMANCE
screaming and sobbing because i didn't expect to love zurika and naveen together considering that they only met like a week before they fell in love (at least it wasn't instalove because i HATE that) and also because i didn't really like naveen at first but he grew on me
they were so cute and i love their banter! it was so funnyyy
"Yes," Naveen said out of nowhere, answering a question no one had asked. "Huh?"
"You're thinking what a silly girl you've been all day, fretting over nothing because you forgot to check the spam folder." My blood boiled as I hissed, "Silly girl? Listen. Just because you have an adorable accent doesn't mean you can say whatever you want." The corner of his mouth quirked up. "So I'm adorable, huh?"
overall, this is THE perfect rom-com and im quite picky with romances but this one was great!!
and also now im in love with sajni patel's writing <3
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ೀ⋆｡🌷 pre-review ೀ⋆｡🌷
LOVE THIS SMMMMM
gotta say i had my doubts abt this one but happy i was proved wrong 🤭
rtc.
May 1, 2025
This book was much too long for me just like an Indian wedding! It goes on forever and they just love it but I could never stand this. They must be very extroverted.
March 31, 2025
Omg this was so cute and fun. The way my stomach RUMBLED everytime the food was described😫
I love how determined Zurika was, AND THE LINDSEY STIRLING MENTIONNN. That brought back some childhood memoriesss, Naveen was the best😭 Oh to be loved like that😔 Thank you Yusra for recommending this to meee😽💗
I love how determined Zurika was, AND THE LINDSEY STIRLING MENTIONNN. That brought back some childhood memoriesss, Naveen was the best😭 Oh to be loved like that😔 Thank you Yusra for recommending this to meee😽💗
Read
August 4, 2022Love this Indian Wedding! So much beauty, tradition, and a spectacle worthy of Bollywood. I could just see them in their finery, chosen specifically for each piece of the ceremony. I thought I had a ton of details to keep track of when my sons got married. That was nothing! The musical ambitions of Zurika and Naveen are another fascinating part of the book -- and their meet cute plus sweet, budding romance. Inspired by the wedding of the author's brother, the book is full of rich detail. Want to go to a wedding? *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
April 10, 2022
In the spirit of trying not to be a major hater, I won't go into serious detail but will leave you with this one sentence thought by our MC that I cannot erase from my mind: "I had to be a Frozen character in the moment and just...let it go. "
In what world would a 17-year-old girl reference a Disney movie in their internal dialogue? I feel like YA dialogue can be so hit or miss, and this book was the latter. There are many more examples, but again trying not to be a #hater.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!!
In what world would a 17-year-old girl reference a Disney movie in their internal dialogue? I feel like YA dialogue can be so hit or miss, and this book was the latter. There are many more examples, but again trying not to be a #hater.
Thanks to the publisher for the ARC!!
January 23, 2022
DNF at 25%. I really liked two of this authors other books so I had high hopes going into this one. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a let down. I love how this author gives bits of Indian culture and I was excited that this one was all about a wedding. But the book just didn’t flow. The writing didn’t capture me and it was actually hard to get as far as I did in the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for my first arc!
Thank you to NetGalley for my first arc!
June 24, 2024
This book was gorgeously cultural and very lighthearted. The plot was cute and informational, plus I can imagine this to be a very relatable story for many people wanting to pursue art and music. AND MY GOD IS THE COVER BEAUTIFUL?!?
The MC, Zuri, had a sweet adorkable personality that was fun to read in her POV. Naveen, the MMC was my personal favorite because I’m always a fan of the charismatic and cheeky character.
My only complaint was that the parts I was looking forward to most seemed to be the shortest, only being a page or two long (performances, wedding, etc). Other than that, it was a fun read from start to end.
Side note: my god some of the desi foods in this book sounded AMAZING. (>‿◠)
The MC, Zuri, had a sweet adorkable personality that was fun to read in her POV. Naveen, the MMC was my personal favorite because I’m always a fan of the charismatic and cheeky character.
My only complaint was that the parts I was looking forward to most seemed to be the shortest, only being a page or two long (performances, wedding, etc). Other than that, it was a fun read from start to end.
Side note: my god some of the desi foods in this book sounded AMAZING. (>‿◠)
April 25, 2024
We need to stop labelling books as enemies to lovers for sales
Look, I get it. Click bait, it WORKS. You get people buying the book, and they don't care about what happens after that. But what happens is that readers who feel shafted leave bad reviews and tell others not to buy the book- or anything else by an author.
The unfortunate thing is that authors have started to lean into it- but very half heartily. So all that was accomplished was our MC being a bit frosty with the love interest falling over her feet and making it obvious he is a man written by a woman.
Other than the unbelievable romance, I enjoyed this book. Good family and competition dynamics going on.
Look, I get it. Click bait, it WORKS. You get people buying the book, and they don't care about what happens after that. But what happens is that readers who feel shafted leave bad reviews and tell others not to buy the book- or anything else by an author.
The unfortunate thing is that authors have started to lean into it- but very half heartily. So all that was accomplished was our MC being a bit frosty with the love interest falling over her feet and making it obvious he is a man written by a woman.
Other than the unbelievable romance, I enjoyed this book. Good family and competition dynamics going on.
June 11, 2022
It was kind of cute, a bit too much. Some of it i wish would have been different, and the dialouge sometimes felt forced and a little wierd. The chemistry between Zuri and Naveen was ...some of it that felt forced and random.
May 29, 2022
Completely, utterly relatable.
Indian weddings are the definition of chaos.
-Coco, a jalebi loving Indian
Indian weddings are the definition of chaos.
-Coco, a jalebi loving Indian
August 19, 2022
kinda disappointed tbh :( i wasn't really invested in the couple or care about them but i loved reading about a desi wedding it was so fun (it made my desi heart happy 🥹)
July 17, 2022
This was objectively probably not the best book. But subjectively, I totally enjoyed it! I loved the big family dynamics and all of the big fat components of the wedding. There was a couple chapters in the middle that were a bit slow, and I also think the author tried to be a bit too YA-like with her sometimes unnecessary use of Gen Z slang and speech. However, it wasn’t overbearing and this was still a super fun, sometimes comedic read about family and achieving your dreams.
➳ 3.75 stars
CONTENT WARNINGS:
(Scale of 0-5)
Language: 1 - Very minimal and infrequent usage of a—s, cr—p, d—mn, and h—ll; the acronyms “AF” and “WTF” used a handful of times.
Violence: 0 - No violent scenes or acts of violence depicted.
Alcohol/Addictive Substances: 0 - The bride is mentioned to drink champagne, but nothing further is discussed.
Sexual content: 1 - Some family members use an eggplant to discuss sexual matters with the new bride, but nothing overly explicit or graphic is described; a couple mild kisses.
Trigger Warnings: None present that I can recall.
Age rating: 14+*
*All content and age ratings are based on my personal opinion.
➳ 3.75 stars
CONTENT WARNINGS:
(Scale of 0-5)
Language: 1 - Very minimal and infrequent usage of a—s, cr—p, d—mn, and h—ll; the acronyms “AF” and “WTF” used a handful of times.
Violence: 0 - No violent scenes or acts of violence depicted.
Alcohol/Addictive Substances: 0 - The bride is mentioned to drink champagne, but nothing further is discussed.
Sexual content: 1 - Some family members use an eggplant to discuss sexual matters with the new bride, but nothing overly explicit or graphic is described; a couple mild kisses.
Trigger Warnings: None present that I can recall.
Age rating: 14+*
*All content and age ratings are based on my personal opinion.
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