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Serena Singh Flips the Script
SERENA SINGH IS TIRED OF EVERYONE TELLING HER WHAT SHE SHOULD WANT - AND IS READY TO PROVE TO HER MOTHER, HER SISTER, AND THE AUNTIES IN HER COMMUNITY THAT WOMAN DOES NOT NEED DOMESTIC BLISS TO HAVE A HAPPY LIFE.
Things are going according to plan for Serena. She’s smart, confident, and just got a kick-ass new job at a top advertising firm in Washington, D.C. Even before her younger sister gets married in a big, traditional wedding, Serena knows her own dreams don’t include marriage or children. But with her mother constantly encouraging her to be more like her sister, Serena can’t understand why her parents refuse to recognize that she and her sister want completely different experiences out of life.
A new friendship with her co-worker, Ainsley, comes as a breath of fresh air, challenging Serena’s long-held beliefs about the importance of self-reliance. She’s been so focused on career success that she’s let all of her hobbies and close friendships fall by the wayside. As Serena reconnects with her family and friends - including her ex-boyfriend - she learns letting people in can make her happier than standing all on her own.
Running Time => 8hrs. and 37mins.
©2021 Sonya Lalli (P)2021 Penguin Audio
Things are going according to plan for Serena. She’s smart, confident, and just got a kick-ass new job at a top advertising firm in Washington, D.C. Even before her younger sister gets married in a big, traditional wedding, Serena knows her own dreams don’t include marriage or children. But with her mother constantly encouraging her to be more like her sister, Serena can’t understand why her parents refuse to recognize that she and her sister want completely different experiences out of life.
A new friendship with her co-worker, Ainsley, comes as a breath of fresh air, challenging Serena’s long-held beliefs about the importance of self-reliance. She’s been so focused on career success that she’s let all of her hobbies and close friendships fall by the wayside. As Serena reconnects with her family and friends - including her ex-boyfriend - she learns letting people in can make her happier than standing all on her own.
Running Time => 8hrs. and 37mins.
©2021 Sonya Lalli (P)2021 Penguin Audio
Audible Audio
First published February 16, 2021
59 people are currently reading
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About the author
Sonya Lalli
8 books801 followersSonya Lalli is a Canadian writer of Indian heritage. She studied law in her hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and at Columbia University in New York City. She completed an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing at City University London in 2015, and currently works as a journalist at a legal magazine in London. She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and loves travel, yoga, piano, reading and cocktail bartending.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 469 reviews
April 3, 2021
I think this is so far the best book of the author! The meaningful words scatter into chapters are directly coming from the author’s honest heart, it’s genuine, natural, realistic and inspirational!
Serena Singh doesn’t need to get marry, having babies, enjoying the benefits of domestic life to find her own happiness. She’s 36 and after her young sister’s marriage she doesn’t want to see the pity looks on her relatives’ faces. No thanks! She is already happy with her accomplishments!
She’s smart, ambitious, quick witted, problem solver with a successful career who already got a new job from one of the strongest advertising firms in D. C.
Meeting with her new co-worker Ainsley was a wake up call for her to review her life choices. The importance of self reliance in her life overshadowed her relations with her friends and having quality time by focusing on her hobbies to relax her mind and body at the same time!
Her journey helps her to rekindle her family relations, reconnect with her friends and her ex which helps her to understand what she truly desires to have in her life, what her real life purpose is and she finally finds out her real sexual choices as well.
It’s soft, entertaining, riveting self discovery and happiness journey which is easy to read and definitely a real feel-good book! I’m giving my 4 Punjabi, advertisement world and capitol of the US stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this reviewer copy of this book with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Serena Singh doesn’t need to get marry, having babies, enjoying the benefits of domestic life to find her own happiness. She’s 36 and after her young sister’s marriage she doesn’t want to see the pity looks on her relatives’ faces. No thanks! She is already happy with her accomplishments!
She’s smart, ambitious, quick witted, problem solver with a successful career who already got a new job from one of the strongest advertising firms in D. C.
Meeting with her new co-worker Ainsley was a wake up call for her to review her life choices. The importance of self reliance in her life overshadowed her relations with her friends and having quality time by focusing on her hobbies to relax her mind and body at the same time!
Her journey helps her to rekindle her family relations, reconnect with her friends and her ex which helps her to understand what she truly desires to have in her life, what her real life purpose is and she finally finds out her real sexual choices as well.
It’s soft, entertaining, riveting self discovery and happiness journey which is easy to read and definitely a real feel-good book! I’m giving my 4 Punjabi, advertisement world and capitol of the US stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this reviewer copy of this book with me in exchange my honest opinions.
February 16, 2021
I loved Serena Singh Flips the Script. Serena is a strong, independent woman. Serena is smart and caring. All her parents want is for her to get married and have kids. Serena never wants to have kids or get married but is focused on her career. I liked watching Serena figure out how to manage her employees and the excitement that came with her dream job. Serena gives all of her employees nicknames after the Spice Girls. I loved all the pop culture references. Serena decides she needs to make more friends and her attempts to make friends were hilarious. Poor Serena gets in situations I could never even think about, but I could not stop laughing reading about them. Serena’s relationship with her family was interesting to read about. Serena had a difficult relationship with her mother but focused on improving that throughout the book. Serena had a strained relationship with her father that she has to confront and decided if she wants to move past what happened years ago. Serena’s sister, Natasha, was her best friend, but Serena is reevaluates their relationship and what her expectations are. Serena becomes friends with one of her coworkers, Ainsley. Their developing friendship was one of my favorite parts of the book. Serena also reconnects with an ex which is always entertaining. I really enjoyed how Serena Singh Flips the Script focused on friendship, family, and career over relationships. I also really enjoyed the theme of doing what you want and not worrying what other think.
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for Serena Singh Flips the Script.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for Serena Singh Flips the Script.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
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June 30, 2021More women's fiction than romance, though there is a romance, this is a very enjoyable book about a late 30something USian Sikh woman looking around and wondering where her life went while she was sorting out her career. Serena needs to fix her relationship with her family and her friendships; the love life is secondary, quite deliberately (she doesn't want children and that doesn't change).
Highly readable and very satisfying, with a terrific ending .
Highly readable and very satisfying, with a terrific ending .
December 18, 2020
I really enjoyed the first half of this novel. Serena Singh is an independent female with a mind of her own but shaped by her experiences as an immigrant. Add to that the issues she is having finding solid friendships in her 30's and I expected this to be a slam dunk read for me.
Unfortunately, I felt like the back half of the novel fell apart a bit too much for my liking. With a whole storyline revolving around an abusive incident within her family coming out of complete nowhere, I was left confused by the direction it took. Alongside that, add the unneeded and completely unfounded dismantling of the fun friendship that I fell in love with in the first half as well as what felt like a forced and disconnected romantic storyline and the book left me feeling like I actually had NO idea who Serena Singh actually was.
The woman that had such gumption and passion for being herself got quite a bit mucked up and made decisions that were not given any solid ground. I wish the book had stuck more in the realm of Serena trying to find her clan of friends that loved her for who she was instead of pushing all that aside to make her realize that she did in fact want a romantic relationship, and apparently an extremely complicated and flawed one at that. Honestly, the romance wasn't needed AT ALL and this book would've been nearing a 5 star read for me if it took the road less traveled and didn't have it.
This book had the opportunity to cheer on female friendship and empowerment, showcasing the fact that women can in fact make decisions on their own without being led in predetermined directions from society or cultures. Instead, it lost the magic it had created too quickly and left me a bit confused and VERY let down.
Unfortunately, I felt like the back half of the novel fell apart a bit too much for my liking. With a whole storyline revolving around an abusive incident within her family coming out of complete nowhere, I was left confused by the direction it took. Alongside that, add the unneeded and completely unfounded dismantling of the fun friendship that I fell in love with in the first half as well as what felt like a forced and disconnected romantic storyline and the book left me feeling like I actually had NO idea who Serena Singh actually was.
The woman that had such gumption and passion for being herself got quite a bit mucked up and made decisions that were not given any solid ground. I wish the book had stuck more in the realm of Serena trying to find her clan of friends that loved her for who she was instead of pushing all that aside to make her realize that she did in fact want a romantic relationship, and apparently an extremely complicated and flawed one at that. Honestly, the romance wasn't needed AT ALL and this book would've been nearing a 5 star read for me if it took the road less traveled and didn't have it.
This book had the opportunity to cheer on female friendship and empowerment, showcasing the fact that women can in fact make decisions on their own without being led in predetermined directions from society or cultures. Instead, it lost the magic it had created too quickly and left me a bit confused and VERY let down.
February 21, 2022
more books like this, please!
more stories about women who want friendship with other women, who want to negotiate the complex nuances of immigrant families, who don't (necessarily) want to get married and have children...
this novel wasn't perfect, but it absolutely made me feel seen.
more stories about women who want friendship with other women, who want to negotiate the complex nuances of immigrant families, who don't (necessarily) want to get married and have children...
this novel wasn't perfect, but it absolutely made me feel seen.
definitive-tbr
December 18, 2020↣ digital copy received via the publicist ↢
June 18, 2020: Y'all know how passionate I become when BROWN GIRLS are being mentioned, especially when a book is promising me REBELLIOUS brown girls
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January 10, 2024I haven't felt so seen by a book in such a long time. I really, unexpectedly, loved this book and teared up at some parts because I really understood the hurt that the main character, Serena, experiences.
I found it both heartbreaking and comforting that some of the things that Serena says and feels were thoughts and feelings I've felt myself - the frustration of making and keeping friends in your 30s and being a young boss, and how, despite your efforts, sometimes things don't pan out the way that you hope.
I loved that this book explores a myriad of Serena's relationships - friendship, sisterly and parental relationships, work, and also her romantic relationships - all explored in a way that honours their nuances and complexities, and carries a message that I think is so important: that forgiveness can be a choice, albeit a difficult and fraught one, and that our lives can be enriched by letting people in.
I found it both heartbreaking and comforting that some of the things that Serena says and feels were thoughts and feelings I've felt myself - the frustration of making and keeping friends in your 30s and being a young boss, and how, despite your efforts, sometimes things don't pan out the way that you hope.
I loved that this book explores a myriad of Serena's relationships - friendship, sisterly and parental relationships, work, and also her romantic relationships - all explored in a way that honours their nuances and complexities, and carries a message that I think is so important: that forgiveness can be a choice, albeit a difficult and fraught one, and that our lives can be enriched by letting people in.
November 27, 2023
I absolutely loved this book! Loved the messy bits of Serena's life as it's more relatable to a real person. Even the messy relationships with family, friends and work. It really made me enjoy this book even more. I loved how Serena was her own person and her own choices, and didn't let people's opinions (not even her parents') change her mind. She's such a strong woman! Loved how it ended! Such a beautiful wrap up. Everything about this was chef's kiss!
March 5, 2021
This is the first book I’ve read from this author, and I loved it! I love books that are diverse, own voices, and that stretch me beyond the shoes that I’m in. This book gave a me a glimpse of what it’s like to be in an Indian family with all its complexities. I felt as if I could truly feel what the author was getting out from her own life and background.
Serena Singh is bad ass. She’s 36, strong, confident and doesn’t want to marry or have babies. I was instantly intrigued by this because it goes against the norm for the Indian culture. I loved that Serena was happy and secure with her own self, and accomplishments. She was content with her life.
This was a rom com sort of story full of self discovery for Serena. I love the journey that we as readers are taken on as we see Serena bloom even more into her true self. She even finds out what she truly wants as far as romance and what rings her bell sexually.
I absolutely loved this read! Thank you to Berkley Romance for sending me this beautiful paperback.
Serena Singh is bad ass. She’s 36, strong, confident and doesn’t want to marry or have babies. I was instantly intrigued by this because it goes against the norm for the Indian culture. I loved that Serena was happy and secure with her own self, and accomplishments. She was content with her life.
This was a rom com sort of story full of self discovery for Serena. I love the journey that we as readers are taken on as we see Serena bloom even more into her true self. She even finds out what she truly wants as far as romance and what rings her bell sexually.
I absolutely loved this read! Thank you to Berkley Romance for sending me this beautiful paperback.
April 13, 2021
I loved this book! I'm all for books about women seeking friends and not just men/wives/partners. More of this, please!
January 30, 2021
Thank you to Berkley for allowing me to read this early on Netgalley! This book releases to the public on February 16, 2021.
This book was a fun ride, and I was engrossed from beginning to end in Serena’s story. I found her character to be unique, entertaining, likable, and strong, and her inner narrative had me invested in her form the very beginning.
Told in a dual perspective (one being Serena in 1st person and another being her mother in 3rd person), it really made for a slow burn as we learned about some of the past heartaches in both of their lives. The character development was slow and steady, and Serena’s perspective almost felt like a “coming of age” story despite the fact that she’s nearing 40.
Another thing I loved about this book was the portrayal of the different cultures. As immigrants, Serena’s parents bring tradition to the story – everything from them speaking Punjabi to the foods that they cooked (I 100% Googled roti as I read to find out what it was, and it sounds delicious). Raised in America, we watch Serena grapple with wanting to honor her parents while still living out the dreams she has for herself. The dual perspective allowed us to see insights into both sides of this reality for many first generation immigrant families in an eye opening, heartwarming, and tender way.
I had two overall complaints about this book, the first being that we didn’t get enough from her mother’s perspective. I wanted to know more of her back story. The second complaint I had was that the love story that played out felt a bit forced for me. I would’ve been happy just seeing Serena come into her own without ending up with a man by her side!
Overall, a solid story that I think many will enjoy! 3.75 stars.
This book was a fun ride, and I was engrossed from beginning to end in Serena’s story. I found her character to be unique, entertaining, likable, and strong, and her inner narrative had me invested in her form the very beginning.
Told in a dual perspective (one being Serena in 1st person and another being her mother in 3rd person), it really made for a slow burn as we learned about some of the past heartaches in both of their lives. The character development was slow and steady, and Serena’s perspective almost felt like a “coming of age” story despite the fact that she’s nearing 40.
Another thing I loved about this book was the portrayal of the different cultures. As immigrants, Serena’s parents bring tradition to the story – everything from them speaking Punjabi to the foods that they cooked (I 100% Googled roti as I read to find out what it was, and it sounds delicious). Raised in America, we watch Serena grapple with wanting to honor her parents while still living out the dreams she has for herself. The dual perspective allowed us to see insights into both sides of this reality for many first generation immigrant families in an eye opening, heartwarming, and tender way.
I had two overall complaints about this book, the first being that we didn’t get enough from her mother’s perspective. I wanted to know more of her back story. The second complaint I had was that the love story that played out felt a bit forced for me. I would’ve been happy just seeing Serena come into her own without ending up with a man by her side!
Overall, a solid story that I think many will enjoy! 3.75 stars.
May 3, 2021
I loved the first half of this book and I loved where I thought it was going. Unfortunately, I did not love where it actually went.
The reason I was so excited about the first half was that it was about an experience of a kind of life that I see all the time amongst my friends, but that I have not seen at all in fiction. These are well-educated women in their 30s and 40s who are doing excellently in their careers, who have an active social life (well, when a pandemic isn't keeping them at home) and for whom friends are a huge part of their life. Most of them don't have kids, though some do and still make time for friends and a social life, many of them are single and not in relationships, although several are or are actively dating to varying degrees, and all still also make time for their friends. Why am I not seeing women like these enjoying their lives in fiction?
In the first half, I recognised this in Serena. She has realised that many of her friends are moving into relationships and have no time for her, and that she needs to make an effort to make new friends. As someone who's moved countries twice as an adult, and used some of the tactics that Serena tries to use (although with a lot more success!), that was so interesting to me!
I loved Serena's growing friendship with her coworker Ainsley. Lalli portrays the chemistry that can exist in a platonic relationship very well (I'm also reading Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex right now, and just read a part that makes the point that we don't really have a language for non-sexual / non-romantic relationships to express something like this in a way that doesn't suggest something sexual!). Her relationship with Ainsley reminded me a lot of my friend T, who is married and has 2 kids I adore (without it making me want any of my own) and who still makes time for her friends and her own life (we even met originally at work!). I also really liked the complexity of Serena's relationship with her family. There are a few small sections narrated from her mum Sandeep's point of view, and those were so poignant.
Unfortunately, I felt the second half (or maybe the last third) almost ruined the book. There are developments that suggest that some of the parts of Serena's personality and desires that are not compliant with societal norms are because there is something wrong with her as a result of childhood trauma. Ok, yes, she did have an issue opening up to her friends as well as to her potential partners, and it's nice that she got to the bottom of that bit, but it seemed that Lalli was explaining a bit too much with that.
And in the last sections we also spent a lot of time on Serena's increasingly romantic relationship with an ex. First of all, I did not find that guy to be a good possibility for her (seriously, woman, a guy who calls you and spends 2 hours moaning about his divorce and complaining about his ex? Run). I also would have preferred that we had stuck with developing the theme of Serena trying to sort out her platonic life for the whole book, keeping the possibility of her finding romance as something that may happen in the future.
It didn't quite ruin the book for me, because I enjoyed the first sections enough that I choose to ignore the ending ones, but I wish Lalli had stuck with what the book seemed to be doing, and not pulled this bait and switch nonsense. A B- is as much as I can give this.
The reason I was so excited about the first half was that it was about an experience of a kind of life that I see all the time amongst my friends, but that I have not seen at all in fiction. These are well-educated women in their 30s and 40s who are doing excellently in their careers, who have an active social life (well, when a pandemic isn't keeping them at home) and for whom friends are a huge part of their life. Most of them don't have kids, though some do and still make time for friends and a social life, many of them are single and not in relationships, although several are or are actively dating to varying degrees, and all still also make time for their friends. Why am I not seeing women like these enjoying their lives in fiction?
In the first half, I recognised this in Serena. She has realised that many of her friends are moving into relationships and have no time for her, and that she needs to make an effort to make new friends. As someone who's moved countries twice as an adult, and used some of the tactics that Serena tries to use (although with a lot more success!), that was so interesting to me!
I loved Serena's growing friendship with her coworker Ainsley. Lalli portrays the chemistry that can exist in a platonic relationship very well (I'm also reading Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex right now, and just read a part that makes the point that we don't really have a language for non-sexual / non-romantic relationships to express something like this in a way that doesn't suggest something sexual!). Her relationship with Ainsley reminded me a lot of my friend T, who is married and has 2 kids I adore (without it making me want any of my own) and who still makes time for her friends and her own life (we even met originally at work!). I also really liked the complexity of Serena's relationship with her family. There are a few small sections narrated from her mum Sandeep's point of view, and those were so poignant.
Unfortunately, I felt the second half (or maybe the last third) almost ruined the book. There are developments that suggest that some of the parts of Serena's personality and desires that are not compliant with societal norms are because there is something wrong with her as a result of childhood trauma. Ok, yes, she did have an issue opening up to her friends as well as to her potential partners, and it's nice that she got to the bottom of that bit, but it seemed that Lalli was explaining a bit too much with that.
And in the last sections we also spent a lot of time on Serena's increasingly romantic relationship with an ex. First of all, I did not find that guy to be a good possibility for her (seriously, woman, a guy who calls you and spends 2 hours moaning about his divorce and complaining about his ex? Run). I also would have preferred that we had stuck with developing the theme of Serena trying to sort out her platonic life for the whole book, keeping the possibility of her finding romance as something that may happen in the future.
It didn't quite ruin the book for me, because I enjoyed the first sections enough that I choose to ignore the ending ones, but I wish Lalli had stuck with what the book seemed to be doing, and not pulled this bait and switch nonsense. A B- is as much as I can give this.
August 4, 2021
I feel so misled by the marketing and blurbs about this book. I was so excited to finally have a book about a woman who was happily childfree and found fulfillment through friends and her career. It started off so strong and relatable about how once people become parents, relationships with them completely change. Then I started to get nervous when it started talking about how much she loved holding her friend's baby, but she still said she didn't want kids so I held out hope. But then she ends up in a relationship with her ex who is a dad? That's almost the opposite of what was promised. If I had known that she would be caving on not wanting kids, I wouldn't have read it. For many people that may not be a big deal, but as someone who is childfree by choice, it is nearly impossible to find books (especially contemporary) that don't end with the woman having/wanting children.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2024
This was a fun book, but the first half was better than the last half. There just wasn't enough foreshadowing for something that is revealed yesterday. There was a tiny bit, but not enough. There are a few other things later in the book that I thought could have been stronger as well. However, there were enough good things in this book that I can say I liked it.
However, this sort of thing might not bother you at all, since plenty of people have rated this higher than I did. Lalli has one Sikh (not conservative Sikh) and one Hindu parent, and in this book draws on the Sikh side of her family for Serena and her family.
However, this sort of thing might not bother you at all, since plenty of people have rated this higher than I did. Lalli has one Sikh (not conservative Sikh) and one Hindu parent, and in this book draws on the Sikh side of her family for Serena and her family.
January 9, 2022
Tbh, imma be bias towards this book because of the emotional connection I had towards certain things brought up or certain feelings that some characters had.
This book was more so about self-discovery and second chances - relationships with friends, family and an ex. There were times that in this book references were made to Punjabi/Indian culture where they weren’t explained and for some that can be confusing but you’re going into this book knowing it has POC representation so not everything will be explained to you - a simple google search can help you find what you need.
Things I loved:
-The emotional connection you’re able to feel as an immigrant child
-Serena’s strong and independent personality
-The chapters with Serena’s mom’s POV: lowkey these made me so sad because I know that so many immigrant moms can probably relate to what her mom was feeling and that at a certain point in time my mom probably had these emotions too. It shows a lot about the generational gap and how some parents at least try to get out of the mentality they had back home to be the best they can for their kids
-The amount of things that I could relate to
-The Punjabi Sikh rep
-The friendship Serena and Ainsley developed
I can understand how this book can be slow for some people, but if you’re a POC or an immigrant child I would def recommend
This book was more so about self-discovery and second chances - relationships with friends, family and an ex. There were times that in this book references were made to Punjabi/Indian culture where they weren’t explained and for some that can be confusing but you’re going into this book knowing it has POC representation so not everything will be explained to you - a simple google search can help you find what you need.
Things I loved:
-The emotional connection you’re able to feel as an immigrant child
-Serena’s strong and independent personality
-The chapters with Serena’s mom’s POV: lowkey these made me so sad because I know that so many immigrant moms can probably relate to what her mom was feeling and that at a certain point in time my mom probably had these emotions too. It shows a lot about the generational gap and how some parents at least try to get out of the mentality they had back home to be the best they can for their kids
-The amount of things that I could relate to
-The Punjabi Sikh rep
-The friendship Serena and Ainsley developed
I can understand how this book can be slow for some people, but if you’re a POC or an immigrant child I would def recommend
February 24, 2021
3.75 ⭐️ Serena Singh knows what she wants.
And it’s not getting married and settling down, no matter what other people’s opinions are. She values her independence and her work. All that’s missing is a true friend.
There are not enough stories out there that explore some of the issues at the heart of this story, specifically: finding new and fulfilling friendship in adulthood, and women who choose to prioritize their independence over a long term relationship.
I think Lalli succeeds on several fronts. I really enjoyed the central friendship between Serena and Ainsley. We don’t see many portrayals of how friendships can begin and develop in adulthood. I loved how we were invited to appreciate how their friendship was “meant to be”, in the kind of way usually reserved for romantic relationships. It was refreshing to see that level of attention paid to the complexities of a friendship relationship.
I also enjoyed the perspective of Serena’s mother, Sandeep, taking centre stage in some of the chapters. It allowed us to appreciate more of where Serena came from, and added layers around her cultural background and her parents’ own stories as immigrants. I think we could have benefited from even more understanding of Sandeep’s past.
You’ll need to be in the mood for a story that is more slow paced. At times I wasn’t sure if the novel was lacking tension or jeopardy. What was at stake was more subtle. This really is a more of a character study. Even so, it moved rather slowly and I did find some of the action at Serena’s work to be a little repetitive and not as compelling.
I’d have been happier to see Serena end up without a man beside her, and having that rare kind of ending validated. It wasn’t that I didn’t buy the ending, I just wished for something more out of the norm, given the premise and the character.
This book made me curious to read the author’s previous books, and it left me thinking, which I always appreciate.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
CW: domestic abuse, alcoholism
And it’s not getting married and settling down, no matter what other people’s opinions are. She values her independence and her work. All that’s missing is a true friend.
There are not enough stories out there that explore some of the issues at the heart of this story, specifically: finding new and fulfilling friendship in adulthood, and women who choose to prioritize their independence over a long term relationship.
I think Lalli succeeds on several fronts. I really enjoyed the central friendship between Serena and Ainsley. We don’t see many portrayals of how friendships can begin and develop in adulthood. I loved how we were invited to appreciate how their friendship was “meant to be”, in the kind of way usually reserved for romantic relationships. It was refreshing to see that level of attention paid to the complexities of a friendship relationship.
I also enjoyed the perspective of Serena’s mother, Sandeep, taking centre stage in some of the chapters. It allowed us to appreciate more of where Serena came from, and added layers around her cultural background and her parents’ own stories as immigrants. I think we could have benefited from even more understanding of Sandeep’s past.
You’ll need to be in the mood for a story that is more slow paced. At times I wasn’t sure if the novel was lacking tension or jeopardy. What was at stake was more subtle. This really is a more of a character study. Even so, it moved rather slowly and I did find some of the action at Serena’s work to be a little repetitive and not as compelling.
I’d have been happier to see Serena end up without a man beside her, and having that rare kind of ending validated. It wasn’t that I didn’t buy the ending, I just wished for something more out of the norm, given the premise and the character.
This book made me curious to read the author’s previous books, and it left me thinking, which I always appreciate.
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
CW: domestic abuse, alcoholism
April 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this book it made you think about family and what families go through at first I thought this was going to be a contemporary romance. There was romance in here, but it felt more on a family aspect of how one girl views, her family and what they go through in Her relationship with that family I would strongly suggest it on I rated it for stars because I in truth I would rate it at 3.5 in truth because it I wanted a little bit more towards the ending but other than that it was good. The first half was a little bit slow. You have to get through the first probably 50 pages of it but once you get past, it starts to get really good in the dynamic between her and her family is really interesting and it really reminded me a little bit of my life and makes me wanna go and talk to some my family members and get some things off my chest but I really like this book and I would recommend it
January 28, 2021
Serena Singh is content with her life. Her baby sister is getting married, she's getting a new job and she has an okay-ish relationship with her parents. Maybe they won't always be on her case to get married and have kids now that her sister is getting married.
It seems like all of Serena's friends are at a different stage in life than her. They're almost all married with kids and she's feeling left behind. It doesn't help that her new job isn't quite as easy as she thought it was going to be. Her team is resentful of her position and isn't exactly wanting to make anything easy for her. It isn't until she bonds with a fellow co-worker, Ainsley that Serena starts to really examine herself. Is she too focused on her career? What about making new connections and hobbies?
I loved connecting with Serena and especially her mother, Sandeep. Being brought up as a Sikh Punjabi I related to so much of what both of them were going through. I am a second generation South Asian/Indian American and often felt and still do feel the same pressure that Serena was feeling. I really liked seeing the growth of her daughters from Sandeep's perspective as well.
But what started off as a really strong book, dragged for me in the middle. The pacing was off at times and I do feel that there were parts of the story included that didn't really add to Serena's journey. The romance with a former flame didn't really add to the story and I definitely did not feel the connection or angst of a second chance romance.
I appreciated the aspect that Serena was a strong and independent woman. I really loved the relationship she had with her friend Ainsley and her mother Sandeep. Overall I enjoyed the cultural references in Serena Singh Flips the Script, but the romance and latter half of the book fell flat for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
It seems like all of Serena's friends are at a different stage in life than her. They're almost all married with kids and she's feeling left behind. It doesn't help that her new job isn't quite as easy as she thought it was going to be. Her team is resentful of her position and isn't exactly wanting to make anything easy for her. It isn't until she bonds with a fellow co-worker, Ainsley that Serena starts to really examine herself. Is she too focused on her career? What about making new connections and hobbies?
I loved connecting with Serena and especially her mother, Sandeep. Being brought up as a Sikh Punjabi I related to so much of what both of them were going through. I am a second generation South Asian/Indian American and often felt and still do feel the same pressure that Serena was feeling. I really liked seeing the growth of her daughters from Sandeep's perspective as well.
But what started off as a really strong book, dragged for me in the middle. The pacing was off at times and I do feel that there were parts of the story included that didn't really add to Serena's journey. The romance with a former flame didn't really add to the story and I definitely did not feel the connection or angst of a second chance romance.
I appreciated the aspect that Serena was a strong and independent woman. I really loved the relationship she had with her friend Ainsley and her mother Sandeep. Overall I enjoyed the cultural references in Serena Singh Flips the Script, but the romance and latter half of the book fell flat for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
March 28, 2021
“Mom was right. I would never understand or agree with her decision to stay, but I knew I was judging her from a place of privilege. I grew up in a different country, a different time."
Serena Singh is tired of everyone telling her what she should want--and she is ready to prove t everyone that a woman does not need domestic bliss to have a happy life. But that isn't so easy and life isn't what you expect it to be.
I didn't know anything about this book before starting it, that seems to be a trend with me. I thought this was a really beautiful story about friendship and family. Yes, there is romance, but it isn't really the focus. I enjoyed how we got to hear the mothers point of view, and I really loved how their relationship unfolded. I didn't care for the romance at all, but thankfully the friendship storyline was beautiful so enjoyable. The author did a good job of showing how complicated relationships and be, and how important it is to communicate. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but overall a cute and enjoyable self-discovery story.
Serena Singh is tired of everyone telling her what she should want--and she is ready to prove t everyone that a woman does not need domestic bliss to have a happy life. But that isn't so easy and life isn't what you expect it to be.
I didn't know anything about this book before starting it, that seems to be a trend with me. I thought this was a really beautiful story about friendship and family. Yes, there is romance, but it isn't really the focus. I enjoyed how we got to hear the mothers point of view, and I really loved how their relationship unfolded. I didn't care for the romance at all, but thankfully the friendship storyline was beautiful so enjoyable. The author did a good job of showing how complicated relationships and be, and how important it is to communicate. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but overall a cute and enjoyable self-discovery story.
June 20, 2022
If you want to read a lighthearted book that’s not centered around romance, this book fits the bill!
May 19, 2021
Not what i was expecting. It felt slow for a womens fiction novel.
February 17, 2021
Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for my free review copy. This was an interesting story about an independent and strong woman. Serena has decided she isn’t interested in marriage or having children. She has recently started her dream job and feels her life is moving along how she wants it to. The one thing that is missing is friendship. Most of the women she was good friends with have now gone on to have a busy family life and find it hard to get together with Serena. She starts dating a nice man and he encourages her to try out different activities to see if she can make friends that way. Serena tries out various events and it is fun to follow her along on these adventures. Unexpectedly an ex boyfriend comes back into her life and she has to rethink what she really wants and to reevaluate decisions she made years ago. I enjoyed this book and following along with Serena’s journey to find the best life for her.
February 8, 2021
I was looking forward to reading this book, since I heard it was about a heroine who didn't want children or to get married, which isn't something we see often in "Romance," though this book was really more women's fiction.
Serena Singh is a mid-thirties professional in advertising living and working in Washington, DC. That's all I've got. There's no other plot to this book. Serena tries to make friends, tries to do great at her amazing job, and tries to figure out her romantic life. There is no plot to this book, which made it incredibly boring. I probably would have DNF'd it, had I not been provided a review copy.
There's things I liked, sure--I could really relate to Serena, in that I am also a professional woman in DC trying to make friends who likely does not want children. I liked that Serena was a bad@$$ in the top of her field, and a woman of color to boot. I liked seeing her friendship develop with Ainsley. But if you're NOT like me and have some similarities to Serena, I can see this book being incredibly annoying for a reader. Serena could be an incredibly frustrating character at times, as she was incredibly stubborn and closed off to the point of extremes. Her aggravating tendencies combined with the lack of plot really made this book a no-go for me.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!
3 stars - 4/10
Serena Singh is a mid-thirties professional in advertising living and working in Washington, DC. That's all I've got. There's no other plot to this book. Serena tries to make friends, tries to do great at her amazing job, and tries to figure out her romantic life. There is no plot to this book, which made it incredibly boring. I probably would have DNF'd it, had I not been provided a review copy.
There's things I liked, sure--I could really relate to Serena, in that I am also a professional woman in DC trying to make friends who likely does not want children. I liked that Serena was a bad@$$ in the top of her field, and a woman of color to boot. I liked seeing her friendship develop with Ainsley. But if you're NOT like me and have some similarities to Serena, I can see this book being incredibly annoying for a reader. Serena could be an incredibly frustrating character at times, as she was incredibly stubborn and closed off to the point of extremes. Her aggravating tendencies combined with the lack of plot really made this book a no-go for me.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!
3 stars - 4/10
August 28, 2021
This is a slice of life novel rather than a romance, about an independent career woman who is trying to find her way at the age of 36 while dealing with cultural mores of her family. But at the same time, there are interludes where the main character is Serena's mother Sandreep, who came to a new country and raised her two daughters -- who wants Serena to find the right husband and settle down.
So we have Serena, who has a younger sister who just got married, who is tackling a new job that she has been striving for her whole working life (and has to deal with a not pleasant working environment) and also trying to find her way.
She is single and alone. She has been against marriage because she does not want to be weighed down by the added stress, but now all her friends and her sister have abandoned her as they get married and have kids.
While their is some romance with respect to who Serena ends up with, this is really about her trying to find friends to connect with, discover her ability to join in, find out if she does like children, get a better relationship with her mother and later her father.
There is the predictable domestic incident that goes a long way to explaining her earlier aversion to married life.
its a good book, but its a journey of discovery not romance, with the backdrop of some Indian culture and snobbish in-laws.
So we have Serena, who has a younger sister who just got married, who is tackling a new job that she has been striving for her whole working life (and has to deal with a not pleasant working environment) and also trying to find her way.
She is single and alone. She has been against marriage because she does not want to be weighed down by the added stress, but now all her friends and her sister have abandoned her as they get married and have kids.
While their is some romance with respect to who Serena ends up with, this is really about her trying to find friends to connect with, discover her ability to join in, find out if she does like children, get a better relationship with her mother and later her father.
There is the predictable domestic incident that goes a long way to explaining her earlier aversion to married life.
its a good book, but its a journey of discovery not romance, with the backdrop of some Indian culture and snobbish in-laws.
March 1, 2021
I related to this book and the characters so much. I just loved the story.
November 10, 2022
This review was written on on my notes app as I read so I wouldn’t forget anything. Forgive any choppy bits.
This book was so WEIRD. Like I loved it, but also it wasn’t the best quality book? Like I would say the plot was nut worthy, but the writing was mediocre. Idk this book has a weird place in my heart.
Someone is spying on me and told this author ab me bc what the heck. They took me and wrote a book ab my life when I’m in my mid thirties. This book talks ab how hard it is being an adult woman that is trying to navigate life after all her friends have left her to have babies and husbands when she doesn’t want any of that (or does she👀👀👀). Touched my little heart.
Aversion to alcohol was annoying and overplayed EDIT: it made sense in the end but still ick
I loved the conversations between characters. I’ve never read a book that actually used dialogue to build relationships and character, and as well as she did in this book.
The book was really centered around Serena, and everyone else were just side pieces and I haven’t ever read a book that was so protagonist-centered before.
It felt more like an autobiography than a novel, or like a journal
In the beginning I felt like it was a great idea with bad writing, but then I didn’t notice the bad writing as much. Idk if that’s bc I got used to it or if it actually improved.
There was some romance and with almost every romance book i read I ALWAYS hate the climax, like the part where they argue and leave each other for some stupid made up reason. This one tho, it felt super real and I didn’t scowl the whole time while reading it.
This book felt like a love letter to herself. Like she was the main bitch, and she was dealing with all these relationships in her life and also simultaneously working on herself.
This book was so WEIRD. Like I loved it, but also it wasn’t the best quality book? Like I would say the plot was nut worthy, but the writing was mediocre. Idk this book has a weird place in my heart.
Someone is spying on me and told this author ab me bc what the heck. They took me and wrote a book ab my life when I’m in my mid thirties. This book talks ab how hard it is being an adult woman that is trying to navigate life after all her friends have left her to have babies and husbands when she doesn’t want any of that (or does she👀👀👀). Touched my little heart.
Aversion to alcohol was annoying and overplayed EDIT: it made sense in the end but still ick
I loved the conversations between characters. I’ve never read a book that actually used dialogue to build relationships and character, and as well as she did in this book.
The book was really centered around Serena, and everyone else were just side pieces and I haven’t ever read a book that was so protagonist-centered before.
It felt more like an autobiography than a novel, or like a journal
In the beginning I felt like it was a great idea with bad writing, but then I didn’t notice the bad writing as much. Idk if that’s bc I got used to it or if it actually improved.
There was some romance and with almost every romance book i read I ALWAYS hate the climax, like the part where they argue and leave each other for some stupid made up reason. This one tho, it felt super real and I didn’t scowl the whole time while reading it.
This book felt like a love letter to herself. Like she was the main bitch, and she was dealing with all these relationships in her life and also simultaneously working on herself.
February 17, 2021
Serena Singh Flips the Script is a tale about the joy, sorrow, laughter and tears that relationships bring to our lives. It’s a sweet, funny, occasionally insightful story, that will remind you what a blessing good friends are.
Serena Singh has finally reached one of her big career goals. It hasn’t been easy. The advertising industry, especially in Washington D.C., is still very much a sexist boys’ club and Serena has put up with bosses taking credit for her work, co-workers speaking to (and of) her in truly disparaging ways and she’s been passed over for a hard-earned promotion more than once because she’s a woman. That’s finally over now though, and she is creative director at the popular Deborah Kim agency.
Serena quickly comes to realize however, that landing your dream job doesn’t mean you’ll instantly start living your best life. Her subordinates, especially a woman she nicknames Ginger Spice, treat her with cool hostility and her recently married sister is ignoring her in favor of bonding with her in-laws. Worst of all, Serena disconcertingly realizes that she is down to zero friends. Her new work colleagues have no desire to socialize with her, her former associates want nothing to do with her now that she’s left their company, and her old high school and college friends are all married with children and too busy to hang out. She has no problem finding guys to casually hook up with – her latest squeeze is the lovely Beckett who, like her, doesn’t seem to want anything serious – but making friends is a challenge for her.
Like any good Type- A personality Serena decides to tackle the issue head on. She joins book clubs, cooking classes and friend apps in order to meet new people. The results, of course, are disastrous. The first new ‘friend’ she meets for coffee turns out to be a teenager looking for an internship. Serena winds up at a sex club instead of a dinner club. Even the book club is calamitous and she finds herself being asked to leave. Expanding her social circle would be a complete disaster except for two fortuitous events. A fellow executive from another department named Ainsley invites Serena out for tea and the two instantly bond. And then, Serena runs into her ex Jesse and they agree it’s time to actually start living up to their agreement to remain friends. With two new buds, a fantastic job and a great boyfriend Serena should be perfectly happy. So why does she feel like everything is coming unraveled? See the rest of my review at https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
Serena Singh has finally reached one of her big career goals. It hasn’t been easy. The advertising industry, especially in Washington D.C., is still very much a sexist boys’ club and Serena has put up with bosses taking credit for her work, co-workers speaking to (and of) her in truly disparaging ways and she’s been passed over for a hard-earned promotion more than once because she’s a woman. That’s finally over now though, and she is creative director at the popular Deborah Kim agency.
Serena quickly comes to realize however, that landing your dream job doesn’t mean you’ll instantly start living your best life. Her subordinates, especially a woman she nicknames Ginger Spice, treat her with cool hostility and her recently married sister is ignoring her in favor of bonding with her in-laws. Worst of all, Serena disconcertingly realizes that she is down to zero friends. Her new work colleagues have no desire to socialize with her, her former associates want nothing to do with her now that she’s left their company, and her old high school and college friends are all married with children and too busy to hang out. She has no problem finding guys to casually hook up with – her latest squeeze is the lovely Beckett who, like her, doesn’t seem to want anything serious – but making friends is a challenge for her.
Like any good Type- A personality Serena decides to tackle the issue head on. She joins book clubs, cooking classes and friend apps in order to meet new people. The results, of course, are disastrous. The first new ‘friend’ she meets for coffee turns out to be a teenager looking for an internship. Serena winds up at a sex club instead of a dinner club. Even the book club is calamitous and she finds herself being asked to leave. Expanding her social circle would be a complete disaster except for two fortuitous events. A fellow executive from another department named Ainsley invites Serena out for tea and the two instantly bond. And then, Serena runs into her ex Jesse and they agree it’s time to actually start living up to their agreement to remain friends. With two new buds, a fantastic job and a great boyfriend Serena should be perfectly happy. So why does she feel like everything is coming unraveled? See the rest of my review at https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
January 2, 2021
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the wonderful eARC!
April 22, 2021
This was my first book by Sonya Lalli and the best thing was how utterly relatable it was! Serena is 36, works in an advertising firm, don't want to get married or have babies, and of course, there is a huge pressure on her to get married. And she is Indian-American, and you know how Desi parents are, especially when your younger sibling gets married first :D But the thing that was most relatable, and the thing that this book discussed in great detail, is how the friendships of women after marriage and kids change. Serena had a good group of friends but as they got married one by one, and had kids, they lost time for their friendships. And isn't this true in real life? How many married women, mothers especially, remains friends with their old buddies and get time to meet them? As a society, we seems to devalue female friendships, because of the other expectations they have from women.
When Serena's younger sister gets married, she is afraid that her sister too, like her friends, will have less and less time for her now and she would loose her best friend. When she gets the news that her sister is pregnant, she can't decide whether to be happy or be sad. Of course she is happy for her sister, but she is dreading loosing her best friend. She doesn't want to feel left behind. She decides to make new friends through internet but that didn't go well. When she joins her new job and meets her co-worker Ainsley, that was a wake up call for her. Ainsley had a successful job with a husband and a kid. She soon becomes her best friend and they had an amazing journey through out the book. Serena gets to see the thing from different perspective.
Her other journey in the book is her relationship with her parents. She doesn't talk to her father anymore, and with her mother she had a complicated relationship because of the fact that she always tried to get her married. But her new friendship helps her to rekindle those relations and help her to understand what she really desire in her life. She also meets her ex again but I won't talk about it much. I think the romance part was not the main focus here, though I went into this book with the expectation of a rom-com.
But what I got was totally different and refreshing. We get a character who is bada*s, strong and independent and doesn't want what society or her family expects for her. She wants to choose her own paths and live by her own choices. Through this journey of self discovery, Serena represents the face of every modern Desi woman.
June 19th, 2020: So hyped for this!! Look at her tattoo! I am so ready for this Desi story full of familial expectations and desi-aunties :D
When Serena's younger sister gets married, she is afraid that her sister too, like her friends, will have less and less time for her now and she would loose her best friend. When she gets the news that her sister is pregnant, she can't decide whether to be happy or be sad. Of course she is happy for her sister, but she is dreading loosing her best friend. She doesn't want to feel left behind. She decides to make new friends through internet but that didn't go well. When she joins her new job and meets her co-worker Ainsley, that was a wake up call for her. Ainsley had a successful job with a husband and a kid. She soon becomes her best friend and they had an amazing journey through out the book. Serena gets to see the thing from different perspective.
Her other journey in the book is her relationship with her parents. She doesn't talk to her father anymore, and with her mother she had a complicated relationship because of the fact that she always tried to get her married. But her new friendship helps her to rekindle those relations and help her to understand what she really desire in her life. She also meets her ex again but I won't talk about it much. I think the romance part was not the main focus here, though I went into this book with the expectation of a rom-com.
But what I got was totally different and refreshing. We get a character who is bada*s, strong and independent and doesn't want what society or her family expects for her. She wants to choose her own paths and live by her own choices. Through this journey of self discovery, Serena represents the face of every modern Desi woman.
June 19th, 2020: So hyped for this!! Look at her tattoo! I am so ready for this Desi story full of familial expectations and desi-aunties :D
February 27, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book. I keep going back and forth, but think I'll stick with 2.5 stars.
On the positive side, it's quite readable. Even with its faults, I wasn't tempted to DNF. I liked Serena's friendship with Ainsley and her family (although Ainsley was the driving figure in establishing the relationship). And I liked the idea of a romance with a Childless/Childfree HEA (more on that later).
Now let's get to some of the issues. First of all, Serena is not a likable character. The first 25% or so of the book was sooooo negative - she's unhappy because everyone in her life is in a different place than she is and she no longer has any close friends. She's lonely and unhappy, but when Ainsley tries to strike up a friendship, she shuts her down. At 36 years old she comes across as very immature - wanting the rest of the world to make her happy rather than creating her own happiness.
The last 25% of the book was just as messed up. Serena has so many broken relationships, but magically she is able to mend almost all of them! And there's no reason for this other than the book was ending...
And let's talk about the Childfree HEA. I completely admire the idea - especially within a Romance - but I'm not sure this was handled well. We never really find out why Serena has made this decision except that she's afraid she'll turn out like her mother. But her life is the complete opposite of her mother's - there's no chance she'll turn out that way. And I think she originally made the decision because she thought she didn't particularly like children. But during the course of the book she learns that she loves them. So she is not child-free any longer - there are several children in her life she cares deeply about. Her definition of child-free then becomes 1) not giving birth (or adopting, etc), and probably 2) not being the primary care-giver. So instead of coming across as strong and independent, she came across as rigid and selfish in that decision. I think it all came down to how it was handled by the author, and honestly I think it was handled clumsily.
On the positive side, it's quite readable. Even with its faults, I wasn't tempted to DNF. I liked Serena's friendship with Ainsley and her family (although Ainsley was the driving figure in establishing the relationship). And I liked the idea of a romance with a Childless/Childfree HEA (more on that later).
Now let's get to some of the issues. First of all, Serena is not a likable character. The first 25% or so of the book was sooooo negative - she's unhappy because everyone in her life is in a different place than she is and she no longer has any close friends. She's lonely and unhappy, but when Ainsley tries to strike up a friendship, she shuts her down. At 36 years old she comes across as very immature - wanting the rest of the world to make her happy rather than creating her own happiness.
The last 25% of the book was just as messed up. Serena has so many broken relationships, but magically she is able to mend almost all of them! And there's no reason for this other than the book was ending...
And let's talk about the Childfree HEA. I completely admire the idea - especially within a Romance - but I'm not sure this was handled well. We never really find out why Serena has made this decision except that she's afraid she'll turn out like her mother. But her life is the complete opposite of her mother's - there's no chance she'll turn out that way. And I think she originally made the decision because she thought she didn't particularly like children. But during the course of the book she learns that she loves them. So she is not child-free any longer - there are several children in her life she cares deeply about. Her definition of child-free then becomes 1) not giving birth (or adopting, etc), and probably 2) not being the primary care-giver. So instead of coming across as strong and independent, she came across as rigid and selfish in that decision. I think it all came down to how it was handled by the author, and honestly I think it was handled clumsily.
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