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The Wedding Setup
From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt short story about one woman’s journey of self-discovery and what it means to be happy.
Ayesha Shetty lost her brother seven years ago, the same time she lost everything else important to her dreams, her fierce independence, and the man she loved. Not wanting to see her mother hurt anymore, she put her wild self away and became the dutiful daughter her mother needed and took on her brother’s role in the family business.
Now her best friend’s big, fat Indian wedding is a chance to get away from her endless duties at the restaurant and maybe even have some fun (if she remembers how). But a setup arranged by her mother, with a doctor no less, is the last thing she needs. The fact that he checks all her mother’s boxes just makes everything better…and worse.
Then Emmitt Hughes shows up. Her brother’s best friend. The love she once chose over family duties and her responsibilities. The one she asked to leave, and who did. The one who knows the real Ayesha. Torn between a love from the past that could cost her the only person she has left and her sense of obligation to her mother, will Ayesha find the strength to stop thinking about what everyone else wants and finally put herself first? Or is the old Ayesha truly gone for good?
Ayesha Shetty lost her brother seven years ago, the same time she lost everything else important to her dreams, her fierce independence, and the man she loved. Not wanting to see her mother hurt anymore, she put her wild self away and became the dutiful daughter her mother needed and took on her brother’s role in the family business.
Now her best friend’s big, fat Indian wedding is a chance to get away from her endless duties at the restaurant and maybe even have some fun (if she remembers how). But a setup arranged by her mother, with a doctor no less, is the last thing she needs. The fact that he checks all her mother’s boxes just makes everything better…and worse.
Then Emmitt Hughes shows up. Her brother’s best friend. The love she once chose over family duties and her responsibilities. The one she asked to leave, and who did. The one who knows the real Ayesha. Torn between a love from the past that could cost her the only person she has left and her sense of obligation to her mother, will Ayesha find the strength to stop thinking about what everyone else wants and finally put herself first? Or is the old Ayesha truly gone for good?
67 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 11, 2022
921 people are currently reading
1786 people want to read
About the author
Sonali Dev
17 books3,258 followersSonali Dev’s first literary work was a play about mistaken identities performed at her neighborhood Diwali extravaganza in Mumbai. She was eight years old. Despite this early success, Sonali spent the next few decades getting degrees in architecture and written communication, migrating across the globe, and starting a family while writing for magazines and websites. With the advent of her first gray hair her mad love for telling stories returned full force, and she now combines it with her insights into Indian culture to conjure up stories that make a mad tangle with her life as supermom, domestic goddess, and world traveler.
Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog.
Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 644 reviews
December 30, 2021
This story by Sonali Dev is my first taste of this author, and I was impressed with the levels of emotional depths she managed to attain in what after all is a short story. Set in Chicago, we meet Ayesha Shetty who lost her beloved brother, Ajay, 7 years ago, plunged into such grief that she became a significantly more insipid and muted version of the woman she used to be. In her efforts to protect Amma, her much loved mother, from further hurt, she leaves her old life behind to work to make Ajay's dream a success, the family restaurant, Mangalore Stew, a demanding challenge that requires putting in so many hours, she has no other life. She has become the good Indian girl, no longer having the no holds barred arguments on culture and traditions with her mother, and is even willing to consider a 'suitable man' chosen by Amma, who will be attending her best friend, Bela's wedding. However, the wedding becomes a reckoning with her past and the woman she used to be, a woman who had pushed away the man she loved 7 years ago, Ajay's best friend, Emmit Hughes.
This is a story of the love and relationships between mothers and daughters, best friends, grief, and a wedding setup that might not quite be what it appears. The romantic aspects were not for me, but the rest of the tale is wonderful, a glimpse into Asian culture, how we can misconstrue the intentions of those close to us, lose our sense of self so completely that we disconnect with who we are, and the nature of love in all its glorious forms, including between best friends. Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories for an ARC.
This is a story of the love and relationships between mothers and daughters, best friends, grief, and a wedding setup that might not quite be what it appears. The romantic aspects were not for me, but the rest of the tale is wonderful, a glimpse into Asian culture, how we can misconstrue the intentions of those close to us, lose our sense of self so completely that we disconnect with who we are, and the nature of love in all its glorious forms, including between best friends. Many thanks to Amazon Original Stories for an ARC.
February 2, 2023
Not cringey, not clingy and not crappy.
Why can't all romance story be this short, perfect and beautiful?!
I regret not reading any of the author's work before this one. But I am also glad I started with this perfect little story. The characters are so well developed, if I have to pinpoint the best part of the writing. The romance is just perfect.
The writing is really good. How the story started with the strained relationship with the mother because the daughter is not marrying when everyone else around her is marrying kept me hooked because it's a real issue here and everywhere else. So yes, quite realistic and to the point I say!
Well, I need a new whole book from the author now. I just cannot wait to read all the books ever written by Sonali Dev. I now know what all that hype is about!
Thank you, Amazon, for the advance reading copy.
Why can't all romance story be this short, perfect and beautiful?!
I regret not reading any of the author's work before this one. But I am also glad I started with this perfect little story. The characters are so well developed, if I have to pinpoint the best part of the writing. The romance is just perfect.
The writing is really good. How the story started with the strained relationship with the mother because the daughter is not marrying when everyone else around her is marrying kept me hooked because it's a real issue here and everywhere else. So yes, quite realistic and to the point I say!
Well, I need a new whole book from the author now. I just cannot wait to read all the books ever written by Sonali Dev. I now know what all that hype is about!
Thank you, Amazon, for the advance reading copy.
January 11, 2022
Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book for an honest review.
My first encounter with Sonali Dev’s magic words was through her Bollywood series. The Bollywood Affair is, to this day, one of the most breathtaking books I’ve ever read, and The Bollywood Bride is literally everything I’ve ever wanted in a romance novel. Everything!
So you can imagine how giddy I was that I got to press pause on - impatiently - waiting for Sonali’s next book, The Emma Project, to read her latest short story, The Wedding Setup.
Our main character, Ayesha, had a lifelong crush on her older brother’s best friend, Emmitt. They had a secret relationship for a couple years after she graduated high school, the happiest time of her life, but, after her brother’s sudden death, Ayesha found herself incapable of continuing to defy her mother’s wishes by dating Emmitt, and decided to send him away.
After seven years of lost dreams and missing Emmitt and working an exhausting job in her family’s restaurant, all to make her mother happy, Ayesha finally gets a break to attend her best friend’s wedding festivities. Except, guess who’s plotting with her best friend to also attend the wedding and get her back? Yup, Emmitt’s back in town. 😎
Sonali is a master at writing my all-time favorite trope of second chance romance. She really digs deep into the heartbreak, constructing the most intense stories and really conveying the characters' despair, only to lead you beautifully into the most epic happy ever after.
I loved this short story so much and I can’t wait for more of Sonali’s perfect words!
My first encounter with Sonali Dev’s magic words was through her Bollywood series. The Bollywood Affair is, to this day, one of the most breathtaking books I’ve ever read, and The Bollywood Bride is literally everything I’ve ever wanted in a romance novel. Everything!
So you can imagine how giddy I was that I got to press pause on - impatiently - waiting for Sonali’s next book, The Emma Project, to read her latest short story, The Wedding Setup.
Our main character, Ayesha, had a lifelong crush on her older brother’s best friend, Emmitt. They had a secret relationship for a couple years after she graduated high school, the happiest time of her life, but, after her brother’s sudden death, Ayesha found herself incapable of continuing to defy her mother’s wishes by dating Emmitt, and decided to send him away.
After seven years of lost dreams and missing Emmitt and working an exhausting job in her family’s restaurant, all to make her mother happy, Ayesha finally gets a break to attend her best friend’s wedding festivities. Except, guess who’s plotting with her best friend to also attend the wedding and get her back? Yup, Emmitt’s back in town. 😎
Sonali is a master at writing my all-time favorite trope of second chance romance. She really digs deep into the heartbreak, constructing the most intense stories and really conveying the characters' despair, only to lead you beautifully into the most epic happy ever after.
I loved this short story so much and I can’t wait for more of Sonali’s perfect words!
May 1, 2022
“What was it about grief that lodged itself so deep inside you it couldn’t be reached? Like a thorn that skin and muscle had grown around. Protection and wound rolled into one.”
~ Rating- 4 stars ~
Content / Trigger Warnings- Death, Loss of a Child/Brother & Friend, Car Accident, Death By Car Accident, Pressure of Getting Married
Note- I have tried to include all the content warnings that I noticed, but there is no guarantee that I haven’t missed something.
-Mention of some of these in the review-
A Wedding Setup, by Sonali Dev is about our main character Ayesha, who is grieving the loss of her brother and father. To make things easier for her mother, she acts like a dutiful daughter, takes charge of the family business and becomes a shell of herself. When her best friend is about to get married, and her one true love Emmitt returns, Ayesha has to question all that she truly wants in life, and the lines she is willing to cross to get them.
“How can you do better than someone who sees you exactly the way you want to be seen?”
A Wedding Setup, is a short story that I picked up because a) it was short and b) I heard a lot about this author, but never got the chance to read their work before, and I thought a short book like this one would be the perfect book to read. And surprisingly, it was good! I enjoyed it quite a bit, and as an Indian I really appreciated the cultural accuracy of the story. This book was entertaining, with great writing and pretty solid characters, especially for a short story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and would highly recommend!
“My existence only makes sense when I’m with you, Ayesha.”
Review written on 3rd April, 2022.
DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
...........................................
I loved this book so much! It was a sweet story and very cute. Highly recommend. RTC!
January 1, 2022
3★
“You’re twenty-eight years old, Ayesha. At your age, I had two children!”
Okay – you get the premise of the story. For the last several years, Ayesha has been flat out helping her mother, Amma, make a go of their restaurant after they were left with it. It is successful, but she’s had no time for herself.
Then Amma springs the news that there is a special “doctor boy” invited to the wedding of Ayesha’s best friend, Bela.
“When it came to marriage, Indian parents always turned adults into boys and girls. ‘It’s so they can take the sexuality out of it.’ That was Bela’s explanation. Or maybe that made it easier to direct their grown children’s lives.“
At the wedding, she hears another voice.
“She hated his voice. Hated how much she’d missed it.”
Enough. This is fine for those who like their romances predictable, but in spite of the fact that I love short stories, this one falls pretty flat.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy of #TheWeddingSetup for review.
“You’re twenty-eight years old, Ayesha. At your age, I had two children!”
Okay – you get the premise of the story. For the last several years, Ayesha has been flat out helping her mother, Amma, make a go of their restaurant after they were left with it. It is successful, but she’s had no time for herself.
Then Amma springs the news that there is a special “doctor boy” invited to the wedding of Ayesha’s best friend, Bela.
“When it came to marriage, Indian parents always turned adults into boys and girls. ‘It’s so they can take the sexuality out of it.’ That was Bela’s explanation. Or maybe that made it easier to direct their grown children’s lives.“
At the wedding, she hears another voice.
“She hated his voice. Hated how much she’d missed it.”
Enough. This is fine for those who like their romances predictable, but in spite of the fact that I love short stories, this one falls pretty flat.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy of #TheWeddingSetup for review.
January 8, 2022
3.5★s
The Wedding Set-up is a short story by Indian-born American author, Sonali Dev. Ayesha Shetty attends the wedding of her best friend, Bela Gupte, where mothers and aunties have set her up to meet a real catch: Dr Samrat Hegde is a gynaecologist, an ideal partner for the good daughter that Ayesha has become over the last seven years.
It was her brother, Ajay’s tragic accidental death that brought her home and curbed her wild behaviour, determined to spare her widowed mother any more heartache. But not everyone believes that’s the best outcome: Emmitt Hughes, the man she sent away seven years ago, is also a wedding guest, and it’s clear from the moment they see each other, that none of the fire between them has gone. And a certain father ensures a close encounter…
A predictable little dose of romance that will appeal to fans of swooning love stories with an Indian flavour.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories.
The Wedding Set-up is a short story by Indian-born American author, Sonali Dev. Ayesha Shetty attends the wedding of her best friend, Bela Gupte, where mothers and aunties have set her up to meet a real catch: Dr Samrat Hegde is a gynaecologist, an ideal partner for the good daughter that Ayesha has become over the last seven years.
It was her brother, Ajay’s tragic accidental death that brought her home and curbed her wild behaviour, determined to spare her widowed mother any more heartache. But not everyone believes that’s the best outcome: Emmitt Hughes, the man she sent away seven years ago, is also a wedding guest, and it’s clear from the moment they see each other, that none of the fire between them has gone. And a certain father ensures a close encounter…
A predictable little dose of romance that will appeal to fans of swooning love stories with an Indian flavour.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories.
January 11, 2022
Childhood friends to lovers + second chance at love + brother's best friend = sign me up! 😍
I love Sonali Dev's writing and would happily read an entire novel about Ayesha and Emmitt. In a 70-page story, Dev was able to pack in so much emotion, conflict, and growth, not just within the romance, but with Ayesha's family and friends as well. Add a touch of sexual tension and steam between our two leads, and this short story was just about perfect.
Overall I would highly recommend picking this up, especially if you're new to Dev's writing or if you need something to hold you over until The Emma Project comes out later this year!
Thank you to Amazon Original Stories via Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love Sonali Dev's writing and would happily read an entire novel about Ayesha and Emmitt. In a 70-page story, Dev was able to pack in so much emotion, conflict, and growth, not just within the romance, but with Ayesha's family and friends as well. Add a touch of sexual tension and steam between our two leads, and this short story was just about perfect.
Overall I would highly recommend picking this up, especially if you're new to Dev's writing or if you need something to hold you over until The Emma Project comes out later this year!
Thank you to Amazon Original Stories via Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 5, 2023
4.25⭑
This was a great second chance romance short story with themes of family and grief.
I listened to the audiobook of this (my first audiobook, yay me!) and I thought the narrator did a fantastic job.
This has made me more excited to read Sonali Dev’s other romance books.
This was a great second chance romance short story with themes of family and grief.
I listened to the audiobook of this (my first audiobook, yay me!) and I thought the narrator did a fantastic job.
This has made me more excited to read Sonali Dev’s other romance books.
May 18, 2022
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up!
I'm honestly a little disappointed that I haven't picked up anything by Sonali Dev until this short story because I loved everything about this second-chance romance with hilarious and well-intentioned meddling best friends, mothers and aunties. Dev's writing is humorous, heartfelt, and packed with emotion, and her characters were realistic and relatable. If this short story is a good indication of what her full-length novels are like then I've definitely been missing out and I absolutely cannot wait to read more of Dev's books asap!
The Wedding Setup is told from Ayesha's perspective and I loved her character and her journey to finding herself again in this story. After losing her brother in an accident seven years ago, grief and fear changed Ayesha from being an outspoken young woman to a docile and meek one who does everything to please her mother and to ensure the status quo goes undisturbed. I may not be Indian, but being Asian, there were so many moments that I related to in this, particularly about the cultural expectations as a young woman to settle down and have kids by a certain age, the well-intentioned but nevertheless meddlesome family members, and especially the perceptions and challenges couples in intercultural relationships face and experience. Grief changes people in different ways and it was heartbreaking but also heartwarming to see how Ayesha finally accepts the loss without letting it hold her back, and how she sheds her "new" skin and finds her old self again with the help of Emmitt and Amma. This may be a short story but it packs a heckuva punch and I got all the emotions, angst, and swoontastic vibes from it that I'd expect in any full-length romance.
Ah, how I SWOONED at Emmitt's devotion to and love for Ayesha. The things that came out of that man's mouth had me feeling those heart-eyes for days! 😍 My heart soared at their coming together, broke for their history, and absolutely melted at this reunion. I'm not sure if Dev's full-length romances are closed-door but this short story was, and while I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get the steamy bits after the *delicious* build-up in tension (thanks, forced proximity), it obviously wasn't a dealbreaker—I just wanted MORE of this couple! Their chemistry was explosive even after seven years apart and it was fire! The only thing I wished for was Emmitt's perspective but that's definitely a me-thing and not the book-thing because I'm a fan of dual perspectives in romances.
Overall, this was a short story that didn't feel like a short story and those are my favourite kinds. Whether you're looking for a sweet second-chance romance with heart and depth or a quick "palate cleanser" read before moving on to your next, I would definitely recommend checking this out. I can't wait to dive into Sonali Dev's backlist now!
I'm honestly a little disappointed that I haven't picked up anything by Sonali Dev until this short story because I loved everything about this second-chance romance with hilarious and well-intentioned meddling best friends, mothers and aunties. Dev's writing is humorous, heartfelt, and packed with emotion, and her characters were realistic and relatable. If this short story is a good indication of what her full-length novels are like then I've definitely been missing out and I absolutely cannot wait to read more of Dev's books asap!
The Wedding Setup is told from Ayesha's perspective and I loved her character and her journey to finding herself again in this story. After losing her brother in an accident seven years ago, grief and fear changed Ayesha from being an outspoken young woman to a docile and meek one who does everything to please her mother and to ensure the status quo goes undisturbed. I may not be Indian, but being Asian, there were so many moments that I related to in this, particularly about the cultural expectations as a young woman to settle down and have kids by a certain age, the well-intentioned but nevertheless meddlesome family members, and especially the perceptions and challenges couples in intercultural relationships face and experience. Grief changes people in different ways and it was heartbreaking but also heartwarming to see how Ayesha finally accepts the loss without letting it hold her back, and how she sheds her "new" skin and finds her old self again with the help of Emmitt and Amma. This may be a short story but it packs a heckuva punch and I got all the emotions, angst, and swoontastic vibes from it that I'd expect in any full-length romance.
Ah, how I SWOONED at Emmitt's devotion to and love for Ayesha. The things that came out of that man's mouth had me feeling those heart-eyes for days! 😍 My heart soared at their coming together, broke for their history, and absolutely melted at this reunion. I'm not sure if Dev's full-length romances are closed-door but this short story was, and while I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get the steamy bits after the *delicious* build-up in tension (thanks, forced proximity), it obviously wasn't a dealbreaker—I just wanted MORE of this couple! Their chemistry was explosive even after seven years apart and it was fire! The only thing I wished for was Emmitt's perspective but that's definitely a me-thing and not the book-thing because I'm a fan of dual perspectives in romances.
Overall, this was a short story that didn't feel like a short story and those are my favourite kinds. Whether you're looking for a sweet second-chance romance with heart and depth or a quick "palate cleanser" read before moving on to your next, I would definitely recommend checking this out. I can't wait to dive into Sonali Dev's backlist now!
December 14, 2022
Short and okay-ish.
January 22, 2022
Ay çok tatlıydı keşke biraz daha uzun olsaydı ya iyi ki okumuşum ve Emmitt 🔥🔥 hint filmi izlemiş gibi okudum valla ndkkdkd aşırı sevdim ya amann puan falan da kırmıyorum cebimden mi çıkıyo on numara kitap filmini yapın hemen hintliler acil???
July 29, 2025
Si me gustó, pero que rabia cuando la gente toma decisiones apresuradas y pierde AÑOS de su vida cuando todo lo que tenían que hacer era hablar.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2021
A beautiful South Asian second chance at love story featuring Ayesha, who has put her own desires on hold to help her mother after the accidental death of her brother. Full of deep emotions for such a short story, Sonali Dev fans are sure to be pleased! I love the gorgeous cover too. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2023
4.5
This seemed longer to me than a short story. It packed in depth (grief and avoidance), love (the real sort, of all kinds), vivid characters, a rich cultural milieu, and a surprise twist.
This seemed longer to me than a short story. It packed in depth (grief and avoidance), love (the real sort, of all kinds), vivid characters, a rich cultural milieu, and a surprise twist.
January 8, 2022
Thank you so much to Amazon Original Stories for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Y'all. Sonali Dev has done it once again. This is the third second-chance romance I've read of hers this year and she's nailed it EVERY SINGLE TIME. She literally never misses, and I shouldn't even be surprised at this point. She could write up a parking ticket against me and and I would devour her words immediately.
Ayesha and Emmitt's story in The Wedding Setup is filled with such emotion and love and fondness, and you could feel it all so clearly even though this story is only 67 pages long (as least on my eARC version). I feel like I went on this whole journey from Ayesha and Emmitt being childhood friends, to lovers, to strangers, to lovers again, even though this story took place over the course of one wedding. I felt like Sonali was staring into my soul while writing this novel, too. I've never been in a situation remotely similar to Ayesha's, but I still connected and related to her so deeply. I love the other themes this story had aside from the romance, such as the theme of South Asian familial expectations with Ayesha's relationship with her mother, and the theme of managing grief with Ajay's death.
So yeah, in short, Sonali Dev is an incredible writer who evokes the best emotions from her novels. If you like second-chance romance, books with South Asian rep, or brother's best friend trope, I highly recommend this short story!
Y'all. Sonali Dev has done it once again. This is the third second-chance romance I've read of hers this year and she's nailed it EVERY SINGLE TIME. She literally never misses, and I shouldn't even be surprised at this point. She could write up a parking ticket against me and and I would devour her words immediately.
Ayesha and Emmitt's story in The Wedding Setup is filled with such emotion and love and fondness, and you could feel it all so clearly even though this story is only 67 pages long (as least on my eARC version). I feel like I went on this whole journey from Ayesha and Emmitt being childhood friends, to lovers, to strangers, to lovers again, even though this story took place over the course of one wedding. I felt like Sonali was staring into my soul while writing this novel, too. I've never been in a situation remotely similar to Ayesha's, but I still connected and related to her so deeply. I love the other themes this story had aside from the romance, such as the theme of South Asian familial expectations with Ayesha's relationship with her mother, and the theme of managing grief with Ajay's death.
So yeah, in short, Sonali Dev is an incredible writer who evokes the best emotions from her novels. If you like second-chance romance, books with South Asian rep, or brother's best friend trope, I highly recommend this short story!
September 24, 2025
3.5 stars for this short story. I have been meaning to read this author for a while and this taster confirms I'll be reading another. Lovely, easy to read writing, with great characters.
January 21, 2022
2.5 Stars
For me, this novella suffered from a lack of story development similar to many novellas. In plot, it also resembled Dev's full-length book, A Bollywood Bride. Both stories involved multiple years-long separations after misconceptions where the H/h had left the country. Oddly enough, there were also basements involved in the reconciliations in both books.
I generally enjoy Sonali Dev's stories and while I thought the writing was good in this one, I found the overall story lacking.
April 4, 2022
This was a cute, fast-paced read of second chance love. Even though it was a short story (70 pages), it dealt with grief, family responsibility, and love.
February 5, 2023
A sweet and lovely short story about family and a second chance at love.
January 7, 2022
Short and sweet. A story of a grieving family, a best friend who knows what’s best for her “bestie”, and former lovers reuniting.
Sonali Dev shows us Ayesha, who gave up everything that made her happy (Emmit, her education and her dreams) to work hard at her mother’s restaurant after her beloved brother’s sudden death years earlier. When events, and a best friend intervene, Ayesha gets a chance to reunite with the love of her life, Emmit. The awkwardness of their early romance is past, and now, like with Jane Austen’s “Persuasion”, Ayesha gets another chance at love.
The romantic connection between Ayesha and Emmit comes through clearly in Dev’s words, and so does the fierce love between Ayesha and Amma, two women who fight for what they believe in, and who love each other just as hard. The ending of this short tale is unsurprising, but satisfying.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Amazon Original Stories for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Sonali Dev shows us Ayesha, who gave up everything that made her happy (Emmit, her education and her dreams) to work hard at her mother’s restaurant after her beloved brother’s sudden death years earlier. When events, and a best friend intervene, Ayesha gets a chance to reunite with the love of her life, Emmit. The awkwardness of their early romance is past, and now, like with Jane Austen’s “Persuasion”, Ayesha gets another chance at love.
The romantic connection between Ayesha and Emmit comes through clearly in Dev’s words, and so does the fierce love between Ayesha and Amma, two women who fight for what they believe in, and who love each other just as hard. The ending of this short tale is unsurprising, but satisfying.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Amazon Original Stories for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 6, 2022
Digital ARC provided by Netgalley
I was surprised on how many things the author could cover in such a short read. I appreciated the fact that the action did not seem rushed or artificial. The line of this contemporary romance was easy to follow and to discover throughout the pages.
I loved the author’s writing style and I will definitely try another book written by her.
I was surprised on how many things the author could cover in such a short read. I appreciated the fact that the action did not seem rushed or artificial. The line of this contemporary romance was easy to follow and to discover throughout the pages.
I loved the author’s writing style and I will definitely try another book written by her.
January 15, 2022
A bittersweet story about grief, love, family obligations, and second chances. A quick and engaging read.
January 9, 2022
Ayesha Shetty lost her brother seven years ago. Now it's just her and her mother keeping their restaurant profitable. After the funeral she decided to throw away her plans for her life and do everything she can to make her mother happy. She gave up her dreams, her independence and the man she loved so she could devote herself to her mother and take her brother's role at the restaurant. When her best friend gets married, she is able to take some time off from the restaurant and maybe have some fun. Her mother and her aunts have found a doctor and made plans for he and Ayesha to meet at the wedding. She's trying to have fun and to pay attention to the doctor but she's struggling because he's extremely boring. All of a sudden, her old boyfriend - the love of her life - shows up at the wedding. Emmitt was her brother's best friend and the man that she was wanted to marry until her brother died. Torn between a love from the past that could cost her the only person she has left and her sense of obligation to her mother, will Ayesha find the strength to stop thinking about what everyone else wants and finally put herself first? Or is the old Ayesha truly gone for good?
This was only a short story but the author wrote a very emotional story. The characters are well written and the plot is well paced. My favorite character was her best friend, Bela who was getting married that weekend and her view of life is the direct opposite of Ayesha's. Will her friend help her get her happily ever after ending or will she return to the person that she's been for the last seven years
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
This was only a short story but the author wrote a very emotional story. The characters are well written and the plot is well paced. My favorite character was her best friend, Bela who was getting married that weekend and her view of life is the direct opposite of Ayesha's. Will her friend help her get her happily ever after ending or will she return to the person that she's been for the last seven years
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.
January 21, 2022
I’ve wanted to read this author for awhile now, but haven’t had a chance. When I got the chance to read this short story I thought it would be perfect for me to see if I needed to make sure I read her books like I wanted. This story definitely made me very interested! Now, it was a short story, and I’d like to say short and sweet, but it wasn’t sweet exactly. It had so much emotion to it, and it did make me smile, and laugh, and swoon though. I definitely thought Emmitt was a good guy and one that Ayesha should give another chance. We learned how she lost him through the story, and what and where he had gone since she’d last seen him. Obviously we got all the backstory that we needed within this brief yet succinct tale. I do know that after reading this I for sure will be looking to read more by this author in the future!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
dnf
April 21, 2022I've been a fan of Sonali Dev's for a few years, and while this wasn't glaringly bad, it didn't do anything for me. I wasn't really invested in the story or the characters, even if the wedding scenario was fun and there were some interesting Pop Culture references. Admittedly it was a lot darker than I was anticipating and I was running on no sleep, but I zoned completely out about halfway through, and I so I don't feel like I consumed the story really, but I also wasn't invested enough, so I'm counting it as a DNF.
February 28, 2023
This was adorable and took me about 20 minutes to read. I wish more romcom authors would offer these kind of short stories with just the perfect amount of backstory, dialogue, and spice.
I definitely recommend this cute and quick read!
I definitely recommend this cute and quick read!
January 16, 2022
short, but POWERFUL
February 16, 2022
a cute, very short story.
April 17, 2022
a second chance romance - full of heart and emotion and depth - LOVED IT!
exactly what I want from a short story - highly recommend this and all of Sonali Dev's other works
exactly what I want from a short story - highly recommend this and all of Sonali Dev's other works
September 3, 2022
This is not part of Sonali Dev's Jane Austen series but it does have some elements in common with Persuasion. Seven years ago Ayesha Shetty felt compelled to give up the man she loved for the sake of her family. Emmitt Hughes was the love of her life but he is from another culture and was her brother's best friend. Now Ajay is gone, killed in a car crash with his girlfriend, and it's just Ayesha and her mother left. Ayesha has been killing herself these last seven years to be the dutiful daughter her mother has always wanted AND to keep the family restaurant afloat. Now, on the eve of her best friend's wedding, her mother springs the news that a rich, single, handsome doctor is going to be at the wedding and wants to meet her AND she's taken care of the restaurant by setting up an interview with a manager. Ayesha doesn't want to say what's in her head but she is not too thrilled. There are so many other things she wants to do with her life than make an arranged marriage with a doctor whose name sounds like "some rat." At Bela's wedding, Ayesha runs into Emmitt again and all her old feelings come rushing back. If only she could turn the clock back seven years, bring Aajay back, be the rebellious girl she once was.
I'm new to Sonali Dev, in spite of her Austen books. I thought I'd try this Amazon Prime freebie to see if I liked her writing style. I do like her writing. Her metaphors are very nice and the writing is poetic in spots. I felt a little bit too old for this kind of story though. The characters are rather younger than I am and do things I wouldn't do and don't particularly want to read about. Still, I got caught up in the story of this modern day Anne Elliot and wondered how it would work out to the usual happily ever after and if it would. Could Ayesha have her mother AND her man? The cultural details were interesting and Bela's wedding sounds very over-the-top and colorful. That section was also very funny with all the matchmaking aunties running around and Dr. Samrat being cringy like Mr. Collins.
I liked Ayesha a lot and can relate to her. Like Ayesha, I argue a lot with my parents and speak my mind. That isn't always easy though when you're torn between what you want and what is expected of you and I understood where Ayesha was coming from. She spent her teen and young adult years running from her culture, from duty. Mangalore Stew represented everything she didn't want out of life and now she's circled right back to where she started and has been sucked in. Ayesha is a woman who knows her duty. She's literally killing herself to do everything that is expected of her by her mother, who is very old school. My heart broke for her. She's worse off than Anne Elliot because women have choices now and Ayesha didn't really have the same excuse for breaking up with Emmitt and pushing him away. Unlike Anne, we learn about their relationship and how she persued her brother's best friend until she pretty much gave him no choice but to relieve her of her virginity. Other than his looks, we don't really know why she was so obsessed with him. Emmitt was Ayesha's brother's best friend and he's a super sweet, caring guy but that doesn't come through right away. That's a limitation more of the short story format than the writing.
Ayesha's brother was everything she is not. He was vivacious, a big dreamer and had huge plans for the family restaurant. After he died, no one had the energy or strength or even the knowledge to follow through on his dreams. Ajay sound like a fun guy and his death was a super tragedy. Their father is also dead, leaving Mrs. Shetty and Ayesha as the only family the other has left. Mrs. Shetty is part of a deeply patriarchial culture. She has strict ideas about how her daughter should act, dress, and what her daughter should be doing with her life. Marrying outside their culture is a no no. I have friends who grew up with parents like that. It doesn't work and it only makes the daughter more rebellious. Mrs. Shetty didn't seem to know when to let up and all her harping has forced Ayesha into a shell of her former self, just to please her mother.
Bela Gupte, Ayesha's best friend, is crazy! She's even more rebellious than Ayesha. Instead of wasting her time fighting with her parents, she just went off and did things she wanted to do. Now she's marrying a man named Edward, fulfilling their Twilight destiny. They're actually deeply in love and nauseating with excessive displays of PDA. Eddie will do anything for Bela and she seems to adore him. She's still the wild child at heart though and her wedding is a huge traditional to-do. Bela seems mischievous but on Ayesha's side. She doesn't want to push Ayesha into an unwanted marriage.
I liked this story well enough. It was easy to read, well-written, emotional and there was just enough "relations" to please those who like that sort of thing but not too much to make those who don't want to be there up close and personal.
I'm new to Sonali Dev, in spite of her Austen books. I thought I'd try this Amazon Prime freebie to see if I liked her writing style. I do like her writing. Her metaphors are very nice and the writing is poetic in spots. I felt a little bit too old for this kind of story though. The characters are rather younger than I am and do things I wouldn't do and don't particularly want to read about. Still, I got caught up in the story of this modern day Anne Elliot and wondered how it would work out to the usual happily ever after and if it would. Could Ayesha have her mother AND her man? The cultural details were interesting and Bela's wedding sounds very over-the-top and colorful. That section was also very funny with all the matchmaking aunties running around and Dr. Samrat being cringy like Mr. Collins.
I liked Ayesha a lot and can relate to her. Like Ayesha, I argue a lot with my parents and speak my mind. That isn't always easy though when you're torn between what you want and what is expected of you and I understood where Ayesha was coming from. She spent her teen and young adult years running from her culture, from duty. Mangalore Stew represented everything she didn't want out of life and now she's circled right back to where she started and has been sucked in. Ayesha is a woman who knows her duty. She's literally killing herself to do everything that is expected of her by her mother, who is very old school. My heart broke for her. She's worse off than Anne Elliot because women have choices now and Ayesha didn't really have the same excuse for breaking up with Emmitt and pushing him away. Unlike Anne, we learn about their relationship and how she persued her brother's best friend until she pretty much gave him no choice but to relieve her of her virginity. Other than his looks, we don't really know why she was so obsessed with him. Emmitt was Ayesha's brother's best friend and he's a super sweet, caring guy but that doesn't come through right away. That's a limitation more of the short story format than the writing.
Ayesha's brother was everything she is not. He was vivacious, a big dreamer and had huge plans for the family restaurant. After he died, no one had the energy or strength or even the knowledge to follow through on his dreams. Ajay sound like a fun guy and his death was a super tragedy. Their father is also dead, leaving Mrs. Shetty and Ayesha as the only family the other has left. Mrs. Shetty is part of a deeply patriarchial culture. She has strict ideas about how her daughter should act, dress, and what her daughter should be doing with her life. Marrying outside their culture is a no no. I have friends who grew up with parents like that. It doesn't work and it only makes the daughter more rebellious. Mrs. Shetty didn't seem to know when to let up and all her harping has forced Ayesha into a shell of her former self, just to please her mother.
Bela Gupte, Ayesha's best friend, is crazy! She's even more rebellious than Ayesha. Instead of wasting her time fighting with her parents, she just went off and did things she wanted to do. Now she's marrying a man named Edward, fulfilling their Twilight destiny. They're actually deeply in love and nauseating with excessive displays of PDA. Eddie will do anything for Bela and she seems to adore him. She's still the wild child at heart though and her wedding is a huge traditional to-do. Bela seems mischievous but on Ayesha's side. She doesn't want to push Ayesha into an unwanted marriage.
I liked this story well enough. It was easy to read, well-written, emotional and there was just enough "relations" to please those who like that sort of thing but not too much to make those who don't want to be there up close and personal.
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