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Picture Perfect
Niro is a photographer who’s lost the joy of taking photos. Burned by a bad break-up, she’s in desperate need of inspiration.
Vimal is determined to win back his ex-girlfriend. When he hears she’s bringing her new boyfriend on a group holiday, he impulsively declares that he’s bringing a plus one too.
Their mutual friends have the perfect solution: Niro can pretend to be Vimal’s new girlfriend and join the holiday. Imagine the incredible photographs she could take in the Swiss alps…
She’s not thinking about love. He’s thinking about someone else. Can they fake a picture-perfect relationship – or will real feelings get in the way?
Vimal is determined to win back his ex-girlfriend. When he hears she’s bringing her new boyfriend on a group holiday, he impulsively declares that he’s bringing a plus one too.
Their mutual friends have the perfect solution: Niro can pretend to be Vimal’s new girlfriend and join the holiday. Imagine the incredible photographs she could take in the Swiss alps…
She’s not thinking about love. He’s thinking about someone else. Can they fake a picture-perfect relationship – or will real feelings get in the way?
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2022
About the author
Jeevani Charika
11 books68 followersHi. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Jeevani, but you can call me Jeev. Everyone does.
I write women’s fiction and contemporary romances with a hint of British cynicism. I also write under the pen name Rhoda Baxter. So why the two names? Well… I’m British Sri-Lankan and the first book I wrote was about a bunch of middle class Sri Lankan people. I couldn’t find a home for it (even though I got some very nice rejection notes). The next book I wrote was a rom com with white main characters in it. That found a publisher within a year. I chose to use a pen name for those books, for a variety of reasons, including the fact that my real name is difficult to spell and difficult to pronounce and marks me out as non-white. My fifth book also had Sri Lankan main characters. It hasn’t found a publisher yet.
Recently, I got to write a book with Sri Lankan heroine. So it seemed only right for that book to be under my difficult to spell, difficult to pronounce name.
For the record, it’s pronounced Jeev-uh-nee.
There’s a whole lot of other stuff I could tell you – but mainly, I’m a former scientist, a fan of Lego, an embarrassing mum, a part time geek (see ’embarrassing mum’) and a very short person.
I write women’s fiction and contemporary romances with a hint of British cynicism. I also write under the pen name Rhoda Baxter. So why the two names? Well… I’m British Sri-Lankan and the first book I wrote was about a bunch of middle class Sri Lankan people. I couldn’t find a home for it (even though I got some very nice rejection notes). The next book I wrote was a rom com with white main characters in it. That found a publisher within a year. I chose to use a pen name for those books, for a variety of reasons, including the fact that my real name is difficult to spell and difficult to pronounce and marks me out as non-white. My fifth book also had Sri Lankan main characters. It hasn’t found a publisher yet.
Recently, I got to write a book with Sri Lankan heroine. So it seemed only right for that book to be under my difficult to spell, difficult to pronounce name.
For the record, it’s pronounced Jeev-uh-nee.
There’s a whole lot of other stuff I could tell you – but mainly, I’m a former scientist, a fan of Lego, an embarrassing mum, a part time geek (see ’embarrassing mum’) and a very short person.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
October 13, 2022
The eBook is out today, enjoy!!!
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A sweet romcom about Sri Lankans from a Sri Lankan author!
There’s Vimal - a perfect husband material - hot and successful but an introverted nerd, and Niro - a slightly overweight hippie photographer who’s been in a slump for a while. They fake a relationship to get his ex and her mojo back, and travel to Switzerland for a posh New Year’s party.
It took Vimal AGES to realize that he was not into his ex anymore. He was going on and on about her when Niro was already pining after him, it was exasperating! On the other hand he was adorable in his cluelessness so maybe that was the point that he didn’t see what was in front of him? Luckily they got their HEA eventually, phew!
There were some bad guys in this story but most of it makes for a great comfort read. I loved that the ex girlfriend was not the evil type who wants the guy back when he’s into someone else. I loved that a young, beautiful influencer did not turn out to be stupid or shallow. And that epilogue was total badass!
There were however two things that I’m especially grateful for. One is the peek into the Sri Lankan culture and the unique and authentic portrayal of Sri Lankans, and the other is Vimal who was so perfectly fine with Nori being overweight that it was truly heartwarming 😍.
3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
———-
A sweet romcom about Sri Lankans from a Sri Lankan author!
There’s Vimal - a perfect husband material - hot and successful but an introverted nerd, and Niro - a slightly overweight hippie photographer who’s been in a slump for a while. They fake a relationship to get his ex and her mojo back, and travel to Switzerland for a posh New Year’s party.
It took Vimal AGES to realize that he was not into his ex anymore. He was going on and on about her when Niro was already pining after him, it was exasperating! On the other hand he was adorable in his cluelessness so maybe that was the point that he didn’t see what was in front of him? Luckily they got their HEA eventually, phew!
There were some bad guys in this story but most of it makes for a great comfort read. I loved that the ex girlfriend was not the evil type who wants the guy back when he’s into someone else. I loved that a young, beautiful influencer did not turn out to be stupid or shallow. And that epilogue was total badass!
There were however two things that I’m especially grateful for. One is the peek into the Sri Lankan culture and the unique and authentic portrayal of Sri Lankans, and the other is Vimal who was so perfectly fine with Nori being overweight that it was truly heartwarming 😍.
3.5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and HQ for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
October 22, 2022A thoroughly delightful read with a couple of people who decide to do a fake relationship for the most sensible reasons: personal insecurity, pining after an ex, and getting pissed in the pub. Vimal is a numbers guy who got dumped for being boring, Niro is a photographer who's lost her mojo and who's often the target of criticism because she's fat and dark-skinned. What's lovely about this is that, while they've both been shaped by unkind words, they've both got a strong, stubborn core of self, and they both appreciate the other enough to learn to value themselves more highly. Niro sees Vimal as the kind, interested, thoughtful man he is; Vimal sees Niro's talent and hard work and shrewdness, as well as appreciating her beauty. I love MCs with quiet strength, and this book has that in spades, especially in the pitch perfect confrontation with the villain.
(Also, the book has lots of fun with romcom tropes including 'only one bed' and 'dash back from the airport'. Nicely played.)
(Also, the book has lots of fun with romcom tropes including 'only one bed' and 'dash back from the airport'. Nicely played.)
Want to Read
August 15, 2022beautiful cover AND fake dating??! I can’t wait!
January 6, 2023
I didn’t have any expectations, but still … I’m a bit disappointed. The story was exactly as promised, that was not the problem. But the pacing, the slow progression in the story and then sudden love? It felt like one second the mmc was still trying to get back with his ex and the next he was in love with the fmc.
Please be aware that this book mentions racism and fat shaming.
Please be aware that this book mentions racism and fat shaming.
October 19, 2022
A lovely quick read that contains several tropes:
The fake weekend away to make someone jealous and to pull someone out of a rut.
Fat shaming.
Bigotry.
Possible borderline personality disorder.
Tropes aside, I had a lot of fun reading this very fast read, and since it takes place around the holidays, it is perfect for this time of the year. The Kindle edition is only $2.99 American too! Cool bargain for this much story!
ARC is supplied by NetGalley, the publisher HQ, HQ Digital, and the Author.
The fake weekend away to make someone jealous and to pull someone out of a rut.
Fat shaming.
Bigotry.
Possible borderline personality disorder.
Tropes aside, I had a lot of fun reading this very fast read, and since it takes place around the holidays, it is perfect for this time of the year. The Kindle edition is only $2.99 American too! Cool bargain for this much story!
ARC is supplied by NetGalley, the publisher HQ, HQ Digital, and the Author.
April 11, 2023
loved it<3
September 4, 2022
thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc!
this story follows niro, a photographer who, after a messy breakup, has lost her passion for photography, and vimal, a quantitative analyst still hung up on his ex-girlfriend. after being invited to an exclusive holiday by a colleague, vimal, after hearing that his ex is coming with her new boyfriend, enlists niro to be his fake girlfriend to save face (and try to get his ex back). what could possibly go wrong?
this was such a cute book! i loved the way that niro and vimal's personalities complimented each other without having to change themselves for the other person and i always appreciate people of colour being main characters. on that note, i liked the fact that charika showcased both vimal and niro being immersed in their culture and the way that problems such as fatphobia and colourism were tackled. it was brilliant reading about a plus-sized, dark-skinned south asian woman being unapologetically herself as well as desired in a romantic way. the epilogue was also so sweet and i think it was a sweet ending to a sweet book!
this story follows niro, a photographer who, after a messy breakup, has lost her passion for photography, and vimal, a quantitative analyst still hung up on his ex-girlfriend. after being invited to an exclusive holiday by a colleague, vimal, after hearing that his ex is coming with her new boyfriend, enlists niro to be his fake girlfriend to save face (and try to get his ex back). what could possibly go wrong?
this was such a cute book! i loved the way that niro and vimal's personalities complimented each other without having to change themselves for the other person and i always appreciate people of colour being main characters. on that note, i liked the fact that charika showcased both vimal and niro being immersed in their culture and the way that problems such as fatphobia and colourism were tackled. it was brilliant reading about a plus-sized, dark-skinned south asian woman being unapologetically herself as well as desired in a romantic way. the epilogue was also so sweet and i think it was a sweet ending to a sweet book!
October 23, 2022
Picture Perfect by Jeevani Charika, a British Sri-Lankan author, features Niro, a photographer who doesn't like marzipan and has lost the inspiration for photography, and Vimal, who works at an investment bank, hates Nutella and is in love with his ex. When Vimal is invited to a group holiday in Switzerland where his ex is going to bring her new boyfriend, he declares on a whim that he is bringing his girlfriend too. Aunties, cousins and a few drinks lead to a plan involving fake dating with a mutually beneficial arrangement. He wants to make his ex jealous and she wants to take great photographs for a competition. What follows was an average experience for me. I loved hoe atmospheric it was, the beautiful descriptions of nature and snow and Swiss Alps, friendship between the main characters and everything about photography. I really liked how proper the ending was. I also appreciate the conversation around racism, fat shaming and work place bullying. A lot of times it feels rushed, but that was not the case here. I really liked the writing and I will definitely pick up whatever the author comes up with next. Unfortunately the romance part didn't always work for me in this one. So it ended up being a decent book which you can pick during the winter vacation as it is set around New Year and you can definitely feel that.
✨
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.
✨
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.
November 2, 2022
Another cute romcom with serious undertones from Jeevani Charika. Two Sri Lankan main characters in the UK, a holiday in Switzerland, a fake relationship and a lot of kindness. It was nice to see Niro and Sam from Playing for Love again!
Niro is a stronger person than she knows, and resists trying to fit in with the "in-crowd", while Vimal is thoughtful and looks out for her. I liked the way the author played with the fake relationship trope, the inevitable double bed and so on, as well as Romcom Night.
Niro is a stronger person than she knows, and resists trying to fit in with the "in-crowd", while Vimal is thoughtful and looks out for her. I liked the way the author played with the fake relationship trope, the inevitable double bed and so on, as well as Romcom Night.
August 26, 2022
Having read a couple of Jeevani Charkica's books before, I was excited to start this one, and I'm so glad I read it!
Niro is a photographer who has lost her mojo. setbacks in the forms of broken relationships and constant derogatory comments have worn her down.
Vimal is a hard-working guy who tries his hardest to win back his girlfriend of four years after being told he is simply boring.
Through the meddling of the Sri-Lankan Aunties, they are introduced and somehow end up on holiday together with a mutually beneficial deal in place; she gets her photography mojo back and he wins back the girl.
Is anything ever so simple?
I absolutely loved this story with kudos to Charika for her POC heroine, who is not only overweight but dark-skinned too. The issues brought about by constant remarks about those two attributes weigh heavy on Niro's heart and mind and have huge, detrimental effects on her confidence.
And the best thing is that this story embraced both facts and showed that it is possible, and fine, to look beyond these two factors, and love the person within.
And, sorry to say this but shame on the Aunties for making Niro feel so low with their constant comments about her appearance! Beauty is in everything, and the most beautiful shine from within, not outwardly.
Vimal is a person I feel I know. He is intelligent and capable but so unconfident because he thinks he will never 'fit in' with many of the people he works with. Yet he wants to change himself to win back the love of his life.
The side characters' cast was also great, with Sam, Niro's cousin and cheerleader, and the new friends she makes on this 'working' holiday. Felicity was one who helps to break other stereotypes. Not all young beautiful, and rich people are the shallow, selfish people some think they are. loved how she became another of Niro's cheerleaders!
I honestly wanted to slap Lucien. What a pompous, institutionally racist piece of rubbish! But, again, there are people like that, unfortunately, and good on the author for calling him out!
I raced through this book and loved it, especially the ending. READ IT!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Niro is a photographer who has lost her mojo. setbacks in the forms of broken relationships and constant derogatory comments have worn her down.
Vimal is a hard-working guy who tries his hardest to win back his girlfriend of four years after being told he is simply boring.
Through the meddling of the Sri-Lankan Aunties, they are introduced and somehow end up on holiday together with a mutually beneficial deal in place; she gets her photography mojo back and he wins back the girl.
Is anything ever so simple?
I absolutely loved this story with kudos to Charika for her POC heroine, who is not only overweight but dark-skinned too. The issues brought about by constant remarks about those two attributes weigh heavy on Niro's heart and mind and have huge, detrimental effects on her confidence.
And the best thing is that this story embraced both facts and showed that it is possible, and fine, to look beyond these two factors, and love the person within.
And, sorry to say this but shame on the Aunties for making Niro feel so low with their constant comments about her appearance! Beauty is in everything, and the most beautiful shine from within, not outwardly.
Vimal is a person I feel I know. He is intelligent and capable but so unconfident because he thinks he will never 'fit in' with many of the people he works with. Yet he wants to change himself to win back the love of his life.
The side characters' cast was also great, with Sam, Niro's cousin and cheerleader, and the new friends she makes on this 'working' holiday. Felicity was one who helps to break other stereotypes. Not all young beautiful, and rich people are the shallow, selfish people some think they are. loved how she became another of Niro's cheerleaders!
I honestly wanted to slap Lucien. What a pompous, institutionally racist piece of rubbish! But, again, there are people like that, unfortunately, and good on the author for calling him out!
I raced through this book and loved it, especially the ending. READ IT!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2022
This was a charming fake dating/forced proximity romance between two virtual strangers who are set up by mutual friends.
Photographer Niro is depressed after a bad break up and socially awkward Vimal is determined to win back his ex-girlfriend. Together the two travel to Switzerland for a weeklong vacation over the holidays. Knowing Vimal's ex will be there the plan is to try to make her jealous, while also giving Niro some new inspiration for her photos.
There was a lot of emotional depth to this book, the characters wrestle with some heavier topics, including microaggressions, racism, workplace bullying and worse. I liked how real and relatable the MCs were and how they slowly found themselves falling for one another (in spite of their pillow wall/only one bed situation).
A sweet, kissing only romance that's perfect for fans of authors like Nicola Marsh and Sonali Dev. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Photographer Niro is depressed after a bad break up and socially awkward Vimal is determined to win back his ex-girlfriend. Together the two travel to Switzerland for a weeklong vacation over the holidays. Knowing Vimal's ex will be there the plan is to try to make her jealous, while also giving Niro some new inspiration for her photos.
There was a lot of emotional depth to this book, the characters wrestle with some heavier topics, including microaggressions, racism, workplace bullying and worse. I liked how real and relatable the MCs were and how they slowly found themselves falling for one another (in spite of their pillow wall/only one bed situation).
A sweet, kissing only romance that's perfect for fans of authors like Nicola Marsh and Sonali Dev. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 22, 2023
Niro is having a hard go of it lately - her boyfriend broke up with her and has smashed her self-esteem and her love of her art. She is working a job she doesn't-love to make ends meet and the aunties won't stop talking about her lack of male prospects
Vimal ex broke up with him for someone more exciting because he isn't able to mix and mingle smoothly and he would rather stay in.
When one of the big sales guys invites him for a weekend away he can't say no because his ex will be there. What could go wrong about fake dating with Niro she needs inspiration and what's more inspiration than a castle with many great nature photos to be taken
This romance was great - I love fake dating and one-bed romance. Both Niro and Vimal are suffering from something and the hope is that they can help each other out.
Some of the supporting characters display outward racism or miro racism and I was glad to see that written out in a book Those guys who say a thing like " you people", or "why do that always"
The one lesson that kept standing out to me was don't judge a book by its cover. I loved the unlikely friendships that were developed
I wish there was a clear ending for some of the villains -so we can officially celebrate that win
Vimal ex broke up with him for someone more exciting because he isn't able to mix and mingle smoothly and he would rather stay in.
When one of the big sales guys invites him for a weekend away he can't say no because his ex will be there. What could go wrong about fake dating with Niro she needs inspiration and what's more inspiration than a castle with many great nature photos to be taken
This romance was great - I love fake dating and one-bed romance. Both Niro and Vimal are suffering from something and the hope is that they can help each other out.
Some of the supporting characters display outward racism or miro racism and I was glad to see that written out in a book Those guys who say a thing like " you people", or "why do that always"
The one lesson that kept standing out to me was don't judge a book by its cover. I loved the unlikely friendships that were developed
I wish there was a clear ending for some of the villains -so we can officially celebrate that win
September 23, 2022
okay so i gave this book 3 stars oh how i wished i will give more but i enjoyed reading this book. so picture perfect is not only about fake dating. there’s so much more in it. it has brown main characters, Niro who is a photographer. she’s a very well written character i adore her character so much. Vimal, i don’t know i should like him or not but he’s just very simple character but i feel him. we couldn’t see a lot of chemistry between Niro and Vimal in this book i think that’s one of the reason why i couldn’t give more stars. i mean their relationship is just very simple and has no development. i WISH we could have more. very cute and interesting story i would say, loved that the author showed both of the main characters culture and the problems such as fatphobic and racism. if you guys love reading about plus-sized, dark skinned south asian woman and also fake dating PLS READ THIS!
thank you to netgalley for providing me the arc!!!
thank you to netgalley for providing me the arc!!!
October 22, 2022
When you fake a relationship, what could possibly go wrong? Well, a fair few things, but I won’t give away any spoilers here!
Niro is a photographer at a low point in her life caused by failed relationships, constant derogatory comments about her weight, racism, workplace bullying and having lost her enthusiasm for her work. Hard-working Vimal has recently received the ultimate slap in the face when his girlfriend dumps him because she finds him boring. Still, he’s trying to win her back.
Their meddling Sri-Lankan Aunties introduce them, and they somehow end up in Switzerland on holiday together, with a plan; she rebuilds her confidence in her photography, and he wins back his girlfriend. At least that’s the plan …
I’ve read books by Jeevani Charika before (under her pen name Rhoda Baxter), and I love the way she tackles heavier topics, but with a feather light touch. Picture Perfect was quirky, funny and just the ticket on a rainy afternoon, but even as I was laughing, I learned something about the human condition. There’s a lot of emotional depth to this book, and despite the fake dating tropes (or because of them, if you like) it was an ultimately satisfying read.
Will definitely recommend, but also, do read some of her other books too.
Niro is a photographer at a low point in her life caused by failed relationships, constant derogatory comments about her weight, racism, workplace bullying and having lost her enthusiasm for her work. Hard-working Vimal has recently received the ultimate slap in the face when his girlfriend dumps him because she finds him boring. Still, he’s trying to win her back.
Their meddling Sri-Lankan Aunties introduce them, and they somehow end up in Switzerland on holiday together, with a plan; she rebuilds her confidence in her photography, and he wins back his girlfriend. At least that’s the plan …
I’ve read books by Jeevani Charika before (under her pen name Rhoda Baxter), and I love the way she tackles heavier topics, but with a feather light touch. Picture Perfect was quirky, funny and just the ticket on a rainy afternoon, but even as I was laughing, I learned something about the human condition. There’s a lot of emotional depth to this book, and despite the fake dating tropes (or because of them, if you like) it was an ultimately satisfying read.
Will definitely recommend, but also, do read some of her other books too.
January 4, 2023
This was such a well-written, slow burn friends-to-lovers fake dating romance!! Plus one bed and a mad dash back from the airport! I loved both characters and how well they complemented each other. Niro finding her self-confidence again was inspiring. Vimal was so sweet and caring, and I loved how they communicated to each other. I also loved Felicia, and I was so happy with the epilogue. Once I reached the part where they are in Switzerland, I could not put it down and I read the rest in one sitting. I'm going to buy a copy for my friend. Highly recommend!
August 28, 2023
This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I’ve really enjoyed it.
Very likeable characters that made me root for them as the story went on and a really lovely outcome to the story.
A very enjoyable, easy to listen to audiobook
Very likeable characters that made me root for them as the story went on and a really lovely outcome to the story.
A very enjoyable, easy to listen to audiobook
April 24, 2025
An entertaining read. Photography, family and work place bullying.
October 31, 2022
{3.25/5}
Picture Perfect is an adorabile romcom written by Jeevany Charika, which I've enjoyed. It follows Nico and Vimal, first a photographer who has lost inspiration since a terrible break-up, and second an employee who is going on this Christmas holiday with some work colleagues, which includes her ex and her new boyfriend. So, they decide to make a deal: Nico and Vimal are going to fake'date on this holiday, where Nico will help Vimal into getting his girl back and Nico will have the opportunity to have new subjects and find again that inspiration.
While it took me a while to read, I really enjoyed this one with a good pacing that never felt too slow or otherwise fast. Both characters were likeable and with deep and I could see their chemistry. I also loved how, despite being a lighthearted book, it dealt with more serious topics such as racism, workplace harassment and insecurities. I also loved how it changed some clichè roles and stereotypes, like the ex being very nice and supportive instead of a villain and an influencer portrayed as a positive figure instead of a naive one. While I think that sometimes there was too repetition of thoughts and other writing flaws that will only improve woth experience, I still recommend this one
Picture Perfect is an adorabile romcom written by Jeevany Charika, which I've enjoyed. It follows Nico and Vimal, first a photographer who has lost inspiration since a terrible break-up, and second an employee who is going on this Christmas holiday with some work colleagues, which includes her ex and her new boyfriend. So, they decide to make a deal: Nico and Vimal are going to fake'date on this holiday, where Nico will help Vimal into getting his girl back and Nico will have the opportunity to have new subjects and find again that inspiration.
While it took me a while to read, I really enjoyed this one with a good pacing that never felt too slow or otherwise fast. Both characters were likeable and with deep and I could see their chemistry. I also loved how, despite being a lighthearted book, it dealt with more serious topics such as racism, workplace harassment and insecurities. I also loved how it changed some clichè roles and stereotypes, like the ex being very nice and supportive instead of a villain and an influencer portrayed as a positive figure instead of a naive one. While I think that sometimes there was too repetition of thoughts and other writing flaws that will only improve woth experience, I still recommend this one
October 16, 2022
Reading a book with south Asian representation is so good when the story actually is something you can resonate no. This story about about Sri Lankan main characters and their meddlesome families making them meet on a party.
Viman is a quantitative analysis guy who is kind of socially awkward and his ex broke up saying he was “boring”, whereas Nirosha is an artist who has lost inspiration because of her breakup with her ex who cheated on her and told her she has vanilla talent.
Though not actually caving in into the arranged settle up, Viman and Niro enters a deal, they win fake date on the trip/party with Viman’s snobby friends and help him get his ex back. What’s in it for Niro? She gets the perfect pictures for her competition and maybe lost inspiration.
Tropes:
Closed Proximity & Fake Dating
Things I liked:
How fun Niro was.
Things I hated:
How stubborn Viman was.
Viman is a quantitative analysis guy who is kind of socially awkward and his ex broke up saying he was “boring”, whereas Nirosha is an artist who has lost inspiration because of her breakup with her ex who cheated on her and told her she has vanilla talent.
Though not actually caving in into the arranged settle up, Viman and Niro enters a deal, they win fake date on the trip/party with Viman’s snobby friends and help him get his ex back. What’s in it for Niro? She gets the perfect pictures for her competition and maybe lost inspiration.
Tropes:
Closed Proximity & Fake Dating
Things I liked:
How fun Niro was.
Things I hated:
How stubborn Viman was.
October 5, 2023
Die Autorin Ms Charika ist British-Sri Lankan, und die Helden ihrer RomComs, ihrer Romantic Comedys, stammen ebenfalls aus diesem Kulturkreis. Das heisst, wir sind in England / hier London, und die Hauptdarsteller haben Wurzeln in Sri Lanka. Das fand ich persönlich jetzt interessant, weil es einfach eine spannende Sichtweise gibt.
Aber zurück zu Picture Perfect; hierum geht es: Niro ist Ende 20 und seit ihr Freund sie ziemlich mies fallen gelassen hat, befindet sie sich in einer Sinn- und Schaffenskrise. Sie ist Künstlerin, Fotografin, aber irgendwie hat sie ihren Drive völlig verloren. Ihre Aunties, die Tanten der erweiterten Grossfamilie, versuchen sie zu verkuppeln: auf einer Weihnachtsparty wird sie mit Vimal bekannt gemacht. Vimal ist 30, mathematisches Genie, und ebenfalls unschön verlassen worden. Nun haben weder Vimal noch Niro vor, sich verkuppeln zu lassen, aber sie finden sich am späteren Abend mit gemeinsamen Freunden in einem Pub wieder. Vimal erhält unverhofft einen Anruf: einer seiner Kollegen lädt ihn zur jährlichen Sylvesterparty ein – ein paar Tage in einem schweizer Chalet. Ob er seine Freundin mitbringe? Um das Gesicht zu wahren, sagt Vimal zu, und braucht nun dringend eine Freundin. Und Niro würde dieses faszinierende Resort gerne fotographieren, um diese Bilder bei einem Wettbewerb einzureichen – also trifft sich das doch perfekt….und kurz darauf macht sich das ungleiche Paar zu einem Kurztrip in die schweizer Alpen auf…..
Wer RomComs liebt, weiss, was ihn erwartet: natürlich werden die beiden Gefühle für einander entwickeln, es wird allerlei lustige Zwischenfälle geben, aber am Ende wird alles gut – ist völligst klar, aber diese Story hat noch mehr zu bieten: ich habe die Vimal, Niro und ihre Freunde echt geliebt. Niro ist mir von Anfang an ans Herz gewachsen. Sie, die Künstlerin, die dermassen gekränkt von ihrem Ex wurde, dass ihr alles an künstlerischem Selbstwertgefühl abhanden kam, und die jetzt mühsam wieder ihre Leidenschaft entdeckt. Niro, die ein wenig übergewichtig ist, deren Haut einen zu dunklen Ton hat und die sich für unattraktiv hält – und die doch so viel zu bieten hat. Ich hab mit ihr einfach mitgefühlt und gelitten. Und fand ihre Entwicklung so unfassbar schön.
Spannend fand ich auch die Nebencharaktere. Felicia, die blutjunge Instagram-Beauty, die allen zeigt, dass sie einiges im Kopf hat; Kerry, die Ex von Vimal, die zwar irgendwie auf der Suche nach sich selbst ist, aber ihr Herz auf dem rechten Fleck hat (als sie aufgetaucht ist, hätte ich klassisch mit Zickenterror gerechnet, aber das war nicht der Fall, im Gegenteil), und auch all die anderen Figuren, die ich jetzt nicht alle aufzählen kann – sie haben mich zu einem Gutteil überrascht.
Was auch thematisiert wurde: Rassismus. Dieser ganz alltägliche Rassismus, dem PoC in der britischen Gesellschaft immer noch ausgesetzt sind. Das war jetzt nicht das Hauptthema, aber doch sehr präsent. Und auch diese Negativität, die die Sri Lankans untereinander haben: ich fand es so schockierend, dass Niro darunter zu leiden hatte, dass sie ein paar Nuancen dunkler ist als viele ihrer Grossfamilie – und darüber gelästert wurde. Man kann sich auch untereinander fertig machen.
Gut, wenn man sich dann zur Wehr setzen kann (Spoiler: bitte den Epilog nicht überlesen! Die letzten Seiten haben es noch mal in sich!).
Also, mein Fazit, ich habe die Story geliebt! Es war mitreissend, es war witzig, es war romantisch, und es hatte auch einen ernsten Background. Alle Daumen hoch!
Lieben Dank an Netgalley und den Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!!!
Aber zurück zu Picture Perfect; hierum geht es: Niro ist Ende 20 und seit ihr Freund sie ziemlich mies fallen gelassen hat, befindet sie sich in einer Sinn- und Schaffenskrise. Sie ist Künstlerin, Fotografin, aber irgendwie hat sie ihren Drive völlig verloren. Ihre Aunties, die Tanten der erweiterten Grossfamilie, versuchen sie zu verkuppeln: auf einer Weihnachtsparty wird sie mit Vimal bekannt gemacht. Vimal ist 30, mathematisches Genie, und ebenfalls unschön verlassen worden. Nun haben weder Vimal noch Niro vor, sich verkuppeln zu lassen, aber sie finden sich am späteren Abend mit gemeinsamen Freunden in einem Pub wieder. Vimal erhält unverhofft einen Anruf: einer seiner Kollegen lädt ihn zur jährlichen Sylvesterparty ein – ein paar Tage in einem schweizer Chalet. Ob er seine Freundin mitbringe? Um das Gesicht zu wahren, sagt Vimal zu, und braucht nun dringend eine Freundin. Und Niro würde dieses faszinierende Resort gerne fotographieren, um diese Bilder bei einem Wettbewerb einzureichen – also trifft sich das doch perfekt….und kurz darauf macht sich das ungleiche Paar zu einem Kurztrip in die schweizer Alpen auf…..
Wer RomComs liebt, weiss, was ihn erwartet: natürlich werden die beiden Gefühle für einander entwickeln, es wird allerlei lustige Zwischenfälle geben, aber am Ende wird alles gut – ist völligst klar, aber diese Story hat noch mehr zu bieten: ich habe die Vimal, Niro und ihre Freunde echt geliebt. Niro ist mir von Anfang an ans Herz gewachsen. Sie, die Künstlerin, die dermassen gekränkt von ihrem Ex wurde, dass ihr alles an künstlerischem Selbstwertgefühl abhanden kam, und die jetzt mühsam wieder ihre Leidenschaft entdeckt. Niro, die ein wenig übergewichtig ist, deren Haut einen zu dunklen Ton hat und die sich für unattraktiv hält – und die doch so viel zu bieten hat. Ich hab mit ihr einfach mitgefühlt und gelitten. Und fand ihre Entwicklung so unfassbar schön.
Spannend fand ich auch die Nebencharaktere. Felicia, die blutjunge Instagram-Beauty, die allen zeigt, dass sie einiges im Kopf hat; Kerry, die Ex von Vimal, die zwar irgendwie auf der Suche nach sich selbst ist, aber ihr Herz auf dem rechten Fleck hat (als sie aufgetaucht ist, hätte ich klassisch mit Zickenterror gerechnet, aber das war nicht der Fall, im Gegenteil), und auch all die anderen Figuren, die ich jetzt nicht alle aufzählen kann – sie haben mich zu einem Gutteil überrascht.
Was auch thematisiert wurde: Rassismus. Dieser ganz alltägliche Rassismus, dem PoC in der britischen Gesellschaft immer noch ausgesetzt sind. Das war jetzt nicht das Hauptthema, aber doch sehr präsent. Und auch diese Negativität, die die Sri Lankans untereinander haben: ich fand es so schockierend, dass Niro darunter zu leiden hatte, dass sie ein paar Nuancen dunkler ist als viele ihrer Grossfamilie – und darüber gelästert wurde. Man kann sich auch untereinander fertig machen.
Gut, wenn man sich dann zur Wehr setzen kann (Spoiler: bitte den Epilog nicht überlesen! Die letzten Seiten haben es noch mal in sich!).
Also, mein Fazit, ich habe die Story geliebt! Es war mitreissend, es war witzig, es war romantisch, und es hatte auch einen ernsten Background. Alle Daumen hoch!
Lieben Dank an Netgalley und den Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!!!
March 7, 2023
📸 Niro was a really great FMC. Despite some of the shenanigans at the end - we'll get to it - I think she was a very well-rounded heroine. The focus on her mental health and recovery after her career, and that we actually see her working and being good at something, was really nice.
Plus, the author making a point of her being dark skinned and the issues she's faced was really good.
📸 Vimal was a little meh to me at first, but he grew on me a lot. He's awkward and sweet, and he's just trying his best. He's a soft MMC who struggles with confrontation, social interactions, and getting out of his comfort zone.
But he sees Niro's worth. He's her biggest cheerleader (besides her cousin Sam).
📸 The other characters in the story were really alive. I liked that the story was as much about Niro and Vimal interacting, as it was them interacting with the other characters. I especially liked Felicia (apologies, I listened to the audiobook and am not sure of how to spell her name). While not perfect, the story and Niro take the time to explore this young influencer. This book is like the opposite of "skinny blonde bitches" which so many other romances have.
📸 The narrator of the audiobook was amazing! Her voice work and just general cadance was honey in my ears.
📸 The only thing I didn't like: miscommunication and half-seen/head situations. At the climax Niro
In the end I give it 3,5 stars. I liked the characters, I liked the setting, I liked the narrator. But I didn't like the misunderstandings. Plus, I generally don't get as invested in contemporary and """clean""" romance. But that's not against the book, that's just a me thing.
Plus, the author making a point of her being dark skinned and the issues she's faced was really good.
📸 Vimal was a little meh to me at first, but he grew on me a lot. He's awkward and sweet, and he's just trying his best. He's a soft MMC who struggles with confrontation, social interactions, and getting out of his comfort zone.
But he sees Niro's worth. He's her biggest cheerleader (besides her cousin Sam).
📸 The other characters in the story were really alive. I liked that the story was as much about Niro and Vimal interacting, as it was them interacting with the other characters. I especially liked Felicia (apologies, I listened to the audiobook and am not sure of how to spell her name). While not perfect, the story and Niro take the time to explore this young influencer. This book is like the opposite of "skinny blonde bitches" which so many other romances have.
📸 The narrator of the audiobook was amazing! Her voice work and just general cadance was honey in my ears.
📸 The only thing I didn't like: miscommunication and half-seen/head situations. At the climax Niro
In the end I give it 3,5 stars. I liked the characters, I liked the setting, I liked the narrator. But I didn't like the misunderstandings. Plus, I generally don't get as invested in contemporary and """clean""" romance. But that's not against the book, that's just a me thing.
April 8, 2023
I have read one other book by the author but liked this even better. I am not sure if it's because of the fake-dating trope, but I enjoyed the overall feel of it.
You do not have to have read the previous book to like or enjoy this one, but it makes more sense to have met Niro before in the background before hearing her side of things. Our leading lady is living with her cousin. She has lost that spark that had her taking good photos. She basically feels very blah, and this is when her mother wants to set her up. It is with a 'good' guy who has a good job, is from their community (not something they insist on, but it was something the 'aunties' thought worked this time around) and is also sadly single. Niro has slightly low self-esteem because of things she hears about her complexion or about her weight. Her previous relationship also left that deep gash that she is unable to fix. Vimal is such a relatable character, to begin with. He is a techie who works with some terrible people. Vimal is pining for his ex, who he thinks will find her way back to him, and feels colourless without her.
This is when the fake dating trope emerges. It is also addressed within the book, making a tongue-in-cheek thing to do as several times people guess at it. The relationship builds up slowly, with feelings and ambitions being addressed. A getaway lets both parties explore their surroundings from the other's point of view. The conversations within the book are well done and interesting. There is always this constant pace which makes the reader feel like the story is moving somewhere.
I am enjoying the author's wit and sense of humour. It is not constant, but there are times when the humour makes its presence felt. It even tends to be emotional as Niro and Vimal battle their inner demons. There were some unexpected twists in the tale, unrelated to the central love story, but they felt significant.
I highly recommend this book and this series to people who like reading about snappy, slightly quirky leading ladies and set within a diverse community of people from different walks of life. I learnt yet another thing about forms of addressing within the Sri Lankan community that was interesting to me.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
https://superfluousreading.wordpress....
You do not have to have read the previous book to like or enjoy this one, but it makes more sense to have met Niro before in the background before hearing her side of things. Our leading lady is living with her cousin. She has lost that spark that had her taking good photos. She basically feels very blah, and this is when her mother wants to set her up. It is with a 'good' guy who has a good job, is from their community (not something they insist on, but it was something the 'aunties' thought worked this time around) and is also sadly single. Niro has slightly low self-esteem because of things she hears about her complexion or about her weight. Her previous relationship also left that deep gash that she is unable to fix. Vimal is such a relatable character, to begin with. He is a techie who works with some terrible people. Vimal is pining for his ex, who he thinks will find her way back to him, and feels colourless without her.
This is when the fake dating trope emerges. It is also addressed within the book, making a tongue-in-cheek thing to do as several times people guess at it. The relationship builds up slowly, with feelings and ambitions being addressed. A getaway lets both parties explore their surroundings from the other's point of view. The conversations within the book are well done and interesting. There is always this constant pace which makes the reader feel like the story is moving somewhere.
I am enjoying the author's wit and sense of humour. It is not constant, but there are times when the humour makes its presence felt. It even tends to be emotional as Niro and Vimal battle their inner demons. There were some unexpected twists in the tale, unrelated to the central love story, but they felt significant.
I highly recommend this book and this series to people who like reading about snappy, slightly quirky leading ladies and set within a diverse community of people from different walks of life. I learnt yet another thing about forms of addressing within the Sri Lankan community that was interesting to me.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
https://superfluousreading.wordpress....
October 2, 2022
Nirosha known as "Niro" is a photographer, dealing with a bad-breakup. Vimal is a banker who is also dealing with a break-up with his girlfriend Kerry and was determined to get back together with Kerry. A retreat organized by Vimal's boss and having heard that Kerry has gotten a new boyfriend and moving on, Vimal didn't really want to go to the retreat alone. Then he meets Niro and together with Niro he goes to the retreat pretending to be dating with each other.
Fake dating has become a common trope in many of the romance novels I have read. However, this was different--as both Niro and Vimal are Sri Lankan-British with the Sri Lankan culture fused into the story. So me, being a Sri Lankan is very special to me. I do like how the author had managed to make the story as realistic as possible, the fact that in many Sri Lankan culture, colorism is very important i.e. if you are dark skinned, chances of finding a future husband is grim (if it is arranged marriage that is). There were some parts that were slightly boring but there were some funny parts as well. The story was also predictable particularly the ending, as most romance do have a predictable ending. However, I actually enjoyed reading this book a lot. I also like how the personalities between Niro and Vimal are so very different--one friendly, one serious and did like how the romance developed between the two. I did like the epilogue part.
If you like to read romance book with fake dating trope with Sri Lankan culture blended in it, then this one is for you--worth four stars!
Many thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
Fake dating has become a common trope in many of the romance novels I have read. However, this was different--as both Niro and Vimal are Sri Lankan-British with the Sri Lankan culture fused into the story. So me, being a Sri Lankan is very special to me. I do like how the author had managed to make the story as realistic as possible, the fact that in many Sri Lankan culture, colorism is very important i.e. if you are dark skinned, chances of finding a future husband is grim (if it is arranged marriage that is). There were some parts that were slightly boring but there were some funny parts as well. The story was also predictable particularly the ending, as most romance do have a predictable ending. However, I actually enjoyed reading this book a lot. I also like how the personalities between Niro and Vimal are so very different--one friendly, one serious and did like how the romance developed between the two. I did like the epilogue part.
If you like to read romance book with fake dating trope with Sri Lankan culture blended in it, then this one is for you--worth four stars!
Many thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
October 19, 2022
3.5*
Fake relationship and a one bed lovers book. Need I say more?
Picture Perfect was such an enjoyable cute romantic novel. We have Niro, a photographer who has lost her groove after a cheating (now)ex-boyfriend harshly criticized her work, and Vimal a corporate analyst who is still madly in love with his ex. The two pair together as a fake couple and head to Switzerland to a friend's New Year's Gathering.
Niro's gain on the fake relationship is to take photos of the charming snowy town. Charika descriptions of Niro's photos sound beautiful. While you're able to visualize it in your head, I still would love to physically see these photos. They sound breathtaking.
I loved the sprinkled references of romcoms. I'd laugh when Niro's cousin would reference Niro's life as if it were a romcom happening like from the movies they would watch together. It was almost like breaking the wall to the audience.
I feel as though Vimal and Niro's personalities complimented each other well. Despite being in a fake relationship they really pushed the other to grow.
I truly could not stand the "friend" who invited him. His idea of entertainment was disgusting. I am happy that the author did address his racist and fatphobic butt.
The writing in the book was fun although there were times I found that it was far too wordy. But that is a personal preference of mine to have more dialogue
Overall, I truly enjoyed reading this novel. It was a perfect book to get lost in a fake relationship for a few hours.
TW: fatphobia and racism.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free copy of the novel. In no way does this shape or change my opinions of the story.
Fake relationship and a one bed lovers book. Need I say more?
Picture Perfect was such an enjoyable cute romantic novel. We have Niro, a photographer who has lost her groove after a cheating (now)ex-boyfriend harshly criticized her work, and Vimal a corporate analyst who is still madly in love with his ex. The two pair together as a fake couple and head to Switzerland to a friend's New Year's Gathering.
Niro's gain on the fake relationship is to take photos of the charming snowy town. Charika descriptions of Niro's photos sound beautiful. While you're able to visualize it in your head, I still would love to physically see these photos. They sound breathtaking.
I loved the sprinkled references of romcoms. I'd laugh when Niro's cousin would reference Niro's life as if it were a romcom happening like from the movies they would watch together. It was almost like breaking the wall to the audience.
I feel as though Vimal and Niro's personalities complimented each other well. Despite being in a fake relationship they really pushed the other to grow.
I truly could not stand the "friend" who invited him. His idea of entertainment was disgusting. I am happy that the author did address his racist and fatphobic butt.
The writing in the book was fun although there were times I found that it was far too wordy. But that is a personal preference of mine to have more dialogue
Overall, I truly enjoyed reading this novel. It was a perfect book to get lost in a fake relationship for a few hours.
TW: fatphobia and racism.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free copy of the novel. In no way does this shape or change my opinions of the story.
October 24, 2022
"He knew the world was beautiful. He saw it in maths and in patterns. This was the first time he’d seen it in a view. As he trudged up the path, he thought back to Niro’s smile. It was the first time he’d seen it in Niro, too."
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this Arc!!
I LOVED this book. Desi representation and fake dating?? Just my thing. I loved Niro and Vimal so much, they were absolutely precious.
Vimal was so sweet and endearing, I loved watching him realise the person he was in love with was Niro. I also loved how he started becoming more confident and less tense when he spent time with Niro. We got to see him just enjoy the little things and moments when usually he was always stressed and wound up tight. His character development from being needed to be reminded to pretend to be in a relationship with Niro to watching him do little things for Niro just because he thought he should, made my heart explode. When he wanted to take a photo for her so she didn't miss out on the sunset!!! MY HEART!!!! I love Niro so much, I think I loved her character so much because she was relatable. I loved watching her fall in love with her art again and when she did what she thought was right for Vimal even though it hurt her, I wanted to cry for her.
Both these characters were so special and I absolutely loved how the author touched upon so many important topics in this book. Watching the characters struggle and finding someone who understood and supported them made my heart warm. The slowburn was excruciating but absolutely worth it !!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this Arc!!
I LOVED this book. Desi representation and fake dating?? Just my thing. I loved Niro and Vimal so much, they were absolutely precious.
Vimal was so sweet and endearing, I loved watching him realise the person he was in love with was Niro. I also loved how he started becoming more confident and less tense when he spent time with Niro. We got to see him just enjoy the little things and moments when usually he was always stressed and wound up tight. His character development from being needed to be reminded to pretend to be in a relationship with Niro to watching him do little things for Niro just because he thought he should, made my heart explode. When he wanted to take a photo for her so she didn't miss out on the sunset!!! MY HEART!!!! I love Niro so much, I think I loved her character so much because she was relatable. I loved watching her fall in love with her art again and when she did what she thought was right for Vimal even though it hurt her, I wanted to cry for her.
Both these characters were so special and I absolutely loved how the author touched upon so many important topics in this book. Watching the characters struggle and finding someone who understood and supported them made my heart warm. The slowburn was excruciating but absolutely worth it !!
August 29, 2022
I saw this book on Netgalley as an ARC and thought it sounded interesting and right up my alley. However, I didn’t like it. The whole idea of the book was interesting to me but the way that it was executed let me down.
I didn’t want to have another DNF under my belt so I continued to read it and although it was a cute story, I just couldn’t get into it. To be honest, I didn’t like any of the characters. I was almost rooting for Vimal, the male main character, to get back with his ex-girlfriend because I thought that might be more interesting. I mean Niro’s whole personality was based on the fact that people thought she was fat.
Also, I felt like a lot of the parts in the book were just unnecessary. Two scenes, in particular, are ones that I thought could be cut entirely because they didn’t add any value to the book. One was where everyone was at a dinner party and they were just talking about work. Nothing important happened in that scene at all. Nothing. It was useless. The last chapter of the book was about getting revenge on someone who said something racist to Niro and Vimal. I also felt like this was unneeded because it didn’t add anything of value to the book.
Niro and Vimal both grew throughout the book though. They both seemed to mature and feel more confident in themselves. That was about the only thing that had some meaning to me. All in all, I didn’t like this book but I wouldn’t be against recommending it to someone.
I didn’t want to have another DNF under my belt so I continued to read it and although it was a cute story, I just couldn’t get into it. To be honest, I didn’t like any of the characters. I was almost rooting for Vimal, the male main character, to get back with his ex-girlfriend because I thought that might be more interesting. I mean Niro’s whole personality was based on the fact that people thought she was fat.
Also, I felt like a lot of the parts in the book were just unnecessary. Two scenes, in particular, are ones that I thought could be cut entirely because they didn’t add any value to the book. One was where everyone was at a dinner party and they were just talking about work. Nothing important happened in that scene at all. Nothing. It was useless. The last chapter of the book was about getting revenge on someone who said something racist to Niro and Vimal. I also felt like this was unneeded because it didn’t add anything of value to the book.
Niro and Vimal both grew throughout the book though. They both seemed to mature and feel more confident in themselves. That was about the only thing that had some meaning to me. All in all, I didn’t like this book but I wouldn’t be against recommending it to someone.
October 19, 2022
❄More than a light holiday romance!📸
I found this romance charming, largely due to the way the two main characters, thrown together in a fake relationship on overseas holiday, end up quickly becoming friends and just the right influence on each other. The romance does develop quickly, but only because they are in each other's pocket from the moment they take off on their week vacation in Switzerland in a quickly-hatched plan to win back the fellow's ex-girlfriend.
Niro is a photographer whose self confidence hit rock bottom after a bad break-up and she has yet to recover belief in her personal and professional worth. Vimal is his own man, not taken in by office politics, but pretty set in his ways. He is desperate to win back the girl who, after four years, broke it off. Niro and Vimal handle life so differently yet from their first meeting orchestrated by matchmaking family I wanted them to work.
The secondary characters have an interesting range. The author paints an unfortunately realistic picture of some social snobs and one particularly unpleasant, two-faced, privileged bigot who can't be crossed for fear of retribution at work. But, in general, the good people who befriend the couple outweigh the bad and, in my opinion, the right people end up together.
I enjoyed and recommend it.
Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
I found this romance charming, largely due to the way the two main characters, thrown together in a fake relationship on overseas holiday, end up quickly becoming friends and just the right influence on each other. The romance does develop quickly, but only because they are in each other's pocket from the moment they take off on their week vacation in Switzerland in a quickly-hatched plan to win back the fellow's ex-girlfriend.
Niro is a photographer whose self confidence hit rock bottom after a bad break-up and she has yet to recover belief in her personal and professional worth. Vimal is his own man, not taken in by office politics, but pretty set in his ways. He is desperate to win back the girl who, after four years, broke it off. Niro and Vimal handle life so differently yet from their first meeting orchestrated by matchmaking family I wanted them to work.
The secondary characters have an interesting range. The author paints an unfortunately realistic picture of some social snobs and one particularly unpleasant, two-faced, privileged bigot who can't be crossed for fear of retribution at work. But, in general, the good people who befriend the couple outweigh the bad and, in my opinion, the right people end up together.
I enjoyed and recommend it.
Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
November 25, 2022
This is my second book by Ms Charika. Since I enjoyed the first one, I decided to give this a try and was not disappointed. It was a sweet , feel-good story that gave me some laughs and plenty of smiles along the way. Vimal is determined to get his ex back. He finds out she is taking her new boyfriend on a group holiday and he decides to go too, proclaiming he'll be bringing a plus one. Now all he has to do is find that plus one, whoever she is. Niro is kind of in a slump with her career. She is a photographer and seems to have lost her mojo after a bad breakup. With the help of mutual friends, they come up with a scheme and she becomes his pretend girlfriend who he takes on the holiday trip. It's a win-win, Vimal gets his plus one, in hopes of making his ex jealous, and Niro gets some much needed inspiration while at the Swiss Alps. As they spend time faking it together, things begin to seem more and more real. Niro is not really looking for love, but she can't help but enjoy her time with Vimal, and does Vimal really still have feelings for his ex or is there someone else now making their way into his heart?
Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and the author did a delightful job with Vimal and Niro's story. They were such a cute match and I loved following their journey. Happy to have had the opportunity to read this!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and the author did a delightful job with Vimal and Niro's story. They were such a cute match and I loved following their journey. Happy to have had the opportunity to read this!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
October 23, 2022
This was my second book from Jeevani Charika and I think I enjoyed it even more! You can find my review for Playing for Love further down my feed. The books are linked through its characters but you can absolutely read them separately.
Picture Perfect includes one of my favourite tropes - fake dating. It follows Niro and Vimal as they go on a holiday together as a 'couple' with the aim of getting Vimal's ex girlfriend back with him.
While it's a trope that's been done so very many times, Charika puts her own spin in it and it wasn't too cliché. I loved Niro and Vimal as a couple and I enjoyed their Sri Lankan roots. The inclusion of their Aunties was a highlight for me!
There is also an element of 'chalk and cheese' in Niro and Vimal. Niro is creative and expressive (with some insecurities) and Vimal is very straight thinking, favouring maths and code. They balanced each other so well and the various references to romcoms added to the feel that this book isn't taking itself too seriously.
This would make a lovely festive read as it's set between Christmas and New Year. It's just delightful and I would recommend if you're after a nice easy but engaging romance novel with unique characters.
Picture Perfect includes one of my favourite tropes - fake dating. It follows Niro and Vimal as they go on a holiday together as a 'couple' with the aim of getting Vimal's ex girlfriend back with him.
While it's a trope that's been done so very many times, Charika puts her own spin in it and it wasn't too cliché. I loved Niro and Vimal as a couple and I enjoyed their Sri Lankan roots. The inclusion of their Aunties was a highlight for me!
There is also an element of 'chalk and cheese' in Niro and Vimal. Niro is creative and expressive (with some insecurities) and Vimal is very straight thinking, favouring maths and code. They balanced each other so well and the various references to romcoms added to the feel that this book isn't taking itself too seriously.
This would make a lovely festive read as it's set between Christmas and New Year. It's just delightful and I would recommend if you're after a nice easy but engaging romance novel with unique characters.
December 6, 2023
Humorous situation with great characters!
A man and a woman, both in their twenties, educated, and recovering from broken relationships, are introduced to each other by family members. These families are from Sri Lanka, and now live in the UK. I enjoyed learning about traditions from a different culture.
It is the holiday season, and the man is invited by a co-worker to spend New Years in the Swiss Alps. He learns his former girlfriend, who he hasn't quite over, will be there with her new boyfriend. He announces he will bring his girlfriend. Trouble is, he has no girlfriend at this time. When he meets Nirosha, they eventually agree to go to this event together. She is going because her failed romance has left her in a funk, unable to take inspiring professional photographs as she has in the past. The hope is there will be opportunities on this trip.
It is humorous to watch the way they navigate this situation, which lasts 4-5 days in close quarters. They get to know each other and realize they are each decent humans. They become friends, and support each other's current efforts.
Of course it's no secret this is a romance novel. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the development of these characters' recovery from their previous romances.
A man and a woman, both in their twenties, educated, and recovering from broken relationships, are introduced to each other by family members. These families are from Sri Lanka, and now live in the UK. I enjoyed learning about traditions from a different culture.
It is the holiday season, and the man is invited by a co-worker to spend New Years in the Swiss Alps. He learns his former girlfriend, who he hasn't quite over, will be there with her new boyfriend. He announces he will bring his girlfriend. Trouble is, he has no girlfriend at this time. When he meets Nirosha, they eventually agree to go to this event together. She is going because her failed romance has left her in a funk, unable to take inspiring professional photographs as she has in the past. The hope is there will be opportunities on this trip.
It is humorous to watch the way they navigate this situation, which lasts 4-5 days in close quarters. They get to know each other and realize they are each decent humans. They become friends, and support each other's current efforts.
Of course it's no secret this is a romance novel. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the development of these characters' recovery from their previous romances.
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