A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute is deeply in love with love. Set around an upcoming wedding, it blends the riotous coming together of family and a sweet love story. Katrina herself is a romantic. A lover of Bollywood films though this was a slightly ineffective at times characterisation. I wanted to like the music and movie name drops, and look forward to watching some, but there are defter ways of integrating it. A synopsis doesn’t convey much whereas while I don’t know the music it’s more closely tied to her relationship with her Papa. 

His absence is keenly felt and one of my favourite parts. The narrative voices of the book are focused primarily in the characters’ heads. It gives deeper insight into their feelings but also created distance. The characters are so authentic. They don’t care for fame. They’re genuine. They judge you on your character and merits. They’re so charitable. They’re all beautiful, gorgeous, stunning. Inside and out. And so rich and connected too! (Unlike all of their exes) 

You could cut a page out of each of its first chapters by removing most of the fawning. It’s frustrating to constantly be told how they are instead of being allowed to get to know them. Katrina’s Papa is an early exception. A caring and supportive parent, both love and grief for him suffuses the book and makes a wonderful contrast with the hectic, though fun, chaos of preparations. 

The love and support the cast have for one another is lovely. Katrina and her sisters especially. I mentioned the fawning praise they heap on each other. It’s exacerbated by their lack of flaws. Both Katrina and Evan are quite emotionally astute. Which isn’t to say there aren’t blow ups. I know how frustrating miscommunication can be. I love conflict. I love the tension. Most of it is resolved in a chapter. It does allow more time for Katrina and Evan’s relationship to blossom. 

Their shared history of anxiety is a really nice way to bring them closer. It’s vulnerability. A shared understanding. And creates some very sweet moments between them. For readers seeking a lower conflict romance that still handles sensitive matters well, with a loving supporting cast, I would recommend it.
Many thanks to Book Sirens and the author, Miya Malai, for this free review copy.