Saturday, November 29, 2014

Saturday Pages: A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev!!

As the final Saturday Pages entry of this one, and with it I end the two reviews per day for now, since I've finally caught up on reviews, I have yet another ARC that I read late and after release day.

I was approved for this one by Kensington Books via NetGalley and for that I'm extremely thankful! It was a book I loved reading and that I would recommend for someone that wants a lil insight to modern India and its many contrasts.

As an ARC it does count towards my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge and I'm hoping to continue improving my NG ratio!





A Bollywood AffairA Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As a lover of India in my own particular way whenever I see a book set in India I get excited and a bit wary but the latest two books I've read with Indian settings have been both gorgeous, powerful in their different ways and have made me feel like I was back there in my beloved Hindustan.

A Bollywood Affair is not so much a book about Bollywood, but there are plenty of references to it. It's first and foremost a romance, but one where friends and family are present and important, and for the most part, the biggest motivators for everything to start.

Mili, our main character, is a girl from a small village from Rajasthan, that got married when she was 4 years old and that has never again seen her husband. She's worked and tried her best to be the wife she thinks her absent husband would want, except for when she decides to move to the US to study, because she is following her passion. While being there, she's sought out by her husband's brother but for very different reasons that she'd ever imagine.

I don't usually read romances but this one simply grabbed me by the heart and wouldn't let go! It's told in alternate POV of both Mili and Samir, and that's always fantastic to get the full scope of what's going on, although it adds to the reader's angst when you see the full picture but neither of the characters do!

From India, to the US and then back to India, the settings and the cultural details and differences between one place and the other felt so genuine and real that simply made me feel like I was there. And the craziness of Indian families and Indian functions and the food, the relatives, the clothes... it was so much fun to read!

The romance was a slow burn in a way, but not so much since it spans roughly 4 weeks and there was a certain level of attraction very early on. Still it never really felt rushed and you find yourself rooting for these two and hoping they will finally talk truthfully to the other.

I cried a lot with this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone that loves romance and India or is midly curious about India. You'll long to visit and eat some of their wonderful food and will want to wear a saree or two! Very much deserving of 4 stars!



View all my reviews

8 comments:

  1. Oh, glad you love this one! I cant wait to get my grabby hands on it and devour this book! I hope all my wait for this one pays off!!! I love this trilogy and hope it ends amazingly for me! <3 :D

    ~Fari
    A Recent Update: Review: Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops @ My Little Corner For Books

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    1. I hope you'll like it too, Fari!
      Thank you for visiting my blog!

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  2. Hmmm, lots of fun to read, that sounds nice. Also, I need a good romance every now and then, at least to counteract my crappy romantic life. Bwa. Also desi power, ooo! I'm all about that. So happy that you enjoyed this book, Pili!

    Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!

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  3. I love things set in India and as someone who has been exposed to the culture I would love to read books that feel authentic. I tried with the Tiger's Curse but it wasn't for me. This on the other hand sounds like it's right up my ally. The premise sounds like something you would see in a bollywood movie. Thanks for the great review, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Now I'll definitely have to give it a go :)

    -Mari

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    1. This was very well done in terms of realistical feel Mari, I hope you give it a try!

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  4. Yay :D I'm glad you liked this book Pili. <3 It sounds interesting. I'm glad you liked the romance too :) I don't think this is for me, but so happy you enjoyed it. <3 thank you for sharing about it sweetie :)

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¡Muchas gracias por vuestros comentarios, leerlos me alegra el día!/ Thanks a lot for all your comments, reading them brightens my day!!