Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment

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St. Martin's Press

Annotation: Save the Date meets Never Have I Ever in this sparkling debut rom-com about a high school senior whose life suddenly get... more

Genre: [Love stories]

Reviews: 1

Catalog Number: #375870

Format: Publisher's Hardcover

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Edition Date: 2024 Release Date: 01/09/24

Pages: 314 pages

ISBN: 1-250-89511-1

ISBN 13: 978-1-250-89511-0

Dewey: Fic

LCCN: 2023033207

Dimensions: 22 cm.

Subject Heading:
Interpersonal relations. Fiction.
Best friends. Fiction.
Friendship. Fiction.
High schools. Fiction.
Schools. Fiction.
Family life. Fiction.
East Indian Americans. Fiction.

Language: English

Reviews:

Kirkus Reviews

A story full of drama and song.Rising senior Arya Khanna's older sister, Alina, is finally home, and the whole family is up to their necks in wedding preparations. Amid the planning and anticipation of an elaborate Punjabi celebration, Arya finds herself torn: Her two best friends, Andy and Lisa, have broken up after they recently started dating each other. Arya no longer knows what hanging out together will be like. Meanwhile, she's stuck being vice president on the student council, as she lost the election to soccer player Dean, a white boy who might be frustrating but is also really good-looking. Things at home are not all song and dance, either, especially with Arya's latent resentment toward her sister for leaving home, which requires Arya to deal with their workaholic father and a mother who's showing signs of depression. Written like a Bollywood movie, complete with intermission, the book has all the vital ingredients-family drama, an enemies-to-lovers romance, and lots of scrumptious food-not to mention the lineup of films that are constantly being watched. Desi references are woven naturally throughout, the romance is adorable, and the story is well paced. Readers who pick up this debut, inspired by the sheer fun of it all, will wish for some masala chai and chaat and then put on a Bollywood number and dance, inspired by the sheer fun of it all.Lovable, frothy, and happy-making. (Romance. 13-18)

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Kirkus Reviews

Reading Level: 8.0

Interest Level: 7-12

Save the Date meets Never Have I Ever in this sparkling debut rom-com about a high school senior whose life suddenly gets a Bollywood spin when her sister gets engaged. Shaadi preparations are in full swing, which means lehenga shopping, taste testing, dance rehearsals, and best of all, Arya's sister Alina is home. The Khannas are together again, finally, and Arya wants to enjoy it. So she stifles her lingering resentment towards Alina, plays mediator during her sister's fights with their mother, and welcomes her future brother-in-law with open arms. (Okay, maybe enjoy isn't exactly right.) Meanwhile at school, Arya's senior year dreams are unraveling. In between class and her part-time gig as a bookshop assistant, Arya struggles to navigate the aftermath of a bad breakup between her two best friends and a tense student council partnership with her rival, the frustratingly attractive Dean Merriweather. Arya is determined to keep the peace at home and at school, but this shaadi season teaches Arya new realities: Alina won't always be in the bedroom down the hall, Mamma's sadness isn't mendable, friendships must evolve, and life doesn't always work out like her beloved Bollywood movies. But sometimes, the person you least expect will give you a glimpse of your dream sequence just when you need it most. Structured like a Bollywood film (entertaining intermission included!) Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment will make you swoon, laugh, cry, think, nod your head in agreement, and quite possibly make you get up and dance.

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