I'm excited to be hopping on this fun Xpresso booktour for A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute
A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute
by Miya Malai
Publication date: January 6th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
Katrina Shah just wants out of the fame game, away from her high-profile family’s drama. But dodging the spotlight? Tough luck. Especially when she collides with Hollywood’s golden boy, Evan Kristof. Her heart doesn’t seem to have received the memo to steer clear of him. Evan’s used to the spotlight, the parties, the glitz. Yet, he’s craving a break, some peace. Then he meets Katrina, and suddenly, tranquility’s the last thing on his mind. As they both try to escape their pasts, sparks fly between the girl who wants anonymity and the movie star. But can they navigate crazy families, an over-the-top wedding, and their undeniable chemistry without getting burned? Their fling might just turn into something much bigger than they bargained for.
The book starts with a prologue that left me a bit confused, but then, that's what prologues often intend to do! It gave me a bit of info on Katrina's past, including her family and relationship background, but definitely left me with more questions than answers as I started the book.
The narration is dual POV, with Katrina and Evan alternating chapters. One of the other things I wondered right from the start was why Evan was so against being in the public eye and why he was hiding. I felt for him when Katrina overheard him out of context and judged him right away. It definitely started things off on a strong note and created that tension between the two of them, even if it was misguided. I liked that there was a fundraiser/charity aspect to the big event at the beginning as it showed both main characters wanted to make a difference in their community.
I didn't love Evan's narration/voice, I found he swore quite excessively considering he was talking to himself half of the time. Neither of the MCs really drew me in and I felt that despite a fairly strong start it did fall fairly flat later on. It wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but it is still a fun romance and a great opportunity for an Own Voices/diverse main character read. Thanks to Xpresso and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this one!
Purchase:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UCJNUC
AUTHOR BIO:
Miya Malai was a second-generation confused brown girl with conservative parents, who would have looked at Bridgerton with horror. But little did they know she would sneak Julia Quinn books from the library when she was in high school. She grew up with DDLJ playing at least once a week in her Dadi's bedroom. And she longed for her favorite Bollywood heroine's character to be in a book. After years of scouring through smutty romance novels, she thought she'd combine her two favorites on her own. Miya wants to empower the voice of brown girls struggling with stigmas in the South Asian community, while also appreciating the culture. When Miya isn't writing, she's drinking chai or spending time with her husband and three young children on Long Island, NY. You can find her online as Miya Malai on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
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