A Holly Jolly Diwali

By: Sonya Lalli

Narrated by: Richa Moorjani

"Lalli's prose is deft, her characters are delightful and her book is the just-right holiday romance."--USA Today

One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning.

Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She's always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she's always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she's laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn't exactly paid off for her. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.

Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it's the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual.

When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life—to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of.

Funfunfun

It is easy to say that if you like romance books, this will fit easily onto your shelf. It's pretty typical as far as the genre goes, but I personally liked how inclusive it was. I haven't read many books with Indian MCs, let alone characters, so I'm really glad I found this one and that it was still a very cute, well written book to read. My one request would be to get a sequel focusing on Jasmine!

Fun, breezy and romantic

This book was fun, smartly written. I enjoyed the references to my home town and found myself giggling more than thought I would. It’s a breezy story full of warmth and charm.

Growth in the end

I began reading this book yesterday and I found Niki Randhawa very boring. She has the "Good Girl Syndrome", she has always been the good girl, sensible, must get it right the first time, she keeps it all so tidy, she MUST live up to her parents' expectations. Unlike her sister who does her best to be nothing like her parents or sister. One day, her parents tell her she is too proper and a spinster, she is 29, lives at home, has no friends, or relationships... the next day they set her up with a doctor, and she gets fired. She decides to get reckless and go to India for her best friend's wedding. I hope she meets someone there because I'm not vibing with the doctor.

Niki is 29 but feels younger in experience but more boring, I wanted a romcom with a true adventure in India but I felt the story though short was very slow and uneventful. The ending was the sweetest part.

Slow burn

Good love story and loved how it touched on Indian culture/history. The love story was a slow burn, to build up the characters but eventually it was true love.

👍

It was a great 📚. I would recommend it to anyone. Very real in content.