A Holly Jolly Diwali

Niki is the dutiful twenty-nine-year-old daughter of non-traditional Indian parents. While her older sister, Jasmine, has lived her life exactly as she wished, Niki has followed the rules and done what her parents have expected of her. When she’s downsized out of her data analyst job, she decides to throw expectation to the wind for a change. She decides to attend one of her best-friend’s wedding, in Mumbai, India. Having never traveled there before, she’s both excited and nervous to see India for the first time. Once she gets there, she attends Diwali festivities and meets a gorgeous guitar player, emphasis on player. But as they spend more time together, maybe he isn’t what she thought, and maybe she isn’t who she thought either.

This book is an absolute delight. From the first page, the conflict, pacing, and characters grab the reader and don’t let go. Niki has complex, well-rounded relationships with her family, her friends, and the new people she meets in India. Niki has strong chemistry with Sam right away, but it reads as a slow burn. There’s more than romance at the heart of this book, as Niki also discovers who she is and what she wants and learning to celebrate family along the way. An excellent read for the holidays or any time.