This books is delicious. Nisha Sharma is officially one of my fav romance writers. I loved how this is the perfect mix of fun, sexy, smart, silly and moreover, has had all the entertaining and fun side characters too. Couldn’t recommend it enough!

This book was a page turner from the start. A fun and emotional retelling of Much Ado About Nothing - this book never left me wanting more. I felt sufficiently satisfied. I'd go as far to say that i enjoyed this than the 1st book. Bobbi is an instant favorite and matches perfectly with Bunty.
Now I can't want to read Veera's romance.

Thanks for the arc netgalley

If you loved Dating Dr. Dil as much as I did then you don’t want to miss Tastes Like Shakkar by @nishawrites

Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way:

1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and

2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding.

I love me some enemies to lovers romance with a side of spice 🥵🔥
The chemistry between Bobbi and Benjamin is perfection. I enjoyed learning about Indian Weddings and the food descriptions will leave you hungry. Add some fun Hangover type Las Vegas Antics and you’ll be chuckling throughout this story.

"There isn't a single dish that I could create that would taste as good as the both of us together.”

Tastes like Shakkar is such a funny, slightly smutty and food packed romance novel. From enemies (ish) to lovers, I loved seeing these two fall for each other and both grow to be better at managing their own feelings and personal lives! Full of references to South Asian culture, cuisine and pitfalls - this really is a book for adult me.

These two have a meet - hate aka Benjamin (aka Bunty) misspeaks and how he's forever on Bobbi's naughty list - until their best friends getting married means they have to work together. She's an event coordinator and he's the best Indian chef around and they're both deeply passionate in their jobs and friends. So when they start getting hints that someone is trying to sabotage the wedding, they decide to bond fast to save the day.

I loved that a huge emphasis on this book is actually stepping back and focusing on yourself and your needs. Bunty is constantly being pulled into his family drama on the west coast and it takes Bobbi and his friends to help him realize that family doesn't go over all and that he can chase his own passions on the east coast. Likewise, Bunty helps Bobbi accept help and that she doesn't have to do it all herself. Big heart!

I haven't read Dating Dr Dil, so this book was a bit like jumping into chapter 2 of an ongoing series but I adored it! It was still easy enough to follow along - we got natural updates and reintroductions to all the main characters.

rep// plus sized MC, Desi MC + cast

cw// fatpbia, deceased parent, racism, consensual kink

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nisha does it again!! Bobbi and Bunty have sizzling chemistry and are irresistible. Their flirtatious banter and ability to have fun with each other keeps this book so upbeat and easy to read! And no one can forget about the Aunties! Loved the little mystery feel to it!

TASTE LIKE SHAKKAR - NISHA SHARMA
3.5⭐
PLOT - Bobbi Kaur is determined to give her best friend the best wedding ever but she has to tackle Bunty Benjamin Panda the groom's best friend who is incharge of catering the food for the wedding.
As they work together she finds out that someone is our there to sabotage the wedding. With meddling aunties and attraction between Bobbi and Bunty it will be one heck of a wild ride .
MY THOUGHTS -
This was a decent read after Dating Dr. Dil..we have extra steam in this one featuring a plus sizes MC. I actually enjoyed the mystery about who was involved in the sharing sabotage and the antics that happened more than the romance
This can be read as a standalone but best to read book 1 as all the characters are recurring with a lot of backstories .
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Dating Dr. Dil is still my favorite, but man, this is a very close second. I think the only reason I didn’t like this one more is because Dil was funnier. All I know is Sharma already has me waiting on the next one. So, so cute!

The characters in this were SO REAL. I LOVED Bobbi. She was not one to play with. Everyone knew not to play with her. And the person that decided they wanted to knew they met their match when she was able to back track and fix all the things. And then let’s talk about Bunty. Lordt his schmink?! YASSSSSS. And that throne scene? I cannot tell a lie…. I read it twice. They fought each other because they liked each other and I think this is the first time I ever felt like it was real. Now do I know why she randomly changed her mind? No. Is that important? Not even a little bit lol I didn’t care at all. All I knew was that they were together and i was happy. They were together and I was happy. Especially since I don’t normally like enemies to lovers. But this one was so good and I couldn’t look away.

The writing style was still super good. I was still sucked in and couldn’t even press the pause button if I wanted to. This one didn’t have the humor the first one did, but it did have something else: the mystery. I don’t know if Sharma has written another mystery before, but this one was so good. I didn’t guess who it was at all. I honestly thought **SPOILER** it was the baby daddy of that one person.**END SPOILER** (Also, I didn’t realize till just now that it was a retelling. That’s just how into it I was lol) Idk it seemed cool that me, a person who reads mysteries and thrillers on the regular couldn’t guess the person. So I knew I loved this book. Butttt even though it was one of my favorite things, it also was one of the reasons I was a little disappointed. Yes I know all the MCs were different, but I was still hoping some of that was in there. I loved that. It’s what made me give it 5 stars.

The rep was also another reason I fell head over heels for this. The body positivity side? OMG it was so good. I really felt everything that Bobbi felt. So many parts I wrote down, even though this was an audio. It was just something about this. I really resonated with her about the questioning of him with her body and how he would do XYZ with her. Hell I have a husband and he has to also tell me that as well. It’s definitely something I had to learn as well. And then on the South Asian side, all the rep was of course amazing as well. I wrote down every food that Bunty sent her because I have to know what it tastes like. I always say this is the power of authentic voices.

This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I really want to re-read them both when the last one comes out. But until then, what am I supposed to do? What have you done to me Sharma?! If you haven’t read this series, do it now! It was so, so good!

Today I’m reviewing Tastes Like Shakkar by Nisha Sharma! I did receive an advanced digital copy of this book through NetGalley, however my procrastination led me to read the physical copy that I preordered. Either way, thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with the advanced digital copy of this book and like always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is exactly what I needed! It was fun, it was steamy, and it made me laugh-out-loud. I loved the characters and I also loved the mystery aspect of this book.

My favourite thing about this book is just how fun it was. I enjoyed reading about wedding planning and all of the chaos that comes with it. I also enjoyed the twist of someone trying to sabotage the wedding and trying to stay one step ahead of them. I loved Kareena’s aunties and the scene where they were in the restaurant made me laugh-out-loud.

I also loved the chemistry between Bobbi and Benjamin in this book. I enjoyed their banter and their initial reluctance to work together. I also liked that both Bobbi and Benjamin were driven and focused on their careers. I loved that this book was dual point-of-view. I also loved how much Bobbi loved herself and how confident and unapologetic she was. It was nice reading about a plus-sized female main character who was confident and who loved her body and herself.

I love the friendship between the characters in this series. I love Bobbi’s friend group and Benjamin’s friend group. I loved that they could call an SOS and that their friends would be there for them. The romance was fun to read, but the friendships brought me just as much joy.

I thought the mystery aspect of this book added a fun layer to the story. I enjoyed trying to figure out who was trying to sabotage the wedding. I also enjoyed reading about Bobbi and Benjamin trying to problem solve and get past all of the hurdles that were being thrown at them.

I liked the family aspect of this book. Both Bobbi and Benjamin are having issues with their families and what their family expects of them on a professional level. I liked reading about them trying to navigate the situation, and I loved that they each had a moment where they stood up for themselves. I also enjoyed the idea that family can take different forms and that friends are just as important as family.

As far as steam goes, this book was steamier than I was expecting, not that I’m complaining about that. This book has multiple, descriptive, open-door scenes. There were also some scenes with bondage, which I’m still trying to process because while there was still clear communication and consent, something still felt a bit off about it. As far as tropes go, I this book has enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity. As far as a third-act break-up goes, this book did have one, but it was relatively minor. Technically, this book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading Dating Dr. Dil first because it’s a good introduction to the characters and the events in Tastes Like Shakkar are very much connected to Dating Dr. Dil.

Overall, this was a fun and steamy read and I cannot wait for the next installment in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Nisha Sharma knocks it out of the park once again with her follow-up to the delightful Dating Dr. Dil. Her newest adult romance, Tastes Like Shakkar, is a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and the second installment of the If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series. It focuses on wedding planner Bobbi Kaur and grumpy chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda in an enemies-to-lovers romcom with plenty of spice in and out of the kitchen.
--
I started reading Tastes Like Shakkar before I read Dating Dr. Dil, so when I realized they were connected I just had to go back and listen to the DDD audiobook (which I highly recommend–it was so fun). Once back to TLS, I could not put it down!

This series has easily become one of my favorite romance series. It’s incredibly well-written with fun and lovable characters. I am on my knees begging Nisha Sharma to write my love life! The fictional men in these books have set a standard to which no man in real life could possibly achieve. I mean, Bunty cooking food for Bobbi and sneaking it into her purse because he knows she tends to forget to eat when she’s working? Not to mention him using her geolocation to send her food deliveries when he can’t be there to cook for her! Literally, that’s all I want in a relationship–just keep me fed and happy.

The evolution of Bobbi and Bunty’s relationship was such a fun journey to experience. I was giggling. I was blushing and swinging my feet. I was even reaching for my nightstand drawer a couple times. 😜 I'm such a sucker for romance novels where the male love interest falls first, falls hard, and spends most of the novel slowly breaking down the walls the female main character has built around herself. They make each other better and add value to each other’s lives.

What makes this particular romance stand out was the addition of the shaadi saboteur mystery. I love how this gave Bobbi and Bunty a common goal to make sure nothing bad happens to the wedding instead of just being forced to spend time together planning the wedding menu. It gets them on the same side and makes the foundation of their relationship that much stronger.

The only downside of reading this book is that now I have to wait for the next installment! The If Shakespeare Was an Auntie universe is such a blast to immerse yourself in I can’t wait to see what Nisha Sharma does next.


Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found family, he falls first, plus-size FMC
Trigger/Content Warnings: fatphobia, racism, deceased parent, bondage

This was a fun rom-com with some drama twists. Bobbi and Bunty were fun and amusing with an enemies to lovers plot.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. I also actually ended up winning this from a Goodreads giveaway as well. All thoughts are my own.

Tastes Like Shakkar was just as enjoyable for me as Dating Dr. Dil! I really liked the characters and their banter. It sounds like book 3 will be able Veera and again, sounds like it would be a good installment to the series! Also, I had no idea what Much Ado About Nothing was about going in so even though it’s sort of a retelling, you definitely don’t need to know anything about it.

Definitely recommend this book and am excited to read the next one!

Heat Factor: It’s pretty steamy

Character Chemistry: Enemies to lovers becomes friends to lovers becomes lovers and I’m into it

Plot: Bobbi is planning her best friend’s wedding and is forced to work with her enemy, Benjamin, an up-and-coming renowned chef and best friend of the groom to be. But someone is determined to sabotage the wedding, and Bobbi and Benjamin have to figure that out while determining their feelings for each other and whether a bi-coastal relationship would even work…

Overall: This book was so fantastic.

It’s time for a new series to completely absorb every minute of your day. In this delectable series we have a group of tight knit friends who pair off while hijinks ensue. This is the second book, and although I’m scrambling to get the first book on my e-reader as we speak, it’s not totally necessary—I wouldn’t have even guessed that it wasn’t a standalone except that the romance between the characters from the first book was too engaging for it to not have a plot of its own.

Bobbi and Benjamin (Bunty) have an absolutely horrible interaction that results in Bobbi taking a huge leap backwards in her career and Benjamin accidentally implying that Bobbi wasn’t his type because she’s not thin. It was brutal. I really couldn’t blame Bobbi for hating Benjamin, and frankly Benjamin felt the same. When they’re thrown together for Kareena’s wedding, it doesn’t take long for mutual respect to blossom, and from there some sparks flare to life.

But Benjamin is torn between his west coast family business and the life he’s building on the east coast with his friends and the successful restaurants he’s opening. Bobbi has a whole life established in New York and New Jersey—asking her to leave would destroy her career.

In addition to that very real and understandable hurdle, Bobbi’s wedding planning is going terribly. The cake is canceled, orders are getting mixed up—it’s the result of a saboteur. The only way to save the wedding is to involve the most loveable and diabolical group of Aunties you’ve ever seen. These Aunties get involved in everything—from Bobbi and Benjamin’s blossoming romance to some flabbergasting detective work. It’s funny, heartful, and full of witty one-liners.

There are definitely some steamy scenes—Benjamin is into some light BDSM but I love that he’s not a brooding, jealous, controlling millionaire. He’s probably a millionaire, but he’s mostly kind of goofy and thoughtful, and treats Bobbi with endless consideration and tenderness. He was a very sweet main character.

All in all, this was a fantastic read and I loved it. I got to read a preview of the third book and I’m hooked already—I’ll just have to settle for going back to the first one while I wait.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report

Desi Frenemies Find Love

Pure delight! All the brilliant colors and exotic flavors of Punjabi-American culture swirl through this delightful rom-com romp , a tale of two first-generation Americans of Punjabi families who begin their romance with a verbal hissing, spitting cat fight. They juggle the pressures of patriarchal edicts, familial duty (and interference), and the pressure to succeed common in immigrant families, with their own conflicting personal dreams and ambitions. And as for finding room for love and commitment in all of that? Neither believes it's doable, until it becomes imperative. Reading my ARC copy (from NET GALLEY) was pure enjoyment, and it's a pleasure to share this voluntary review.

One of my work colleagues had been raving about Dating Dr. Dil (I work in a library - we do a lot of raving about books) so I finally listened to it earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, when I had the chance to read an advanced copy of the second book in Nisha Sharma’s If Shakespeare Was an Auntie series, I jumped at it. I don’t know much about Shakespeare but I do know Tastes Like Shakkar was another great read and one I’d highly recommend to romance lovers.

Here’s the book’s description:
Bobbi Kaur is determined to plan a celebration to remember for her best friend’s wedding. But she has two problems that are getting in her way:
1. The egotistical, and irritatingly sexy, chef Benjamin “Bunty” Padda is supposed to help her with the menu since he’s the groom’s best friend, and
2. Someone is trying to sabotage the wedding.
With aspirations of taking over her family’s event planning business, Bobbi knows that one misstep in managing the Kareena Mann and Prem Verma (#Vermann) party, along with the other weddings on her plate, will only give her uncle another reason not to promote her. That means Kareena’s big day and Bobbi's future career are on the line.
Bunty will do anything for his best friend, even though he has his hands full in finding a new location for his next restaurant while also playing mediator between his brother and father, the celebrated Naan King. When Prem asks Bunty to help with the wedding menu, he agrees, especially since it puts him in close proximity to the delicious Bobbi Kaur. When a mystery shaadi saboteur starts leaving threatening notes, and cancelling cake orders, Bunty and Bobbi have no choice but to call a truce and face the volatile attraction they have for each other.
Through masquerade fundraisers and a joint bachelor-bachelorette trip to Vegas, this chef and wedding planner explore their growing connection all while trying to plan a wedding at Messina Vineyards in a time crunch. But once the shaadi saboteur is caught and the wedding is over, will their love story have a happily ever after
With the return of the meddling aunties (who are scary good at finding information) and a lot of hilarity and hijinks, Bobbi and Bunty’s romance is an event you don’t want to miss.
Those who love enemies to lovers will really enjoy this book. I’m hit and miss with that trope but this one still worked for me. Did I have trouble understanding why Bobbi and Bunty were constantly needling each other instead of working their shit out for the sake of their best friends? Yes, I most definitely did. Could I still tell that the pair would be really great for each other, romantically? Oh, yes. Bobbi and Bunty started to recognize that themselves once they actually started talking to each other (shocking, right?) and reading as the romance heated up was a delight *fans self* (Related: there’s light and explicit bondage sex scenes in this one. They’re done really well but I think it warrants preparation before reading.)

I love that Sharma doesn’t hold back on showcasing her culture and she doesn’t over explain for the reader who isn’t South Asian. I did a lot of Googling! I’d much rather search for a term than have the story reference something and then awkwardly explain it to the (White) reader. By looking things up, I actually learned more while reading and I appreciated that.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, though. As much as I enjoyed this book, I hated the third act break up. It was so dumb and I was mad at Bobbi and Bunty for being so stupid (Bunty especially). You can’t have a relationship if you don’t talk to each other and if you’re not honest with yourself about what you want, either. Bunty had to decide how he wanted his family and professional lives to work out before he could get his romantic life sorted and he was being a typical boy about it all. Bobbi, for her part, needed to realize that it’s OK to ask for help, whether that’s from your best friends (of which she has two amazing ones) or your partner. And the reader knows that Bobbi and Bunty will make great partners so it was especially frustrating to see them act like boneheads before eventually getting their Happily Ever After.

As an introvert with a small family, the wedding hoopla was exhausting to me BUT it made for the absolute best storyline. I always say romances that have weddings at the centre of them are great because there’s so much built in drama so there doesn’t really need to be any additional nonsense added. And it’s kinda fun to read about a huge wedding celebration full of people who love each other (sort of - there was that whole wedding sabotage issue…) and feel like you’re a part of it.

Speaking of feeling like you’re a part of it, I really loved that there was some overlap in the Bobbi and Kareena’s storylines. We already knew from Dating Dr. Dil that Bobbi and Bunty had met but we hadn’t had their perspective. This book gives us that and we also get to hang out with Kareena and Prem again during the lead up to the wedding. I’m sometimes annoyed with the romance series that are so clearly laid out to feature different friends in each book but this one? I adore how Sharma has set it up. And I cannot wait for the next one!

Romance readers need to pick up Nisha Sharma’s books. Start with Dating Dr. Dil and then you can enjoy Tastes Like Shakkar to its full potential. Sharma has written a romance with a lot of sweetness (sugar is in the title, after all) but with a healthy dose of spice that makes for a well-balanced read. You’ll love the characters and love watching them fall in love. I’m ready for book three now!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC. Who knew I needed Bunty and Bobbi in my life. I quickly read Dating Dr. Dil before diving into this one. While it can be read as a stand alone it is more enjoyable if you read the first one. As a Mexican American I can totally understand the traditions and ALL of the Family responsibility that comes with it and with that being said I still found myself wanting to punch throat Bunty not gonna lie. It dealt with some heavy subjects with a lightness and I found myself laughing out loud so much. Cant wait for book 3

What a great sequel to Dating Dr. Dil! I really enjoyed seeing the friend groups again and I'm excited for the next book!!

For fans of family drama, will-they-wont-they, rivals to lovers, this is a good pick. Benjamin ("Bunty") and Bobbi clash in the best ways and I enjoyed seeing their arguments slowly turn into teamwork and, eventually, a relationship.

I personally wasn't a fan of the spice (whiskey should *never* be used in that way!!) but other than that, this was really enjoyable. The spice just seemed a little too over done/unrealistic so it read more awkward than hot or romantic to me.

The aunties, as usual, stole the show! Can't wait to see what they'll get into in book 3!

🍰Tastes Like Shakkar 🍰

“She’d never known how thrilling it was to be with a man with whom she could act as her whole self. There were no filters, no second guesses.”

The second in the “If Shakespeare was an Auntie” series follows up Dating Dr. Dil with the adventure of planning Prem and Kareena’s wedding. Bobbi is set to prove her worth as a best friend and an amazing wedding planner, even if it means working with Prem’s famous chef best friend, Benjamin “Bunty”, who constantly grinds her gears. As they work together, the sparks fly in more than just the kitchen and Bobbi, even as they are constantly thwarted by a shaadi saboteur who is meddling with the wedding.

My favorite part of these books is hands down the Aunties. Their antics in helping find the shaadi saboteur and in pushing Bobbi and Bunty together was hilarious.

Check this one out if you’re looking for:
🍰 Enemies to lovers
🍰 Forced proximity
🍰 Meddling Aunties and found family
🍰 Strong, successful FMC
🍰 Food descriptions to make you hungry the whole book

Tastes Like Shakkar is on shelves now! Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read this book, the follow up to Dating Dr. Dil. I loved the first book and this one met all my expectations.
It’s time for Kareena and Prem’s (Dr. Dil) wedding and Kareena’s best friend Bobbi is a wedding planner who is determined to give them their dream wedding.
She’s working on the food with Prem’s best friend, Bunty, a well respected chef with whom she shares a history going back to their childhood. They’ve been pranking each other for years.
As they spend time together working on the wedding, they get closer and closer, much to their surprise. Can they overcome years of borderline animosity? The line between love and hate is much thinner than they think.
I recommend this book! 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Nisha Sharma’s “If Shakespeare was an Auntie” series is so much fun for spicy rom-com lovers. If the follow up to “Dating Dr. Dil” Bobbi is tasked with planning her best friends dream wedding. But there are two problems:
🪷There is a mystery shaadi saboteur trying to ruin the wedding
🪷Bobbi has to work with the infuriatingly sexy professional chef Benjamin (and the groom’s best friend) to plan the multi day ceremony menus.

So many laughs with this amazing friend group (the gals are Swifites 🫶🏼) and the extended family Aunites are back playing amateur sleuths and matchmakers. But the playful witty banter and tension between frenemies Bobbi and Benjamin made this book 5 stars. These two are workaholics at the top of their industries without the time for a committed relationship. But boy does Benjamin fall first and so hard that he might be re-considering a bi-coastal move. There are swoon worthy meal deliveries and notes mixed with combustible bedroom scenes including bondage. I loved learning all the intricacies of the Indian wedding ceremonies and the special traditions between friends and families. @nishawrites writes romance with the ultimate trifecta: humor, heart and heat!

Thank you to @netgalley , @avonbooks , and @harpervoyagerus for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Overall: 5/5
Spice level: 3.5/5
Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity

This is the second installment of the series, and was absolutely fantastic! Enemies to lovers can sometimes be tricky, and Sharma nailed it.

We met Bobbi and Benjamin (Bunty) in Dating Dr. Dil as best friends to Kareena and Prem, respectively. We could already feel something between them. Something electric. That chemistry is extremely palpable from beginning to end in Tastes Like Shakkar.

Bobbi and Bunty are both self-proclaimed work-a-holocs with no real interest in relationships. But their collaboration is needed when problems pop up during the planning of Kareena and Prem's wedding.

I love reading about strong women. Bobbi is top tier ambitious and fierce. She eventually shows her softer side but only because shows our hero shows he's deserving of it.

Just like book 1, the book is definitely spicier than the cover might make it seem, and I loved it! But beyond that, Sharma continues to bring us more of her culture in a South Asian romance between a wedding planner and a restaurateur. The food, the language, the wedding culture, the family dynamics. How important these aspects are to the community. The story also shows how family obligations can sometimes overshadow personal goals and ambitions.

I truly have zero criticisms about this book. It is definitely a top read for 2023, and I can't wait for Veera and Deepak's story!