Actual rating: 4.5/5

I honestly really adored this book. Fake dating/fake engagement is not one of my favorite tropes, but it was honestly done so well in here.

I'm not a huge fan of fluffy, contemporary romances in general because I often feel like they're repetitive but this book so much to the table. I loved seeing Reena's passion for bread baking and cooking. Nadim was such a complex character that had many layers to him. Their chemistry was off the charts! I could physically feel the tension between them which doesn't happen often.

I also just loved all the Indian and African culture and traditions. It really brought this book to life. I thought it would more focus on the food and the arranged marriage, but I really got a wide perspective on the cultures mostly because of the main character's family. The author dove into the good, the bad, the ugly, and the drama. It just gave this book that extra sprinkle of magic.

The friendships and family relationships in this novel also brought in something extra special. Relationships grow and change, and it's really nice to see how life can put a strain on relationships but also how they can come back together. Her friends also caused so much more drama which I loved. I live for drama and this book didn't disappoint.

The competition aspect in here wasn't huge, but I didn't mind that too much. I think it was really realistic how it was going on in the background while relationships, life, and drama were in the foreground. There was the perfect balance of enough but not too much of the competition.

The ending was honestly one of my favorite contemporary romance endings to date and I think it just fit the situation and the characters so well. It was honestly so amazing to see everything converge.

My two main issues were just that the third-act breakup had a reason that I kind of understand but was just a bit annoying. I also personally don't like fade to black which this was, but maybe you don't like a lot of steam in your books, so this would be perfect for you!

I really did enjoy my time reading this book, despite the couple flaws that I have. This book really surprised me and because of the culture, it was not like anything I've ever read.

Thank you to Forever, Farah Heron, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much! It was so unique, and I loved getting to know all the different characters. It was complex, but still such a fun fake dating romance!

Also why didn't I listen to other reviewers and have bread near by?! I don't actually like sour dough, but now I want to make my own starter kits just to feed and name them! There was a particular scene that had me smiling and my husband asking what was so funny! It was such a cute scene and so authentic!

I enjoyed having these diverse characters and learning more about their culture. I cannot wait to read more by Farah Heron!!

One thing I wish we had though was having some chapters from Nadim’s POV! I think I say this in every review, but I LOVE multiple POV books!

4.5 stars.

This book has some of my favorite things in it. A cooking show, fake dating/engagement, a great friend group. A strong main character and a great friend group. This book seriously has all of it. I fell in love with the story as well as the writing. Reena and Nadim were just well-written characters, with great development and the relationship felt very natural between them. I loved seeing all the cultural references as well. I love reading diverse books. This is my first book by this author and I really can't wait to see what they put out next!

I don't think I've ever read a book that's made me more hungry than Accidentally Engaged. I can make a delicious french bread loaf, but now I'm frantically trying to learn how to make a sourdough. I highly recommend having snacks, or even fresh bread, on hand while reading this book.

Reena is stuck in a career she can't stand, in a building her father owns, a single life she hates, and has a family that won't get out of her personal life. Reena has the comfort of her homemade bread to keep her happy, but that's not enough for her family. Nadim moves in across the hall, bringing immediate attraction until she finds out her father planted him there - to marry her. Nadim loves Reena's bread and cooking, but she can't decide if that's forced or for real. Reena and Nadim agree to keep their secrets personal, but when a cooking competition brings them closer than they thought they'd be, it all becomes a little too much.

Can I start off by saying I LOVED that this took place in Canada, in my home province, and the main characters were in their 30's! So refreshing on both fronts to read something so relatable. Plus, of course, my love of cooking and bread. But for me, that's where the similarities ended and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the culture, the families and the traditions showcased in Accidentally Engaged. Reena was an incredibly strong and independent character, two things I value most in female main characters. She struggled but she always did her best to pick herself up, and her willing to be so honest and raw bumped her up even another notch for me. While Nadim had his serious flaws, I truly loved his character and how he developed. This book truly had a little bit of everything and wasn't just a cheesy romance to keep the reader interested. Do yourself a favour and grab some fresh bread and this book and dive in!

I absolutely adored this book. I enjoy learning more about Indian culture and these characters were wow ...magnetic and charming!!!
Can't wait to see more from this author.

DNF at 30%

I really wanted to give this book a good chance and it seemed like it might work for me. But ultimately, the writing, pacing, and character development really let it down. Honestly, I think my biggest issue is that everything was "told" and not "shown" - so the tension between the main two characters, the plot devices, etc. all seemed contrived.

Thank you for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What I liked :
I really enjoyed learning about baking bread
I also really enjoyed the idea behind the story
Reena “accidentally” falling for Nadim

What I didn't like :
The beginning like first 25% was a little but slow.

Once this book picks up, the romance became a charming story, I love cooking contests so I was game for that theme of the story. Nadim and Reena ended up being two fun-loving characters who made the story come alive with their unique personality traits and inability to keep their hands off each other.

Thank you so much @ReadForeverPub & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 02 March 2021)

SYNOPSIS | Reena is delighted to find that her new neighbour (Nadim) is gorgeous, flirty & has a British accent until she also learns that he is employed by her father and is intended to be her husband. Reena however does not want her parents meddling in the life (romantic or otherwise).

WHAT I LIKED:
- reading this made me crave so much sourdough bread & Indian food
- the development of the sisterly relationship
- the representation of Muslim culture

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- I typically like a bit more steam in my romances & this was PG13 fade to black
- so much drama that could have been resolved with a bit of solid communication

A sassy and banter filled marriage of convenience romance about a bread maker named Reena “accidentally” falling for Nadim, her charming neighbor, who just so happens to be the man her parents want her to marry.

Reena’s life seems to be falling apart and her parents keep trying to set her up. So when Reena runs into her new neighbor Nadim, she quickly finds out he’s the next guy her parents are trying to shove on her. But while trying to film for a cooking contest together, Reena quickly befriends Nadim and they fall into an easy relationship. Can they keep it a secret?

While I had a hard time getting into this one at first, this romance quickly became a charming and quirky page-turner, what with the cooking contest unfolding, the mishaps with the lice, and talk of Nadim’s foot fetish. Nadim and Reena ended up being two fun-loving characters who made the story come alive with their unique personality traits and inability to keep their hands off each other. A refreshing and fun read revolving around food!

Really enjoyed this book! This novel touched on a lot of different topics, from arranged marriages to family ties to mental illness and more. I think these heavier themes are sometimes missing from a lot of romance novels so I was pleasantly surprised to experience it in Accidentally Engaged. The characters were also really lovable, complex in their own ways, stuck between finding their own happiness and living up to their familial expectations. The only thing that I didn’t love about this book was the ending, It felt a little rushed in comparison to the rest of the story. Overall loved this book and would definitely recommend!

loved this book, it honestly was such a good read and I love the diversity of the book. I really enjoyed it and it made me want to eat bread the while time. It was a great book and I cannot wait to recommend it to others.

Accidentally Engaged was my first Farah Heron novel. I admit I do own a copy of her debut, The Chai Factor, but, for some strange reason, haven't gotten around to reading it yet. After absolutely devouring her latest though? I'll be moving it up the queue.

Here's the book's description:
Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall--with hopes that Reena will marry him.
But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.
As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine— secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.

I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that Heron set this novel in Toronto. Too often us Canadian readers find that our authors are encouraged to set their stories somewhere in the US because it's more "relatable" or some such nonsense. I know a lot of American readers who don't care one way or the other so I'm hopeful that soon we'll see even more Canadian cities, and small towns, featured in books published in the US.

Reena was an absolutely delightful character. She was funny and smart and I constantly found myself wishing we could get together for a beer. (Mmm some of the beer she and Nadim had sounded sooo good.) She by no means had her life figured out and I could definitely identify with that. I was rooting for her the entire way through and hoped she'd find her Happily Ever After for herself (but also, of course, with Nadim because they were just too cute).

The storyline with the cooking show Reena and Nadim enter was too fun. Food was a big part of this story and will leave you craving bread and delicious meals while you're reading. Me included even though sourdough isn't my favourite kind of bread and a lot of the spices Reena used aren't ones I like. But there we have it! Back to the show. I think it was also more enjoyable for me because I love wholesome cooking shows. Great British (or Canadian) Baking Show? (As it's called over here...Great British Bake Off is the title back in England.) I adore them and they've been a balm during the last year. It was really nice to escape into that kind of cooking competition world, at least a little, in Heron's novel.

Even though this is, technically, a rom com, Heron packs a lot into the story that isn't as lighthearted as a romance may suggest. And I am HERE for it. Reena not only has to deal with overbearing parents but she also has job loss and a spotty relationship track record. Plus, she and her sister have a very complicated relationship and both women have mental health issues that are in various stages of being addressed. Heron has her characters being quite open about most things - even for a story that is full of (sometimes ridiculous) secrets - and I appreciated that. I like my rom coms with a heavy dose of real life and am glad to see more of those being written.

Accidentally Engaged was a delight from start to finish and I definitely recommend contemporary readers check this one out. Farah Heron has given us a smart and entertaining novel that will get under everyone's skin, in the best possible way, and also have everyone craving bread!

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

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Accidentally Engaged is such a refreshing and fun book to read, I am so thankful I was able to read it ahead! Reena is one of my favourite protagonists- she is complex, like all of us our, but I thought her love of food and baking was just so lovely. She and Nadim are an interesting couple, and I enjoyed "getting to know" both of them!. A fantastic own-voices book, and I think will definitely be a top summer read!

This was my first book by Farah Heron and it certainly will not be my last!

I really loved Reena as a main character. She's extremely relatable - especially in the way that she tries to please everyone around her, but her own dreams take a backseat. For this reason, it's great to see her growth throughout the book. She really becomes her own person and finds what is important to her.

Nadim is a really sweet romantic interest. He's silly and witty and I love his banter with Reena. He's a bit guarded because of his past, but I love that he starts to open up to Reena as time goes by. I think he's the perfect match for Reena and I love that they found each other.

The cooking competition is a really fun aspect of the book. I love that it brings people together - whether that be Reena's friends and their help or the new-found relationship Reena has with her family.

Romance is a relatively new genre for me and I often find contemporary romance books to be extremely steamy. I definitely love those kinds of stories, but I really loved the wholesome romance in Accidentally Engaged.

I also really loved the Canadian setting. As someone who lives outside of Toronto, it's really fun seeing familiar places. I'm so glad to have another Canadian author to add to my list of favourites!

I'm looking forward to reading more of Farah Heron's books in the future.

Relationships are already complicated enough without families being involved. Unfortunately for Reena, her parents are constantly trying to fix her up with potential husbands with the latest one living across from her. Reena is insistent that she and Nadim can only be friends and that she will absolutely not marry him but circumstances in the form of a cooking competition force them to pretend they are engaged. Heron does a superb job of building chemistry between Reena and Nadim. Reena's character was someone I immediately connected with. Her desire to find lasting love and pursue her dreams made her someone easy to identify with. Nadim is likeable as a potential love interest. He is funny, sweet, and, more importantly, he respects her and supports her dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed Accidentally Engaged and recommend it to those looking for a friends-to-lovers/relationship of convenience rom-com full of heart and good food--you'll need to have munchies on hand or you'll have to stop reading to go in search of some.

Review: March 12, 2021
Pub Date: March 2, 2021

📚SUMMARY: Reena doesn’t love her career, her single status or her meddling family that gets into all of her business. But she loves her sourdough starters. When her fathers new employee (and her new fiancé if her parents had their way), Nadim, moves in across the hall with his perfect British accent and Captain America body, she can tell he is different from the usual Muslim bachelors that her parents choose. She sure as HELL would never marry a man who works for her father, but a friendship with a neighbor is okay right?! 👏🏻

❤️RATING: HOLY CUTE this book is adorable. While it is low on the steam level, it is high on cute lines, stolen glances, drunken nights and forehead kisses. I was smiling the entire time!! I devoured this book (punny 🤣) because it was lighter, fun and fabulous. Caution: do not read on an empty stomach! 🥖🌶🍻

Warning: If you are hungry, do not read this book.

However, it IS the perfect book to sit down at a small café, drink your coffee, and have a snack. The summary states that Reena treats her dough like they are real people, and that is no exaggeration. They have names and she gives them all her love and attention, ensuring they grow into the perfect loafs. Reena thinks she has every thing she "kneads", but her parents have other ideas for her needs - like a man. A living, breathing man.

And like all good parents, they have found her another perfect match - Nadim. The way Farah Heron describes him definitely left my mouth watering.

Luscious descriptions of bread, perfect for the carb-lover that I am. Captain America with a British accent? Let's just say I had zero problems getting through this one. As my first book from this author, I am chomping at the Boule for more. This one has the perfect DDT (desired dough temperature).

Okay, enough with the puns and bakery innuendos. Go to the bookstore. Buy this book. Read it. You'll thank me.

📚 Book Review 📚

Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for an eARC in exchange for a review.

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but please tell me any and all books where food is a character and/or major player in a book because I want to read them all. And then get mad at how hungry I am while reading said book. Farah Heron delivers on the romance and the food.

What I found interesting about this book was that it wasn’t necessarily the romance plot that a I liked the best (though I did enjoy it). What resonated the most with me was how Reena, in her 30s, was still figuring out what her path in life should be and which direction she should take (both professionally and personally). That’s probably because I’m at that point in my life, and I can really relate.

Though I enjoyed the chemistry and the relationship between Nadim and Reena, I struggled with the four week timeline that everything took place over especially when they finally got together and when the conflict arose. There was also a lot of conflict going on between other characters (her mom, dad, sister, Nadim’s dad, etc.) that left a lot to be resolved at the end, The ending overall just felt rushed.

This was a fun read, and I would recommend it, but be warned : eat beforehand or have a loaf of sourdough to enjoy while you read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

TW: talk of depression, reference to eating disorder

I got to say, I freaking love Accidentally Engaged. It started off slow but the build up was off the charts. Like I did not know I was done until I reached the very last page. That's how addicting Accidentally Engaged is. Accidentally Engaged starts off with Reena feeding her adorable sourdough starters. Don't worry, you will understand what sourdough starters are and how adorable it is when Reena bonds over it with new potential love interest, Nadim. But before we get into their building romance, let's first discuss Reena and his crazy family. Reena has always had high expectations from her Muslim family. It may feel restricting at times but she found a way around it most of the times. Occasionally, it slips by especially when she notices her new neighbor, Nadim and he is supposed to be her fiance. Big shocker! It's definitely difficult for Reena when her parents meddle in her life constantly. I can definitely say that Nadim was meant for her because they keep running into each other. And once they start hanging out when Reena's career drives down, they become more closer each day.

Thank you so much Netgalley for providing an ARC review of Accidentally Engaged! .

This was such a fun and lovely OWN voices read! As I continue to stay in, baking shows have been an absolutely OBSESSION of mine and this fake-dating cook-off romance was the most delightful treat. Everything from the characterization to the humor was top notch and fun. I will admit the chemistry didn't hit off for me at first but it was still enjoyable.

3/5