Oh my goodness, the number of times my mouth salivated during this read is embarrassing! This book was so cute and great and all things wonderful. I loved the main characters and how seamlessly they fit together, even though they are not “engaged” really. I loved seeing their relationship progress and the ending of the book!

I love fake dating books and this one was such a cute one. I loved Reema and her love of baking bread and her and Nadim's relationship was so adorable.
The family aspect was good as well and I loved how Reema loved her family but had a hard time pleasing them.
Overall it was a cute romance read.

This novel is fun and there is a lot to really get on board with (food! Check!). But there may be too much going on honestly. I got very overwhelmed reading this book which made it lose the enjoyment.

Accidentally Engaged is the first book by Farah Heron that I've read, but it definitely won't be my last. I enjoyed Heron's writing, the development of the characters and the storyline was delicious and engaging.

Reena Manji has not had much luck in the job or love department. She has a younger sister and an older brother along with her parents and her family is very involved in her life. So much so that Reena tends to keep things to herself to keep her well-meaning family from stepping in. Her love is cooking and baking. She loves making bread and her dream is to take a class at a well known university in Toronto, but the price tag doesn't allow her to pursue that passion.

Nadim moves in across the hall from Reena and immediately finds her alluring. He hits on her when he first meets her before he realizes that she is the woman that he is supposed to enter into an arranged marriage with. As Nadim begins working for Reena's father, he and his neighbor become tentative friends. They spend some time together and end up making a drunken cooking video that may change their lives completely.

When that video leads to them making the finals in a cooking contest, that could deliver that class Reena wants to take, the two have to pretend to be engaged due to the fact it's a couples contest. They begin to make plans and they realize they really do like one another as they work together on this show. Will they end up being the perfect combination when it looked like they would be anything but?

I enjoyed this book for many reasons. The characters were fantastic, I learned about different cuisine and baking and it showed just how intricate families and their interactions can be. I would definitely recommend picking up Accidentally Engaged!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

This is one of those books that you don't want to read on an empty stomack.

It is so much fun. I love when there is more to the story than romance. Give me a good story of food to keep me engaged. This is full of Naan and Tandori, and things that I haven't tried, but now want to try.

The two main characters are also lots of fun, and there is always family that gets in the way. And although they are set up to get married by their parents, they resist that, and just date instead, because of course that is the way to resist your parents interfering in your life.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

So I found this book while looking through 2021 romance book releases. Immediately upon seeing that gorgeous cover art and reading the description, I knew I had to try this one: diverse romance, baking, a competition, family dynamics annnd an arranged marriage set up?? Sign me up!

The premise was promising and checked a lot of boxes for my preferred reads, but it was a new to me author... Luckily, I have to say that this book exceeded my expectations and was such an amazing read 💕💕

I’m not even sure where to start for this one, it was just such a fun read! 😊 First, I have to give a shout out to the fact that this was a diverse romance - I love to see representative reads, it’s so fun to get to have a lens into different experiences and viewpoints. In this case our heroine is Canadian and Muslim and her (very involved family) is of South Asian descent. Our leading man has a similar background with and a British accent too (who can resist 🤗)

Reena and Nadim have a great connection from the beginning and I was rooting for them - despite Reena’s steadfast refusal to consider another set up by her parents. This book had all the makings of the classic romcom, with some funny and endearing bits. I loved so many of the characters- and loved the show of dysfunctional but loving family dynamics. I appreciated the side characters and how they were fleshed out and the fact that they caught my interest and held their own throughout the book.

I enjoyed the competition and the baking - I loved seeing Reena and Nadim’s story unfold. I also really appreciated seeing the relationship changes for Reena and her sister and the closeness they developed throughout (surprising since I disliked her sister at the beginning).

I can honestly say I cannot wait to try another of this authors books (and was so excited to see this wasn’t her debut so I don’t have to wait!! 😊) Highly recommend for fans of romantic comedies!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the chance to read this fabulous story!

** Review posted to GoodReads 2/9/21

** Review / Recommendation posts to Booksta and Amazon for release week

Book Review Time

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

Also thank you to Netgalley and Read Forever Publishing for providing me this ARC for an honest review!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I’ll never turn down a book with a fake engagement, across the hall mystery man, and girl who loves to eat all the carbs (well homemade bread that is)!

Pros:
-All of the culture involved in this book. You’ve got a Canadian setting, but Indian characters that are actually also African. I never knew about Tanzania before this book and I loved learning snippets about this country!
-All the food! I need to go learn to cook homemade bread right away.
-All the cooking video banter! So sweet and precious.
-I have to say I loved Amira and Duncan. They are side characters I wish we could see more of, maybe a book 2 😉 I feel like they were the definition of being different but still finding that no matter what they loved each other unconditionally.
-Family secrets coming out
-Brian and Al

Cons:
-These dads. I mean I kind of get that it’s how they were raised, but man. I think every dad in this book just wasn’t the best. I think there was redemption at the end, but still.
-My top con anytime is that there isn’t an epilogue. Good things are eluded, but I need confirmation that it 100% worked out 😂

My thoughts:

I feel like I’ve read multiple romcoms that are focused around the Indian culture (or am I supposed to say Desi?). But I loved that this sort of had a different vibe. In the others the HUGE family played a big part, and while there is plenty of family (but not a ton like the other books I read) in this book, this family was more “dysfunctional” in a sense. It wasn’t a happy loving supportive family that always got along. They all had secrets, resentments, things they had to work through, and very pushy and judge mental parents. It wasn’t just about Reena and Nadim and their relationship. Reena has 2 siblings, friends, and her mom and dad that she had to build relationships with as well. It also had some found family vibes. I loved that this wasn’t the same type of book I had been reading. You got to learn about a different aspect of the Indian culture and more, as well as a great romcom love story thrown in! Also if you like Indian food then this book will have your mouth watering!

The perfect book for springs. Full of romance, distain to love, and humor, the words make you laugh and want to cry. The cover is as beautiful as what is inside. I also love the diversity of this book and what the means for romantic fiction in the future. I need more cultural love stories and I think Farrah Heron could be the one to give us just that.

Just finished reading ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGED by Farah Heron. I received this ARC from Forever Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Official publication date is March 2nd, 2021.

A cooking contest, all the breads 🤤, and a fake fiancé... I was hooked from the synopsis! Make sure you have snacks on hand while reading this one.

Reena Manji our 31 year old MC is coasting through life. The highlight of her days are spent in her kitchen making bread. When she stumbles into Nadim the new neighbor with a sexy British accent and hot body things start to look up. Until she comes to learn he's her father's latest employee, and her newest arranged marriage prospect.

But Nadim’s not like the other prospects for husband material that her family has tried to pawn her off on. Nadim is different and this unlikely duo become good friends, with a promise to never marry each other. However when Nadim volunteers to help Reena enter a national cooking contest as her fake finacé, things heat up in the kitchen on screen and off screen. Reena will need to decide what her feelings mean, if she is ready to take things to the next level, while also navigating the gossip and drama that comes with her family.

I was hooked on Reena & Nadim, both characters were lovable and I enjoyed reading along to watch their relationship grow. I also loved Reena’s extended family, all their secrets, and the South Asian cuisines throughout. Farah Heron you have a hit on your hands 🙌.

I absolutely loved it!!!!! Quick read and full of goodness on every page. Highly recommend this one.

BOOK REVIEW

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

Thank you @netgalley , @readforeverpub and @grandcentralpub for my ARC in return for an honest review

I loved this read.
I loved the Canadian content.
I loved the references to current events.
I loved the nods to current TV shows.
I loved how Heron wrote her characters, each from a similar ethnic background but with the emphasis placed on their individual experiences and how their upbringing shaped them.
I loved how Heron included the differences in how culture perceives mental illness.
I love how Heron made Reena’s relationship’s with her family members so relatable.
I love how the dialogue flowed so easily.
I love that I learned about new foods and bread making and that the recipes are included in the end notes.
I love how Heron addressed our need to keep secrets, to not admit deep dark truths about ourselves and the ones we love.
I loved how Heron wove a love of craft beer and bread (really all food) into the spotlight.
I love how Reena and Nadim came together over a shared love of food.
I love how Heron highlighted the need to stand on your own two feet, to be independent as a woman, to seek your own path and stay true to yourself even when your friends and family might not support your decisions.
I love that even with some big subjects, this read came off as light and loving. A story about a family growing apart before they can grow together.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Accidentally Engaged is an own voices novel that's full of surprises and secrets. I needed a palate cleanser after an angst-ridden book and this novel was the perfect pick! Fake relationships, family drama, a baking competition, and learning to love yourself—yes please and thank you!

Things that really worked for me:
-The evolution of Reena's relationship with her sister, Saira. This clearly wasn't easy for either of them but featured some of the best character growth in the novel. I loved loved loved being on this journey with them.
-The connection between Reena and Nadim. This was so well written and I really felt their chemistry, their angst, and even the ways in which the secrets between them took on a life of its own.
-The big cast of characters and soap opera amount of secrets and chaos. I LOVED IT. From start to finish, there is something big going on. I loved how the secrets interacted with each other, the characters, and the relationships. The scene in which Reena and Saira stage an intervention with their dad was hands down my favourite moment in the book—I screamed, laughed, and cried as I felt the weight and tension dissipate with each confession.
-The exploration of coming home to yourself and breaking free of familial, cultural, and societal expectations without throwing away your heritage, values, or beliefs. Heron didn't shy away from exploring the challenges facing the children of first generation immigrants without making the story focused only on struggle. There was plenty of joy, community, and comfort in the story, both of which heightened the emotional connection and conflict. I particularly appreciated the discussions around mental health.
-Perhaps the BEST use of sex for plot and character development that I've ever read.

Things That Didn't Work
-The sex scenes themselves. I wanted more from them. The bits we got—the makeout sessions and massages and removal of clothes—were SO steamy and wonderful. BUT that's all we got. It fades to black and we're told they got it on but that's it. There's even an implied foot job scene!!!! I'd classify this as a closed door romance and y'all it left me LONGING for more.
-Reena's personal development. It felt like it took really long and then was rushed at the end. I would have liked to see her growth more spread out or step-wise, like with her and her sister.
-The BIG reveal with Nadim. It just felt...like a bit of a letdown. Especially in comparison to some of the other secrets that got discovered. It was just...meh and not nearly as engaging as it was built up to be.
-There was a lot of telling and not much showing.

I've already recommended this book to people who I know would enjoy it. It wasn't a home run for me but I'm super grateful I read it but would absolutely read another of Heron's novels in the future.

CW: discussion of depression and eating disorders, mention of alcoholic behaviors, body image issues.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read several Own Voices Indian / Middle Eastern romances in the past year and have really enjoyed them, and this book was no exception. This book was an absolute delight. It is a food romance, so be prepared for it to make you hungry. I didn’t know what half the things they were cooking were, but it still made me hungry.

I loved Reena and Nadim from their meet-cute. Both felt like very real people with their own problems and joys. Fake engagement is not one of my favorite tropes, but when it’s done well, like in this book, it can be wonderful. I enjoyed their interactions together as a couple, especially in the kitchen, but I found Reena’s interactions with both her family and her found family of friends even lovelier. I liked that the book was filled with imperfect people who have imperfect interactions with each other but when it comes down to still love and support each other.

This book was written in third person limited with only access to Reena’s mind. Usually don’t like books that only give me as a reader access to only one character, but this was really well written and I don’t think the plot would have worked as well with access to Nadim’s thoughts.

I will happily read other books from Farah Heron. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be added to my blog on February 16, 2021 and I will add it to GoodReads around that time as well.

This is the absolute sweetest romance! Reena needs a fiance in order to compete on a cooking competition and her very handsome Nadim would be perfect for the job, except for the fact that Reena's parents want her to marry him.

It's a wonderful story about love, family, and figuring out who you really are. I adore the fake dating trope in romance novels, and this story made me feel so many things. I literally couldn't put it down.

Thanks to Forever and Netgalley for an advanced copy of Accidentally Engaged.

Fake Dating and cooking shows == two of my favorite things to see in books!
This is a hilarious and slightly more deep rom-com with a wonderful cast of characters, delicious food and wonderful writing.


Reena gets asked out by her cute new neighbor Nadim, only to find out he is the new guy working for her father AND he's also the guy her parents want her to marry... Reena wants to separate herself from her well meaning but meddling family, but when she's given the opportunity of a lifetime to be on a cooking show but needs to pretend that Nadim is her fiancé she keeps it a secret from her family Filled with Family expectations and secrets

I absolutely loved this book, I can't say enough about how much I loved the baking and sourdough started jokes, the cute romance that starts between Reena and Nadim, the meddling family and the friends.

READ THIS BOOK!

Reena's life is slowly unraveling. She's been laid off for the third time, she's still single, and her new hot neighbor Nadim is the person her parents are encouraging her to marry. At least she has her baking. When the opportunity to enter an amateur cooking competition pops up, Reena figures she should give it a shot and follow her passion for cooking. There's one catch - the show requires that you cook with a partner. After a video of her and Nadim cooking potato bhajias qualifies her for the competition, they decide to fake an engagement to continue onwards. As they film more videos together, Reena finds herself liking Nadim as more than a fake fiance. Heron (The Chai Factor, 2019) explores Reena's Tanzanian/Gujarati roots and her journey balancing her life growing up in Toronto with the familial expectations of her Ismaili Indian home with humor and compassion. Accidentally Engaged will leave readers craving all the delicious food Reena and Nadim make together. Luckily, there are recipes at the end of the book!

There were some ways in which this book rocked it. The premise was cute, and the beginning started off strong. The characters were well developed and they discussed mental health and LGBTQ feelings, which are conversations that are not seen enough in the South Asian community. It was clear that there was some growth for the characters throughout the book, especially for some of the secondary characters. All in all, this book was a good read and had a lot of promise. The reasons for me that it was not a complete 5 star review was that the main character let us know that she was having the lowest point of her life (every chapter), the chemistry between the two main characters was really lacking and by the end of the book it seemed like everyone involved had kind of lost the plot. I am all for a character that needs to grow into herself and her situation, but an inability to take personal responsibility and a lack of respect for the other people in her life does not a cute heroine make. Overall, I felt that the chaotic ending did not match up with the rest of the novel, but I would still recommend this book to a friend.

Her parents want to arrange Reena's marriage. And when she first meets Nadim, he asks her out before realizing she is his intended. It's such a perfect start and leads to a great fake dating story. The story took delightful and unexpected twists and turns.

And then there's the food. Reena and Nadim bond over their shared love of food. The descriptions of the smell of the baking bread literally made me salivate. Add in the East African Indian curries, and I figured I needed to go recipe searching or cookbook shopping. But I didn't because the recipes were at the back of the book!

This book gave me all the feelings. I laughed and I grieved. And I got annoyed with the secrets. And then I laughed uproariously at other secrets. This was such a well-written book and will stay with me.

This book has the door cracked open. It's mostly closed door but with more sex positivity and discussion than typical for the genre.

Thank you @readforeverpub and @NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to Farah Heron, NetGalley, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Do. Not. *I REPEAT* Do. Not. Read. This. Book.
..... unless you want to be DROOLING over delicious food! 🤪

I fell in love the minute I started this book! It was such a heartwarming story. I loved the main character, Reena’s journey in finding herself (middle child syndrome?), relationships between all of the characters, the incorporation of the South Asian-East African-Indian-Canadian-Muslim cultures and traditions, and of course all the FOOD. I guarantee that when you finish reading this book... You will want to cook, bake, and eat (And probably compete in a cooking show, too!) & Yes I did go buy samosas and tikka masala as soon as I finished this book. I’m a sucker for food!

“This is what this book is about, connecting to your roots through food.”

Reena and Nadim should have never met but they did. They should have never clicked but they did. Why? Their amazing character, their values and passion for food and cooking brought them together. They became a team made in heaven. The boundaries set by religion. family, and tradition disappear sometimes with great difficulty. In this lovely story Reena and Nadim prove that passion, hard work and a good sense of humor can conquer anything. This book is uplifting and happy which is exactly we need now..