I am between a 3.5 and 4, so I rounded up since I haven't read Alisha Rai before. Jia, Dev, and all of the side characters were fantastic, but the plot was a bit absurd at times which kept me from fully loving the story.

Jia Ahmed is an internet famous fashion and beauty vlogger who is determined to turn her internet fame into a successful career that will make her family proud. She has fallen for Dev Dixit through their online communication and can't wait to meet him in person now that he is living in LA. Dev is a famous Bollywood actor who emigrated to the US after the death of his brother to care for his niece and try his hand at American television...and has absolutely no idea who Jia is. They intend to go their separate ways once they realize Jia was catfished, but fate, and the paparazzi, gets in the way. To save Jia from embarrassment and to prevent a media scandal, they decide to fake date once rumors about their relationship grow, but it quickly becomes something real for both of them.

I loved every character in this book and their relationships with each other. Jia's friends and family were fantastic, and I now want to read the other books in the series to spend more time with them. Dev's complicated relationship with his family was also very interesting and made him even more likable.

The romance was actually the weakest part for me which I wasn't expecting. They didn't communicate directly much at all which left both questioning the other's feelings on multiple occasions and kept me wondering what was keeping them together. They also became super serious very quickly to the point it felt rushed, but there was enough there that I could believe it would grow into a strong relationship with time.

The first two books in the series were awesome reads so I had high hopes for Jia's story. When first introduced in an earlier series, I loved that in a family of doctors, Jia is crushing it as a social media influencer.

Jia thinks she's been texting with Bollywood royalty/superstar Dev. But when she attends an event, just so she can meet him in real life, he has no idea who she is. Embarrassed and heartbroken, Jia realizes she's been catfished.

Then Events Happen and Jia and Dev find themselves in a full-blown faux-mance.

This is a sweeter, softer, less steamy story than the first two books in the series. But the book has the same strong women helping each other vibe. Jia has her friends and her sisters, who even when they don't like her choices, still have her back.

I appreciated that mentions were made about Jia and one of her sisters having been seriously ill - a nod to Covid and how it affects lives. I loved that a Muslim woman who wears a hijab was a meg-successful social media beauty/lifestyle influencer.

The story moved quickly - so quickly that I was sure my ARC was missing chapters. I wanted more! While not my favorite of the series, I still really enjoyed First Comes Like and would definitely recommend it. If you're looking for a cozy, fast-paced, quick read, low steam, sweet, diverse romance - definitely choose First Comes Like.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is my least favorite book in the series. It was still okay, but everything felt so off. The catfishing, the fake dating, the family tension, the chemistry. It was a lot.

Alisha Rai has been a must read for me since the Forbidden Heart series and I think this book is my favorite of this series, Modern Love. Jia and Dev are fantastic characters; both are really fleshed out. Although this book isn't as steamy as Rai's others (looking at you, Modern Love), the romance in this book is lovely! I also loved that Jia's career is taken seriously, that you get a taste of the cross-cultural experiences and conflicts, and the slow burn. My only qualms are that it felt like there was too much going on at times. For example (Spoiler), it is referenced that Jia and Noor both were sick at one point, but it was never explained with what, how it happened and why Noor was left more afflicted than Jia. Additionally, the catfishing, plus the fake dating plus the rushed ending were a lot. However, overall, Rai remains a must read and I'll definitely be recommending this for its slow burn, great representation and overall sweet story.

I'm a huge Alisha Rai fan, and I've been so excited for Jia's book in the Modern Love series. Unfortunately while I liked this one, it didn't live up to (admittedly sky high) expectations. What worked for me? Jia and Dev are both great characters. I've really liked Jia since she was introduced in Rai's Forbidden Hearts series. She's the baby in a family with 5 sisters, almost all of whom are overachievers (and doctors). Jia dropped out of med school to become an influencer - she has a popular Youtube channel where she does makeup demos and reviews. She's been very successful, but has seen engagement drop since a recent longterm illness (obliquely referred to, but definitely...covid). She also always feels like she's disappointed her parents and doesn't fit in. Meanwhile Dev is a wildly popular soap opera star from India who comes from a family of Bollywood stars. He moves to LA for a fresh start and to work on a TV drama I pictured as This is Us. (I've never actually seen that, it's just what I imagined.) Anyway, Jia thinks she's been talking to Dev via text for months, but when she introduces herself in person and he has no idea who she is, she figures out she's been catfished. This was a great set up, and again, I loved the characters. I also loved seeing Jia's close friends Rhiannon and Katrina, who were featured in the first two books in the series, and both Dev and Jia's families were a delight. (Dev's relationship with his niece and his uncle were especially sweet.) But I felt that the pacing was a little off in this book - the ending felt a little rushed, and a few story lines felt unfinished to me. I also love Rai's angsty books, and this one was very low angst. Which is certainly nice - it's a stress free read - but I wanted at least a little more angst. This was a good read, and I'd recommend all of Rai's books, but this was my least favorite of the series. It's still a great series, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that there will be fourth starring Lakshmi.

First Comes Like is the third book in the Modern Love series by Alisha Rai. But we met our heroine Jai all the way back in the Forbidden Hearts series, with her sister Sadia in Wrong to Need You. Jai, our famous and beautiful heroine, has been teased through other books as a gorgeous woman and entrepreneur with a mind of her own. Our hero Dev is a certified Bollywood star that has moved to America to film a show for a streaming service.
Cat-fishing, mistaken identities, and some super- like vibes later we have a romance that is sweet and cute.

Those that are a fan of Rai's steamier reads like Serving Pleasure or Forbidden Hearts series (a personal favorite) might be disappointed in the lack of angst and steam. But this book is a delightful and diverse romantic romp. Jia is sunshine incarnate. She is that bright orange dress that looks amazing on you when you question your all black wardrobe choices. Dev is a cinnamon roll hero that will sweep you off your couch (I mean he is a Bollywood star).

It is also the perfect romance to give to new romance readers or even share with your mom. You've been bugging your mom to read more diverse books, throw this at her face.

Readers will fall in love with Jai's sunny disposition and Dev's charm. Enjoy!

I know there is an audience for this book. It wasn't really me. The story was cute enough, and the characters were okay, but I didn't find anything to connect me to them as I have in the others in this series. BUT I LOVE that the cover looks like it does and that the characters are who they are. Representation matters, and I was happy to see it here, but it didn't live up to the first two in this series.

First Comes Like starts as a story of friendship amid social media and Bollywood fame and grows into a sweet romance. Alisha Rai throws the reader into the middle of social media influencer status with Jia Ahmed. Jia is a smart, careful businesswoman in the unforgivingly fast-moving digital world. And we, readers, fall in love with her because she is as insecure as we are, and as easily duped. Alisha Rai introduces Indian culture via food, dress, and family. She guides the reader into the social media influencer’s demanding world, and she gives a glimpse into the movie-making culture. I usually don’t care for beards on men, but I’d love to meet Dev Dixit.

The catfishing aspect was a little much, as was the sexual relationship which went from 0 to 60 as soon as they got married. I know that part of the story reflected the cultural background of the characters, but it left me wanting more in a romance novel. I wish there had been a greater build-up of that part of their interactions.