I'm being generous in my review of The Dating Plan because someone may enjoy this, but personally, I couldn't get invested in this plot or the characters. I had been so excited by seeing brown girl representation, a brown author's writing, and the beautiful cover. But sadly, Liam and Daisy didn't draw me in the way I hoped and I had a hard time caring about the course of their relationship and the supporting plots and characters.

I am a huge cover judger when I browse books, and I am obsessed with two things: the current trend of illustrated romance covers, and the color purple. Naturally, The Dating Plan really stood out to me when I was browsing on Netgalley. When I found out it also featured a software engineer as the leading lady, I was sold (as a software engineer myself, women in STEM representation is super important to me).

The Dating Plan was the first book by Sara Desai that I’ve read and I found her writing style was fairly unique. She has a real knack for creating chemistry between characters - she very effectively built the chemistry and tension that came from a pair of characters having years of history with each other. The only part of the writing of this book that I didn’t love was how cheesy the dialogue got at times - it really threw me for a loop and ruined my immersion in the story a few times.

Daisy was the quintessential software engineer - she was a little aloof with her coworkers, never put down roots at a company, and had very nerdy interests. She was also facing constant family pressure to settle down with a suitable man - the book kicks off with her aunty ambushing her at a work conference with a suitor for her. Throughout the book, she grows as she learns to forgive past grievances and figures how to let people in. I really loved watching her learn to not keep her coworkers at arms length - all of her peers were interesting side characters that helped her grow as a character. I also really loved how dynamic and funny Daisy’s family was - they were a massive group of characters and it was really fun to read about such a tight knit family.

Liam and Daisy had a whole lot of history together. Growing up, Liam was best friends with Daisy’s brother, and Daisy had a major crush on him. When he agreed to be her date to a school dance and then disappeared into the night, Daisy harbored some major hatred towards him. Their reunion years later was rocky at first - Daisy wanted nothing to do with him until he proposed a fake dating scenario that would ward off her family’s attempts to find her a suitable husband. As they became closer through their ruse, the sparks began to fly in earnest between them. Daisy and Liam were a great pair, and had some very, very strong chemistry - their romance gave me butterflies in my stomach and it was clear they were made for each other.

The Dating Plan is a super cute romance with well developed characters and a leading man to die for. It’ll have you swooning from the first time Daisy and Liam cross paths to the very last page. If you’re looking for other swoony romances, check out The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon and Much Ado About You by Samantha Young. 4/5

Thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review of The Dating Plan. I really enjoyed getting to know Daisy, her family, and her culture and that was a big highlight of this book for me. Author Sara Desai set the scene so well it almost felt like I was there. And how gorgeous is this cover?!⁣
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Unfortunately, I really struggled with the premise. I didn't love that the plotline revolved around Liam reappearing in Daisy's life when he had previously hurt her and had never acknowledged or dealt with these issues. Both characters had things they needed to work through, but I didn’t think a magical love story was the answer.

Because of this, I just had a hard time feeling fully invested in the storyline. I will say that I struggle with contemporary romance books that don't feel based on reality and this book may work well for many readers, it just didn't completely work for me.

When I started reading this and the circumstances felt eerily similar to First Comes Like (fake engagement, inheritance on the line) I was a bit concerned. But it ended up having everything that booked was missing for me.

I loved Liam the most out of all the characters, loved watching Daisy slowly forgive and learn more about him as time went on, the tension and steam factor was solid, and I really felt like I could root for all the characters. Yes, the set up is a bit over the top, but who cares?

Thoroughly enjoyed this one especially with all the added cultural elements of Daisy’s family and can’t wait to see what Desai writes next.

Thanks to netgalley for the e-arc.
This was just a light read I needed to cleanse my palette with. It was a fast read. It was ok but too much growling, ass references, and marvel underwear. Not much character building. The love scenes were too corny for me but, maybe thats why I don’t really like romance books.
2.5 stars.

THE DATING PLAN
4/5 Stars

Oh my goodness did Sara write the perfect follow up/standalone to THE MARRIAGE GAME! This was such a well done rom com! The hatred Daisy felt for Liam oozed from the pages from the beginning and i truly enjoyed seeing the relationship evolve. It is never a good idea to enter into a fake relationship with someone you used to have feelings for - right? I will never get tired of this troupe - and every time I am so happy with the ending. I am hoping maybe she will write another one about Sanjay? Will you answer my prayers, Sara!

This may have been a case of perfect book at the perfect time, but I really enjoyed this! I’ve always enjoyed a good fake dating trope and this delivered. Was it perfect and super realistic? Not really, but it was everything I love in a good romance. After the first half or so I simply couldn’t put it down. Totally bingeable, cheesy, and adorable. The thing I need most in a romance is cute and witty banter, and this one succeeded. I caught myself smiling and chuckling multiple times. Definitely recommend!

Daisy Patel is happily single while working as a software engineer, but she’s constantly being nagged by her strict family members to settle down. When her childhood crush, Liam Murphy, comes back into the picture they agree to have a fake engagement to appease both of their families.

We all know how this one starts and ends, can actually feel the layers of tropes radiating out of the synopsis, and yet here I am reading another romcom. Even when they aren’t perfect and there are some cringey moments, I still end up enjoying the lightness of these kinds of books. Always gotta switch up the genres to keep things ✨spicy✨ (and this one had some spice in it. Two words: hulk bra...yes, that’s the cringey part I’m referencing). If you love quick reads that include enemies to lovers and fake proposals, you’ll enjoy this one.

Thank you @berkleybooks and @netgalley for this breezy eARC!

I really do love a good romance story, but I don’t typically go for the cheesy, predictable types. This story was definitely one of them, but I actually did enjoy it more than I was expecting to after reading the first chapter. It’s pretty quick-paced, so I wasn’t ever “bored” per say, just not exactly impressed.

It’s your typical “enemies to lovers” trope, but it’s more of a “you did me wrong 10 years ago and I still love you, but I’m still really mad” type of enemy, so it’s slightly more believable. The scenario itself (including a fake engagement due to a grandfather’s absolutely absurd request in his will) had me rolling my eyes though.

I didn’t hate the characters, but I had some issues with them. The lead male, Liam, is just okay. He’s a stereotypical “bad boy,” but I didn’t mind him overall. However, I didn’t really care for the lead female, Daisy, and it’s probably because she is said to be a “nerdy” software developer. The author really tries to push this, and as someone who has some coding background and has worked alongside developers for a while now, I find it kind of offensive that a female can’t just be a developer without all the extra “quirks.” Also, Daisy is obsessed with Marvel and this is RAMMED down our throats every other page.

Daisy is of Indian heritage, and I really enjoyed the family dynamics and nods to her culture. The match-making aunties were funny, and probably the most enjoyable part of the story.

I could take or leave this book. It kind of reminded me of “Get A Life, Chloe Brown” on a “corniness” scale haha. Overall, it’s an easy read, so if you enjoy a cheesy romance, your mileage may vary.

ALL THE STARS FOR THE DATING PLAN!

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

For fans of The Marriage Game, by Sara Desai, The Dating Plan is book #2 in the series. You can read each book as a stand alone. I loved reading about Layla and Sam in The Marriage Game and getting a brief introduction to Layla's cousin, Daisy. The Dating Plan focuses on Daisy, her love life, and of course her family.

Daisy always carried a torch for her brother's best friend in HS, Liam Murphy. When Liam doesn't show up as Daisy's date on senior prom night she experiences her first heartbreak and vows to hate Laim forever. A chance encounter 10 years later and Daisy finds herself face to face with the guy who broke her heart. Both Liam and Daisy formulate a fake dating/engagement plan so that they both get what they want: for him his family's distillery, and for her to save the company she works for from going under.

Secrets are exposed, emotional/physical family abuse comes to light, and these two fake love birds start to mend the broken pieces in their lives. But are they faking their love or are they realizing they always had feelings for each other since the very beginning?

For me, Daisy and Liam's story was more captivating than Layla and Sam's and a lot more steamier than I could have imagined. This was such a page turner and I didn't want the story to end! After reading both of these books Sara Desai has become an auto buy author for me. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

If you're looking for a multicultural love story and love Indian food then this book (and the series) is for you!

I am a huge fan of the fake dating trope & this book follows Daisy & Liam who decide to become fake engaged. They have a past and it’s rocky so needless to say this book was interesting.
I loved the dynamic of Liam And Daisy and how each grew and learned and of course loved. Overall I really enjoyed this book and gah gave me all the swooning feelings

4.5/5 stars
Thank you to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC via netgalley! However, I also happened to get an early hardcover copy from book of the month and read the majority via that copy (although I went back and forth because the lighting in my house sucks 😅)

This was a really cute and fun romance, I loved the huge families Daisy and Liam each had and how different they were. This was also probably my favorite book under the fake dating trope I've read so far as it was more believable and realistic than most. I loved Daisy and Liam and their flaws and how they had to learn to fix themselves first.

Definitely recommend!

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: ⁣ ⁣⁣
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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: ⁣𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘪 ⁣⁣
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯 ⁣⁣
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⁣𝟺 ⭐️ ⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣
𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬: ⁣⁣⁣
•Liam is the perfect, hot, damaged, bad boy of every girls dreams. 😂 I really loved his character and thought he was the perfect amount of flawed yet redeemable character. I enjoyed his character development and was rooting for him to get his shit together the whole book.⁣⁣
•I just thought the overall concept of this was adorable! I’ve never read anything like this and I loved how cute of a couple Liam and Daisy are. They’re both so unique and different which made the saying “opposites attract” come to life! ⁣
•You can never go wrong with a marriage of convenience, fake relationship trope. It’s one of my absolute favorites! ⁣⁣
•The families! Both bat shit crazy but lovable in their own ways (specifically Daisy’s family). I liked the diversity with having the Irish and the Indian families and getting to see their differences too. ⁣⁣
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𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬: ⁣⁣⁣
•The ending between Liam and Brendan was unrealistic, rushed, and very cheesy. I didn’t like how predictable it was and I didn’t think Brendan’s character development was written well. It just wasn’t believable to me and took away from the ending for me. ⁣⁣
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𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ⁣⁣⁣
⁣I really enjoyed this book! It was such a cute rom com that kept me engaged and wanting to keep reading. The characters, including the side characters make this book so wholesome and lovable! I’d recommend this book to all of my romance lovers out there. ⁣
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𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 😂 ⁣

On a scale from gritty realism to high escapism, The Dating Plan lands firmly on the latter end. The two central characters love each other before the story begins and they spend much of the book detailing the many ways they're perfect for one another. Though a character jokes near the end of the story about how much was required to get the couple together, it all really comes down to one honest conversation. The rest of the relationship is a pretty steady stream of idyllic desire and adoration. Desai embraces the tropes of the quirky girl who just needs someone to see how special she is, and the arrogant alpha male who just needs someone to see the heart of gold beneath his impressive pecs. There's plenty of lust for those looking for a steamy read and both characters have side arcs toward a greater appreciation for their complicated families. I enjoyed the humour Desai injects into her banter and the way culture informs both characters. Also, there's a dog, so that's always a nice bonus.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I'm so glad The Dating Plan got picked up by BOTM because Sara Desai's books deserve some serious attention. Her debut novel The Marriage Game is one of my favorites in 2020 and there's definitely no sophomore slump here! Desai writes such adorable and fun characters! Daisy is insanely smart, quirky and witty and I love that our hero Liam loves her because of it! Who doesn't love a man who raises up a woman instead of feeling threatened/embarrassed? He's sexy and broody. I loved that Daisy recognizes that Liam follows her rules but also helps her break them when needed but is there for her as her safety net. I thought they were perfect for each other. Their text exchanges cracked me up!

Excited to see what comes next in this awesome clan!

TW - domestic and child abuse

This review was really a struggle for me to write, because I have no strong feelings on this book. I neither loved it nor hated it... it just kind of existed for me. At first, I thought it might be even better than The Marriage Game, which I similarly enjoyed but didn't feel that strongly about, but then it kind of crept downward. Daisy seemed like a caricature of a geek girl and I honestly didn't see her and Liam together. It seemed like a purely sexual connection coupled with a childhood friendship detached from who they are as adults. Also, the whole marriage-of-convenience/fake dating trope doesn't really work if you TELL EVERYONE IT'S FAKE. That plot point baffled me.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4 stars - 7/10

Is it too soon to have a favorite book of 2021?

I don’t care because this book is one that I know I will still be thinking about and probably have reread many times before this year is over. The story flowed so smoothly because the writing is effortlessly good. The author had a way of drawing you in from the first page and keeping you mesmerized to where you didn’t realize hours had passed when it felt like minutes. She writes intellectual characters who are witty in nature, placed in situations that are both entertaining and heartbreaking. This character driven story is supported with emotional topics that were written with care. It didn’t have theatrics to dramatize the plot or exaggerate characters, it is filled with raw human emotions that resonate with the reader well past the ending of the book.

Daisy and Liam contrasting qualities makes for an entertaining relationship. Daisy likes order and predictability while Liam loves spontaneity and impromptu adventures. They love pushing each other's buttons and finding ways to irritate each other, but at the same time their games tend to bring out the best in the other and complement one another’s personalities. It was delightful watching Daisy unravel little by little when Liam walked back into her life while he discovered the sexiness of a spreadsheet.

Having the two main characters from culturally diverse backgrounds find a commonality within each other’s family was fascinating. The author did a great job peppering diversity into this story with culturally specific traditions and food. The family dynamics were written in a way that was both truthful and believable. It centered on the notion that life is messy, and misconstrued versions of reality can happen without open communication.

This book is the epitome of why I love contemporary romance books. The writing was charming, filled with characters that were beautifully flawed. It was impossible to put down and when I did, I constantly had this book in the back of my mind. It had my attention from the first page and my heart from the first snarky banter. There are good laugh out loud moments and quick wit humor that had me belly laughing at times. The writing is creative. The author took a common trope and provided her own unique twist to make this story her own. Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC

Daisy and Liam are not friends, especially since they haven't seen each other in ten years and Liam jilted Daisy on their prom night. But with annoying aunties constantly trying to marry Daisy off, and a marriage ultimatum hanging over Liam's head, the two agree to fake being fiancées. Their past can't be forgotten, though, and the two fall into the easy rhythm they had years ago. This terrifies Daisy because she has abandonment issues, and terrifies Liam because he has self-esteem issues (and traumatic family issues) - issues all around for both of them.

Of course, we all know what happens in the fake dating trope.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Dating Plan. This was a great example of the enemies to lovers and the fake dating tropes. I loved the character development of Daisy - I think Liam could have stood to develop a little more, but I was still rooting for him. I was also quite surprised that someone as intelligent as Daisy couldn't figure out who Liam's friend was from prom night - she says she "knows" as soon as Sanjay admits it...but I still thought it was strange. The side characters are interesting, and the story was fun. I'd highly recommend The Dating Plan, and I can't wait to read more from Sara Desai.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this digital ARC.
This would be my first book that I've read of Sara Desai and I think I can say she's a decent writer.
Daisy and Liam knew each other when they were younger as Liam was her brother's best friend. Of course she had a huge crush on him when she was a teenager. Liam did the unthinkable by standing her up at prom and disappearing from their lives. 10 years later, she runs into Liam at a conference, one thing leads to another, and now they're fake engaged. Both benefit from this arrangement so it's hard to back down.
What I thoroughly enjoyed about this book was the Indian culture injected throughout the book. From Daisy's huge family to their tradition and their food and clothing. That made the book as a whole seem pretty rich. That's probably the best part of the book as a whole.
Issue number one I have: Daisy is still pissed off about being stood up at prom. I get it. That sucks but it's been TEN years. Get <i>over</i> it. There are worse things to be holding a grudge over than a stupid high school dance and to bring it up so many times? Yeesh.
Issue number two: You can be a fan of something without it being ridiculous. Was Daisy a fan of Marvel? Sure. To mention it multiple times, to have the posters in her bedroom (that she hasn't changed since high school?!) and to wear the underwear...a bit much.
Things seemed to progress quite quickly between the two of them, especially when they were faking it. The rules she kept setting were easily broken (not that I minded) so there wasn't a huge amount of tension because things just happened.
Brendan was THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORST. I hated him so much that by the time he's supposed to be redeemed, I was too far on the hate train to care. I did love his son though.
There are plenty of tropes within this book that anybody would love. From childhood friends to fake fiancee to giving up the thing you love. As a whole, it's a middle of the road 3 star story that I think would be enjoyed by most.

I was really excited about this one, but unfortunately it wasn’t the book for me. I didn’t really like this authors first book either but I usually try to give an author 2 chances to win me over and I don’t think her writing it my style