This was a cute YA romance. I liked it. Great feel good read with good representation. A cute and sweet YA story. Both main characters were well developed and enjoyable arcs throughout the book. Would recommend to anyone looking for a contemporary YA romance!

This sweet little book is a delectable read that combines the mouthwatering world of food with the heartwarming journey of first love. In a genre filled with coming-of-age tales, this book is a delightful treat that adds a unique twist to the classic teen romance story. The author crafts relatable and authentic characters, allowing readers to connect with their struggles and triumphs. The supporting cast, including friends and family, adds depth and realism to the story, making it all the more engaging.

This was a cute story, I enjoyed the addition of the recipes and dance as they both play a large part in Indian culture, I unfortunately felt like the pacing was a bit rushed and the relationship/characters seemed very underdeveloped.

A story that combines my love of Bollywood dancing and food? Perfect combination. An adorable YA romcom with two teenagers coming together to choreograph for the Bollywood Beats dance team. The fun and sweet light hearted moments blend into mental health and tough family issues. A great well rounded read that will make you so hungry and smile.

I thought this book was really cute! For whatever reason it just gave me major High School musical vibes which I loved and of course, I always love South Asian representation. I think this book is perfect for a younger, middle school/high school audience, but I still appreciated reading it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This was a fun read full of mouthwatering descriptions of Indian food and lots of Bollywood dancing centered at a performing arts high school.

Radha has devoted her life to dance, but never wants to perform again. Instead she’s trying to figure out what her future holds, and trying to connect with her father through cooking, while battling her mother for control of her own life.

Jai feels like he has to take care of everyone and make sure his family is taken care of, even if it means leaving his own dream to become a doctor behind.

A chance meeting sparks interest between them, and their mutual love of dance helps to draw them together. Their relationship is filled with ups and downs, as Jai feels like he needs to protect Radha at times. At one point I was yelling at him for the choices he was making.

Both characters grow and evolve throughout the story, as does their relationships with their families. I had a lot of fun with this one and finished it pretty quickly.

Disclosure: I received an eARC of this book through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Bollywood (well, of course!) – the larger-than-life-reel-lives, the dancing, the music, the just-about-everything I grew up on. And I love food as well as romance! So how can I not enjoy a book that brings them all in one beautiful, sweet package?!

This is for you if you are looking for a sweet, refreshing YA read. Like me, if you are a fan of Indian food, of Bollywood dancing/culture, of sweet romances, and oh yes, also of dance competitions, you will finish this book in one sitting.

Check out my post at https://www.ladyinreadwrites.com/romance-and-recipes-bollywood-style/ for a more detailed review!!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Radha & Jai's Recipe for Romance was a sweet story. I enjoyed the cultural aspects of the story. My high school students like the book.

I really loved this book. I thought it was so sweet and fun, but dived deeper into some more serious topics as well. The characters were well-developed and written in a way that it was impossible to not feel immediately connected to them.

Cute and fun YA romance, with all the drama of overbearing mothers. Was struck by the theme of young adults who have to grow up too fast - for different reasons - because of family circumstances. Sharma did an amazing job of showing that even when we are forced to grow up too fast, some of our youth shines through. Jai and Radha were a cute couple, though I wish there had been a bigger build up to their romance.

I ended up not really enjoying the writing style very much, but absolutely loved the premise and theme of the novel - I was very touched by the author's note at the beginning of the book.

This book was so stinking fun. We got all the excitement that comes with dance, mixed with the drama of family and romance, topped off with mouthwatering food. It truly was the perfect recipe for an enjoyable YA novel.

As I mentioned, I think my favorite part of this book was the blend of so many different things coming together to form this book. It wasn't just about dance or just about Radha and Jai's romance, but about a variety of things. The way everything came together so seamlessly still has me in awe.

I also really loved both Radha and Jai as characters. They both had issues from their past and present that they were working through so it was nice that they could count on each other. They needed extra support in their lives and they found it in each other. I couldn't have loved them more together if I tried.

As well, Sharma's descriptions of their dances was so detailed and spot on it felt as though I was actually watching them dance! It wasn't boring or annoying either having all the details of their dances. It genuinely felt like I was sitting on their practices and competitions as a proud parent. I loved that!

One of the main reasons I had to bump this down as star was because it was missing something. And I think I've connected that with the frequent scene jumps. Even though the blending of themes and activities in this book were seamless, the scene changes were not. It felt like I wasn't getting the emotional punch sometimes. Or as if the scene was ending prematurely, without quite reaching its full potential. It left something to be wanted in that aspect.

Overall, this book was entertaining, emotional, and an amazing blend of amazingness. If you enjoyed Instructions for Dancing, I recommend this one for you!

I didn’t really like or dislike this book. It was very… average. I didn’t feel like anyone really grew throughout the course of this book. Even though logically I know they did, it just felt very static as though nothing was happening. I did like the incorporation of food and wish that had been the main focus of the book.

My Thoughts:

Based on the cover, it is about two east Indian American teens who love to dance and cook. It's a romance. Nice! Not every book has to be academic or discussed using literary lenses. Sometimes, YA readers want something uncomplicated and transparent. This is a romance. How do I know? It says it in the title. Sometimes, I need things as uncomplicated as that. This is not an emotional roller coaster, but you want to root for Radha and Jai. These kids are loved by their families and their friends. They have instant chemistry even if they are very poor communicators. Most importantly, they are lovely characters who will capture young readers of romance.

I like this book because it is a two day read and then I can move on with my grading. 4 stars for sure. Also, because like Bollywood, there is no sex, this can also be read by middle grades despite the characters being seniors in high school.

As far as ladders to and from this book, or what I am calling centrifugal books that spin out and around each other, this book can be given to students who like other devour worthy YA romance books that are on the cute side versus the broken romance side:

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
Don't Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
From the Publisher:
Radha is on the verge of becoming one of the greatest kathak dancers in the world . . . until a family betrayal costs her the biggest competition of her life. Now she has left her Chicago home behind to follow her stage mom to New Jersey. At the Princeton Academy of the Arts, Radha is determined to leave performing in her past and reinvent herself from scratch.

Jai is captain of the Bollywood Beats dance team, ranked first in his class, and is an overachiever with no college plans. Tight family funds means medical school is a pipe dream, which is why he wants to make the most out of high school. When Radha enters his life, he realizes she's the exact ingredient he needs for a show-stopping senior year.

With careful choreography, both Radha and Jai will need to face their fears (and their families) if they want a taste of a happily ever after.

Publication date: July 13, 2021
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Author: Nisha Sharma

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of dance, choreography, and cooking in Radha's life. Cooking connects her with her dad and his restaurant. Kathak dance and competitions were a big part of her relationship with her mom, but she's put dance on hold for now and is focusing on choreography instead at her new school.

Nisha Sharma can do no wrong. I really love that she writes about South Asian characters. i love the journey and I feel like I learn something from her books. Nisha has.a been a guest multiple times in the podcast .

This was such a cute book! I really enjoyed the characters and everything was developed really well. This is a great book.

This was a really fun Y a book that also touched on family issues. There is a Bollywood dancing team as well as a former Indian classic dancer who has now fallen in love with cooking as well. It was fun to see and heartwarming as well how she started to fall in love with cooking as much as she loves dance. The romance between the hero and heroine was cute and heartwarming. All in all it was a touching book that really was good at looking how sometimes the goals that you have changed before you graduate high school. All in all it was a cute fun book with yummy food and Bollywood dancing.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!

3,5 rounded up.

THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTEEEEEE.
I've been trying to dive into the YA contemporary romance for a while, because it's not my favorite, and this book was a great way to start. Radha and Jai are such cool people, and i really enjoyed their relationship and the way they pushed each other to do better. Miscommunication was a trope here, but it was well developed and not about jealousy, for once (bless!!). The side characters are just the best, especially the director and the team.
Embracing your passions and following your dreams are the big themes of the novel, and my old self felt very seen after reading Radha and Jai's struggles to find themselves and find their own dreams, to detach themselves from their families. These are questions every teenager goes through at least once, and it was handled beautifully. The dance and the cooking too — i loved how these two things were a huge part of Radha's development, much more than her interactions with other characters. I teared up a lot while seeing Radha's relationship with both her mom and her dad — it felt very very real and relatable. The author's narrative is easy and really comforting; I'll definitely check out her future work.
My favorite thing about this book, though, was the structure: i LOVED learning Indian recipes in the beginning of the chapters!