Everything Sonia writes is absolutely worth reading. This is the 3rd in this series and she does a wonderful job reimagining Jane Austen's work. Let's be real for a moment there are so so many reimaginings of Jane's work and it can be very hard to stand out in the crowd and add enough original material to be of interest to the reader but Sonia manages it flawlessly. Great read for a weekend at the beach or in my neck of the woods on a rainy one.

Thanks to the Book Club Girl Early Read program and NetGalley for a gifted digital copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Loved the title and the premise. No need to have any Jane Austen knowledge to enjoy this, even though author Sonali Dev continues her theme of retelling the Austen classics with an Indian-American angle in this third novel of the series. While this is the first one I read, I didn't find myself confused or feeling left out. The story takes place in Northern CA where I live and involves a governor's election - we've got one coming up so the topic was timely. This is above all a rom-com with an Indian/South Asian flavor, although the novel begins on a serious note with an assassination attempt. The characters are likeable, especially the hero (swoony) and heroine (deserving and honest). The plot is nicely complex with various secrets, family dynamics, sister relationships, misunderstandings, and fascinating behind-the-scenes election PR strategies. The topic of politics contrasts with yoga's beliefs of mental and spiritual well-being. Can these two people from different upbringings and backgrounds blend their ideologies and find true love? No spoilers here but it's a sweet and satisfying story of second-chance love. #IncenseandSensibility #NetGalley

I’ve never read a Jane Austen novel, alright? So I have no idea how this relates to Sense and Sensibility lol. But I enjoyed it a lot! I’m really excited to go back and read the first two books in this series (which I already own… and just haven’t gotten around to…).

When Yash survives an assassination attempt while running for Governor of California, he’s forced to see old family friend and well being coach, India, to help with his anxiety. Unfortunately, while India is a family friend, she’s not exactly a friend of Yash’s, as the two parted on less than stellar terms ten years ago—the last time they saw each other. But is there more than meets the eye? And could it destroy Yash’s chances in the election?

There was so much going on in this book—in a good way. Every member of India’s family had their own subplot, and Yash had his own baggage at the table, as well. However, this book is a little heartbreaking at times and there just seems no way for there to be an HEA (though there is). Additionally, it seemed like the MCs’ love flourished out of nowhere. They spend one evening together, one kiss, and suddenly they’re endgame, at the risk of sacrificing so much? It read like the spoiled teenagers that are Romeo and Juliet, and I just didn’t buy into it, given the limited time they had together.

I loved the writing, and the layers to this story, though. All the characters were carefully cultivated and thought out. It’s clear Dev has talent and this book felt very new and fresh (though maybe it’s because I haven’t read Sense and Sensibility…). I really can’t wait to read the rest of her work.

Thanks to William Morrow for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4 stars - 8/10

Overall, this was enjoyable and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity for an ARC in exchange for an honest, fair review. I did happen to also listen to the audiobook and the production was stellar. I did not enjoy this story as much as others in the series but this was just me lacking a more personal connection to these characters. What I do want to note is Dev's care in which she explores how her characters manage trauma and work through these strong emotions toward acceptance and growth.

I was excited to receive an ARC of Incense and Sensibility. Based on the cover and plot, this looked like such a fun read and a new twist on Jane Austen’s classic novel. I had not read anything previously by Sonali Dev, but I am an instant fan! This book was honestly such a delightful and refreshing novel even though it tackled important themes of racism, gun violence, and mental health. As someone who has suffered panic attacks and debilitating anxiety, I really felt for one of the main characters, Yash Raje. He was on track to getting the life he always wanted when a senseless act of violence rocked his world. Even though he was spared from more serious injuries, he was simply not okay. I love how the story unfolded and he was forced to seek the help from one of his sisters’ best friends, India Dashwood. I need someone like her in my life. While this was not intended as a self help book, I honestly felt inspired by the yoga and coaching to take better care of myself. I was so engaged in all of these characters' lives. I was smiling throughout this book because I love it when two people try to fight fate (I’m resisting spoilers, but let’s talk once you read!) I also loved the role Brandy played in saving the family. I could not recommend this book more! This book was an easy and absolutely entertaining read that you did not want to put down. I was thrilled when I discovered that this was one in a series of stories about the Rejes family. I’m absolutely going to go back and read the others! Thank you William Morrow, #netgalley and @BookClubGirl for introducing me to this author and insights into the Indian-American life.

Such a sweet story, I want to call it romance, but I think its deeper than the typical "falling in love" storyline. It goes past the infatuation and stolen glances and racing hearts. Yash Raje is the politician we've been looking for. A man who is true to his word, a man who is looking for equity and social change, a leader. The story starts with an active shooter at Yash's speaking event. He's wounded and his body guard is fighting for his life. This is a catalyst for Yash and he starts to realize that healing from this will be more than only physical.

This mental healing brings him to India Dashwood. India has been a friend of his sisters for years and is something of a yoga master. He'd helped his cousin Ashna with anxiety attacks and they can trust her to be discreet while helping Yash. Which is all well and good except for the fact that Yash and India had a romantic connection ten years ago and then he basically ghosted her. India can't turn someone away who needs help so even though it pains her she starts helping Yash deal with his trauma.

Yash doesn't feel right about coming to India for help. And, like things always are, its complicated. He never intended to hurt her, sometimes his life felt beyond his own control. The things that were expected of him, or the ways he needed to help others, often came before his own desires and happiness. Things only get more complicated as the story unfolds. This is a look at a deep connection, at an emotional bond and about people who care so deeply about the happiness of the people around them, often to their own detriment.

While this is part of a series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. I dived right in and didn't feel behind in the story in any way. However, I'm definitely invested in reading the first books in the series, and I cannot wait to see who else will have a romance unfold in Ms. Dev's creative mind!

Incense and Sensibility by Somali Dev is an adorable rom-com! I did not realize this was part of a series but I will definitely go pick up the other books!

Yash is running for governor or California and he and his security guard are shot at a campaign event. This trauma leads Yash back to a girl he had one super romantic night with many years ago and he is a mess of feelings. Yash had to try to figure out his feelings and how to move forward into a life where he can be happy, as well as achieve his dream of supporting others as a public servant.

I loved this book! It was romantic but not like steamy romance for people that just want something light and sweet. It would also make a cute movie or tv series!

Pure perfection. Another Sonali Dev masterpiece. Yash experiences a trauma that nearly paralyzes his political ambitions and India is asked to help him in her capacity as a stress management professional.

Their attraction and relationship works from the start.

Ever since reading the first book in the Rajes series, I have been waiting for Yash’s story. You get glimpses of him in the first two books, but I was so glad that Dev chose to tell his story third. Anything political is my catnip, so getting a front row seat to Yash's race to be the governor of California was awesome.

The book starts out very intense and ties in current events beautifully. It is never preachy, but shows how politics can impact all people, especially those in marginalized communities. I loved the heavy themes, how they were dealt with, and felt like this is a story that needed to be told.

Yash has to struggle with a lot in the book. Born into immense privilege, his life has been planned out for him every step of the way. A 10 year arrangement with his best friend Naina has kept his relationship hang-ups out of the spotlight, but with the emergence of the only woman who has ever made him feel, Yash is forced to make tough decisions and lean into the uncomfortable in order to grow. He is forced to choose between his sense of obligation and his heart.

I love this family so much. The Rajes is a close-knit family with secrets deeply embedded in their past. They dish out tough love with the best of them and never let up. Getting a glimpse into their world through the reimagining of Austen's classics has been fun and felt completely contemporary.

Incense and Sensibility is the third book in the Rajes series. While the book can be read as a standalone, I highly encourage you to read the entire series in order. It helps with the world building and you have a greater appreciation for the Rajes family and their individual journeys.

⚠️CW: shooting, racism, hate crimes, anxiety attacks, PTSD

Thank you to Bibliolifestyle, NetGalley, and William Morris for the advanced copy.

WOW!!! Words alone cannot express how much I loved Incense and Sensibility, by Sonali Dev, book three in her Rajes series. From the beginning I was pulled into a story focusing on the love between two people, true soul-mates, separated through misunderstandings, demands or pleasing of other people, and family. India and Yash spoke to me. This second chance romance is about so much more. It's rooted in family, culture, service, loyalty, and in pursuing not only what's in the best interest of others but in their own best interest as well. I enjoyed the dynamics within both families and how India's and Yash's journeys were entwined with them, with side-story threads bringing additional complications and richness to the main story without detracting from it. I loved what Yash stood for, admired his genuine dedication to public service, understood his reasons for past decisions (even if I didn't agree), and fully understood the inner turmoil those decisions caused. I adored India. I wanted to be friends with her, take her yoga class, and maybe just hang out with her. She and Yash are so good together, as if they had each been created for the other. I was pulling for them the entire way, despite some major obstacles in their way.

Sonali Dev wove magic into her third Jane Austen-inspired novel. Dev allows us to connect with her characters, while adding an irresistible Indian-American flavor to her storyline.I really loved reading this book and had trouble putting this book down. Ms. Dev held me captive, drawing me into her book, making me forget the world around me and not letting me go even after I turned the last page. I highly recommend Incense and Sensibility to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I love Jane Austen and this book is a play on her book Sense and Sensibility. That was my favorite part of the book, Incense and Sensibility, by Sonali Dev. I know now that it is the third in a series of which I have not read the first two. It took me quite a while to figure out what was going on. I finished the book, seeking similarities to Austen's original story, and found Incense and Sensibility to be an enjoyable read. I believe readers who have read the other (first two) of the series may enjoy it even more. If you are a Jane Austen fan you should definitely consider this book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third of Sonali Dev's Jane Austen-inspired novels that I have read, so I feel I know the Raje family fairly well by now. This is primarily the story of Yash Raje, gubernatorial candidate, and India Dashwood, family friend/yoga instructor/stress management coach. India is *not* the woman Yash has been dating throughout this series, and there is a love triangle element here, though not in the traditional sense (and there is no cheating).

This probably reads fine as a standalone story, but familiarity with the family definitely enriches the reading experience. Dev does not spend a lot of time rehashing the earlier books, so these family dynamics may make more sense (especially Dev's relationship with his parents) for readers not coming in cold.

The Austen connections are there, but Dev's books are not strict retellings of Austen's stories. She takes inspiration but lets the story and characters follow their own paths, which I consider a plus.

I was so excited for this book to come out because I’ve really enjoys all the books about the Raje family by Sonali Dev and this one didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed the modern spin on this Austen classic and how Dev added real political and social issues into the storyline to tie into Yash’s political career. I wish Yash was actually a political candidate I could vote for!! All the characters in this story were so well written and easy to rally behind. For all the build up to the ending I do feel like it fell a bit flat for me. I wanted more details about how things resolved with China (maybe this is another story to be published later)?!? I also would have liked to hear more of Yash’s conversation with his parents before the press conference. But overall, this was highly enjoyable and I would recommend this whole series of books to anyone looking for a cute romance story. My favorite of the series so far is #2!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Sonali Dev is brilliant at taking timeless classics and making them appealing to the modern reader. This novel could be read as a standalone but I would encourage you to at least pick up Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors because one of the main characters is introduced and featured quite a bit.
Like Edward and Elinor, Yash and India have a forbidden romance. Yash is running for governor of California and has the perfect lady on his arm. His parents approve and her altruistic efforts fit in line with his campaign. The fake relationship seems far less appealing when Yash's friend is gravely injured at a rally and he turns to India for help, albeit unwillingly.
I found Sonali just before Recipe for Persuasion released last year and there's no turning back. I adore a good retelling and her twist feels both fresh and relevant.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This is the third book in the Rage series, and in my opinion it's the weakest. The story is intriguing, but it suffers from being too serious, and lacks the wit and charm of the first two. By the end I found myself not really caring if the characters had their HEA or not - which is extremely rare for me.

If you are a fan of the series, it is worth reading but I don't think it could stand on it's own.

Another wonderful novel by Sonali Dev! Based loosely upon Jane Austen’s work, Sense and Sensibility, full of color and passion, and I’ll be honest it’s also a bit easier to read. India Dashwood as a very zen Elizabeth Bennett, is the responsible female in her family. Her mother is not annoying like Elizabeth’s own mother was, but she is a bit of a dreamer letting her insurance lapse just as she needs it, so India has filled the family matriarch shoes. Her younger sister China has found love, albeit one that seems requited only when convenient and doomed for heartbreak. India’s duty is to figure out how to pay the bills and keep her family together. When Yash, the man she has loved for the last 10 years, asks for her help, despite her misgivings she does the responsible thing and offers her help. She coaches Yash in yoga practices, helping him get through the pain and guilt of seeing his friend shot. At the same time they both have those same feelings they did so long ago.

I loved how calm and rational India was during every dramatic and heartbreaking scene. She felt so deeply yet carried on without wailing and crying like her younger sister despite having those same feelings inside. She truly was someone to emulate and didn’t get the credit she deserved. It’s no wonder Yash, who outside was the epitome of solidity but inside was a mush pot, needed India’s depth of character as his chosen mate. I could totally see her in the Governor’s mansion giving yoga instruction to her staff at daybreak.

Usually I get impatient for the couple to get together in a romance novel, but for some reason in Incense and Sensibility I had a well of patience. Maybe it was because Yash needed to work through so many different things and India would stay steadfast. I’m not sure. I am glad I had that patience because when he was finally ready his actions had so much more impact. The pace of this novel was absolutely perfect.

If you love this series, then like me, I think this may be your new favorite (I say that after reading every one of them!). Novels are a wonderful peek into different cultures and lifestyles and Sonali Dev packs her novels with a richness of scene as well as character. Your emotions will make you fall in love with the Rajes, India, and the rest of the characters in this story. You may also want to start taking up yoga. Hey, it could happen! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Both a Jane Austen retelling and a moving contemporary love story, Incense and Sensibility is successful on so many levels. Relatable, well-drawn characters and a compelling plot make this a great read!

I liked this book and I loved Raje and India. I want to go back and read Sense and Sensibility now - I don’t remember it well enough to see the comparisons!

This was my first Sonali Dev title, and I've been working through the backlist.. Charming, sweet romance set within a family of wealthy Indian immigrants and California politics. Read, and clear time on your calendar to read more.

Incense and Sensibility by Sonali Dev is a different kind of romance, some of it cultural, but not all. It offers a glance into the world of politics and the way politicians often wear a mask covering their true selves in order to win elections. Yash Raje is running for Governor of California when he is shot. Worse, his bodyguard had leapt in front of him and he had been shot as well. Abdul had lain across Yash's legs, bleeding. Yash, discombobulated, had tried to stop his bleeding but there was so much blood. They both made it to the hospital, alive, but Abdul didn't wake up from his surgery. Yash was unable to take the stage again; the anxiety was too great. The family, who was basically his campaign team, tossed around plenty of suggestions, but one rose to the fore: India, a relatively well-known yogi therapist. Yash is resistant remember one day, ten years in his past, but eventually agreed. India was surprised to see them, but agreed to try to help. It took several visits but eventually Yash was better. But, he found the lies he had been living with no longer worked for him. He wanted the relationship he had begun ten years earlier.

This is a thoughtful book, delving into emotions that are normally left lying still. It is a perusal of peoples' higher desires. It delves into the difference between a politician and a public servant, as well as personal good vs. the greater good. It is a history of keeping secrets and living a lie. It is beautifully written and forces the reader to examine himself as well. I did not know what to expect as I opened this book. I was surprised, pleasantly so, to find such a lovely story, albeit, like all romances, with a happily ever after. I would seriously recommend this book for modern readers.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Incense and Sensibility by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #IncenseandSensibility