4.5 stars

A feel-good, wholesome book, total fantasy and yet comforting in that chai-on-a-cold-day feeling. All of the main characters were emotionally intelligent enough to both communicate with one another and examine their own feelings; while not without flaws, they weren’t tortured in their attempts to improve themselves.

I have two gripes with this book. One is that it over-explained its Indian references for a white American audience. The Hindi could have gone without constant translation, the Bollywood movies could have gone un-summarized. Secondly, Nash, despite being from Nashville—a city with some excellent Indian food—has apparently never met an Indian person or experienced even the slightest bit of Indian culture before in his life.

The story is a bit saccharine, but it’s what I want from my contemporary romance. The drama has to do with the choices and compromises of two individuals, not a conniving villain or a boatload of annoying extras. Kiran’s friends are pillars of support, each with their own unique personality, and I very much hope they each get books of their own. Nash, the hero, is a bit bland, but watching him truly learn how to be a supporting white boyfriend of an immigrant WoC is refreshing; he’s neither a totally ignorant asshole nor a woke angel, but he’s trying his best and he’s immediately chagrined when he messes up, never pinning the blame on her for being offended. [Note: I am a white American reviewer; YMMV].

For me, this book was just a success on all fronts in what it was trying to do. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

WOW. Thank you, @annikasharma, @netgalley, and @sourcebookscasablanca, for the ARC of Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words. I finished the novel a few weeks ago, and I've been sitting with the feelings ever since.

Let's start with the basics: the story follows Kiran and Nash as they navigate New York City, cultural differences, and personal growth in a post-pandemic world. It's a love story, but it's so much more than that. The world Sharma has created for these two lovebirds is warm, healing, and, honestly, so very beautiful. I love the descriptions of chai, the supportive friendships, the cross-cultural relationship, and the mention of ice cream from @malai_icecream! I’ve never wanted to live in NYC before, but thanks to the representation in this book, I'm a little bit tempted.

Sharma tackles conversations about culture and first-generation differences deftly and with love. However, as an Indian-American reader with a family upbringing very different than Kiran's, I would also like to emphasize that the Indian American experience is not the same across (or even within) families. This is one story; it tackles very real issues, yes. But we are not a monolith.

Trigger warnings to be mindful of include: parental abandonment, alcohol and substance abuse, illness, and neglect.

Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words hits bookshelves in one week! Pre-order your copies now!

❤️

I'm rather conflicted about this review friends-I wholeheartedly wanted to give Love, Chai and Other Four Letter words a better rating, but it was riddled with so many stereotypes, I in good conscience couldn't😭

My brown girl heart was so incredibly happy to receive a book written by a woman of colour , featuring a large cast of Indian rep within - but boy did I have a little struggle reading this.

The story had such an interesting premise and for the most part was a really lovely read, I just found it difficult that the author used so many common Indian stereotypes all in one book.

With that being said it was however, in every way such a breath of fresh air! I've never read a book with so much South Asian representation😭❤️

I think that the author tells a very important story about Indian immigrants and there are times were she gets the struggle of being a brown perfectly right. It is always such a delight reading books written by woman of colour that features a South Asian main character!!

Nash Hawthorne was such a sweet love interest and there were such swoon worthy rom com moments in this book. Regarding the main conflict of the book I know for certain that are many Indian parents like Kiran's but I also know that many Indian parents have moved away (thankfully so) from the horrific mindset portrayed in the book.

So much of the book read as a love letter to India and New York and I loved how atmospheric the it felt.
I am very curious to see how the rest of the series is written as they will all have poc protagonists!

Thank you to sourcebooks for the ARC!

A huge thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my e-aRC in exchange for an honest review.

The book features four South Asian friends living in New York City who call themselves the ‘Chai Masala Club,’ on their individual journeys to find love and tick off items on their things to do before 30. The book however mostly follows Kiran a first-generation immigrant from India living in New York City. Her life is shaken up when she gets a new neighbour (Nash) in the apartment next door, and they start to form a friendship that turns into something more. We follow them as they go on dates but Kiran does all he can to not fall in love with him because he is white.

I loved how the book touched on culture and love.

Actual rating : 3.5

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"Time spent with loved ones always filled those tanks back up to the brim. . .and one always longed for that feeling to last longer than it ever did. "

It was wonderful to read Love, Chai and other four letter words by Annika Sharma. It was a fun love story that was a delight to read. The main characters, Kiran and Nash, are characters who I enjoyed investing in. Both had great friends, an interesting backstory, and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow. It was a pleasure to explore different parts of New York City and India through their eyes.

The author does a good job of sharing Indian culture and what it is like to be an East Indian in America. It was eye opening to see Kiran’s world and how others treated her. I enjoyed reading the story.

I was given a copy from Sourcebooks Casablanca not required to write a positive review.

DNF @ 45%

I guess I am the first one to DNF this book. Oh, well...

The main reason why I requested this book was, the female lead was an Indian immigrant. Not an NRI but an immigrant. She was born and brought up in India and I was excited to read from her point of view.

Initially, it started out good. Kiran and her Chai Masala Club, fondly called as CMC, was fun. Four Indians with different backgrounds and personalities brought together by their love for chai and their roots.

Having only read till 45%, I still had quite a few elements which led to me DNF'ing the book. I've highlighted them in point form for easy access:


#1: Parental Influence —
Born and raised in India, parents have tons of influence on their kid's life. It doesn't matter that you are from the city and "educated" or from the village, your parents have a lot of opinions about every aspect of your life.

Kiran and her parents were from a small village, but as I mentioned, it doesn't matter if you are from the city or the village, Indian parents have a certain mindset and it is practically impossible to change it, especially if their child is like Kiran.

After Kiran's parents were betrayed by their eldest daughter (for very typical Indian parent mindset things) they've become over-protective, over-cautious and controlling of Kiran and the way she lives her life.

Kiran, while she has lived in the US for over a decade, is still influenced by her parents and their needs and thoughts. Pretty normal for an Indian immigrant kid, however, this has turned out to become Kiran's personality. It has come to a point where she refuses to even toe the line.

Emotional blackmail is a pretty common tactic that parents apply to get their kids to do what they want and Kiran's parents do the same.

What I would have loved to see was the author had moved away from this trope. She could have had Kiran and her parents communicate. I know, I know Indians and communication don't exactly go hand in hand, but I would have loved to see her parents be more accepting and I would have loved to see Kiran be more free.



#2: American's and their obsession with the most banal food —
Okay, but seriously, what is it with American's and their obsession with Mac n Cheese?

Mac n cheese is single-handledly one of the blandest food I've ever tasted and more importantly, you had an Indian girl obsessed with Mac n Cheese? Like, it wasn't even waffle (for being sweet) or hell, even pizza.

It was all so utterly bland.



#3: A somewhat desensitized female lead —
I've lived in India for 26 years (born and raised) and yet I get awed by the sights, and here you have an Indian move from their home all the way to the US and you're telling me they were already done with the sight. Granted it's been 10 years, but still?

Second, Indians seek out Indians in foreign countries, but there is some form of excitement and it was lacking.




#3: Narrative & Pacing —
It felt like every single thing was being hashed out and discussed. Every dialogue exchange was philosophical and heavy which made the pacing of the story too slow, and making it boring as well.
It was a drag to even read till 45%. More often than not, I would shut this book to pick up another one.



#4: Oblivious Male Lead —
We are in the 21st century and our characters are in their mid 20s nad our male lead, Nathan was completely oblivious about the Indian culture. More often than not Kiran was explaining every little thing about the culture.

What's more ironic is that, for someone who was interested in a person from a culture that was so different, Nathan really didn't make an effort to learn about the culture. I mean, he could always Google and find out some of the basic stuff.


I didn't read past the 45% mark not because I wouldn't, but because I couldn't. I think it says a lot when a reader is continuously putting aside a book for another one or falling asleep. So far, I did not enjoy the book as I had hoped and I don't have the will to finish it.

I know a lot of people enjoyed the overall story and I know there will be a lot more. Unfortunately, I was not one of those people.


As is usually the case, I don't rate books I didn't finish. NetGalley requires a rating, hence the 1 star.

this book is so fantastic! please pick it up as soon as possible! this is so good and so cute and so wonderful and all the great and beautiful things. for realz.

Thank you to NetGalley, Annika Sharma, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words!
I originally requested the book because it sounded like such a cute lighthearted biracial love story, but I quickly learned it was so much more. Annika really dives into the Indian culture and experiences as an immigrant in America. I love that she wrote about life in India and as an Indian in the U.S. while still progressing the story forward. It was really eye opening to see how valuable American healthcare can be compared to other countries. Nash and Kiran had such a sweet meet cute, and it was enjoyable reading them complete Kiran’s Life in New York to do list. Kiran and Nash were really flushed out characters and you get to experience both of their character development regarding family. It was so interesting to read the contrast in their families and how they both dealt with it.
If you enjoy friends to lovers’ romance, I highly recommend this for you!
Side note – I now know to call it Chai instead of Chai tea. Thanks for the nugget of knowledge, Annika! =)

I will post my review the week of publication to instagram.com/_nighttimereads

Rating: 4.5

Oh my heart! This book is like a warm cup of chai on a chilly day. It will warm your heart instantly.

I loved Kiran and Nash’s story. Set in NYC, you quickly notice the chemistry between these two neighbors. A beautiful friendship blooms but can it turn into something more? Kiran and Nash both struggle with social/family issues. Kiran having lived in America for 10 years still feels like an outsider and because she’s Indian feels she has to constantly fight to prove that she belongs there just as much as anyone else. Nash being a true southern guy doesn’t always understand how Kiran feels but has had his own rough upbringing with a father who left him and his drug addicted mother, seeing his mother relapse more than once, and never feeling like he had his own family. You realize Nash keeps people at arm’s length because he’s scared of being left.

As Kiran and Nash realize there’s more to their friendship Kiran’s culture/family history tries to keep them apart. Kiran struggles with not wanting to cause her parents heartbreak again, they already lost one daughter to true love, and they just want Kiran to obey them. But Kiran living so far away from her family and having freedom to make her own choices makes her think she can change her parents way of thinking.

Not only do we see Kiran’s life in NYC but we see her travel back to Delhi after a medical emergency involving her father and her trying to locate the sister she hasn’t seen in 20 years. This story has everything: family drama, social/racial issues, and a beautiful closed door romance. And let’s not forget all the Indian food references. Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words is easily one of my favorite romances of the year! Check this one out on October 5th and make sure to order some samosas along with your favorite Indian dish while reading! You’re going to get hungry, trust me!

Many thanks to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for the e-galley in exchange for my honest review. And special thanks to Annika Sharma! Thank you for giving us readers a glimpse into Indian culture and relationships.

Kiran Mathur knows her duty: eventually she must settle down and marry a respectable Indian man. But then Nash Hawthorne entered her life. Nash, with his dreams of helping children from broken families. Nash, with his adventurous spirit. Nash, with his white skin. Kiran knows what is expected of her, but Nash makes her feel, makes her dream, like she never imagined. But no matter what Kiran wants, she knows pursuing anything with Nash will only hurt her family. As Kiran fights her desire to be with Nash in favor of her desire to appease her family back in India, Nash has to contend with his own inner need to atone for his own family’s mistakes. In a sweet slow burn full of laughs and coy looks, Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words is a fantastic will they/won’t they romance.

For me, the diversity in Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words was top tier. The romance genre, in general, is drowning in white characters, so I absolutely love seeing other races and ethnic groups starring in romantic leading roles. And Sharma takes the diversity even further by not just having one non-white leading character; she wrote four wonderfully different Indian characters with vibrant personalities, strengths, intelligence, and ambitions. Sharma also gave a great backstory to Nash, with complicated feelings and emotions influencing his decisions and dreams. Kiran and Nash came from such different worlds, and were raised under such different circumstances, yet I loved that, underneath it all, both characters had the same motivation: to live their life as a result of their family’s past choices. Nash and Kiran were so different on the surface, but Sharma shows that true connection and belonging happens much deeper.

Kiran and Nash started off as strangers, Nash new to the city, and their journey from strangers to friends to something more was very cute and sweet to read. I was rooting for them both almost immediately after they met, but I also acknowledge how hard it would be for Kiran to fall for someone who isn’t the Indian man her family expects. The will they/won’t they question lingered through most of the book, but Sharma made their romance very much worth the wait.

I quickly fell in love with Kiran and Nash’s story, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in Annika Sharma’s Chai Masala Club series.

"You find beauty in the small things," Nash said, and the tenderness in his eyes was unmistakable.

Isn't that the only way to live? To find beauty in all moments?" Kiran asked.

And she couldn't help but find wonder in this one.

. . .

I cannot believe this is Annika Sharma's debut adult title, because it was utterly charming and so well-written. Full of emotion, depth and family, this romance built on friendship and the desire to not only grow as people, but to finish their "lists" spoke right to my heart.

From the endearing friendships Kiran has with her friends that have become her family in America, the Chai Masala Club, (that I absolutely cannot WAIT to see more of in the rest of the series!) to her foodie adventures all over New York City, I adored who Kiran was as our main character. Her traditional upbringing, the hardships she has endured as an Indian coming to live in America, the estrangement of her sister were all woven together with this interracial romance that I really enjoyed. While it had the "strict parent trope" it doesn't just stop there, it delves deep into what family obligations can mean to different people and how to grow within those expectations.

While I cannot claim to know how realistic this family dynamic is, I was absolutely immersed in the way Sharma created each of these characters, their similarities and differences and how they're seen by one another and who they are as people.

Nash may have been a white male without much knowledge of her culture, but coming from a difficult childhood of his own, I loved that our couple had such depth individually, that make their finding love so much more beautiful. I adored that we got to know him on an equally emotional level with the dual POV, and how his job and upbringing were such a part of him, his growth as a half of this couple and for his willingness to learn from Kiran, and show up for her in a grand way to prove his love.

I adored "traveling" the pages with the couple as they got to know one another, through the vivid descriptions of places and food, the intimacy created from falling in love with someone and now am dying to try so many of the foods shared in these pages!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablance + NetGalley for the ARC, I am absolutely thrilled @literallybookedsolid brought us to the loveARCtually crew as a special club opportunity. Looking forward to chatting about the book with Annika later this month!

Love, Chai, and Other Four Letter Words
Summary:
She's determined to be the perfect daughter until she meets the perfect guy
Kiran Mathur knows firsthand how dangerous love can be. After all, her sister's marriage in India nearly destroyed Kiran's family. Nash is a dedicated psychologist and committed to being alone. For both, love feels like a risk. But when the future only starts to make sense with each other, it might be time to follow their hearts...

My Thoughts:
Let me start by saying how immensely happy it makes me discover authors I did not know of a plus when he/she is a South Asian author it's even better! Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Annika Sharma for allowing me to review this book.
What I loved:
Indian Immigrant/ Desi representation, even though there are a lot of South Asian authors you usually don't find a storyline that involves an Indian immigrant.
The CMC club - always love the friendship aspect in any book
There were social issues raised and weaved into the storyline without making it very heavy for the reader
enjoyed the forbidden love trope
It's set in NYC, which always makes the story magical
Good writing and character development
The author was bold enough to write a story and talk about certain topics which when you are a minority is not easy as the audience can be extremely critical due to many reasons- misrepresentation, stereotype, offended religious/ moral beliefs
There's so much of Masala Chai in this book - Love it
What I didn't like:
There were some stereotypes- South Asian falling for a mediocre white guy
Although this particular story highlights Kirans specific background- a lot of Indian families are now very progressive and liberal.
There were sometimes that I was annoyed with Kiran when all she thought about was how her parents would react to her falling in love with someone her parents did not choose because of what happened with her sister, I know that's part of the story but I think it got a little too much coverage
This is a closed-door romance- so romance readers who are looking for a lot of details, descriptions, and steam may be disappointed!
The things I did not like do not outway the fact that I loved reading this book and Kirans story. I look forward to reading more of Annika's work in the future!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m quite conflicted about my thoughts about Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words, especially after seeing that it featured a South Asian MC. There were parts that I really liked in this novel, but ultimately there were a ton of elements of the story that were huge turn-offs.

Starting off with what I liked about this novel, I really love how this book features Indian rep. And by Indian rep, I mean rep for those born and raised in India. Most books with ‘Indian rep’ that are released in the U.S. publishing industry feature Indian-American rep, so I’m glad that Indian readers have proper representation for themselves! I also liked the discussions about Indian immigrants in the U.S. struggling to keep up with the lifestyle and culture of the U.S. and how they don’t feel as connected to their Indian-American peers. Additionally, I liked that Kiran, our MC, came from a low-income family back in India and how her journey to the U.S. was a huge deal and form of success for her family, which helped break the model minority myth. I also loved how even though all members of the Chai Masala Club come from different Indian backgrounds (Kiran is Indian, Payal is British-Indian, and Akash and Sonam are Indian-American), they all confirm that they still consider themselves united as Indian.

Now moving onto some elements I didn’t particularly like, since this is a romance book, let’s start with the romance between Nash, our love interest, and Kiran. Let me start off by saying that I’m genuinely so tired of seeing women of color (especially South Asian women) being paired with mediocre white men in romance novels and have to bend over backwards to explain their culture and deal with their insensitive remarks. First, I found it shocking that as someone who lives in NYC, Nash was as oblivious to Indian culture as he was in this book. It was honestly exhausting seeing Kiran have to explain every little thing about her culture to him and to hear him spew incredibly offensive and insensitive remarks when it came to how Kiran’s parents treated her. His comments about how because she was in America she had freedom to leave her parents and freedom to choose decisions for herself as opposed to the ‘oppressive’ nature of India? NOT IT. I have absolutely no idea why Kiran didn’t just leave Nash then and there. It honestly just seemed like she liked him solely because he helped her complete the items of her NYC bucket list and that he was there to listen to her rant about her day. That was genuinely the entire basis of their relationship, and it felt quite repetitive and bland as the chapters progressed.

Next, moving onto the relationship between Kiran and her family. I was pretty disappointed to see that this book followed the “strict South Asian parents” trope. I wish Annika Sharma had moved on from this stereotype and instead featured South Asian parents who are loving and supportive, instead of painting them in a “backwards or oppressive” light. I’m glad that Kiran’s parents came around about her relationship with Nash at the end of the novel, but a lot of the stuff that they were saying over the phone to her when she first told them about Nash were truly appalling and I honestly felt like it did more harm than good. Similarly, ​​when Kiran goes to India, I really didn’t like how Annika Sharma painted India to be this run-down place filled with poverty. I think she could have utilized this scene to talk about how the economic disparity is caused by the Indian government rather than appealing to Eurocentric views of Asian countries.

Some other elements that really raised a red-flag for me were the horrifying number of times Harry Potter was mentioned in this book. I would hope that Annika Sharma would realize that this series and its author have caused immense pain and trauma for marginalized communities, especially the trans community, and that there was absolutely no need to mention the series as many times as Kiran did in this novel. Additionally, there was also a comment about Gandhi and his practice of non-violent protests that painted Gandhi in a positive light. I would also hope that Annika Sharma would realize that Gandhi is definitely not a good person and should not be considered a role-model for South Asians, or anyone anywhere.

Anyways, that’s where I fell with this novel. I’m intrigued to read the following books in this series, especially since Sonam and Akash are both Indian-American. Overall, however, I’d have to give this first novel in the Chai Masala Club series 2.5 stars because of the reasons mentioned above.

This ARC was generously provided to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca.

3.6 stars!

This book was like Bollywood movie, sans the offensive item song, and that's basically me saying I really liked it.

Kiran is a first-generation immigrant in America from a small village of India, now living in New York. It's been ten years she has uprooted her life from the only land she's known and her only support here is her group of three closest friends, Akash, Sonam, Payal. She always takes pain to make sure she doesn't stray from her Ma and Baba's dictated path, to not disappoint them, even if it means marrying a guy of their choice.

But then Nash comes into the apartment next door, a social wallflower from the Southern countryside, overwhelmed and overpowered by New York. And slowly but surely they become friends and start having feelings for each other.

But Kiran *can't* fall for him, a white guy, not after her sister's mistake, for which she was banished from the family.

But spoiler alert: she will fall for him.

Okay, first let me worship Annika Sharma's style of writing, her way with words and phrases that is impressive and looks sophisticated and elegant and mature, suffused with an acute understanding of the language she is employing. Her hand is sure, and her prowess is in wielding the words with dexterity.

The Indian representation is spectacularly drawn, in Kiran and all her friends, from little references to the Indian culture, Diwali, Holi, all the religious festivals and chai and just lifestyle. All of them are scattered across the book in a wonderful cozy amount, that made it all the more relatable for me. I loved how they had their own group of friends who were all Indian, a nook of solace and comfort in a foreign land that would never completely accept them.

The racist treatment chucked to the immigrants, especially first generation, are really well-portrayed. Not just the racist treatments, but the author talked elaborately and extensively about the prejudices and discriminations and assumptions that come with them, the privileges that white people have and that make them overlook them easily.

It's a heartfelt love letter to India. Not just its flourishing and sparkling parts, but also the sticky ones, the dusty streets and the garbage-spilling road corners and pockmarked roads. India stripped off its polish and grandeur and naked in its impoverished ways. Most of the Indian reps I read in novels don't focus on the poverty, the ramshackle state of villages and how that clashes vehemently with the first world country situation, and I loved how the author did. Kiran is someone who comes from a village and then went to a boarding school in the big city and the author sketches out both kinds of India in all its glory and gory details.

But it's also a folded valentine's card to New York City, a warm and opulent description of its touristy parts as well as the mundane things that New Yorkers enjoy on a daily basis, and it just made me want to go live there more. I'm an out and out city girl and I wanted to fly off there in the next flight. Alas, the big ocean comes in between.

And the romance There were no explicit sex scenes which I loved and the romance was sweet, soothing and cozy, something that settles your heart. As I said, it seemed to be a well-written rendition of a Bollywood movie truly.

Also, the author's portrayal of the Indian parents was meticulous and unerringly authentic, with their set of ideals that are hardly ever flexible. Their honor codes, and intangible, abstract notions of image and reputation that overweigh the value of their own children. Kiran's parents were like most parents in India, who have the habit of pinning their dreams on their children so easily and expecting them to fullfil those dreams, instead of the children's own ones. There's a tacit expectation that it's the children's duty to live the kind of life their parents want and didn't get to live, rather than what the children want for themselves, and those children who deign to defy those expectations or veer off the course, especially in marriages and career choices, their parents set for them are seen as disappointments.

The onus has always been on the child or here, daughter, to satisfy her parents' vision of lives, but it is never on the parents to look for what their child wants. And the author painted that disheartening and unfortunate picture so immaculately.

I do relate to the Kiran's inner turmoil of wanting to keep her parents happy, to not hurt them the exact same way they've been hurt before, to not hurt their family reputation and get it smeared before the "society", the rumbling conflict between her wants and desires and her parents'. I think that's an inherent Indian trait. We don't see that in American stories, the way Indian children prioritize their parents' wishes and happiness more. Not all. But most. The difference in our cultures and upbringing are most prominent here and the author has etched them out in the most poignant way. I loved how their reconciliation took place. It had almost got me teary-eyed.

But that being said, I did have certain gripes that were niggling me until I accepted them as things I didn't like.

1. Dramatic romance

There were moments when they would have these sudden too-intimate moments that seemed abrupt, like a leap, given the time they've spent together. And the climax, along with some of the dialogues, was way too dramatic for my taste really. Too much like a Bollywood movie. There's a reason I stopped watching the commerical ones.

2. Ignorant of the pandemic situation.

I liked that it was one of those few books that referred to the pandemic situation even in passing and brought a touch of the heinous reality to the fiction by reminding us what we lived through.

But the thing is, we are still living through it. At least most of the countries. There were a couple of times the narration included phrases like "post-pandemic", where Kiran was happy to be out and about after being on lockdown for months. But her use of the word "post-pandemic" makes me think she believes that the pandemic is over? When clearly it is not. There are still hundreds of people being affected and dying everyday because of covid and yes, maybe the counts have reduced over the months, but that doesn't belie the severity of the still ongoing situation. So it seemed ignorant to me to cast about "post-pandemic" relief, when it is still a perpetual threat in most of the countries in the world, including the States.

3. Kiran, on some issues. I related to her as an Indian on American soil, but as an Indian too, I thought some of her ideals were somewhat warped and backdated and those didn't change until she was put through trial herself or "was in love".

The portrayal of Kiran's sister, Kirti was full of judgment initially. There's this line where Kiran wonders about her sister's choice and the path she decided for herself, if it was "worth our parents' pain to chase her own happiness". It seemed to echo the society's condemning tone, that seemed to shame her for following her own heart instead of their parents'. I am a little disappointed to discover that here, Kiran sounded so judgmental, that she decided to perpetuate such a regressive ideal of society, to drag on the patriarchal notion that never holds the parents accountable for expecting their child to live THEIR dream of a life.

I mean, I get that the older generation is set in their ways and it is expected of them, but I feel like the millennials should know better than perpetuating the same sentiment.

But I say initial disappointment because in time Kiran grew to stand up to her parents and speak up her mind, to not be cowered by the stupid honor codes and reputation and family image that are held dearer than children in most Indian families.

But then also, that realization, that whatever was done to her sister was wrong, was ill-timed and misplaced, I think. It came only after Kiran was put in the same situation. When she couldn't look the other way and not say anything. It was spurred on by her "being in love", her relationship with Nash, and that doesn't sit well with me. It's not like Kiran wasn't a 28-year old adult capable of seeing right from wrong *before* Nash came along. Why wouldn't she see the erroneous ways of her parents and society and how her sister was castigated wrongfully before a guy came along, before the situation forced her to? I'm not sure this is the kind of character arc I want or like in MCs.

4. Another disappointment was the exploration of casteism. Yes, I am glad that casteism and the dire and shambolic ordeals people go through because of different castes and prejudices around them were talked about here, but I don't think it was handled or discussed the right way.

The narration focused mainly on how impugning a family's honor by not following societal rules was wrong - which it absolutely is - but it never discussed how caste discrimination - that it was the result of - is itself wrong and should be done away with. Kiran's fury - which came way later - was directed at her parents for letting go of her sister, for succumbing to societal pressure and caste system - which is, again, wholeheartedly appreciated - but her ire wasn't directed at the actual core issue - which is, caste discrimination and how wrong it is. It just glanced off that.

And while describing India to Nash, the author incorporated "four major castes and hundreds of subcastes". I mean, really? Four major castes should be really what defines India? When there is so much hatred and prejudices for lower-caste people, when casteism is as prominent and problematic here as racism. Caste abolition is a long and heated discussion that I do not want to get into, but mentioning castes and its divisions in the identity of a country that has been torn apart by caste discrimination did not seem sensitive to me.

I don't know how the author could gloss over an issue like that without exploring it in the context, when it was the origin of the whole problem, when it was right there in big glaring fonts for her to discuss, when Kiran extensively laid out the unjust racist treatments she endured in the US from white people. They are pretty much the same thing in Indian context. If you are an Indian and are against racism, you cannot seriously NOT talk about casteism too when it is an issue that the book *already* has.


Also, I hated Sonam inherently because of how she kept discouraging Kiran from having feelings for Nash from the start by giving her veritable guilt trips about her parents. I mean, hello, best friends? You'd think being a millennial in a first-world country would open her mind more than it'd shrink it down. Sonam asking her to rethink about her choice about dating Nash and questioning it seemed to rankle my brain a lot. It's not that I don't relate to the fear and ache of disappointing our parents. That is something we all experience, I think. But to use that fear in such a cheap way, as a maneuver to give Kiran guilt trips when she was already drowning in them seemed really low for a friend.

But it is still an important story about Indian immigrants and how the different cultures clash and grow together, try to fit together, and hence I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know a little about BIPOC cultures.

ARC generously provided by Netgalley

3.5 Stars

Love, Chai and Other Four-Letter Words is more of Kiran's journey to finding love, reuniting her family and finally find happiness than an interracial romance. I would call it predominantly a women's fiction with some romantic elements in it.

Kiran: An Indian woman who was born and brought up in a village of India. She came to the US during her bachelor's and has been in the country for about ten years. She loves living in NYC however her heart is Indian. Her friends are all Indian (which totally makes sense for an Indian immigrant like me). The story revolves around her falling in love, the tensions in her family caused because of "LOVE", and how it all resolves itself

Nash was an interesting enough male character. I don't have much opinion on him. Good love interest.

Pros:
- Good writing
- Great friendships (Kiran and her 3 best friends)
- Good representation of an Indian immigrant
- Adorable moments between Kiran and Nash. Their connection felt real and heartfelt.
- The grand gesture at the end was adorable

Cons;
- CLOSED DOOR romance (you only see the hero and heroine kiss)
- The entire reasoning behind Kiran's parents drama and thoughts and actions had me furious. The representation of the reasoning and that culture might be true but it is a little uncommon. Yes, parents obviously hate it when the children fall in love and marry for love. But their extreme reactions, their words, their logic behind their daughters to NOT marry for love were too Hindi serial type.
- Way toooo much description on NYC. As a person living in NYC, it got boring for me. Some might enjoy it. But a lot more romantic moments could have fit in the pages that went on and on about the NYC place, the food, the smell, the color, the history of the place.

As an Indian immigrant myself, of course, my experience is different than the one in the book. But I did connect with the characters and the representation. I found the romance and steam lacking but well that's to be expected from an extreme closed door book. If u go in thinking about it as women's fictiony, you will be fine.

PS: I hated the chai recipe of the heroine. Lol. I DO NOT make my chai like that. And I got mad reading that part. But well, again, every chai recipe is personal. And mine would definitely taste better and is much simple :P

it is a 'forbidden' love story between a white American Nash Hawthorne with a traumatic, parentless childhood, and a 'village Indian' Kiran Mathur with a conservative upbringing and two parents who expect her to follow all rules of the land.

There's not much to the premise of the story, it's just another will-they-or-wont-they romcom. It's not what attracts you to read this book. It's going to be the unusual pairing and the navigation of an inter-racial relationship that would make you want to read. What seems like a regular lighthearted read will take you slightly deeper. For a non- Indian, it will certainly be a good way to learn both the good and bad of Indian culture. For a Desi, however, it hits the troublesome spots. Touching issues that might hit very close to home.

I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but the premise might itself give it away. For an Indian, to marry out of love, can be a huge deal. There are many variables to consider, from caste to money and everything else. And for a lot of Indian women, not following the rules laid down by conservative parents could mean being disowned. And this book... somehow manages to both question and glorify it. And this has put me in a very controversial state of mind.

How much do we owe our parents because they raised us well?
Is it okay to do everything they want because of the sacrifices they made?
Is it okay to give up on our freedom?
Is it our responsibility to keep them happy?

Or do we chase what we want and live how we wish, and choose love over our parents if the need comes?
What's the line between strict and abusive parents?
How can we educate them to be better parents? Is it even possible?

Kiran's parents are narcissistic, controlling and I'm sorry, in my opinion, villains. Yet time and again, her friends support her parents with the excuse of 'They don't know any better and ask her to give up everything for her parents. This angered me. And not to forget the casual casteism being thrown into my face with 'You're raised a Mathur, a Brahmin warrior' sentiments. That was so unnecessary.

So yes, I don't know how I feel about this one. As a rom-com, it's fine. It carves out a beautiful, healthy romance that will make you smile. As a mainstream Desi book that covers its culture, I find it a bit problematic and wish it handled such sensitive topics better.

My face hurts after reading this book. I spent so much of it smiling, sometimes not even realizing it, that my cheeks are sore. Sweet yet complex, this book has every element to give you all of the feels. I spent the entire day reading, falling in love, and being transported to NYC and India. I can not recommend this one enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

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

Annika Sharma is an amazing writer. I instantly fell in love with how real these characters feel. They are so relatable and wonderful to follow. I know as a white American, I would always struggle with Kiran's plot line as it is so deeply ingrained in the conservative Indian culture. However, the way Annika Sharma weaved this book, I never felt like an intruder. I was educated in a gentle way and it very much opened my eyes to struggles that I was unfamiliar with. I will forever buy Annika's books from because of how excellent of a writer she is.

My ONLY critique is that I prefer my romance opened door. This book was a fade to black type novel, and that is just not my preference. However, that is such a personal thing. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves romcoms. In a heartbeat.

This book definitely just became one of my all time favourites, it was absolutely spectacular.

It follows Kiran, a first-generation immigrant from India living in New York City. She gets a new neighbour in the apartment next door, and they start to form a friendship that turns into something more. However, she is struggling in this relationship because of her parents, who still live in India. They disowned her sister for not marrying someone of their choosing, so what would happen if they found out Kiran was dating someone else, especially because this someone else was a different race.

Annika Sharma beautifully portrays the (bit-too-relatable) struggles of old culture vs. modern experiences through this story. It's filled with love, laughs, and also some sadness (I shed a few tears). It's an an adorable love story about overcoming obstacles, and I highly recommend everyone to go check it out on October 5th!!

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for this sweet ARC!

A great story that includes love, family, and culture, Ireally enjoyed this story. I enjoyed the chemistry that Kiran and Nash had. Overall a very enjoyable story of family, culture, friends and finding a way to make love work even with a difference in cultures.