The Singles Table is laugh out loud funny with kooky, yet believable, characters and situations. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Zara Patel, her family, friends, and co-workers. From their first meeting at a bachelor/bachelorette paint ball party, where the serious former Air Force pilot turned corporate security specialist, Jay and fun-loving Zara clash over their team’s goal—she just wants to have fun while he wants to win at any cost—to the epilogue, I was charmed and entertained by them and the colorful cast of supporting characters.

It’s wedding season and all single men and women are seated at the Singles Table, so Jay and Zara have plenty of opportunities to see each other at the weddings of mutual friends and family, but neither is very impressed with the other. Jay is very focused on expanding his corporate security business and being a successful businessman, he’s a no-nonsense guy who has no time for fun or romance. Zara, on the other hand is all about living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment. It is very rare that romantic comedies with kooky, kind of over the top heroines, appeal to me, most just aren’t very funny and come off feeling forced. I didn’t think this one would be any different, but I was wrong. There was so much more to Zara than partying and making a spectacle of herself, she wasn’t acting out or seeking attention, but genuinely living her life her way and having a blast, with a touch of avoidance and commitment phobia thrown in.

Both Jay and Zara have family issues that have affected their work and personal goals, but in very different ways. The author handles these issues deftly, in ways both poignant and hilarious. The Singles Table is a good time.

Let me be the first to say that Sara Desai literally puts the ‘comedy’ in ‘romantic-comedy.’ The Singles Table was ridiculously funny, over-the-top, and adorable, as expected with all of Sara’s books in this series. (This book is an Adult Romance for 18+ readers btw!) Jay and Zara are truly hate-to-lovers excellence and I loved following their shenanigans. This may be my favorite out of all three books in the Marriage series, if not tied with The Dating Plan. This book isn’t as connected to The Marriage Game and The Dating Plan as these two books were with each other, so you don’t have to read the first two books to enjoy this one. Nevertheless, I loved all the easter eggs we got from the first two books, like Taara & Mehar Auntie and Faroz LOL.

First of all, I LOVE Zara so much. She’s so incredibly funny as a main character in an Adult Romance and I was fully laughing out loud following all the hijinks she was getting into. I love how unapologetically herself she is and how she fully owns her over-the-top personality. After seeing so many South Asian women in western media be portrayed as this “subdued” type, I definitely appreciated her vivacious character (the same goes for Daisy and Layla, too). I also love that Jay fell in love with her because of her personality and didn’t shy away from it at all (as I imagine most brown men would IRL). All the chapters in which he was talking about how she stole his heart because of her personality was so cute.

Speaking of Jay, South Asian authors really need to stop writing about brown men named Jay/Jai that keep stealing my heart omg. I loved Jay’s journey with trying to manage his PTSD and how he wasn’t even ashamed of claiming that he had PTSD from serving. Mental health is almost always swept under the rug with South Asian communities, and I really appreciated how honest he was with himself, and ultimately with Zara. I also adored his relationship with his mom!! They have the sweetest relationship and I found it so cute how protective he was of her.

I think the only reason I knocked this book off one star is because nothing really happened in this book to be honest? The previous two books had major points of conflict between our main couple but here there weren't really any tangible points of conflict throughout the book. It kind of followed this repetitive pattern of Zara and Jay hanging out with neither of them admitting their feelings, and then Jay realizing he liked Zara and trying to tell her, followed by Zara running away because she’s scared of her feelings and Jay chasing after her trying to convince her that what they have is real. I think I would have appreciated a bigger/more serious conflict during the climax scene as well, because it felt like they ‘fought’ (if you could even call it that) over nothing.

Ultimately, I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud South Asian rom-com! I really hope Sara has more books planned in this series. Below is my favorite snippet from the first few chapters of the book in which Zara and Jay first meet. I was truly dying of laughter during these scenes.

Sad to say that I didn't enjoy this one, and I think Sara Desai's writing might just not be for me. I think it was the line around 50% of the way through, 'open for me, sweetheart', that really killed off my enjoyment because just ick. The other book I read by Sara had a similar male figure, massively cliched macho man. I also really, really disliked Zara, and so it was always going to be a battle to enjoy the book sadly. It wasn't for me.

DNF'd at 33% - the writing was too over the top and the characters felt like caricatures of people so I couldn't connect to the story

Sara Desai knows how to write ridiculous and outrageous characters in such a loveable and fun way which made this book a win for me. Though I liked it much more than The Marriage Game, it wasn't quite as good as The Dating Plan.
This is a grumpy/sunshine enemies to lovers romance book following Zahra, a free-spirited and energetic lawyer, and Jay, a serious veteran who now owns a security company. The two meet as opponents during a paintball game and soon forge a tense bond where Zahra will search for a relationship for Jay, because his mother wants to see him with someone, and Jay will introduce Zahra to his famous clients.
A kind of flimsy premise they are mostly together by the time either of them are in a place to fulfill their end of the bargain, but it's cute nonetheless.
Things I loved: Zahra. She is such a fun character but there is also a ton of depth and background to her that makes her so real. A lot of authors try for the fun-loving eccentric lead but they often make them caricatures. I felt like Zahra was a perfect example of this done well.
I also love Jay and his backstory. This is a cute romcom that deals with deeper topics like PTSD and I thought Desai handled it well. I also am a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine book and this couple is just the epitome of that. Their love for each other shone off the page which is what I most want from a romance novel.
The things I didn't like so much: I felt like a lot of the side characters veered too much towards ridiculous. The aunties and Zahra's co-workers for example were just way too much. This is also a petty complaint but there was no Layla/Sam or Daisy/Liam in this book. They were only mentioned once even though the author has the perfect opportunity to show their wedding. Since Layla and Daisy were so close, it made this book seem set apart from the first two in the series and it was kind of out of place.

If you want to laugh out loud one page and swoon the next, check out this stunning book by Sara Desai.

This is, by far and away, my favorite Sara Desai book yet! I absolutely loved this one--full of banter, and fun, and laugh-out-loud moments, it reminded me a bit of The Hating Game (another recent read of mine). As a lawyer myself, I also love that Zara shows us that not all of us fall into a mold, and you can be yourself even in an old-school profession. Zara is entertaining without being annoying, which is a hard balance to achieve for quirky heroines. Some are so hot mess you can't stand them but Zara truly has her sh*t together while still be quirky.

I think with the previous two books I was experiencing romance burnout reading them back to back, but having a little separation before reading this one elevated the experience. This one was also pleasantly steamier, and the chemistry between the two leads was off the charts!

Thanks to Berkley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

Loved this one so much! It's full of witty banter, swoon worthy moments and everything that makes a wonderful story. I think I liked this one even more than The Dating Plan, which I LOVED!

I fell in love with the concept of The Singles Table immediately. There's this delightful, electric, almost sizzling chemistry and tension from the beginning. How it seems, on paper, that Zara and Jay couldn't be more opposite. Their push and pull dynamic is sure to cause sparks - but maybe not all good? In The Singles Table we are able to see through both perspectives. While that normally makes it much easier to fall in love with the characters, it took me until about 50% to love Jay.

At the beginning, he was standoffish and guarded. Only through getting to know Jay, did I realize what he was hiding behind his defenses. He doesn't like to be vulnerable - although who does? - but because of that, we see, at the beginning, only their differences. However, as you continue to read, you'll get to know Jay and see his own sense of vulnerability. Zara, on the other hand, was an instant win. She's passionate, almost like a whirlwind, and say hello to denial!

Zara Patel is this crazy celeb-obsessed attorney who loves her single life. She makes sure to dodge all the aunties during the wedding season by hooking everyone else up. She reserves her spot at the singles table but she never remains there. She is too busy playing match makers until this season she realizes she may actually find her match.

At her table, she is introduced to a grumpy military security personnel, Jay Donovan. He is definitely adding a sour vibe to the mix but she is determined to pair him up with someone. Jay doesn’t mind since his mother has been riding him to find the perfect woman. He agrees to Zara’s scheme. All he has to do is let her in on where he will be with his celebrity clients. The problem is that Zara thought pairing Jay with a woman would be easy but she finds herself wanting to be with him.

This book is so hilarious and zany. I really love the cast of mix characters. We get to see old and new from the series. There are some really fun times and the chemistry between Jay and Zara are off the charts. This is the perfect blend of rom-com meets opposites attract. I couldn’t pair two different characters together for the perfect romance if I wanted to.

Jay is top-level book boyfriend. Yes, he is a bit grumpy and very militant but he loosens up and he allows Zara to be Zara. He also has some PTSD from childhood and his family. The author could have gone deeper on that issue but I understand that she may wanted to keep the light feeling. The only thing that annoyed me was the back and forth with the characters. The push and pull feeling is never attractive to me in romance novels but they are a ploy many uses, that I tend to accept it.

Overall, I can’t wait to see who is next up in this series. Fans for a fun light hearted read should definitely pick up this book. You didn’t even have to read the first book in the series.

~ Samantha

This was one of my anticipated reads for the second half of 2021 and it didn't disappoint. This was an absolutely amazing romcom and definitely what I needed coming up to the holiday season.

This was a cute romance! I've read Sara Desai's other books and have always found them to be sweet, light romances and this one was no exception. I wouldn't say that it's going to stick with me for an extended period of time, or that it was super memorable, but it was still a fun story that I think many will enjoy! 3.5 stars from me! Thank you to Netgallety and the publisher for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sunshine/Grump Trope= Yes!
Witty banter full of tension= Yes!
A matchmaking arrangement= Yes!
Wedding shenanigans= Yes!
Steam= Yes, please!

The Singles Table is full of everything a good romcom needs!

An entertaining, whirlwind romantic comedy of opposites attracting and finding love exactly when they don’t want to, “The Singles Table” pairs up conservative, in control Jay with disaster prone Zara. In order to find Jay a match, the two have to spend time together and discover alone the way that sometimes opposites really do balance each other out. The ending went on a little longer than it needed to, but still wrapped up in a satisfyingly cinematic way. Both Zara and Jay have to change how they view themselves and relationships but I was glad that neither had to change themselves to make their fragile truce turn into a lovely romance. Overall a fun a high energy rom-com.

I received an Arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I've spent many of my days at the singles table of various friends weddings over the years, so when I saw a book that had that title in it I was intrigued to read. Not to mention that this was also about Indian weddings, which I have never been too, but I have always wanted to go to.

Zara the perpetual single, has a flair for life that I wish I had. She can wear bright colors and see the best in everything. Jay, the former military love interest, is much more my speed. Focused on his goals and doesn't tolerate distractions. Unless that distraction is getting hit in the ass at paintball. The story follows their less than conventional, yet sexy story of getting together. And I wish their was more to read of Jay and Zara.

Bubbly lawyer Zara and grumpy CEO Jay are both constantly being introduced to potential partners at weddings. When Zara (a mini matchmaker herself) tells Jay she can find him the perfect woman in exchange for some introductions to potential work clients for herself, the two strike up a deal. And I'm guessing you know how it all ends up...⁣
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This was such a cute read with great banter, that had me invested from page one. Zara was such a likable fun character and I was laughing out loud at quite a few of her antics. And Jay, well who doesn't love a grumpy hero?

Even though The Dating Plan will forever and always be my favorite of this series, The Singles Table was an amazing addition. Filled with moments that made me laugh out loud as well as moments that had me swooning in my room in the middle of the night, this is a romance that I will definitely be recommending to my friends. Zara and Jay were so sweet together, and this is the perfect book for anyone looking for a good grumpy/sunshine romance. The angst as Zara wrestles between her desire to stay single and her growing feelings for Jay was top-tier. I saw a review comparing Zara's energy to Hazel from Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating and I think that is a perfect comparison. Zara is wild and high-spirited, and she makes me want to have that same energy. And as with any other Sara Desai book I've read, the families of the main characters are always stand-out characters. The meddling aunties never fail to be entertaining, making them one of my favorite parts of every book of this series.

This series is so much fun. I'm always a sucker for an Indian wedding and there is not shortage of them in this book. While not my favorite of the series, I found Zara to be annoying at times, this was still a solid choice. ⭐⭐⭐💫 Definitely pick this up if you are looking for an entertaining read.

I loved The Singles Table by Sara Desai. Enemies to lover and grumpy/sunshine tropes. It was an entertaining romcom with many cultural wedding details woven into a story with tension, steam, and amazing banter.

The chemistry between Zara and Jay was sizzling, and I simply adored Zara’s bubbly, energetic personality that resulted in many laughs. But oh the banter, tension, and push and pull between these two. This is the banter of my dreams. 🔥

Recommended for fans of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and Shortcake

You’re in for a delicious treat with this wonderfully hilarious romantic comedy. This is book 3 in the Marriage Game series but can easily be read as a standalone.

When opposites collide at a bachelor/bachelorette paintball outing, the sparks fly.

From the moment they meet, the energy is high. Zara Patel is an unconventional personal injury attorney who enjoys matchmaking for her friends and family on the side. Unfortunately, love is not in her cards because she’s too much for most men. Jay Dayal is an uptight and serious CEO of a security firm who lives and breathes his company. There’s no room for relationships in his life. However, when Zara catches him in a weak moment at the singles table, they make a deal for him to give her celebrity clients while she finds a perfect match for him. To his surprise, instead of wanting cultured and refined, he wants unorthodox and exciting.

I love Zara. She has an addictive enthusiasm for life and people. She makes people smile and brightens their days. Even the grumpy and uptight Jay has fallen under her spell. Jay makes her feel safe and he pays attention to her. A dangerous combination. The way he watches out for her well-being is honorable and sweet. After all, his natural protective instincts are a plus with someone like Zara who unequivocably brings disaster in her wake. Jay comes across as cocky, but he’s lonely and hiding a darkness inside that only Zara can brighten. As Zara takes his breath away and loosens him up, his smiles and thoughtfulness shine through. Zara’s zest for life is enlivening and Jay’s calm and sexy control is comforting. The perfect match.

All the characters in this book are superb. From Zara’s artistic father and his outrageous paintings of the female body to Jay’s loving mother and her biker boyfriend of many layers. Also, who couldn’t love Zara’s snarky, promiscuous BFF Parvati who watches the Autopsy Channel to chill (did I mention she’s a doctor?). And, of course, Zara’s overzealous matchmaking aunties.

I highly recommend this delightful multicultural romantic comedy about following your dreams, doing what you love, and stepping out of your comfort zone. The entertaining traditional pre-wedding and wedding antics are unforgettable and the characters are charming and extremely amusing. I’m definitely going back and reading books 1 and 2.

Thank you to Ms. Desai for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Wedding season has begun! Zara has a knack for matchmaking and she already has a few matches under her belt. Enter Jay from the singles table, whom Zara seems to have an immediate attraction too. So what does this matchmaker who is very anti-relationship do, she sets her sights on finding him a wife.

Zara is the life of the party and Jay doesn’t like to party. Regardless of being polar opposites their chemistry is 🔥.

I need to know if Zara is a real person because I want her as my bestfriend! She is carefree and completely owns up to her loud and over the top personality.

Sara Desai is a new author to me and she did not disappoint. This book was so much fun and ridiculously funny. I devoured it. I also really enjoyed how the characters were relatable with real life issues.