I really loved this book! The joy in the relationship between the main characters leapt off the page and it was so refreshing to read! I really enjoyed hearing Kiran's backstory with her family. I did feel that the ending was a bit unearned and it was two big of a jump, but overall I loved this book!

this was very middle of the road. I didn't have high exceptions so it didn't need to live up to anything. I don't think I would recommend as its basic but it was still cute.

This one is an adorably sweet story of two very different worlds clashing but somehow being perfect for each other. Kiran Mathur is the epitome of the dutiful Indian daughter, with a great career and life in New York but always making sure to take care of her parents back in India and live by the rules they (and their culture) set for her. Nash grew up almost alone and believes he's happy with just his best friend and his aunt in his life. But a randomly adorable meet cute sets them on a path that questions everything they've grown up to believe about themselves and their futures and following that path to happiness means facing up to the traumas of their past.

You can tell that Sharma really thought (and probably has experience) with an epic clash of cultures a very traditional Indian and a very typical Southern white guy would have. It's cute to see them both try to embrace and understand the things about each other that make them different and unique.

I've read a lot of books published right on the edge of the COVID pandemic and the stay-at-home period, and this is probably the best representation of what it felt like to finally be able to go back out and meet in person with loved ones and explore the world once again. Extra kudos to Sharma for creating an excellent window to and record of the era.

Zehra Jane Naqvi does a wonderful job of narrating and giving each character a very distinctive voice. I loved that I never had any doubt as to who was talking and that even the characters with thick accents just by virtue of the story were easy to understand.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the lovely read!
(I'm sorry I took so long to get to it.)

Very cute romance. I really enjoyed the narrator for this novel. I only wish it wasn’t so long I think it could’ve been shorter and still have been an excellent book.

This book was a cute, feel-good, multicultural romance that does its best to tackle difficult cultural and family situations while still delivering a satisfying romance. I would feel comfortable handing it to a patron looking for "clean" romance.

I gave this book three stars because while it evoked a cozy feeling (and a strong desire for authentic chai), I wasn't always sold on the romance and felt a lack of depth. This book would be great to pick up if you're looking for a light read.

That being said, the author does address the challenges the couple in the book face as they face their cultural differences. I especially loved how the author portrayed strong, supportive friendships in this book in addition to family and romantic relationships.

I loved the representation and discussions that were in this book. However sometimes the writing style threw me off with descriptions of surroundings or items that had no purpose to the plot. I was also a little taken aback that there was a whole conversation where Kiren was like I don't date and then when they do decide to date it was never brought back to that statement to check in. Overall the book flowed well and I liked the main characters and how they developed and grew. The narrator was great with all the characters except Nash, the southern accent was off and I wish she had just not tried.

This was a good book. Not my favorite but it’s a solid read. I may try others by this Author or even attempt to read this one again

A familiar story plot of characters wanting to do the right thing and of commitments to being a hermit. Maybe the ending was good but I couldn't finish it.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for giving me the opportunity to listen to this.

#LoveChaiandOtherFourLetterWords #NetGalley

Good South Asian representation, fun and believable characters ... all in all Sharma's LCOFLW is a good masala rom-com dealing with the typical Indian family/ progeny tropes.

Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words was an interesting read. On one hand, the characters were interesting and I liked the general story line, but there were parts where the plot seemed to go on a tangent. The tangents made the book as a whole seem to drag, which was really disappointing.

I am a little conflicted on this one. I loved the different representation and learning more about a culture different from my own. I struggled with the connection between Kiran and her parents. The expectations, the vile things they said to her and yet she still felt obligation to them. I appreciated some of the conversations between Kiran and Nash regarding disparaging comments about her name. With Kiran and Nash I really enjoyed their connection and the trips they took to cross off items on her bucket list. There was a push and pull due to Kiran feeling like she needed to have her parents arrange a marriage for him with someone they chose after they have already disowned her older sister for choosing a love connection with someone of a lower class. I liked to see that towards the end they made some strides to bring the family back together and Nash made a grand gesture to show Kiran how much he cared about her. The romance itself was pretty fade to black - closed door romance, but it was sweet. The cultural representation was big, and I really loved the friendships between Kiran and her three friends who played a big part in the story and I would loved to see them get their stories. Having grown up in America it was hard for me to relate to the parental connection and obligations. However, I am sure others will have a stronger connection with the story.

Such a cute and fun read!
I loved hearing this book on audiobook. The narration was done well, and I felt the emotions the author was trying to get across throughout.

Sometimes the various POV confused me, because the characters had so many similarities. However, I loved the way everyone was woven together, like a rich tapestry.

This book didn't work for me. I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters. There was to much dialogue and not enough connection to the characters.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, and also quite enjoyed the narration. However, it felt much too long and drawn-out to keep my attention. I was longing for a little more momentum and ultimately didn’t finish it, because I lost the ability to connect with the characters. It’s very well-written and engaging, and I think the characters are well developed. For me, unfortunately, the issue was that each scene and event took so long to read through that I just stopped coming back to it eventually.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance copy!

I really enjoyed this story by Annika Sharma. I really enjoyed the premise of this story.. And I also enjoyed watching the friendships between Kiran and Nash developed into something very special. I also enjoyed watching the friendship of her friends of the CMC support her in her new relationship with new relationship with Nash.. Even when her parents did not approve.. This proves the power of love always comes 3rd period my only dislike was the narration of narration of the male characters in in the story. I am looking forward to more stories with Annika Sharma.

I'm very interested in this (hopefully) series! Four very different friends, one most delicious drink. An interesting character to start with, I believed in the romance while also rolling my eyes occasionally at the drama. I appreciate that the author doesn't shy away from the difficulties cross-cultural relationships can bring, and I think these folks worked them out believably!
I wish for them a very happy ending <3

Any chai lovers here? 🙋🏻‍♀️

Love, Chai and Other Four-Letter Words 🎧
By: Annika Sharma
Narrated by: Zehra Jane Naqvi
Publisher: @dreamscape_media
Download: @netgalley

My Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for access to this audiobook.

This very sweet title had a lovely concept of an interracial/ intercultural relationship between Kiran Mathur and Nash Hawthorne. I also like that Indian culture and values were highly emphasized.

This book did drag on to be much longer than necessary. I was not a fan of Nash’s perspective and I do not think the author needed to dive into Nash’s conversations with his patients.

My favourite part involved a reunion between characters (I do not want to give too much away here).

I think many that could relate to Kiran’s cultural norms and familial demands/ expectations would appreciate this book.

Publisher's Summary

Kiran Mathur knows firsthand how dangerous love can be. After all, her sister's marriage in India nearly destroyed Kiran's family. So she's decided to redeem romance herself - by not falling for anyone who might disappoint her parents. That is, that was her plan right up until she met her new neighbor, Nash Hawthorne. 
Nash is a dedicated psychologist and committed to being alone. His family life has taught him the inevitability of abandonment, and he isn't ready to question his beliefs. But spending time with Kiran makes him start to experience emotions he's never felt before. For both of them, love feels like a risk. But when the future only starts to make sense once they consider it together, it might be time to follow their hearts....
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#NetGalley #DreamscapeMedia #LoveChaiAndOtherFourLetterWords #audiobookreview #NYC #NY #USA

I wanted to like the book more than I did but sadly I didn’t. A lot of it dragged on forever and became tedious and boring. The narrator wasn’t bad but the book didn’t really do her any favors. More of a content problem over a narrator problem.

Extremely cute with a great pace and lovable characters. If you're in the mood for a quick and happy romance, this is a good pick.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I share the opinion of a lot of other reviewers of this book. The trope of the overbearing Indian-Chinese-Pickanethnicity family is way overdone at this point and it becomes a huge bummer. This is another book where a woman wants to be free (which I guess equals American?) but also wants to be the perfect daughter, but instead falls in love with an american boy (which again I guess means freedom). I didn't find either of the main characters interesting. I liked the group of friends and could see myself returning to the series for the more interesting side characters, but this one did not do it for me.