A sweet YA romance of four sisters living the pacific northwest at a hotel I wish I could visit. Each season is a different romance and sister. Fun and sweet, inclusive and enjoyable to read. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion

Thank you so much to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this oh so much! Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things was absolutely the read I needed while having a difficult week. It’s so warm and delightful and touching. The book’s description said it was a rom-com for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and that is so spot on. This novel is a beautiful story showing all aspects of love— familial, romantic, self-love, and more—through all sorts of diverse characters. I adored the queer representation and the wide variety of cultures portrayed through the characters. This is a wonderful example of how to incorporate diversity naturally, particularly in the YA genre.

The story follows four Desi sisters living at their father’s inn on an island in the Pacific Northwest as they grow up and experience romance for the first time. Each fourth of the novel follows a different sister in a different season (throughout one year), though they all are present and interact frequently. The plot goes beyond romance, as each girl is struggling with something and striving for a unique goal. Nidhi, the oldest, is in her senior year of high school and torn between what she always wanted to do and venturing in a new direction. Avani feels she’s the only one in the family still grieving the loss of her Pop as she also tries to break free of her flighty reputation. Sirisha, the youngest, must find her voice for the first time if she’s going to make a connection with her crush. Rani, the self-proclaimed Official Love Guru, surrounds herself with romance stories, yet has never actually experienced love… until she finds herself with three suitors at once.

I had a really great time with this book. It’s just so wholesome and lovely. It’s the novel equivalent of a warm hug and a hot cup of cocoa, without feeling over the top.

The characterization is probably my favorite part of the book. Everyone feels real. It was cool getting to know each sister from their point of view AND more objectively through the others’ perspectives. The main four are fully developed and have their own personalities. My favorites were Nidhi (I could relate to her struggles the most) and Sirisha (her romance with Brie was ridiculously sweet), but there weren’t any characters I disliked or points of view that dragged in comparison to the rest. I also liked the side characters, who were charming and sometimes even funny. Most of all, I loved the father and how he made time for individual moments with each daughter. Plus, how the family (and the island) readily accepted him as a bi/pan man was fantastic.

I thought the writing was lovely, as well. This is one of those super duper toothachingly cinnamon roll sweet books filled with gorgeous imagery and tons of food descriptions. I don’t always love that in novels, but here, I thought it worked well. It was terrific to read about Indian cuisine; I could almost smell some of the food wafting off the pages. The tone of this book is so bright and cheerful that the writing plays into that smoothly, creating a charming atmosphere. I also thought the prose stood out at times, with some lines that truly resonated with me. Prasad has a great grasp on writing about grief, growing up, and conquering insecurities. The stories each have lessons, but they’re written in a natural, delicate way. It’s a perfect example of what YA fluffy stories should be.

There are some important themes, as well. The power of family and the bond of sisterhood stand out. This novel made me want to call my grandma and text my aunts and uncles. But it also portrays familial relationships in a really healthy light. The characters stand up for themselves and don’t let toxicities slide, but they also value their families and work hard to show each other love.

The book isn’t mushy and lovey all the time, though! It has funny moments and whimsical scenes. The inn and the island it sits on create a fun setting with many opportunities for laughs. If you like romance tropes, there are a number of them that pop up.

So, yes. I loved this! I don’t think everyone will, but I sure hope that romance readers give it a chance. My only issues with the novel can be explained by its genre. Sometimes the characters got pretty caught up on an issue that had an obvious fix or explanation, but that’s fairly typical for teenagers. The plot was predictable, but I didn’t mind that. Sometimes there was a good bit of repetition, but again, in high school, I’m pretty sure I constantly thought about the same thing over and over. So, none of those things took away from the book for me. Although, I will say, if YA annoys you, you should probably skip this one.

If, on the other hand, you love YA romance, rom-coms, and stories about family, please go pre-order this and give it a try! We need more diversity in the genre, and this is A+ in representation without feeling forced. I very much hope it does well and stands out, because I would have valued it so much when I was a teenager. GoodReads has an untitled book listed as “Songbird Inn #2,” so I truly hope this is a series! I would gladly pre-order the second installment (and would probably buy a copy of this on my own, while I was at it).

5 out of 5 stars!

Attention Disney executives: If you open the Songbird Inn as an adult theme park on the beautiful Orcas Islands in the Pacific Northwest, I will be first in line!

In Maya Prasad’s warm and inviting debut, we follow the four Singh sisters — Nidhi, Avani, Sirisha, and Rani — through their romantic journeys at their father’s impossibly cozy inn; each romance corresponds to a single season.

Nidhi is aspiring pastry chef whose life is mapped out with the precision of one of her ambitious bakes — only the arrival of a handsome constriction worker with a secret pastime upends all of her best-laid plans to study in Paris with her longtime boyfriend. Avani is spirited and adventurous but often scattered and forgetful as she tries to plan a Winter Ball to honor the memory of her late stepfather while rekindling a relationship with the son of the local cheese maker. Sirisha is a quiet observer, who photograph everything around her and develops her first crush on Brie, a young actor visiting the Inn with a theater group. And Rani is the hopeless romantic, pursued by multiple suitors as she lives out her Bollywood romance fantasy.

The novel is utterly charming! Each sister has a distinct voice, and they all have a lovely bond with their father and each other. The South Asian representation in the book is beautiful, steeped in the food and dress, culture and traditions of their father’s native India. The Songbird Inn and the islands are rendered so vividly, you will not want to leave when it’s checkout time. Highly recommended!

This book has such a great setting. I was there with our characters in the Pacific Northwest. This was such a sweet YA rom com. I loved the sisters! I liked how we follow the Singh sisters through winter, spring, summer, and fall, as they navigate the highs and lows of their lives. The four sisters, Nidhi, Avani, Rani, and Sirisha, are each so different and unique but bring out the best in each other.
I liked how we see their relationship with their father also.
I loved all the pastries Nidhi makes and how she experiments with making new items.
I liked how Siriaha has a beautiful eye for everything from behind the camera but slowlt learns how to be herself without it.
Avani has such spirit! I was glad to see her slow down a bit to deal with her feelings
Rani is such a sweet character and I loved how she helped balance her sisters. A great YA Read!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I haven't finished this title yet, need to jump over to a book that is about to expire, but at halfway through I am enjoying it and will definitely purchase a copy for my library. I love that it has authentic represenation of the family, the four daughters, and the Pacific Coast (I grew up on Vancouver Island so could easily relate). It also seamlessly incorporates the father's arranged marriage, and later life relationship with his love, Pop. I think it is very relatable and that my students will enjoy it.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order this year and will recommend it to students.

DRIZZLE, DREAMS, AND LOVESTRUCK THINGS, is a sweet and tender YA rom com about four teen sisters living on Orca Island in the Pacific Northwest. Full of heart and soul, this story follows the Singh sisters through winter, spring, summer, and fall, as they navigate the highs and lows of their lives and loves. The four sisters, Nidhi, Avani, Rani, and Sirisha, became a part of me and I sorely miss each of them now that I’ve finished reading their stories! The tight bond the sisters shared, and their dedication to each other, their father, and their family, truly resonated with me and I loved reading about each of their stories. Prasad has created an unforgettable cast of characters and a whimsical, heart-warming debut that will have readers begging for more—I highly recommend!

A lighthearted tale about four teenage sisters on beautiful Orcas Island. Told in four parts, one each from the perspective of each sister, they (and their father), all manage to fall in love over the course of the year. It all seems a bit of a whirlwind, but it was a lovely read full of PNW imagery (if sometimes romanticized!) and the love the characters feel for their family is heartwarming.

First, I would like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things.

I absolutely loved reading this YA rom-com story set in Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest. The four Singh sisters became friends of mine, and I was sad to say goodbye. In a heart-warming story centered on family, romance, and the unique nuances of life Nidhi, Avani, Sirisha, and Rani drew me into their world. All four of them were relatable, and I saw pieces of myself, family or friends in each one.

The plot was entertaining and kept me hooked. I needed to know who each girl would end up with, and my mouth-watered at the foodie paradise that was the Songbird Inn. I reveled in the bond amongst not only the four sisters, but their father too.

The writing was just what a YA should be. I felt close to the main characters, and the writing was engaging.

I really enjoyed this novel, and recommend you buy it when released in October 2022!

Thank you, Disney Publishing Worldwide, for allowing me to read Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things early!

Colorful, delightful and enchanting, Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things is the story of four sisters and their romances at the Songbird Inn. While I loved each sister's tale, I thought Avani's and Sirisha's were the best, the most emotional ones and the best developed.

Absolutely enchanting!

This novel, and the Singh sisters, will stick with me for a long time. The four stories of these sisters had everything you can want from a romance, LITERALLY. Prasad packs nearly every kind of romantic element into her four intertwined tales that triggered my nostalgia for the genre and also kept me excited to read on and discover what might be waiting from story to story.

Across the tales of all for sisters, the common theme of family really resonated with me, and it's so often overlooked in romance tales that family plays an important role. This novel so beautifully weaves in important learnings like this throughout, and I can't recommend it enough!