Dollycas's Thoughts

Jasmine Randhawa's life is far from ideal. She has had a rocky relationship with her parents for years due to some behaviors they did not approve of and the local South Asian community holds it against her too. Her sister is the favored one. Jasmine can't seem to quit her romantic ex either even though she should have long ago. She is also living well beyond her means but an impulsive decision has her going on a 10-day Alaska cruise with her parents hoping to reconnect with some old friends. It isn't until she is onboard the ship and looks around that she realizes she is on a Seniors' Cruise and the only person close to her age is a kid she used to babysit, Jake Dhillon.

Jasmine really wants nothing to do with Jake but she loves how much any time they spend together upsets the organizer of the tour who happens to be his biological Auntie. They end up spending more and more time together but she is still afraid to take another chance on any man, let alone a younger man.

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This is definitely Jasmine's story of trying to get her life on track but reading about how she was raised and ridiculed was heartbreaking. I know it is a cultural thing but a whole community of people judging you has to be so hard. Behavior held against her would have been praised if she was male. I was so happy Jake was on that ship. Could you imagine how hard 10 days would be if she was there by herself with all the seniors and their snide looks and comments?

Both Jasmine and Jake grow over the course of the book. It is easy to root for them but mostly for Jasmine. I enjoyed the way the author had Jasmine take a hard look at herself and allowed her to try to make inroads with her parents. Jake seems to be the "golden boy". His father and Auntie heaped praise upon him throughout his life. That is pressure too. Both characters didn't want to disappoint their family. The author did an excellent job of shining a light on the double standard within the South Asian community.

I really enjoyed that the story took place on a cruise ship and the main characters were surrounded by seniors that they had grown up with and for the most part respected. It gave everyone excellent opportunities to mend fences and get to know Jasmine for who she really is. It also gave Jasmine and Jake to get to know each other pretty well in a short amount of time.  Jasmine's roommate had a lot of spunk and gave Jasmine some good advice. I enjoyed learning more about South Asian culture too although hated the way Jasmine and I suppose other women like her were treated. It felt very much like bullying.

Sonya Lalli has given readers a very well-written story that is much more than a contemporary romance. Jasmine has a lot of depth with many layers to be peeled away. Jake while almost secondary in many parts of the story turned out to be the right person in the right place at the right time. I was very happy with the ending.

I found Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat to be very entertaining with spirited characters, a clean romance, some nice bits of humor, and views of the Northern Lights all aboard a wonderful cruise ship. I enjoyed my virtual vacay with Jasmine and Jake.

This is the 1st book I have read by Sonya Lalli but am very interested in reading more of her stories.

4.5 Stars!

Can we first talk about how beautiful this cover is? Absolutely gorgeous!

This is my first time reading Sonya Lalli and I was completely enchanted by her storytelling. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Jasmine and Jake had great chemistry and I wanted to shake Jasmine so many times for her to wake up and realize it! I also love a good family-oriented story.

What really stuck with me about the book are the cultural and societal norms that affected the relationships between Jasmine and her parents and Indian community. I feel like I got an education as Ms. Lalli introduces the reader to this diversely vibrant community. But what really crushed my spirit was the way Jasmine was treated (and the way she saw herself) after making a mistake at 15 by kissing a guy at one of the community get-togethers in which everyone could see.

This brought embarrassment to Jasmine and her family, causing her to be shamed (and backbitten) by the community and by her parents. Well, I think that’s too harsh an observation. There was a lot of animosity between Jasmine and her parents because Jasmine did something that this community considers inappropriate and distasteful and nothing like what “good girls” should do, ultimately hurting her chances to find a suitable husband in the future. I found this aspect gave the story so much more depth and realness to it.

I felt so much sympathy and love for Jasmine. She’s a beautiful and vivacious modern woman, easily relatable. She’s just trying to figure things out in the world like all the rest of us bumbling around. After being fiercely protective of her for most of the book, as it neared the end I became so proud of Jasmine for growing and becoming the person she’s always wished herself to be.

This is not just a romance story, it’s also about finding one’s self and being happy with it. About giving yourself a break when you mess up. We all mess up. No need to punish yourself and deny yourself happiness because you don’t think you deserve it or you don’t want to disappoint your parents or someone else. We all deserve happiness, I am just so glad Jasmine was brave enough to claim hers.

Wow, sorry I didn’t mean to go so deep there. I never thought this book would hit me the way it did, or how wonderful and beautiful the world is now with this story in it.

Bottom line: I absolutely enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to all readers!

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that takes readers on a captivating journey aboard an Alaskan cruise getaway. With a compelling blend of humor, heart, and self-discovery, this novel explores themes of identity, family expectations, and the courage to follow one's own path.

Jasmine Randhawa, a seemingly confident and successful woman, finds herself at a crossroads when her relationship falls apart. Joining her parents on a vacation adds a new layer of complication, especially when she discovers that the cruise is primarily filled with judgmental family friends. The only other person her age is Jake Dhillon, an acquaintance from her childhood who is seemingly perfect in the eyes of their South Asian community.

The chemistry between Jasmine and Jake is undeniable, but their initial clashes create an engaging dynamic that keeps readers hooked. As they spend more time together, they realize that they share more than they initially thought, including secrets they've kept hidden from their families. Their relationship serves as a catalyst for self-reflection and growth, as they learn to challenge societal expectations and embrace their true selves.

Sonya Lalli's writing shines with its witty dialogue and authentic portrayal of the complexities of family dynamics. She skillfully balances lighthearted moments with deeper emotional exploration, creating a narrative that feels both relatable and uplifting. As the cruise unfolds, readers will find themselves rooting for Jasmine and Jake, hoping that their connection can withstand the challenges they face both on the boat and on land.

Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat is a charming and heartwarming tale that reminds us of the power of self-acceptance, love, and the unexpected journeys that can lead to true happiness. Lalli's storytelling prowess makes this book a must-read for fans of contemporary romance seeking a delightful escape.

Such a cute story, I really enjoyed it. Having taken an Alaskan cruise, it was fun to read about similar places and experiences all while cheering on the protagonists to admit how they really feel about each other. Fun book.

I love a messy character who is still figuring out her life like Jasmine is, so relatable and entertaining! I think there was great chemistry and it was perfectly drawn out. I like how the family was not just background characters but part of their story.

This was a really fun and cute read! While it's a typical contemporary romance, it also delves deeper in community identity, gender roles, and mental health. Many readers will identify a lot with Jasmine and her struggles with family and feeling like she's enough. This was such a surprising book!

✨ Review ✨ Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli

This book was super sweet and I really enjoyed it. Jasmine sets off on a cruise to Alaska with her not-so-close parents, finding out once on board that it's a seniors cruise. Jake is the only other young person on board and they run hot and cold -- friends to enemies to friends to lovers maybe to enemies and back again. They both have lots of things they're working through on their path to becoming the people they want to be and it was really lovely how that all came together here.

While I'd normally use "sweet" to describe romances of a quainter variety, the characters are anything but innocent flowers, and yet, maybe because of their own personal growth along the way, that's the word I'm stuck with. I really enjoyed this not only for the romance but also for the friendships, family relationships, and other personal growth throughout the book!

The audio narration was enjoyable and definitely brought some extra fun to the experience!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: f/m contemporary romance
Setting: Seattle and an Alaskan cruise
Pub Date: out now!

Read this if you like:
⭕️ reading about cruises and cruise experiences
⭕️ romances with lots of personal growth
⭕️ a wild assortment of aunties and uncles

Thanks to Berkley, PRHaudio, and #netgalley for an advanced copies of this book!

well, i really wanted to enjoy this book more than i did. i tried so hard. i read the entire thing and it just still wasn't for me. tragic, but it happens! so. that's that. thank you so much, netgalley! you're the bees knees!!!

REVIEW Set to run next week
Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat is a story about love, family, and what happens when you take the path less traveled.

Jasmine’s conservative Indian parents have never understood her determination to be all-American. While they love to talk about tradition and immerse themselves in their community, Jasmine revels in the untraditional and loves to try the new and unexpected. This has led to her long being considered the delinquent of the clan: While her sister got straight As and is planning the perfect wedding, Jasmine spent all her time in school drawing, shacked up with her boyfriend for four years till they broke up, and is now the ultimate in “bad” Indian daughters - over 30, unmarried and with a sullied reputation.

Her mother tends to be the cheerleader of Jasmine’s critics, so it surprises everyone when Jasmine decides to take a cruise with her parents to Alaska. She has vacation time to use, the trip is within her sparse budget, and Jasmine figures it will give her a chance to connect with peers whom she hasn’t seen in years. Only once she gets on the boat she discovers a major problem - no one in her family knew it was a 50+ tour, and only one other person on the trip is anywhere near Jasmine’s age

Jake is five years younger than Jasmine, so he doesn’t look familiar to her. After mistaking him for a waiter, Jasmine forgoes apologizing, treats it like he was looking down on waiters for denying being one (or he could just be explaining why he wasn’t the right person to give a drink order to, but whatever), and accuses him of being “a rando hitting on me.” Then she gives him the douchebag test. Clearly, he has no need to give her a bitch test, as she’s already passed that with flying colors.

The magic of rom-com has them, for a series of convoluted reasons, stuck working together on a cruise show called So You Think You Can Boogie? Which gives our leads ample opportunity to begin again and get to know each other. Surprisingly, Jake turns out not to actually be a douche, Jasmine turns out to be an okay person under all that snark, and before you know it, a genuine love connection forms. The only issue is, what will their community think of bad girl Jasmine being with golden-boy Jake?

This is Ms. Layli’s fifth book, and her heroines tend to be what I call “hot mess bitch.” Where they differ from the average hot mess is that they inevitably blame the people around them for their problems and make it a point to often take it out on innocent bystanders via verbal abuse. Like many a hot mess, Jasmine’s issues revolve around a need to work on herself. She’s got a good job but is flat broke from a lack of budgeting and love of luxuries. She and her ex have split up and gotten back together at least three times, all of which she blames solely on him. Her only female relationships are one bestie (the neighbor she moves in with in between living with her ex) and her perfect sister Nikki. She blames this lack of companionship on her parents/community, who refused to accept her as she was/is and always wanted her to live by their standards. Naturally, she has a bad relationship with her folks, and that has nothing to do with her, either.

Fortunately, the absolute best part of this book is watching Jasmine come to terms with herself. She takes the opportunity of the trip to self-reflect, grow, build bridges, and develop an ally in Uma Auntie, her mom’s best friend. She also makes a friend of the ship’s doctor, Ethan, who is able to dispense some solid relationship advice as well as sea-sickness meds. All of that results in Jasmine becoming a charming, vulnerable, and lovely young lady it is a pleasure to spend reading time with.

Jake also uses his trip time and burgeoning relationship with Jasmine to better himself. An event in his past left him building a playa persona that doesn’t really suit the caring, loving, gracious, and responsible person he actually is. Jasmine calls him out whenever he flips from his real self to the phony he uses as a shield, and with her nagging help he is able to mostly put that behind him.

Their romance, while initially based on mutual attraction, blossoms into a real friendship. The ten days they spend together have their ups and downs, with plenty of miscommunications thrown in, but they are able to open up, be honest and share with each other in ways they haven’t with anyone else. This is another aspect of the story I felt the author did extremely well - she captured beautifully what it means to actually communicate with people. Jasmine and Jake learn not just how to be with each other but how to be their real selves with everyone while still being open to what those people might have to say. This was especially important for Jasmine, who had a tendency to use her authenticity as an excuse for a lack of civility and to believe the worst about people in every conversational circumstance. She would jump to the conclusion you were looking down on her before you actually had the chance to do so (In fairness, some of the aunties had black belts in passive-aggressive insults and were quick to use those skills on Jasmine.)

Another positive in the tale is how Jasmine rediscovers her culture as she comes to peace with who she is. Having thrown her heritage out the window along with her community’s conservative values, she had found herself a bit culturally adrift for the last several years. She reconnects with that part of herself towards the end of the tale and develops a new perspective on how
much it actually means to her.

Jake and Jasmine Rock the Boat is definitely a YMMV novel. I felt the book didn’t really get into its grove until the forty percent mark, which made sticking with it a challenge. But for those who persevere, the charm of the latter part of the story makes up for the rough start. I would recommend this to fans of contemporary romance who adore stories with hot-mess heroines.

Cute and fun read on a cruise ship- a senior cruise ship at that - and Jasmine and jake, who knew each other in childhood, are reunited and are kinda thrown together for the duration of the cruise with a very large portion of their Indian communities of "uncles and aunties". I actually enjoyed the dynamics of Jasmine with her family and the representation of the larger Indian community a lot more than the actual romance which was just ok for me. It would be a great book to take on vacation or read by the pool - I really enjoyed this one on audio as well.

3.5 trapped stars
This is a cultural story of two people stuck on a senior cruise, packed with family who are judgy, and expect their adult children be successful and married.

Enemies-to-lovers romance at it finest people. This was great. SO CUTE, SO FUN! I loved the banter. I gotta read more books by: Sonya Lalli

This was such a sweet romance! It took awhile to get to their sweet ending with their first impressions and community pressure. But this left me with such a warm feeling.
Love that the majority was set on a seniors cruise ship. These two had great growth and where able to overcome some societal and familial pressures to come out stronger and more confident.

Thank you berkleyromance for e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I’m always in the mood for a good enemies to lovers story and Sonya Lalli did not let me down with her latest contemporary romance, Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat.

When we first meet Jasmine, her life is kind of a mess. She has just broken up with her loser boyfriend for the third time and has moved in with a friend. She has a good job but somehow still has no money, and as much as she would love to have a close relationship with her parents, that situation is a mess too. Her parents, as well as most of their South Asian community, view Jasmine as a bad girl and openly criticize her life choices and her “old maid” status since she is over 30 and has yet to land a husband. In what can only have been a moment of insanity, Jasmine agrees to go on an Alaskan cruise with her parents and dozens of others from their community, not realizing that it’s actually a cruise for seniors and that she’ll be surrounded by meddling Aunties and Uncles at every turn. The only other person even close to her age on the trip is Jake, a handsome but arrogant young man who is traveling with his dad.

Lalli gets me invested in this couple immediately by revealing that Jake and Jasmine have history. Jasmine actually used to babysit Jake when they were younger. Now Jake is all grown up and he is clearly attracted to his former babysitter. Reverse age gap romance anyone? Jasmine finds Jake to be incredibly annoying and tries to avoid him as much as possible at first, but being stuck on a ship, their paths cross way more than she would like. Although they are initially reluctant to hang out, they soon realize that they enjoy each other’s company and have more in common than they thought. I thought their scenes together were really sweet and that they made a pretty great team.

What I really enjoyed about this story is that even though it’s technically a romance, there’s still a pretty major personal journey for Jasmine. While Jasmine can admit that she really is attracted to Jake, she fights the idea of getting into a relationship with him. She has too much going on in her own life and really needs to sort herself out rather than just jump from one man to the next. Jasmine’s journey on this cruise is more about finding herself and redefining her relationship with her parents and her community than it is about finding love, and I loved the growth she experienced throughout the story.

Full of heart, wonderful character development, and a sweet slow burn enemies to lovers romance, Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat makes for a delightful read.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat. What I found was a cute story and cute characters.

Jasmine and Jake started off with a rocky relationship. I enjoyed the chemistry and the way they ended up on the same committees on the cruise.

The story has fade-to-black intimacy.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This is a fun book that I really enjoyed. Jasmine and Jake met before when they were young in Indian venues, now they’re all grown-up on a cruise with their parents to Alaska.
What Jasmine didn’t realize was that it’s a seniors cruise. As they spend time together on excursions and planning a Bollywood dance routine, they develop feelings for each other. They have to be extremely careful, because their Indian parents and Jake’s aunt are very traditional.
I like learning about the customs of different cultures, and reading about how the young people chafe against the restrictions.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance with relatable characters and a beautiful setting.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

How could I resist a book with the Northern Lights on the cover? I just saw it for the first time this winter in Iceland. I was also excited for throwbacks to the Alaskan cruise I went on a few years ago.

The beginning scenes with Brian felt very New Adult (if not YA), so I was shocked to hear that Jasmine was 33. Her problems felt like straight-out-of-college problems to me. I liked the Indian culture representation and Jasmine's personal growth in regard to her family and romantic relationships, but overall she felt very young.

I would have liked a little more romance, too! Jasmine and Jake were a VERY slow burn. I also loved Ethan, the doctor friend Jasmine made on the cruise, and would have liked to see more scenes of their friendship.

A fun, lighthearted romance, but more of a New Adult feel than I prefer.

This book has me wishing I was on a cruise ship, specifically one headed
to Alaska! Jasmine was feeling pretty confident in her life but when she finds herself single and on a cruise with her parents she’s questioning all her choices. She hates that her family are on the boat, judging her but it soon becomes worse when she realizes it’s a senior cruise! To make matters even worse, if it’s even possible, the only other young person in the cruise is Jake.
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Jake is the “perfect Indian son”, but they soon find out they have a lot in common. I enjoyed their relationship but honestly the family aspect trumps all in this one and it’s so fun !

Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know what magic Sonya Lalli has, but she excels in her romance books by tearing down our emotions. She knows how to address the characters issues and feelings while they also learn how to fall in love. It truly brings out so many emotions, especially in her newest release, Jasmine and Jack Rock the Boat.




Jasmine and Jack Rock the Boat will bring two unlikely characters together. It may be surprising to many people in the Jasmine and Jack community, but they truly belong with each other. Let me start from the beginning.




Being the oldest in her family, Jasmine is used to being disappointed. She usually doesn’t let her parents' disappointment get to her, but lately, it’s been getting to her. And it doesn’t help that her parents shower her little sister with attention while being heavily disappointed with her choices. It doesn’t get better when she unexpectedly joins her parents on vacation while she debates her life choices.




It may be a little surprising that Jasmine joins her parents vacation, which is an all-Indian cruise along the Alaskan coast. She really doesn’t align with Indian expectations, so she tends to avoid the community. And yet, the joke is on her. She has been stuck with the whole community for several days. It’s stressful, and it doesn’t help that Jack is all perfect while she isn’t.




Jack is truly a sweetheart. He may not look like it, but he truly is. And he ultimately falls for Jasmine. She may not live up to the Indian community, but he is ultimately drawn to her. He knows she is a bit picky about herself, so he is more than willing to wait for her.




Ultimately, this book is truly about Jasmine learning to forgive herself. She is learning to be her true self, even though it may not align with her parents expectations or the expectations of the Indian community. It’s about being true to herself and being happy about it. And she is learning that she can love fully when someone who loves her being her.

Looking for a fast read? Pick up Sonya Lalli's new book, JASMINE AND JAKE ROCK THE BOAT, and prepare to laugh! Jasmine Randhawa volunteers to go with her parents on a cruise, maybe work on bonding with them. She is the problem child of her family and their relationship is strained. Jasmine needs to rebuild her life after breaking up with her boyfriend of four years and her dream job leaves her broke. Hopefully, the cruise will bring clarity to her. She gets a shock when she is aboard ship and discovers that it's a multitude of Punjabi aunties and uncles, plus a guy she used to babysit. Oh boy, what did she get herself into?

Jake Dillon remembers Jasmine from years ago and is surprised she doesn't remember him. They grate on each other's nerves. Jake is confident, cocky and successful. The alpha auntie who organized the cruise and her own parents criticize Jasmine's life every chance they get. While Jake gets praise for everything he does. Jasmine and Jake are thrust together to organize an event. Do they discover that their lives have similarities? Does romance ignite between them?

JASMINE AND JAKE ROCK THE BOAT is a feisty, fun, cruise ship of senior citizens and two clashing friends who discover things about life and parents. Jasmine is independent and thought she knew what she wanted. Turns out life surprised her, as she learns the hard way, while cruising with her elders. Jake has emotional baggage as well. They both muddle through issues, but once they get past it, romance sneaks in. The author beautifully integrates the Indian culture into her story. Opinions and expectations of boys and girls are quite different, which is really interesting. Lot's of fun characters with quirky personalities. Romance blooms where you least expect it. This story is crazy, funny and sassy!