I have mixed feelings about this book. Madhuri irritated me so much. I feel like she was was so inconsistent and rude to everyone around her and by the time she came around, I was bored of it. I feel like Arjan was too good for her and I was more interested in his arc. It had good potential but it fell flat and wasn’t executed in the best way in my opinion. I did appreciate the culture and the best friends to lovers appreciation. I’m sad I didn’t like it more. Thank you netgalley for the arc.

I have some mixed feelings on this one. I am usually all for fake dating, especially fake dating with best friends where one best friend is secretly in love with the other. However, I can't say this was a stunning representation of that trope, just because the plot didn't support the whole journey much. Madhuri was difficult for me to like at times. She was so adamant about NOT being one way that she just turned into this sort of cold and unlikeable person. Maybe we just didn't get a comprehensive enough look into her, but I felt like we didnt learn enough about her to truly empathize.
On the total flip side, Arjun's side of the story was fabulous. Here is a guy who has been deeply hurt by those he cares most about - his mother literally abandoning him for months at a time from the age of 13 to pursue her own goals, and then Madhuri icing him out any time he got real about his feelings. I cried more than once as he navigated his relationship with his mother, and again at the bond he has with Madhuri's mother, who really was his mother figure, and who made sure he was loved and cared for. I want every good thing for Arjun because he deserves it!
At the end of the day, I am giving this 4 stars based solely on my love for Arjun and his whole arc. I was not invested in the romance between he and Madhuri at all, so his own story held up the book for me.

What a beautiful book, I was afraid of drama because it is a friends to lovers, we already know that drama is always intense, but not here! It was really very well taken, and the drama was very little, almost nothing, it was perfect for my taste😅💖
Arjun and Madhuri, I love them, their friendship and their relationship, and Arjun WHAT A MAN, in love with her from the beginning, he is the “boy falls (super falls) first🥰”, always attentive, god how beautiful it was to read his pov, and everything what he said, that man is VERY in love, (yes, the book has dual pov), I just loved them.💕
Highly recommended if you want to read something nice, light, a fake relationship and with almost no drama.🤍
(The cover? LOVE IT😍)

Thanks netgaley for this arc

Arjun Mehta's love for his best friend Madhuri is so fierce, someone needs to give him a bucket of ice water to calm his flame. But for years, he's kept it hidden because he's already seen how his mother pushes him away, and he can't afford to lose her too if she doesn't reciprocate his feelings. And honestly, she'll never fall for him, even though Arjun reads his fate and hopes. Even though Madhuri also unwillingly has hers read, and in denial of it, she pushes Arjun into a fake "experimental" relationship - which Arjun goes along with because there's nothing he wouldn't do for her (and maybe because, just maybe, he and Madhuri can get closer). And through the course of the book, they end up learning so much about themselves and each other.

And now, for my thoughts: I picked this book up because it gave me very Sandhya Menon vibes - and honestly, Arjun and Madhuri really do resemble Rishi and Dimple a lot. However, as much as I loved the cover and synopsis, you can tell from the stars that I didn't love the book itself as much. Oh, yes, certainly the author does provide a meaningful portrayal of what it means to be Indian-American via two very different characters as well as the overall message "just be yourself".
However, I feel critical towards the chemistry. The author evidently "tries" to utilize chemistry, but everything just comes across as more... scripted. Kind of Wattpad-ish to be honest. It's not something that's easy to explain or teach, but I just simply didn't feel that "connection" that's needed in relationships, both romantically and familially. During the course of my own writing, I've learned that your characters will grow on their own even if it defies our expectations, like real flesh and blood, and as writers/parents of our characters, we should let them. It's difficult to explain, but it starts to grow more real and believable than just sticking to the script and being a little flat. I guess to develop that skill, it requires more self-research and observation than anything.
In all honesty, it took me a while to get through the story because of it, but I think for most people, that's not really that important. So if you're interested in the plot, character arcs, and cultural references, then by all means, go ahead and start reading :)

When I saw the cover of the this book and the way he was looking at her? I immediately had to read it because just based on the cover and without even reading the summary, I knew it was gonna be a pining and guy falls first trope. I am an absolute sucker for this trope and will eat it up every single time. And after reading summary, I was even more intrigued by the premise. Fake dating and friends to lovers will always be famous and the best tropes ever.

I would say the highlight of the book is definitely Arjun. The way he cared for Madhuri and everyone around him was absolutely precious. He was just so selfless and willing to do anything for Madhuri's happiness, even though at times it cost him his own and made him quite miserable. Honestly? And I rarely say this about a guy main character but he deserved so much better. Better than Madhuri. Better than his mom and dad. Better everything really. So justice for Arjun, I wanted so much better for him. So another thing I liked was the way Madhuri's parents were there for him. I was glad he at least had that.

One thing I didn't really enjoy as much was Madhuri's character. I honestly love my imperfect fmcs especially ones everyone else seem to dislike/hate, and I have a lot of tolerance for questionable behavior from them, but somehow I could not bring myself to feel that way about Madhuri so this definitely took away from my enjoyment a little. At times, I was questioning why Arjun and Josie were even friends with her because she wasn't great towards them and did not treat them the best. I found her character to be very inconsistent but not in way that made her realistic. Another thing that took away from my enjoyment was the pacing and development of the relationship between Madhuri and Arjun from friends to more specially considering the fact that Arjun has been in love with Madhuri for years but Madhuri wasn't. It just felt a little rushed? I would have loved to see a more slow burn transition between them. One last thing that didn't really work for me was the writing which made it difficult for me to connect with the characters. Although this could be a more personal issue considering the target audience of the book.

Overall, this was really cute debut novel and would recommend it to a younger audience. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. I'm glad I got the chance to read this book.

As cute as the cover suggest this book is going to be, it turns out it's actually more adorable than you could think. Such a wonderful take on the fake dating trope, as well as best friends to lovers, and it had me wanting to melt into the floor.

I loved this sweet story. I just want to hug Arjun so bad 🥹 I don’t believe I have ever read a book centered around Indian culture and I have to say, it was raw and it was beautiful. Seeing two people raised in the same world and the same culture with varying views of the world they are living in was so REAL.

Madhuri wants to defy the stars and challenge fate, but Arjun just wants to love and be loved in return. Their story was heartwarming.

And the cover?! Come on! 🤩

While there was a good amount I enjoyed about this book, I really disliked the romance aspect of this book, which is a bummer as this is a romance book. Arjun and Madhuri are childhood best friends who exist in this odd in-between of having grown up as almost siblings yet not knowing major things about one another. Arjun has been deeply in love with Madhuri for forever, and is determined that she is the love of his life. So, when Madhuri is determined to take control of her free will and prove a prophecy wrong, he agrees to "fake" date her. You can't really define this as fake dating though, because the two decide to start "The Kismat Experiment" (with some "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" type rules), where they will date for a year then break up to somehow prove that Madhuri has free will? They agree to literally be a couple, going on dates and telling everyone, yet she expects it to stay friendly while being a real relationship? Like kissing and all?? Yeah it doesn't make sense to me either.

Honestly, the whole relationship and the two character's motivations really grossed me out and threw me off. Arjun is a full on SIMP for a girl who couldn't give two shits about him, and he is going to lie to her about his feelings and somehow make her fall in love with him through his scheming? Meanwhile Madhuri is also lying to him and keeping it purely platonic, even after she tells him it won't be. There was just so much lying and dumb decisions, and frankly questionable moral decisions (unhealthy relationship anyone?). I just didn't like them at all as a couple, and I think the book could have been improved if they truly began as platonic friends who actually fell in love throughout the book instead of one boy trying to manipulate the situation. Or maybe they could have stayed friends to make room for the side plots that I found much more interesting.

Speaking of characters, I found Madhuri SO ANNOYING. She constantly takes out her emotions on those closest to her, acting honestly a bit abusive and completely ignoring other's feelings. I frankly wondered why Arjun even loved her — she treated him horribly and didn't have a ton of redeeming qualities. Her reasoning for the entire experiment is honestly a bit dumb, and her excuse of "oh I need to prove I have free will and fight my predetermined destiny" only went so far. Girlie did some really cruel and dumb things.

Moving beyond the bad premise for this as a romance novel, I actually enjoyed the side plots, mainly Arjun's struggle with a family that has abandoned him. With a mother who is basically never home, Arjun has been raised by Madhuri's family, and I really loved the moments between him and Madhuri's mother. The found family was really lovely and I kinda wish that this book was focused on that with Madhuri as a sister/best friend figure. Whoops!

I think for me the hardest thing to move past in this book was the unhealthy relationship the book really wanted me to root for (tldr: I never did). I don't feel like I learned WHY Arjun and Madhuri should be together. They don't really bring out the best in one another, and they both have a plethora of personal problems that should not be brought into a relationship that is built on a lie. This book had a lot of potential — it was written pretty well besides a few cringey lines, had a strong found-family vibe, and provided great representation — but I think the romance execution needs A LOT of work.

Tropes: guy falls first, best friends to lovers, slow burn romance
Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review. As a south Asian, I was very hyped for this book (non-biased, of course) and LOVEEE this cover (the way he’s looking at her??? His kurta and her lehenga/blouse???) I don’t like the double POV though. This book features scheming aunties obsessed with astrology. I loved the slight Hindi words added, and Bollywood mention.
Writing style was directed towards a younger audience, like middle school level, but I’m 20 lol so I didn’t enjoy it.
Powerful message from author: “you are enough exactly as you are”

This one didn’t really work for me, but I did love the character of Arjun. I found his storyline to be heartbreaking and sweet. I couldn’t help but like the kid. I also loved the relationship he had with Auntie Iyer,. Overall, I think this one ran a little young for me.

This book wasn’t for me, personally. I do not read much YA these days, which could be part of it. However, I struggled to get into the book. I made it 40% into it before I decided to DNF.

I think the biggest thing for me was that it felt very wattpad-ish. Meaning like, the tropes and dialogue didn’t quite hit the mark and felt forced or cheesy.
I think the characters needed a little more fleshing out, as well.

I loved the pacing and Arjun was such a sweetheart. Madhuri was so funny and your average, dramatic teen which I loved too.

Ultimately, I wish I enjoyed this one more. I am sure many will enjoy it as is!

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: June 13, 2023)

“Kismat Connection” by Ananya Devarajan was a fun and romantic read for teens and young adults that promoted choosing your own path while also not ignoring your destiny.

I thought the plot was interesting and really liked how unique all of the characters were. I really enjoyed the depth of each character and getting to see their layers revealed throughout the story.

I loved how the chapters flip-flopped back and forth between best-friends-turned-experimental-couple Madhuri and Arjun. It was exciting to get inside the characters’ heads and know what was really going on behind the scenes.

My only had two small criticisms: the climax of the story felt a little forced, and I was annoyed by how childish Madhuri seemed at times. I had to remind myself on a few occasions that she was actually the oldest child instead of her seemingly wiser younger sister.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any teen or young adult looking for a fun romance with a twist of fate.

Thank you, Inkyard Press, for allowing me to read Kismat Connection early.

Loved the cuteness. Loved the dual POV. Loved the Bollywood drama. Actually, loved it all!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a cute, unapologetically Desi romance, and I truly enjoyed reading it. The dual POV was well-crafted, the conflicts were unique, and there was an excellent balance of lighthearted and emotional moments. The writing is strong, especially for a debut novel, and I'm so happy to see that this kind of South Indian representation exists in teen romance today. Plus, the cover is gorgeous! I applaud the author for her work, and am excited to see what she comes up with next!

Can you rewrite the stars?

That's what Madhuri Iyer hopes to do when her mother reads Madhuri's astrological chart for her senior year, predicting that arrogance will lead to academic failure and romantic disaster. Madhuri believes in free will over destiny, and she decides to create The Kismat Experiment to prove it by dating someone she's sure she won't fall in love with: her best friend, Arjun Mehta.

Arjun has known for a few years that he loves Madhuri, but he's never told her for fear of destroying their friendship. His astrological chart indicates success for the year, including with romance, so when Madhuri proposes dating as an experiment, he decides to take a chance. But Arjun also deals with feelings of being abandoned by his divorced parents, and he realizes that he's afraid Madhuri will ultimately leave him, too.

This friends-to-lovers romance does a lovely job showcasing Indian traditions and demonstrating their importance in family and romance dynamics. These traditions play such an important role in the story, whether it's Madhuri's refusal to continue dancing after being bullied by her white ex-friends or Arjun's embrace of Auntie Iyer's astrological readings or rituals to honor the family that has filled in for his own. But the author also balances those vivid details of the immigrant experience with snippets of daily high school life: Madhuri cheering Arjun on at his lacrosse game, the two of them (plus Madhuri's friend Josie) waiting on tenterhooks to hear whether they've been accepted to their dream colleges, and hanging out at the diner instead of the school dance. The friendship and the growing love between the two main characters is wholly believable, occasionally fraught with angst, and ultimately a safe place for them both.

Read this book if you love: best friends falling in love, astrology, debating destiny vs. free will, Bollywood drama and dance, girls/women in STEM

CW: abandonment, divorce, parental illness, bullying, sports injury, drinking alcohol

Thank you, Inkyard Press and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

A swoony and romantic friends to lovers story with incredibly lovable characters! I especially loved the dual POVs, so we got both sides of Madhuri and Arjun's love story!

Kismat Connection was a fantastic read with a super cute best friends-to-lovers romance. I loved how solid Madhuri and Arjun’s friendship was from the start. They were each other’s ride-or-die and that makes their eventual love so much stronger.

The subplots surrounding the first-generation pressures to honor their parents’ culture and their sacrifices and at the same time fit into what their American classmates see as acceptable helped to explain why Madhuri had so much of an internal struggle to rebel against tradition and fought so hard against her destiny.

Overall, this was an excellent debut and I look forward to reading more from Ananya Devarajan.

Thank you so much to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a sweet story centering two Indian American characters, Madhuri and Arjun, who begin dating for an experiment in order to determine how much of a role the Universe plays in their lives. Madhuri and Arjun have opposing views regarding the existence of fate versus free will, and it was interesting to see both of their perspectives on it. The writing in this book was fantastic and my favorite aspect of the reading experience, and the progression of Arjun's relationship with his mother was a close second. However, I had a few issues with how often Madhuri changed her mind regarding her relationship with Arjun; it wasn't so much that she constantly went back and forth between dating Arjun for real or ending the experiment, but it was more about how it seemed to happen randomly without any regard to what else was going on in the story. There were a few more aspects I would have discussed if they weren't spoilers, but overall, this was still a good read!

This cover is stunning. I loved the discussion of Indian culture and our main characters struggle to accept it. The romance was super cute. This was a really good friends to lovers.

FLEW through this excellent, incredible book. Tightly written, earnest, laugh-out-loud funny at several parts—one of the best YA books I've read in ages. Loved the adorable desi rep