What I enjoyed:
-Seeing Arya’s relationships with her sister, mom, best friends, and love interest develop was really nice. They each took very different directions but still felt fleshed out without overwhelming the storyline.

-The enemies-to-lovers romance was admittedly adorable.

-We saw a lot of character growth from Arya. She learned how to own up to her mistakes while also being able to admit and apologize for her wrongdoings. She also made a point to stand up for herself when she was being treated unfairly, which I love to see in YA.

What could’ve been improved:
-The pacing of the story felt off to me at times. Seemingly important events would be covered in a couple of pages, while seemingly minor events could take entire chapters.

Overall:
This was a quick and cute debut, and I would definitely be interested in future novels from this author. While this novel wasn’t perfect, I think the author’s future works will only improve.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

This was such a fun, swoony, banter-filled romcom—I loved the nods to Bollywood, and the Never Have I Ever comp is spot-on!

Enemies to friends to lovers trope? Check. Teenage angst? Check. This book fits well into the young adult romance genre. It also gives a look into Desi culture, which was really cool. Some of it was a little hard to follow due to unfamiliar terminology, but that gives readers a chance to look into what the terminology means in order to delve deeper into that culture. Those who are part of that culture who read this book will no doubt love the representation it gives, similar to the representation from Ms. Marvel (both comics and on screen). It has some cutesy moments and some moments that have the reader empathizing with the characters, both main and support. That said, I found the plot a little lackluster. There wasn't a lot that actually happened, per se. I feel like things could have been fleshed out more. A decent read, but not a favorite.

I've heard about Bollywood movies, but didn't know anything about them; that's why I picked this book up - to learn more about Bollywood. Still not sure I know much about it, but this book was a fun party! The book is structured like a Bollywood film (says the description - intermission and everything).

Description:
Shaadi preparations are in full swing, which means lehenga shopping, taste testing, dance rehearsals, and best of all, Arya’s sister Alina is home. The Khannas are together again, finally, and Arya wants to enjoy it. So she stifles her lingering resentment towards Alina, plays mediator during her sister’s fights with their mother, and welcomes her future brother-in-law with open arms. (Okay, maybe enjoy isn't exactly right.)

Meanwhile at school, Arya’s senior year dreams are unraveling. In between class and her part-time gig as a bookshop assistant, Arya struggles to navigate the aftermath of a bad breakup between her two best friends and a tense student council partnership with her rival, the frustratingly attractive Dean Merriweather.

Arya is determined to keep the peace at home and at school, but this shaadi season teaches Arya new realities: Alina won’t always be in the bedroom down the hall, Mamma’s sadness isn’t mendable, friendships must evolve, and life doesn’t always work out like her beloved Bollywood movies. But sometimes, the person you least expect will give you a glimpse of your dream sequence just when you need it most.

My Thoughts:
Indian weddings are full of tradition and are very rich affairs that cover a large span of time. There are many rituals and lots of partying. This book focuses on the Khanna family relationships and how they work through issues all surrounded by the wedding preparations. This is a debut novel and I must say the author did a good job and produced a fun read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. Expected publication is January 9, 2024.

Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment by Arushi Avachat is a delightful YA rom-com that shows the fullness of teenage life.

Arya Khanna's senior year becomes complicated when her two best friends, who had been dating, break up. Add to that family drama as her sister returns to the family home after a three year break in order to plan and prepare for her shaadi. Add to the friend and family drama the fact that Arya came in second place for class president, meaning she has to serve as VP for her rival, Dean. Plus a part-time bookstore job, maid of honor duties, mediating the broken relationships of her mom and sister AND her two best friends... oh, and college applications. Whew, Arya has a LOT on her plate.

Arya is a delightful narrator and main character. Though she has her own flaws to work through, she has a good heart and the best of intentions. As things get tense at school and at home, Arya begins to learn how to stop meddling in other people's relationships and focus on her own.

Arya's friends and family are fully fleshed, well developed characters. The academic rivals to lovers plot is fun and played out at a slow-burn pace. What I love most about this book might be the fullness of it-- we see so many aspects of Arya's life. We see her at her part-time bookshop job, at school, with family, with her future in-laws, at parties and with friends.

The setting of a smaller town in the Northeastern United States is charming, with adorable bakeries, coffee shops, and the incredible sounding Belle's Bookshop, where Arya works part time. This bookshop is my favorite setting, and I loved the descriptions and how it was a gathering place for Arya and her friends. It was also so lovely to see the relationship between Arya and her boss, Mindy.
This book reads like how watching a Bollywood film feels. Highs, lows, dance sequences, romance, even an intermission! It was utterly delightful. With plentiful references to Bollywood films and pop culture in general, this novel is cozy and perfect for curling up with on rainy/snowy winter days. This is a story worthy savoring, playing out at a Bollywood film pace.

Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment will be available January 9, 2024.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an E-ARC such that I could share my honest opinion.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Arushi Avachat, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Arya is a high school senior just trying to enjoy her last year and help plan her sister's wedding. Things start to unravel though when her two best friends break up and a tense relationship with her student council rival, Dean. Things at home are also tough since her sister and mom are not getting along, her mom's constant sadness and Arya having to play peace maker.

Set up like a Bollywood film, get ready for a fun YA read! I love Arya's character and feel for her as she has to be the "adult" in most situations while she is still somewhat of a child. I will definitely be recommending this book to others!

Save the Date meets Never Have I Ever in this story about a high school senior who is about to get a Bollywood spin on her life when her sister gets engaged and she has to navigate family drama, friend drama, and an unexpected crush. Arya is thrown headfirst into wedding planning when her sister becomes engaged, but that isn't without it's own drama as with new family members, mounting fights, and more come to a head. On top of that her senior is starting, and after losing the presidency she is now vice president to her frustrating yet handsome school rival, Dean. The more time Arya and Dean spend together the more their rivalry is starting to turn into something else, and with so much going on in her life, she'll have to find a way to balance everything before it explodes in her place. This was an okay read, you get to see a lot of family drama , especially between mother and daughters and sister and sister. Arya is dealing with so much, and she's trying to find a way to navigate it all on top of dealing with her best friend's breaking up and trying to remain friends with both as well as this new relationship with Dean. This would make a cute read for teens I think.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was a fun read with great characters and a surprisingly deep plot. Multiple points of conflict tied together without overwhelming the story. Conflicts were confronted realistically, leaving some open-endedness to the resolution, suggesting the full resolution would take time beyond the scope of the story yet leaving you feeling that resolution would be achieved.
This story provided a beautiful peek at India/Hindu culture and traditions while also including very American teenage moments.

I wanted to love Arya Khanna's Bollywood Moment so much. It absolutely pains me that something about it kept me at arm's length and wouldn't allow me to immerse myself or even care about the characters or the story. But I enjoyed aspects of it, so all wasn't lost as I continued to read.

I loved the family themes, drama, and gossipy aunties. All of these components added relatability to a story steeped in a culture I didn't always understand. But, of which, I'm eager to learn more about it, hoping to gain a deeper understanding.

The romance is cute, fun, and balanced exceptionally well with the rest of the story. The technique used to organize the story felt unique and apparently was adapted from the format of a Bollywood film, including an intermission. I really enjoyed this aspect as it was fresh and new to me at a time when I don't often get to experience things quite like that.

Overall, it is an excellent debut novel, and even though I could never wholly immerse myself in it, I still took a lot away about the cultural aspects that are different from my own.

A darling lil romance.
Academic rivals to lovers!

Arya’s in her senior year, her best friend isnt speaking to her, her kind of estranged sister is home for her wedding and handsome Dean Merryweather the student body president is as infuriating as ever.
so arya had a lot going on but it all worked so well. The conflicts werent in the romantic relationship which was nice and it all seemed pretty indictive to real life.

I did want more closure from the mom’s story but it was kinda nice that not everything was wrapped up in a bow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for an eARC.

I’ve been struggling with YA contemporary romances lately, and this one was no exception. The premise was intriguing—academic rivals is always a fun trope—but the opportunity to learn about a new culture, one I haven’t been exposed to very much in my daily life, was about the only exciting thing about this book. Because the writing felt kind of clunky and awkward, the characters and the plot ended up feeling flat, which is why I couldn’t get through the whole book.

DNF @ 23%

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

A light fun diverse YA rom com! Arya's got so much going on in her life- she's applying to colleges, her sister is getting married (and arguing with her mom), and she's doing a delicate dance with Dean. The character development is good, the situations believable, and the Bollywood connection appealing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A perfect YA read that, ahem, older readers will enjoy as well.

This was a super cute, fun YA read. The romance was sweet, though not the main focus. It was definitely more coming of age and dealing with family issues which I liked. I wish we'd seen more resolved with Arya's mom, I just felt so sad for her but overall the book did wrap up well. I watch a lot of Bollywood movies so it was fun to see the references but it's definitely not required knowledge for enjoying the book.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Wednesday books for the advanced copy

This was a cute YA read featuring a Desi teen who spends a year helping with her sister's wedding. Lots of parties, lots of cultural celebrations, lots of family drama and a swoony romance side story. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Sajni Patel or Farah Heron. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I absolutely loved this story. It did read on the younger side as it is a ya but it didn’t seem like a 13 year olds thought process. The writing was a little choppy in places but overall I loved the plot and all the little underlying storylines.

This YA romance was such a cute read! I love a wedding story, and this one was made even better by the fact that it was the MC's big sister getting married. I enjoyed the South Asian rep and Bollywood film structure (and that Arya explained the Bollywood connections along the way for those of us not too familiar with them).

The love interest is an academic rival. I was more interested in the family dynamics than in the romance. There's also some friendship drama to carry things along. If you liked Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea, you're sure to enjoy this debut--the student government aspect felt very similar.

Thank you to Arushi Avachat, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this debut novel!

This was a super sweet YA story, and a fantastic debut! Avachat really captured the high school experience and drama of young adulthood, as well as beautifully showing off Desi culture and wedding traditions. I definitely learned a lot, and went down a fun rabbit hole exploring wedding attire, practices, and foods after I read.

I gave this four stars instead of five because I feel like there could have been some plot points that were more fleshed out, and others that should have been less of a focus/non-existent. For example, I wish we had seen a little bit more of a reason/cause/explanation behind Arya's mother's implied depression - I spent most of the book waiting for more of a dive into it, and was disappointed that we didn't get it. I feel like an exploration of this would have helped her mom seem less cold/unfeeling toward her children, and would have helped to develop the character.

I also think that the conflict with Lisa could have been omitted entirely. While having falling outs/big fights with friends is entirely a part of the high school experience, there was so much other conflict going on that it just seemed like an unnecessary focus. I would have preferred more of the dynamic with Dean and Arya, or Arya and Alina/her family, and less of the side drama with Lisa.

However, this was still a really wonderful first novel, and I am excited to read more from this author in the future! If you enjoy books by Nisha Sharma, Helen Huang, and Mazey Eddings, you'll enjoy this debut!

This book has: high school MCs, Desi wedding, sisterhood, first love, student government, family drama, personal growth.

Fun high school romance that brought me right back to familiar situations, albeit with an Indian flair! Arya's sister Alina is home planning her shaadi (wedding celebrations) and Arya is happy to have her around although she's stifling the resentment that she feels towards her sister. Three years before, Alina left the family after a fight with her mother, leaving Arya to feel abandoned with her mother's sadness. As Arya's senior year starts, her best friends break up. Arya struggles to stay neutral and remain friends with both. Then Dean, her student council nemesis-turned-president is just everywhere - bothering Arya with his ideas and hishandsome smile. Sometimes the only place that Arya can find peace is at the book store Belle's where she has worked since freshman year.
I loved reading about Arya's growth over the course of her senior year leading up to the wedding. I didn't know all of the Indian terms and foods mentioned but it didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story. This story is supposedly structured like a Bollywood film which really just made me determined to see one!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This book was fun to read, the culture, and planning for her older sister’s wedding was so exciting. Arya has to deal with high school, her friends, her own family issues, which is a lot for a kid. I loved her blossoming romance with Dean, this book was all around adorable, aside from it falling a little flat in the middle, and I started to lose interest, there is familial trauma in here that also felt off, I wanted more from this book, but as a YA read, I would still recommend the book.