I ended up not finishing this book. Both main characters were extremely unlikable. All the characters are underdeveloped. The beginning of the story didn’t grab me. I won’t be leaving any reviews on platforms.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc.

I am a white person who is white and, while I have an understanding that there are cultural differences in various communities, it is not my lived experience. So I’m very poorly qualified to comment on any of the cultural issues raised in the book. I understood Naomi wanted to be connected to her Bengali heritage and felt excluded from what ought to be her own community. I understood that Dev wanted to have a little more freedom in his life than the strictures expected of him by his mother and aunties. But my understanding is very much that of an outsider looking in. I expect first generation immigrant readers (whether of Indian heritage or not) will relate much better to these aspects of the novel.

I admit I didn’t quite understand why Naomi kept her Bengali heritage from those in the Kelowna South Asian community. One one level, Naomi particularly did not want Gia to know just how little she knew of Bengali customs and practices but on the other, it was obvious she didn’t know much of the culture and she outright said it as well. So I had a bit of a disconnect with the messaging at times. Why Naomi couldn’t tell Dev was also a bit of a mystery to me.

Dev is a bit of a grump and Naomi is more gregarious (without being “sunshine” as such) and her initial attraction to him confused me a little (apart from the physical) as he wasn’t very nice to her at all. Later in the book, Dev does not support her when he really needed to and I had some resentment about that for longer than Naomi did.

For all that Dev had his own challenges with the community he was raised in, I did not see him working through his issues with it nearly as much as I saw Naomi learning about and embracing her heritage. I’d have liked to have a little more about how Dev navigated the changes he wanted to make in his life. From the epilogue, it was obvious that some changes were in fact made, but it was also apparent that in other ways he was merely continuing to go along to get along and hide things he thought his mother and aunties may not have understood. I’d have liked to have a little more insight into Gia and her feelings about Naomi. Perhaps that is more on me and being super white though and/or not being great with subtext.

I was happy to read a book which featured a culture not my own and to look up words I was unfamiliar with and refresh my memory of things I knew a little about. The setting was the most attractive thing to me about the book. Ultimately though, I was not entirely sold on the relationship between Dev and Naomi and so my final impression of Sunshine and Spice was pretty mixed.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS

-m/f contemporary romance
-hard one and soft one
-idiots to lovers
-desi rep
-forced proximity
-workplace romance
-great banter

Aurora is a darling writing friend and I was lucky enough to read a very early copy of this. It is incredible to get to read a book that I know is so near and dear to her heart and something she has worked so hard on. Her incredible humor and heart in real life has translated so well on the page in a way only a few of the most talented authors out there can do.

How she juxtaposed Naomi's yearning for community and family with Dev's desire to get away from the traditions that have kept him feeling so trapped, yet both leaned into each other figuring their own path. The family dynamics, the desi traditions, the wisecracks, this is an effortless read that will have you cheering on these two as the stumble through major denial that they are into the other. Stoic, grumpy and hard Dev and softie Naomi were perfect for each other.

I will read anythign Aurora writes and I can't wait to pick up whatever she writes next.

☀️ Book Review 🫚

✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Opposites Attract

What a fun debut romance where the opposites fake date and find chemistry and compatibility!

I also loved the themes of family, culture, belonging and being authentic. Even though I'm not south Asian, I did emigrate at a young age and definitely felt the push/pull of my home culture through parents/family and new culture through school/friends/media. I very much identified with both characters here and their complicated feelings about all those themes.

The romance took a little bit to truly warm up but once they were locked in to each other, it was easy to be invested in them and their HEA. One of my favorite parts in romance is going from where the relationship is safe (it's a secret/no one else knows) to the true test of everyone seeing and weighing in and the drama that ensues. While I know there is an HEA, a big question is always "will they have to defy their fam/friends or will they end up finding support from them". I won't spoil it here but just know, it was very satisfying on that front too.

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕

Naomi is a Bengali brand consultant who knows very little about her own culture. Dev is the son of Naomi's newest client, Gia, who is determined to avoid the potential brides his mother is forcing on him. Together, they strike a deal- Naomi will pretend to be Dev's girlfriend and Dev will help her rebrand his mother's bazaar. This is a cute debut romance by Aurora Palit. One of my favorite tropes is fake dating, so this book fell squarely in my wheelhouse. This one also has the grumpy-sunshine trope, which I also really enjoy. I loved the chemistry between Naomi and Dev- their banter is enchanting. I also liked how Palit shows the difference upbringing makes, especially when it comes to culture. This debut was very well done and I will definitely look for more from this author!

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

I really liked the first 1/3 of this book, but unfortunately, the middle dragged out a lot, and then our MCs got together in a brief chapter that was very confusing. I was expecting a slower burn because of how the book had been going so their first hook-up came out of nowhere and needed to make more sense.

I really liked Dev and Naomi and thought they were good characters whose chemistry was growing, it just wasn't there yet for me when they got together. Their romance felt much more tell than show.

The other plot, putting together the remodel of the Bazaar to Cafe, was interesting as we saw Dev's mother Gia develop agency in her store, but again, much more tell than show.

Overall, this book tried to do too many things and ended up struggling to show us any of them. I simply wanted more from the entirety of this book, and the tropes here just didn't work. I enjoyed the look into Canadian Bengali culture, though, and would be interested in more from this author with better editing.

I really enjoyed both the romantic and cultural elements of this story. I felt they struck a good balance throughout and the story kept me interested from start to finish.

Rating: 5/5 stars
Steam level: Open-door scenes

Thoughts:
Once in a while, I find a book that completely matches the tune of my heart and soul. It hits all the right notes and makes me feel seen in the best of ways, giving me a special type of euphoria that can only result from emotional validation. Sunshine and Spice is that kind of book for me. It has great pacing, lovable characters, and a vulnerable representation of difficulties that first- and second-generation immigrants might face.

Dev and Naomi’s subtle romance development features their endearing friendship, undeniable chemistry, and meaningful steamy scenes. However, due to their respective traumas, they both make hurtful mistakes. Although it would be so easy to vilify either of them for their actions, it’s clear upon closer inspection that their flaws are a product of their complex upbringings, which lead readers through a deeply emotional romance journey characterized by angst, affection, and personal growth.

Additionally, this book honors the unique experience of being a second-generation immigrant. For example, the author depicts feelings of being othered, the conflicting state of being in between cultures, and the complex, profound sense of gratitude that someone in this situation may feel for the parents who have sacrificed everything to give their families even the slightest chance at a better life–all while acknowledging the desire for individuality and meeting one’s own emotional needs. There’s no single answer to reconciling these experiences, which the author rendered beautifully and in the context of a sweet romance between two souls struggling to find their places in life. While this may not be everyone’s experience, this perspective was written very well.

If you are looking for your next book to read, I hope you try this one. Even if it’s not to your taste, I believe there is something in it for every reader to enjoy.

I received a free advanced copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Read this if you like:
- Pillow talk
- Grumpy, softie MMCs
- Sensitive, thoughtful FMCs
- Communicative, observant consent kings

I DNF'ed this - the first 100 pages were boring and couldn't keep me engaged. The writing felt like a continuous monologue inside the main FMC's head. I just wanted to know what was happening around her too!!!

Naomi Kelly started her own brand consulting helping small businesses get a refresh to make them more markable. Out on her own, Naomi is a bit desperate for this new job to help pay her ever mounting bills. The Mukherjee family eclectic store, run by the widowed matriarch, Gia, is in serious need of a rebrand. While they are Bengali, as is Naomi, she was raised far and away from her cultural heritage by her hippy, free spirit mother who felt oppressed by her parents.

Middle son and family peacemaker, Dev Mukherjee, has been living at home and helping his mother, secretly having quite his accounting job. Gia decides no good Bengali son can continue life without an arranged marriage and so hires a matchmaker much to Dev’s horror. While Dev is helping Naomi at the store in which she only has three months to turn around, one of the enthusiastic potential brides mistakes her for his girlfriend. They hit on a plan to their mutual benefit: she pretends to be Dev’s girlfriend while he helps Naomi get in touch with the Bengali culture.

Naomi is keeping secrets from Dev about her heritage because she has always felt out of step, fitting in nowhere, caught between her white stepfather’s background and a mother who refuses to acknowledge her Bengali family and their values. Naomi’s mother, “Sue,” felt oppressed and, conversely, rejected after having a baby out of wedlock. Naomi longs to belong while Dev can barely stand all the drama and demands of his own large and extended family.

Dev is used to going with the flow no matter how miserable it makes him. At times I felt frustrated with Dev that he did not “man up;” however, I can understand his not wanting to alienate such a very bossy and demanding family. He has much to learn about standing for what and who he wants while Naomi so desperately desires to belong, but not at the cost of her hard-won lifestyle. The author portrays well the dichotomy first generation South Asian Canadians feel when their upbringing clashes with new and disparate ways of modern society.

*Bengali culture
*Canada setting
*mother and aunties who make their own plans for the MMC
*matchmakers for arranged marriages
*fake dating

I loved the synopsis and I thought the premise sounded both interesting and adorable.

Unfortunately, I wanted to like this one more than I did; it’s a perfectly serviceable romance but I wanted more from the story.

I will read more by Ms Palit in the future, but this one wasn’t a favorite.



Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I really wanted to love this book, but did not. I found it very slow in the beginning and then sorta half way through it picked up. It started as a fake relationship and turned into a happily ever after. Very predictable. Naomi and Dev's trials and tribulations were entertaining. It was a sweet way to pass the time.

Read This Book If…you enjoy learning more about cultures different from your own!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit

Genre: romance
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, 1-2 explicit scenes
Setting: Kelowna, Canada
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, secret relationship

My Thoughts:
This was a quick, fun read! I enjoyed the unique premise of being disconnected or alienated from your own culture. I always love a Desi romance where they’re set on avoid matches made by their parents. However, I was a little bored throughout. I thought it told a lot instead of showed. For example, I feel like we missed a lot of these two actually falling in love. And if you’re going to do a trope like fake dating, I need more than just standing next to each other at a party!

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

A sweet and sexy South Asian-Canadian romance. Naomi was raised in small-town (white) Canada, by her stepfather and her mother who fled her own restrictive Bengali upbringing.

Meanwhile Dev is trying to avoid his mother Gia's attempts to arrange a marriage for him. So when Gia hires Naomi as a brand manager for her cafe, Dev realizes that pretending Naomi is his girlfriend is the perfect way to avoid all the women that the matchmaker is sending his way.

And Naomi thinks that learning more about Bengali culture from Dev is an excellent way to set herself up for success with the cafe.

How can fake-dating possibly go wrong?

This book immediately grabs you and pulls you in. Situated in a familiar town to me, it follows Naomi and Dev who find themselves in a fake dating situation. Dev is trying to scare off potential set-ups from a matchmaker and Naomi is trying to make a career for herself by revamping Dev's mother's shop.

I really enjoyed the characters and this book, however the third-act breakup was just not it for me. I found it a bit out of character for Dev to react the way he did when he discovered Naomi's 'secret' )if you can really call it that) and I felt like his secret (which to me was the bigger deal) was never really revealed/dealt with. And then the rejoining of their relationship was rather rushed and it felt like nothing was totally resolved. This feeling was also driven by the issues with Dev's brother not being resolved either. Like was he just the same? Did he change at all for his wife?

Absolutely loved the culture and South Asian representation, but felt like the love story was a bit of an afterthought, and honestly could have done without it.

I really enjoyed this book it was fast paced but did not feel rushed. This book was more than just a romance story, it was the story of immigrants and children of immigrants and the struggles that comes with that. It was very realistic, touching on topics like culture, dating with-in and out of ones culture. Also I can never pass up on a grumpy x sunshine plot!

This was a lovely debut centering on Naomi, a brand consultant with a new business who feels disconnected from her roots and Dev, an accountant, who feels suffocated by his. Naomi wants her business to be successful but doesn’t know the first thing about her Bengali background and a new client where knowledge of Bengali culture is incredibly important. Dev, her client’s son, wants to avoid his mother’s matchmaking attempts and find a career that makes him happy. Dev agrees to help Naomi navigate unknown waters in exchange for her agreement to make him look unavailable to all the potential brides that are thrown his way. Both main characters have complex relationships with their respective families and have to navigate tricky expectations of those around them. This was a fun one with such beautiful prose. Word of advice though, don’t eat this one while hungry because all the references to and descriptions of delicious food does not help.

Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mini Book Review
Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit

Tropes and Thoughts
📚New to me author
📚Bengali culture- large part of the story surrounded how FMC was raised, this was referred to as “white washing”
📚Match making/arranged marriage
📚Meddlesome parents and Aunties
📚Fake dating- while a popular trope I am feeling over saturated with it lately
📚Life changes after death of a parent
📚 Balancing traditions and culture with modern westernized social “norms”
📚 Role parents play in our lives as adults, the effects of how we are raised on our thought processes

Overall
An ok read, I wished there was more detail about how FMC was raised, I think this would have provided more depth to character and given the reader more insight into her relationships
The Author did make attempts to link past experiences of parents but characters still didnt feel complete to me, the potential was there to add more complexity and detail but it didn’t seem to come forth

Thank you to @Berkeley and @netgalley for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Absolutely delightful romance. Loved the character development and the push-pull of cultural influence on upbringing and life milestones (ad someone raised in the conservative Jewish community, I’ve lived it in similar if different ways). I loved that all of the characters were discrete individuals rather than trope placeholders and that hey, there are men who can admit they’re wrong!