For Naina's first novel, Say You'll Be Mine truly had everything a reader could want! She skillfully brought this story to life, weaving in vibrant threads of culture, tradition, and the hurdles of love along the way.
Plans often go awry, and Meghna's life is a testament to that. She had envisioned a future where her ex-boyfriend, Seth, would come to realize his error in breaking up with her after their college graduation and declare his love, culminating in a romantic reunion. Instead, she finds herself blindsided by an invitation to his wedding. Adding insult to injury, he wants her to be his Best Man! It's bad enough that instead of pursuing her passion for theater (or carrying on the family tradition of engineering), she was a teacher in the middle of putting on a play. It wouldn’t be the worst thing if her mother didn’t constantly remind her that her career choice was a disappointment. Determined to avoid heartache and desperate for a distraction, Meghna shocks her mother when she finally agrees to meet with potential suitors (a request she has consistently denied). That's when Kathrik enters the picture, quickly establishing 1) they are not a match and 2) even if they were, he's not looking to marry. Just when Meghna is ready to wash her hands of the whole thing, Kathrik reappears with an unusual offer: pose as his fiancé to help him avoid any further matchmaking and in exchange, he would be her date at the wedding. Despite how ludicrous it seems, the thought of facing Seth's wedding alone propels Meghna to accept this bizarre plan, not knowing the full extent of what she's getting into.
This book was absolutely adorable! It delightfully blends humor, heart, palpable chemistry, and drama. Meghna and Kathrik serve as great examples of the grumpy and sunshine pairing, but they don't just stick to their roles. Often in these books the “sunshine” is bright and cheery, nothing sullying the happiness in their life. Meghna was more versatile than that. She wasn't always cheerful; she experiences a range of emotions that bring depth to her character. We didn’t just witness her reactions to Kathrik. We saw them with her best friend, her brother, and Seth - giving her multiple dimensions and the reader a better understanding of who she was.
Say You'll Be Mine breaks away from being predictable or dull despite employing tropes like the grumpy one versus the sunshine, a fake relationship, and forced proximity. The expected happy-ever-after is there but it's Kathrik's character development that makes it such an enjoyable read.
Riding the line of a clean, close door romance and steamy, Naina does an excellent job fogging up the pages without the need to be explicit. The passion behind the kisses alone heightened the intimate moments in this book.
Naina hit it out of the park with her debut. I can't wait to see what else she creates, especially if she zeroes on her talent of character development.