Series:
Once Upon a Wedding (Book 3)
No love. No commitment. No problem, right?
Fleeing her own nuptials wasn't part of wedding planner
Sangeeta Parikh's design for her life. Neither was stumbling into chef Sonny
Pandya's arms, nor the video that went viral. Now they're an internet
sensation! So why not fake the relationship with no commitment? Sangeeta can
save face and her job, and Sonny gets needed exposure for his restaurant. It's
a good plan for two commitment-phobes…until all that pretend hand-holding and
kissing start to feel real.
Good second chance story. The book opens on Sangeeta's
wedding day, highlighting the preparations to marry her fiancé, Param, but
something feels off. Instead of excitement and happiness, she has a sinking
feeling of dread. She tries to convince herself it is nerves, but she can't do
it when it comes time to walk down the aisle. She takes one look at the open
doors and runs the other way, ending up in the alley behind Sonny's restaurant.
Sonny and Sangeeta have a history. They'd met at the
beach a year earlier when Sangeeta and Param had broken up. For three days,
they spent time together, talking about everything and nothing, connecting deeply.
But when Param called, Sangeeta returned to him and was engaged shortly after
that. But fate wasn't done with them. As Indian parents do, their parents set
up an introduction between them, hoping they would suit. But Sonny can't forget
how she left him, and Sangeeta is committed to Param, so nothing came of it.
Neither was pleased to see the other again. Sonny had
worked hard to put his feelings for Sangeeta in the past, and seeing her again
stirred them up. For Sangeeta, Sonny reminded her of a beautiful time that
didn't fit her life plan. They want nothing more than to see the backs of each
other when a video of her arrival at the restaurant goes viral. With what seems
like the world looking for her, Sangeeta is stuck at Sonny's for now. Matters become
more complicated when Sonny's sister Reena arrives with a plan. If they go
along with a fake relationship for two months, it will save Sangeeta's job,
boost Sonny's restaurant, and enable Reena to keep the family hotel. All they must
do is play-act for a social media influencer who wants them to handle her
wedding.
I enjoyed watching Sonny and Sangeeta's relationship
develop. Because of their deception, they are forced into living and working
together. It is rapidly apparent that the sparks between them are still there. Both
fight hard against their feelings. Sonny doesn't want to get hurt again, and Sangeeta
is convinced it's too soon after her non-wedding to have feelings for Sonny.
Sonny has a caring heart, and I loved watching him care
for Sangeeta. Much of his love language is food related, and I loved the
description of the food he made. I also liked how well he understood her need
for plans and how he eased her into trying spontaneity now and then.
Sangeeta has been a planner all her life. Sometimes, her
plans made me laugh, such as the hiking trip, and others when I wanted to shake
her and tell her to lighten up. She had mapped out her life and career, and
when things fell apart, she was lost. The chance to get back on track gave her
a purpose, while the relationship with Sonny opened her eyes to what she had
been missing.
As Sonny and Sangeeta got deeper into their deception,
the playacting started to feel very real. Their fake dates to keep Asha happy
became harder to separate fake from reality. Sonny felt his heart trying to
have hope but was afraid to trust. Sangeeta kept fighting against her suspicion
that her feelings for Sonny were real. When an unexpected twist made their deception
public, both must decide if what they have is worth fighting for. I loved the
ending and seeing the changes in both.
I enjoyed the family dynamics in this book. The large
families are frequently over-involved in each other's business, but the love is
undeniable. I understood Sangeeta's frustration with her mother, whose
controlling ways contributed to Sangeeta's issues. I especially enjoyed seeing Sangeeta
stand up to her at the end. Sonny has a similar problem with his father, as the
differences in his and Sonny's visions drive them apart. I have yet to decide
about his sister Reena, whose desperate focus on the family hotel started the process.
The vibes between her and Akash in this book make me think something is happening
there. I'm looking forward to the next book and seeing how it turns out.
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