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Searching... Braintree Thayer Public Library | PAT | BOOK | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A fiercely independent engineer walks out on the man her parents have set her up with -- only to start working side-by-side with him at her job in this laugh-out-loud debut with "delicious banter, deep wounds, heartwarming friendships, and a path to love that often feels impossibly hard, and [a payoff] satisfying enough to give you a book hangover the size of Texas" (Sonali Dev, USA Today bestselling author of Recipe for Persuasion ).
Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer, takeout enthusiast, and happily single woman. The moment she realizes her parents' latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she's out the back door in a flash. Imagine her surprise when the same guy shows up at her office a week later -- the new lawyer hired to save her struggling company. What's not surprising: he's not too thrilled to see her either after that humiliating fiasco.
Jay Shah looks good on paper...and off. Especially if you like that whole gorgeous, charming lawyer-in-a-good-suit thing. He's also infuriating. As their witty office banter turns into late-night chats, Liya starts to think he might be the one man who truly accepts her. But falling for each other means exposing their painful pasts. Will Liya keep running, or will she finally give love a real chance?
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Patel's fast-paced romp of a debut offers a peek into the vibrant Indian-American community of Houston, Tex., introducing a self-assured heroine striving for independence from the traditional expectations of her family. Biochemical engineer Liya Thakkar is perfectly happy as a single woman. She has a devoted group of best friends, a new promotion at work, and no problem finding casual flings when she wants them. When her family tricks her into attending a matchmaking dinner, she embarrasses herself and her parents by fleeing--only to later discover her would-be suitor, Jay Shah, is the lawyer assigned to save her company from closing, and they'll have to see much more of each other. Despite their awkward first meeting and ongoing bickering at work, the chemistry between Liya and Jay is clear to everyone around them. But the headstrong pair will both have to learn to be vulnerable before they can trust each other. Readers will root for Liya as she struggles against community gossip and the weight of disappointing the people who should love her unconditionally. The enemies-to-lovers arc is classic, but the cultural specificity Patel brings makes this rom-com feel fun and fresh. Agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary Management. (May)
Booklist Review
There is no meet-cute for Liya Thakkar and Jay Shah. A recently promoted biochemical engineer, Liya is shocked when, arriving late to her first managers' meeting, she is castigated by Jay, an attorney who has been retained to keep the company she works for from collapse. Then, when a date goes violently wrong, Liya escapes, but, in a Cinderella-like moment, she breaks the heel off one of her $1,400 Louboutins, twisting her ankle. She finds refuge in a diner, where Jay just so happens to be eating. He comes to her rescue, but then what? In this warm and witty tale of opposites, Patel portrays Jay as a traditional Indian American man very close to his widowed mother and his brother. Brilliant Liya is scorned in their community as a loose woman. Both are attractive and successful, yet deeply scarred by traumas in their youth. Can they find their way to romance? Patel's vivid comedy of conflict and love within an upscale, urban Indian American enclave features endearing protagonists within a circle of friends who all act with integrity and strength.